0Useful phrases for visitors to Crete

In the most pop­u­lar tour­ist spots vis­it­ors will find that the loc­als speak excel­lent Eng­lish. How­ever, some of the best places to eat will have older staff with more lim­ited Eng­lish, so it is a good idea to know a few phrases.

We should also add that we think any oppor­tun­ity to learn a few words of anoth­er lan­guage should be wel­comed, and at the min­im­um it is simply good man­ners to greet the loc­al people. The Cretan people are very wel­com­ing, but a few words of Greek still go a long way.

Basic manners and greetings

Drinks

Food

Numbers

Other words & phrases

The above words and phrases should enable you to greet people, order food and drink, and ask for the bill. I have found that even a little Greek goes a very long way. Many times I’ve sat down, ordered food and drink for sev­er­al people and only later has the waiter real­ised that I actu­ally have very lim­ited Greek — but by that time they are so please that I’ve tried that they are very happy to treat us like loc­als, whilst speak­ing in Eng­lish (and help­ing us with our Greek). The more you prac­tice the bet­ter you will get.