φίλος
fílos/ˈfi.los/masculine
The English phrase 'mate' can be translated to Greek as φίλος (fílos), meaning friend.
In the context of companionship, the word refers to a friend. Note that the related verb ζευγαρώνω is used when referring to the biological act of mating or arranging animals in matched pairs.
Meaning: friend (noun)
Which one should you use?
While φίλος refers to a person one is friendly with, the verb ζευγαρώνω refers to the biological act of mating or pairing animals.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun φίλος is masculine. The feminine form is φίλη. When referring to a group of male friends or a mixed-gender group, use the plural φίλοι. For a group consisting only of female friends, use the plural φίλες.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /ˈfi.los/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- If you are talking about a 'philanthropy' or a 'philosopher', you are actually using a distant relative of the word φίλος.
- Greek uses the word φιλία to describe the specific type of love between friends, distinguishing it from romantic or familial love.
- While 'mate' in English can be used as a very informal slang greeting, using φίλε in Greek to greet a stranger might come across as overly familiar or even slightly aggressive.
Examples in context
- Καλημέρα, φίλε! Πώς είσαι;Good morning, mate! How are you?
- Είναι ένας πολύ καλός φίλος.Eíne énas polý kalós fílos.He is a very good friend.
- Ο φίλος μου έρχεται απόψε.O fílos mou érchetai apópse.My friend is coming tonight.
Example conversation
Eleni and Nikos are talking about a person they both know at a cafe.
- Ελένη EleniΓνωρίζεις τον Νίκο;Gnorízeis ton Níko;Do you know Nikos?
- Νίκος NikosΝαι, είναι παλιός μου φίλος.Nai, eínai paliós mou fílos.Yes, he is an old friend of mine.
- Ελένη EleniΕίναι πολύ ευγενικός άνθρωπος.Eínai polý evgenikós ánthropos.He is a very polite person.
- Νίκος NikosΠράγματι, είναι εξαιρετικός φίλος.Prágmati, eínai exairetikós fílos.Indeed, he is an excellent friend.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mate” translations and entries φίλος, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
