καλημέρα
kaliméra/kaliˈmera/
καλημέρα (kaliméra) is the Greek way to say good day.
καλημέρα is used as a greeting between sunrise and sunset. While it literally translates to 'good day', it is most commonly used to mean 'good morning' in Greek.
Meaning: greeting between sunrise and sunset (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word καλημέρα is a combination of καλή, which means 'good' and μέρα, which means 'day'.
Which one should you use?
Once the sun begins to set, you should switch from using καλημέρα to using καλησπέρα (good evening).
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the greeting more formal or to address a group, you can add σας to the end.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaliˈmera/
Did you know?
- In Greece, using καλημέρα too late in the afternoon can be seen as a humorous mistake or a sign that you have just woken up from a long nap.
- The word μέρα in καλημέρα shares a distant linguistic root with the English word 'morrow'.
- While καλημέρα is usually a greeting, it can also be used as a farewell to wish someone a good day as they leave.
Examples in context
- Καλημέρα.Good day.This sentence shows how to use the form καλημέρα as a standalone greeting.Tatoeba #1370108 by glavkos, translation #1844755 by wwkudu
- Καλημέρα, πώς είστε;Good day, how are you?
- Καλημέρα, ευχαριστώ, ελπίζω να είναι μια όμορφη μέρα!Good day, thank you. I hope it is a beautiful day!
- Καλημέρα, όλα καλά. Εσύ;Good day, everything is fine. And you?
- Καλημέρα σε όλους!Kaliméra se ólous!Good morning to everyone!
- Καλημέρα, τι κάνετε;Kaliméra, ti kánete;Good morning, how are you?
Example conversation
Giorgos and Kyriaki meet on a street in the morning.
- Γιώργος GiorgosΚαλημέρα, Κυριακή!Kaliméra, Kyriakí!Good morning, Kyriaki!
- Κυριακή KyriakiΚαλημέρα σου, Γιώργο.Kaliméra sou, Giórgo.Good morning to you, Giorgos.
- Γιώργος GiorgosΠώς είσαι σήμερα;Pós eísai símera;How are you today?
- Κυριακή KyriakiΕίμαι πολύ καλά, ευχαριστώ.Eímai polý kalá, efcharistó.I am very well, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good day” translations and entries καλημέρα, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
