This page lists 75 Greek words that start with T, running alphabetically from “ta” to “tyrannos”. The list mixes everyday vocabulary like “thalassa” (sea) and “trapezi” (table) with food, family, travel, and time words. You can use it to build your vocabulary, prepare for a trip to Greece, or check a meaning quickly.
Greek words are the building blocks of one of the oldest written languages in Europe, still spoken by millions of people today. Many English terms, such as “theater,” “technology,” and “tyrant,” come straight from the Greek words in this list.
Below you’ll find the table with the word, English translation, part of speech, example usage, and description for each entry.
Word: The Greek term written in Latin letters, so you can read and pronounce it even if you don’t know the Greek alphabet yet.
English translation: The closest English meaning, so you can quickly see what each Greek word stands for in everyday conversation.
Part of speech: Shows whether the word is a noun, verb, adjective, or another type, which helps you place it correctly in a sentence.
Example usage: A short Greek sentence with its English translation, so you can see how the word works in real speech.
Description: A brief note on the word’s meaning, origin, or cultural background, which helps you remember it and connect it to related words.
Greek words
| Word | English translation | Part of speech | Example usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ta | the (neuter plural) | article | Ta paidia paizoun. (The children are playing.) |
| tachydromeio | post office | noun | Pao sto tachydromeio. (I’m going to the post office.) |
| tachytita | speed | noun | I tachytita einai 100 chiliometra. (The speed is 100 kilometers.) |
| tafos | grave, tomb | noun | O tafos einai sto nekrotafeio. (The grave is in the cemetery.) |
| tavani | ceiling | noun | To tavani einai psilo. (The ceiling is high.) |
| taverna | tavern, traditional restaurant | noun | Pame se mia taverna. (Let’s go to a taverna.) |
| tavli | backgammon | noun | Paizoume tavli sto kafeneio. (We play backgammon in the cafe.) |
| tavros | bull | noun | O tavros einai megalos. (The bull is big.) |
| taxi | taxi | noun | Pairno ena taxi. (I’m taking a taxi.) |
| taxidevo | I travel | verb | Taxidevo sti Thessaloniki. (I’m traveling to Thessaloniki.) |
| taxidi | trip, journey | noun | Kalo taxidi! (Have a good trip!) |
| techni | art, craft | noun | I techni tis Elladas einai gnosti. (Greek art is well known.) |
| technologia | technology | noun | I technologia allazei ton kosmo. (Technology is changing the world.) |
| telefteos | last, final | adjective | O telefteos stathmos. (The last stop.) |
| telos | end | noun | Sto telos tou dromou. (At the end of the road.) |
| teleia | dot, full stop | noun | Valte mia teleia sto telos. (Put a full stop at the end.) |
| tessera | four | numeral | Echo tessera adelfia. (I have four siblings.) |
| tetarti | Wednesday | noun | Tin Tetarti tha figo. (I’ll leave on Wednesday.) |
| tha | will (future particle) | particle | Tha ertho avrio. (I will come tomorrow.) |
| thalassa | sea | noun | I thalassa einai galazia. (The sea is blue.) |
| thanatos | death | noun | O thanatos einai fysiologikos. (Death is natural.) |
| thavma | miracle, wonder | noun | Ayto einai thavma! (That’s a miracle!) |
| thea | view, sight | noun | I thea apo to parathyro einai omorfi. (The view from the window is beautiful.) |
| theatro | theater | noun | Pame sto theatro. (Let’s go to the theater.) |
| thema | subject, topic | noun | Poio einai to thema? (What’s the topic?) |
| theos | god | noun | O theos tou kidou. (The god of thunder.) |
| theoria | theory, viewing | noun | I theoria ginetai praxi. (Theory becomes practice.) |
| thermos | hot, warm | adjective | O kafes einai thermos. (The coffee is hot.) |
| thesi | position, seat, place | noun | Echei kamia thesi? (Is there any seat?) |
| thia | aunt | noun | I thia mou menei sti Patra. (My aunt lives in Patras.) |
| thios | uncle | noun | O thios mou echei fournarisio. (My uncle has a bakery.) |
| thymari | thyme | noun | To thymari einai aromatiko. (Thyme is fragrant.) |
| thysia | sacrifice | noun | I thysia ston bomo. (The sacrifice at the altar.) |
| thyra | door | noun | Anikse tin thyra. (Open the door.) |
| tilefono | telephone | noun | Xtypise to tilefono. (The phone rang.) |
| tileorasi | television | noun | Vlepo tileorasi. (I’m watching television.) |
| timi | price, honor | noun | Poia einai i timi? (What is the price?) |
| timoni | steering wheel, helm | noun | O kapetanios kratai to timoni. (The captain holds the helm.) |
| ti | what | pronoun | Ti kaneis; (How are you?) |
| tipota | nothing, anything | pronoun | Den echo tipota. (I have nothing.) |
| tiri | cheese | noun | Thelo ligo tiri. (I want a bit of cheese.) |
| tiganites | fried potatoes, fries | noun | Thelo tiganites me ta souvlakia. (I want fries with the souvlaki.) |
| tis | of the (feminine singular) | article | To vivlio tis Marias. (Maria’s book.) |
| tolmi | courage, daring | noun | Echei polli tolmi. (She has a lot of courage.) |
| tomata | tomato | noun | I tomata einai kokkini. (The tomato is red.) |
| ton | the (masculine accusative) | article | Vlepo ton filo mou. (I see my friend.) |
| topos | place, land | noun | Aftos o topos einai omorfos. (This place is beautiful.) |
| tora | now | adverb | Tora ftano. (I’m arriving now.) |
| tourismos | tourism | noun | O tourismos einai i vasiki viomichania. (Tourism is the main industry.) |
| trapeza | bank | noun | Pao stin trapeza. (I’m going to the bank.) |
| trapezi | table | noun | To trapezi einai stroggylo. (The table is round.) |
| tragoudi | song | noun | Tragoudo ena tragoudi. (I sing a song.) |
| tragos | goat | noun | O tragos trogei chorto. (The goat eats grass.) |
| treno | train | noun | Perimeno to treno. (I’m waiting for the train.) |
| trelos | crazy, mad | adjective | Eisai trelos! (You’re crazy!) |
| tria | three | numeral | Echo tria paidia. (I have three children.) |
| triantafyllo | rose | noun | To triantafyllo einai omorfo. (The rose is beautiful.) |
| triti | Tuesday | noun | Tin Triti echo mathima. (On Tuesday I have class.) |
| trito | third | adjective | To trito dromo. (The third road.) |
| trofi | food, nourishment | noun | Echoume arketi trofi. (We have enough food.) |
| tropos | way, manner | noun | Me kanenan tropo. (In no way.) |
| trogo | I eat | verb | Trogo psomi. (I’m eating bread.) |
| trecho | I run | verb | Trecho kathe proi. (I run every morning.) |
| tsai | tea | noun | Thelo ena tsai. (I’d like a tea.) |
| tsanta | bag | noun | Pira tin tsanta mou. (I took my bag.) |
| tsigaro | cigarette | noun | Anapse ena tsigaro. (Light a cigarette.) |
| tsipouro | tsipouro | noun | Pame gia tsipouro. (Let’s go for tsipouro.) |
| tsoureki | sweet Easter bread | noun | To tsoureki einai gliko. (The tsoureki is sweet.) |
| tzaki | fireplace | noun | Anapse to tzaki. (Light the fireplace.) |
| tzami | glass pane, window glass | noun | To tzami espase. (The glass broke.) |
| tzatziki | tzatziki | noun | Thelo tzatziki. (I want tzatziki.) |
| tzitzikas | cicada | noun | O tzitzikas tragoudaei. (The cicada sings.) |
| tychi | luck, fortune | noun | Kali tychi! (Good luck!) |
| typos | type, print | noun | Ayto einai o typos mou. (That’s my type.) |
| tyrannos | tyrant | noun | O tyrannos ekratise chronia. (The tyrant ruled for years.) |
Descriptions
ta
The neuter plural form of “the”, used before plural neuter nouns such as ta paidia (the children).
tachydromeio
The place to send letters and parcels. The word combines tachys (fast) and dromos (road or route).
tachytita
Used for the rate of movement of a car, a runner, or an internet connection. It comes from tachys, meaning fast.
tafos
A burial place. The root also appears in English “epitaph”, literally “the words on a tomb”.
tavani
The upper surface of a room. Greek homes often have decorated or wood-beamed ceilings in older houses.
taverna
A casual Greek restaurant serving grilled meat, salads, and mezedes with wine or ouzo. A staple of Greek social life.
tavli
A popular board game played in cafes across Greece. The clacking of the dice and pieces is a familiar sound in village squares.
tavros
A male bovine, and also the Greek name for the zodiac sign Taurus. Bulls feature heavily in Minoan art and myth.
taxi
The same word as in English, written ταξί in Greek. Greek also uses taxi for “order” in words like taxinomisi (classification).
taxidevo
The basic verb for traveling, from taxidi (trip). Used for anything from a weekend away to a long journey.
taxidi
A journey of any length. “Kalo taxidi” is the standard send-off wish for travelers.
techni
Covers fine art as well as skilled craft. The English words “technique” and “technology” both come from this root.
technologia
A modern word built from techni (craft) and logos (study). Greek is the source of the English term.
telefteos
Describes the final item in a sequence. The related form teleftaio is the neuter singular.
telos
Means end or goal. It is the root of English “teleology” and “telescope” (far-seeing).
teleia
The Greek word for the full stop in punctuation, also used for the period in web addresses.
tessera
The number 4. It is the root behind English words such as “tetrahedron” and “tetralogy”.
tetarti
The fourth day of the week, counting from Sunday as the first. Its name literally means “the fourth”.
tha
A small word placed before a verb to form the future tense. It has no direct English equivalent.
thalassa
One of the most used words in a country with thousands of islands. English “thalassic” and “Thalassa” as a name come from it.
thanatos
Also the name of the Greek personification of death. English words such as “euthanasia” come from it.
thavma
Describes something astonishing. English “thaumaturge” (a miracle worker) derives from this word.
thea
A scene or vista. The related word theatro (theater) literally means a place for viewing.
theatro
A theater or playhouse. Ancient Greece invented drama, and open-air theaters such as Epidaurus still host performances.
thema
Also used for a problem or issue, as in “den eimai se thema” (no problem). English “theme” comes from it.
theos
Used for gods in mythology and for God in Christianity. English “theology” and “atheist” derive from it.
theoria
Originally meant watching, such as watching a festival or play. It now means a scientific or intellectual idea.
thermos
Describes something with heat. English “thermometer”, “thermal”, and the brand “Thermos” all come from it.
thesi
Used for a physical seat, a job position, or a viewpoint. A very common word in everyday speech.
thia
The feminine form of thios. Also used as a friendly address for an older woman.
thios
A parent’s brother. Greek families commonly use thio as a warm term for a family friend.
thymari
A wild herb that grows in the Greek hills and is key to Greek honey. Thyme honey is among the country’s most prized.
thysia
An offering to the gods in ancient religion, and now also a general word for personal sacrifice.
thyra
A door or entrance. It shares an Indo-European root with English “door”.
tilefono
From tele (far) and phone (voice). The word is Greek in origin and passed into English almost unchanged.
tileorasi
From tele (far) and orasi (sight). Usually shortened to tivi in everyday talk.
timi
Means both cost and honor or respect. Ancient Greeks treated timi as a person’s social worth.
timoni
The steering wheel of a car or the rudder of a ship. It is also used figuratively for leading something.
ti
A basic question word that opens the common greeting “Ti kaneis;” and many other questions.
tipota
Used in negative sentences and replies. “Tipota” is also the standard answer to “ti egine?” (what happened?).
tiri
Greece is famous for feta, kasseri, and graviera. The word also appears in tyropita (cheese pie).
tiganites
Usually served in tavernas with grilled meats. Also called patates tiganites.
tis
The genitive form of the feminine article. Also appears as the possessive “her” in some patterns.
tolmi
Boldness in the face of danger. The related verb tolmo means “I dare”.
tomata
A staple of Greek salads and cooking. The Greek word is borrowed from the Spanish and Italian names.
ton
The form of “the” used for the direct object of a verb with masculine nouns.
topos
A general word for a location. English “topic” and “topography” come from it.
tora
Common in daily speech. Combined as “tora ki arxizei” it means “and now it starts”.
tourismos
A cornerstone of the Greek economy, which welcomes millions of visitors each summer.
trapeza
Also the word for “table” in older Greek, and a reminder that early banking took place at counters.
trapezi
A piece of furniture used for dining or work. Every Greek meal centers on the shared table.
tragoudi
Also the base of English “tragedy”, which comes from tragoidia, the “goat song” of ancient theater.
tragos
A male goat. Ancient theater may have taken its name tragoidia (tragedy) from goat-related rituals.
treno
Greece’s rail network connects Athens with Thessaloniki and beyond. Borrowed from Italian treno.
trelos
A slang-leaning word for someone wild or foolish. It can be said affectionately as well as insultingly.
tria
The number 3 in neuter form. Greek numbers one to four change with gender.
triantafyllo
Literally “thirty-leaf”, an old name for the rose. It is also a common given name and surname.
triti
The third day of the week, counting from Sunday as the first. In Greek tradition Tuesday is considered an unlucky day.
trito
The ordinal form of “three”. English uses the same root in “trio” and “triple”.
trofi
A general word for what living things eat. It appears in English “atrophy” (lack of nourishment).
tropos
Means method or style. The root appears in English “trope” and “tropical” (turning).
trogo
A common verb for eating. It is the root of English “-trogen” words like “omnivore” in some derivations.
trecho
Used for running, whether on foot or for a machine or a river. The root gives English “trochee”.
tsai
Tea is often herbal in Greece, such as mountain tea (tsai tou vounou), a traditional remedy.
tsanta
A handbag, backpack, or suitcase. A word borrowed from Turkish.
tsigaro
A cigarette. Greece historically had high smoking rates and many cafes still permit it outdoors.
tsipouro
A strong grape spirit made in northern Greece, usually served with small plates called mezedes.
tsoureki
A braided, lightly spiced bread baked for Greek Easter, often with a red-dyed egg in the center.
tzaki
A hearth or fireplace, a feature of traditional village homes. The word is of Turkish origin.
tzami
A pane of glass in a window or door. It is also used informally for a window.
tzatziki
A cool dip of strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and olive oil. Served with grilled meat and pita.
tzitzikas
The loud insect whose chirping fills Greek summers. It is also the title of an Aesop fable about the cicada and the ant.
tychi
A common wish before an exam or a trip. Tyche was also the Greek goddess of fortune.
typos
Used for kind, model, or printed press. The English words “type” and “typography” come from it.
tyrannos
A ruler who seizes power without legal right. In ancient Greece the term did not always mean cruelty at first.