Όλα καλά
Ola kala/ˈola kaˈla/word by word
The English phrase "all good" can be translated into Greek as Όλα καλά (Ola kala).
Όλα καλά can be used as a statement to mean "everything is fine" or as a question, "is everything okay?", by using a rising intonation.
Meaning: all good (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Όλα, meaning "all" or "everything" and καλά, meaning "well" or "good".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Όλα καλά, the verb "to be" (είναι) is omitted, which is a common feature in idiomatic Greek expressions.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈola kaˈla/ (Ola kala).
When do people say it?
If someone asks you "Τι κάνεις. " (How are you?), responding with Όλα καλά is a common way to say "Everything is good/fine".
Did you know?
- In Greece, saying Όλα καλά can be a social cue to avoid discussing problems. If someone answers with this phrase quickly, they may be politely signaling that they do not wish to elaborate on their struggles.
- The word όλα shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the English word 'whole', as both stem from the Proto-Indo-European root for 'complete'.
- If you want to sound more definitive or reassuring to someone, use the full Όλα καλά instead of the shortened Καλά. The longer version provides a sense of completeness that the shorter version lacks.
Examples in context
- Πώς είστε. Όλα καλά;How are you? All good?
- Ευχαριστώ για τη βοήθεια. Όλα καλά τώρα.Thank you for your help. All good now.
- Πώς προχωρούν τα έργα. Όλα εντάξει;How are the projects going? All good?
- Η παραγγελία έφτασε σωστά και εγκαίρως. Όλα εντάξει.The order arrived correctly and on time. All good.
- Είσαι έτοιμος. Όλα κομπλέ;Are you ready? All good?
- Έφτασαν οι φίλοι σου. Όλα κομπλέ;Did your friends arrive? All good?
- Το νέο αυτοκίνητο είναι μια χαρά. Όλα καλά με αυτό.The new car is great. All good with it.
- Όλα καλά εδώ.Ola kala edo.Everything is all good here.
- Ναι, όλα καλά.Ne, ola kala.Yes, all good.
Example conversation
Dimitris asks Anastasia if she needs help with her bags.
- Δημήτρης DimitrisΧρειάζεσαι βοήθεια;Chriazese voithia;Do you need help?
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΌχι, όλα καλά, ευχαριστώ.Ochi, ola kala, efcharisto.No, all good, thank you.
- Δημήτρης DimitrisΕίσαι σίγουρη;Eise sigouri;Are you sure?
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΝαι, είμαι σίγουρη.Ne, ime sigouri.Yes, I am sure.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (όλα, καλά) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries όλα, CC BY-SA 4.0.
