The 60 Most Common Greek Verbs Behind 85% of Everyday Conversation
Traditional Greek textbooks overwhelm beginners with thousands of vocabulary words before they can order a coffee. In spoken Modern Greek, just 60 core verbs carry roughly 85% of everyday conversation—from asking your Yiayia what she cooked to catching a taxi in Athens.
Notice that Modern Greek has no infinitive ("to go"). Verbs are always listed in the "I" form (ending in -ω or -μαι), so you can speak every single verb below immediately.
1. The Top 12 Essential Power Verbs
| # | Greek (I form) | Phonetic | Meaning | Daily Phrase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | είμαι | EE-meh | I am | Καλά είμαι (I'm good) |
| 2 | έχω | EH-ho | I have | Έχω χρόνο (I have time) |
| 3 | κάνω | KAH-no | I do / make | Τι κάνεις; (How are you?) |
| 4 | θέλω | THEH-lo | I want | Θέλω καφέ (I want coffee) |
| 5 | μπορώ | bo-RO | I can | Μπορώ να βοηθήσω; (Can I help?) |
| 6 | πάω / πηγαίνω | PAH-o | I go | Πάμε! (Let's go!) |
| 7 | έρχομαι | ER-ho-meh | I come | Έρχομαι αύριο (I'm coming tomorrow) |
| 8 | ξέρω | KSEH-ro | I know | Δεν ξέρω (I don't know) |
| 9 | λέω | LEH-o | I say / tell | Πώς το λένε; (How do they say it?) |
| 10 | βλέπω | VLEH-po | I see | Τα λέμε, βλέπουμε! (See you!) |
| 11 | ακούω | ah-KOO-o | I hear / listen | Με ακούς; (Can you hear me?) |
| 12 | καταλαβαίνω | kah-tah-lah-VEH-no | I understand | Καταλαβαίνω λίγα (I understand a little) |
2. Café, Food & Taverna Verbs (13–24)
| # | Greek | Phonetic | Meaning | Daily Phrase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | τρώω | TRO-o | I eat | Τρώμε μαζί (We eat together) |
| 14 | πίνω | PEE-no | I drink | Τι πίνεις; (What are you drinking?) |
| 15 | παραγγέλνω | pah-rahn-GEL-no | I order | Παραγγέλνουμε; (Shall we order?) |
| 16 | παίρνω | PER-no | I take / get | Θα πάρω φρέντο (I'll have a freddo) |
| 17 | πληρώνω | plee-RO-no | I pay | Πληρώνω εγώ (It's on me) |
| 18 | μαγειρεύω | mah-yee-REH-vo | I cook | Μαγειρεύει η γιαγιά (Yiayia is cooking) |
| 19 | δοκιμάζω | dho-kee-MAH-zo | I taste / try | Δοκίμασε αυτό! (Try this!) |
| 20 | φτιάχνω | FTYAH-hno | I prepare / fix | Φτιάχνω καφέ (I'm making coffee) |
| 21 | φέρνω | FER-no | I bring | Σας φέρνω νερό (I'm bringing water) |
| 22 | χρειάζομαι | hree-AH-zo-meh | I need | Χρειάζομαι βοήθεια (I need help) |
| 23 | μου αρέσει | moo ah-REH-see | I like (it) | Μου αρέσει πολύ! (I love it!) |
| 24 | προτιμώ | pro-tee-MO | I prefer | Προτιμώ ψάρι (I prefer fish) |
3. Family, Conversation & Connection Verbs (25–36)
| # | Greek | Phonetic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | μιλάω / μιλώ | mee-LAH-o | I speak / talk |
| 26 | ρωτάω | ro-TAH-o | I ask |
| 27 | απαντάω | ah-pahn-DAH-o | I answer |
| 28 | αγαπάω / αγαπώ | ah-gah-PAH-o | I love |
| 29 | μένω | MEH-no | I live / stay |
| 30 | δουλεύω | dhoo-LEH-vo | I work |
| 31 | μαθαίνω | mah-THEH-no | I learn |
| 32 | θυμάμαι | thee-MAH-meh | I remember |
| 33 | ξεχνάω | kseh-HNAH-o | I forget |
| 34 | σκέφτομαι | SKEF-to-meh | I think |
| 35 | νομίζω | no-MEE-zo | I think / suppose |
| 36 | πιστεύω | pee-STEH-vo | I believe |
4. Travel, Shopping & Daily Routine Verbs (37–60)
| # | Greek | Phonetic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | δίνω | DHEE-no | I give |
| 38 | βρίσκω | VREE-sko | I find |
| 39 | ψάχνω | PSAH-hno | I look for |
| 40 | αγοράζω | ah-go-RAH-zo | I buy |
| 41 | κοστίζω | ko-STEE-zo | It costs (κοστίζει) |
| 42 | ανοίγω | ah-NEE-go | I open |
| 43 | κλείνω | KLEE-no | I close / book |
| 44 | μπαίνω | BEH-no | I enter |
| 45 | βγαίνω | VGEH-no | I go out |
| 46 | φτάνω | FTAH-no | I arrive |
| 47 | φεύγω | FEV-go | I leave |
| 48 | περιμένω | peh-ree-MEH-no | I wait |
| 49 | ταξιδεύω | tah-ksee-DHEH-vo | I travel |
| 50 | οδηγώ | o-dhee-GO | I drive |
| 51 | περπατάω | per-pah-TAH-o | I walk |
| 52 | ξυπνάω | ksee-PNAH-o | I wake up |
| 53 | κοιμάμαι | kee-MAH-meh | I sleep |
| 54 | κάθομαι | KAH-tho-meh | I sit |
| 55 | στέλνω | STEL-no | I send |
| 56 | διαβάζω | dhyah-VAH-zo | I read / study |
| 57 | γράφω | GRAH-fo | I write |
| 58 | βοηθάω | vo-ee-THAH-o | I help |
| 59 | αρχίζω | ar-HEE-zo | I start / begin |
| 60 | τελειώνω | teh-lee-O-no | I finish |
How to Actually Remember These 60 Verbs
Do not stare at this table trying to memorize it like flashcards. Pick one dialogue per day—such as ordering coffee or chatting with your grandparents—and speak the full sentences aloud with native audio. When you learn "Πληρώνω εγώ" in a real taverna scene, your brain locks both the verb and its social context forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many verbs do I need for basic conversational Greek?
Mastering 50 to 60 high-frequency verbs in the present tense (plus "θα" for future and a handful of past-tense favorites like πήγα, έφαγα, είδα) covers nearly all everyday family and travel interactions.
Can I get a printable cheat sheet for all 60 verbs?
Yes! Our 17-page 60 Essential Greek Verbs Cheat Sheets PDF (with present, past, and future stems + example sentences) is available as a $9.95 checkout add-on inside Greek in 100 Days.
Hear All 60 Verbs in 100 Real Café Dialogues
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