Love has always been an integral part of Greek culture. As such, the sheer number of Greek words for love and their accompanying romantic phrases should come as no surprise!
In ancient Greece, people worshipped Aphrodite—the goddess of beauty and love—as well as Eros, the god of love and lust. There were also the Erotes, a small group of winged gods that carried around their bows and shot at people to make them fall in love.
Many years later, Christianity was spread throughout Greece, leading to a whole new perception of love. The religion taught about having love for each other, not necessarily in a romantic context.
Nowadays, rumor has it that modern Greeks are among the most loving partners. They are often described as communicative, charming, and caring.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the magic world of love from a Greek point of view.
Table of Contents
- Words About Love
- Confess Your Affection: Pick-Up Lines & More
- Fall in Deeper: “I Love You,” and More
- Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” & More
- Endearment Terms
- Must-know Love Quotes
- Conclusion
1. Words About Love
Let’s begin with the basics!
Here are some useful Greek love words and their meanings in English:
- Greek: αγάπη (η)
- Romanization: agápi (i)
- Translation: “love” (fem. noun)
- Greek: έρωτας (ο)
- Romanization: érotas (o)
- Translation: “eros” (masc. noun)
- Greek: πάθος (το)
- Romanization: páthos (to)
- Translation: “passion” (neuter noun)
- Greek: συναίσθημα (το)
- Romanization: sinésthima (to)
- Translation: “emotion” (neuter noun)
- Greek: ενθουσιασμός (ο)
- Romanization: enthusiazmós (o)
- Translation: “excitement” (masc. noun)
We’re just warming up! Now, let’s take it one step at a time as we work through the following sections.
2. Confess Your Affection: Pick-Up Lines & More
First things first, you can easily confess your affection in Greek by using one of these ready-to-use phrases:
- Greek: Μου αρέσεις.
- Romanization: Mu arésis.
- Translation: “I like you.”
- Greek: Θα ήθελα να σε γνωρίσω καλύτερα.
- Romanization: Tha íthela na se gnoríso kalítera.
- Translation: “I would like to get to know you better.”
- Greek: Αισθάνομαι πολύ όμορφα, όταν είμαι μαζί σου.
- Romanization: Esthánome polí ómorfa, ótan íme mazí su.
- Translation: “I feel very nice when I am with you.”
- Greek: Θα ήθελες να πάμε για έναν καφέ;
- Romanization: Tha ítheles na páme yia énan kafé?
- Translation: “Would you like to go for a coffee?”
Greeks are often talkative and are not afraid to express their feelings. Both men and women are used to flirting, so the aforementioned phrases can be used by either a man or a woman.
- → Want to make the most of your upcoming date? Here are some Common Greek Phrases You’ll Need for a Date and the Top 15 Compliments You Always Want to Hear.
3. Fall in Deeper: “I Love You,” and More
As you find yourself falling deeper and deeper in love, don’t worry—we’ve got your back!
If you’ve ever wondered how to say “I love you,” in Greek, here’s your answer:
- Greek: Σ’ αγαπώ.
- Romanization: S’ agapó.
- Translation: “I love you.”
Do you want to take it a step further? Then you can say:
- Greek: Σε λατρεύω.
- Romanization: Se latrévo.
- Translation: “I adore you.”
- Greek: Μου λείπεις.
- Romanization: Mu lípis.
- Translation: “I miss you.”
- Greek: Δεν μπορώ να σταματήσω να σε σκέφτομαι.
- Romanization: Den boró na stamatíso na se skéftome.
- Translation: “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
And the ultimate confession:
If you’re a man…
- Greek: Είμαι ερωτευμένος μαζί σου!
- Romanization: Íme erotevménos mazí su!
- Translation: “I am in love with you!”
If you’re a woman…
- Greek: Είμαι ερωτευμένη μαζί σου!
- Romanization: Íme erotevméni mazí su!.
- Translation: “I am in love with you!”
As you might have noticed, there are two versions of “I am in love with you,” in Greek. This is due to the inflection of the passive voice participle. These words get declined similarly to adjectives; therefore, they should agree with the gender of the noun they refer to.
Consequently, when a man says it, the participle should be in its masculine form: ερωτευμένος. When a woman says it, the participle should be in its feminine form: ερωτευμένη.
- → Want to learn more? Here are 15 Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day that are sure to melt your beloved’s heart!
4. Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” & More
Time has passed and it’s time to settle down. Well, you’ve reached the right section! Here are some sweet love phrases in Greek you can use to express your feelings, establish your relationship, and finally propose to the love of your life!
- Greek: Θέλεις να είμαστε μαζί;
- Romanization: Thélis na ímaste mazí?
- Translation: “Do you want us to be together?”
- Greek: Πού πάει αυτή η σχέση;
- Romanization: Pú pái aftí i shési?
- Translation: “Where is this relationship going?”
- Greek: Θέλεις να γνωρίσεις τους γονείς μου;
- Romanization: Thélis na gnorísis tus gonís mu?
- Translation: “Do you want to meet my parents?”
- Greek: Θέλεις να συζήσουμε;
- Romanization: Thélis na sizísume?
- Translation: “Do you want to live together?”
- Greek: Θέλεις να μείνουμε μαζί;
- Romanization: Thélis na mínume mazí?
- Translation: “Do you want to live together?”
- Greek: Θέλεις να αρραβωνιαστούμε;
- Romanization: Thélis na aravoniastúme?
- Translation: “Do you want to get engaged?”
When it comes to a marriage proposal, you have plenty of choices:
- Greek: Θα με παντρευτείς;
- Romanization: Tha me pandreftís?
- Translation: “Will you marry me?”
- Greek: Θέλεις να με παντρευτείς;
- Romanization: Thélis na me padreftís?
- Translation: “Do you want to marry me?”
- Greek: Με παντρεύεσαι;
- Romanization: Me padrévese?
- Translation: “Will you marry me?”
- Greek: Θέλεις να παντρευτούμε;
- Romanization: Thélis na padreftúme?
- Translation: “Do you want to get married?”
- Greek: Θέλεις να γίνεις η γυναίκα μου;
- Romanization: Thélis na yínis i yinéka mu?
- Translation: “Do you want to be my wife?”
- Greek: Θέλεις να γίνεις ο άντρας μου;
- Romanization: Thélis na yínis o ándras mu?
- Translation: “Do you want to be my husband?”
How about starting a family? If you’re in that blessed phase of your life, you could simply say:
- Greek: Θέλεις να κάνουμε ένα παιδί;
- Romanization: Thélis na kánume éna pedí?
- Translation: “Do you want to have (do) a baby?”
5. Endearment Terms
Everybody loves being addressed in a sweet and loving way!
Don’t be shy. Feel free to use the following endearment terms with your partner.
- Greek: αγάπη μου
- Romanization: agápi mu
- Translation: “my love”
- Greek: μωρό μου
- Romanization: moró mu
- Translation: “my baby”
- Greek: ματάκια μου
- Romanization: matákia mu
- Translation: “my little eyes”
- Greek: αστεράκι μου
- Romanization: asteráki mu
- Translation: “my little star”
Each of these endearments can be used for either a man or a woman, so feel free to use them without hesitation.
6. Must-know Love Quotes
Now that you’re well-equipped with a variety of words and phrases with which to shower your loved one in affection, let’s make one more stop. Below, you’ll find a few Greek love quotes translated in English as well as two popular proverbs on the topic.
6.1 Ancient Greek Quotes About Love
- Greek: Η αγάπη αποτελείται από μία ψυχή που κατοικεί σε δύο σώματα.
- Romanization: I agápi apotelíte apó mia psihí pu katikí se dío sómata.
- Translation: “Love consists of one soul that is living within two bodies.”
This phrase belongs to Aristotle, one of the most famous ancient Greek philosophers.
- Greek: Μία λέξη μας απελευθερώνει από όλο το βάρος και τον πόνο στη ζωή. Και αυτή η λέξη είναι: αγάπη.
- Romanization: Miα léxi mas apeleftheróni apó ólo to város ke ton póno sti zoí. Ke aftí i léxi íne: agápi.
- Translation: “One word sets us free from all the weight and the pain in life. And that word is: love.”
This one is attributed to Sophocles, who was definitely another ancient Greek romantic. Sophocles was one of the three tragedians of ancient Greece, and his plays have survived to this day.
6.2 Greek Proverbs About Love
The concept of love has also influenced modern Greeks, who have shaped Greek folk wisdom. With that in mind, here are two of the most popular Greek proverbs about love:
- Greek: Αγάπη χωρίς πείσματα δεν έχει νοστιμάδα.
- Romanization: Agápi horís pízmata den éhi nostimada.
- Translation: “Love without a bit of stubborness isn’t tasteful.”
- Greek: Εμείς μαζί δεν κάνουμε και χώρια δεν μπορούμε.
- Romanization: Emís mazí den kánume ke hória den borúme.
- Translation: “We can’t live with each other, neither can we live without one another.”
7. Conclusion
All in all, Greeks are loving and caring people. So, don’t hesitate to express your feelings—especially now that you know how to do so. Just use the most appropriate phrases from this article to take your relationship to the next level.
Do you want to learn more expressions and listen to their pronunciation? Then visit our list of Words and Phrases to Help You Describe Your Feelings!
GreekPod101.com is dedicated to offering you a wide range of vocabulary learning resources, focusing on words and expressions used in everyday life. We aim to combine practical knowledge about the language, culture, and local customs in order to create a well-rounded approach to language learning.
Start learning Greek today in a consistent and organized manner by creating a free lifetime account on GreekPod101.com. Tons of free vocabulary lists, YouTube videos, and grammar tips are waiting for you to discover them!
Before you go, let us know in the comments about your favorite Greek phrase about love. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
