NOUN
Greek nouns have gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), number and case.
In dimotics (η δημοτική - official language Greece) there are 4 cases
1. Nominative case –Ονομαστική πτώση (Ον.) – who? What?
2. Genitive case – Γενική πτώση (Γεν.) - whom? what? whose?
3. Accusative case - Αιτιατική πτώση (Αιτ.) – whom? what?
4. Vocative case – Κλητική πτώση (Κλ.)
To convey relations expressed in Russian by dative, instrumental and prepositional cases,
a noun is used in the accusative case with an appropriate preposition.
In Greek, nouns are used with articles.
The article has no independent meaning, but indicates grammatical gender, number, case
noun.
There are two types of articles – definite and indefinite.
Definite article used with words that express something well-known, specific, definite, it is implied that you know what we are talking about.
Declension of the definite article
| Unit number | Mn. number | |||||
| Case | m.r. | and. r. | Wed r | m.r. | and. r. | Wed r. |
| Them. | ο | η | το | οι | οι | τα |
| Genus. | του | της | του | των | των | των |
| Vin. | το(ν) | τη(ν) | το | τους | τις | τα |
Note: The letter (ν) is in brackets because it is used only before words that
begin with vowels and some consonants: κ, π, μπ, ντ, γκ, τς, τζ, ψ,ξ.The article is pronounced together with the noun.
In Greek, the definite article is used for proper names,
geographical names, nationalities - η Ελένη, η Ελλάδα, ο Μοσχοβίτης.
The definite article is not used after the linking verb – είμαι.
Είναι Έλληνας - he is Greek
if the article is used, the meaning changes - Είναι ο Έλληνας - this is GreekAfter verbs meaning “to be called”, proper names are used without an article.
Με λένε Νίκος. - My name is Nikos.
Αυτός ονομάζεται Σπύρος. - His name is Spyros.The definite article is omitted in titles, signs, advertisements, and listings.
Indefinite article
The indefinite article is used in cases where we are talking about an unfamiliar object.
It can be translated into Russian with the words: some, one of, one.
Ένα αγόρι - Some boy.
Μια γυναίκα. - One of the women.
Ένας άνθρωπος. - One person.
Declension of the indefinite article
case M. r. J. b. Wed. Them. ένας μια ένα Genus. ενός μιας ενός Vin. ένα μια ένα The indefinite article does not have a plural form.
For Russian-speaking audiences, it is quite difficult to learn how to use articles correctly, so you need to pay special attention to their use in sentences.MASCULINE NOUNS
with ending – ος
Singular
Ον. ο γιατρ-ός ο κύρι-ος ο άνθρωπ-ος - ος Γεν. του γιατρ-ού του κύρι-ου του ανθρώπ-ου - ου Αιτ. τον γιατρ-ό τον κύρι-ο τον άνθρωπ-ο - ο Κλ. γιατρ-έ κύρι-ε άνθρωπ-ε - ε
Ον. οι γιατρ-οί οι κύρι-οι οι άνθρωπ-οι - οι Γεν. των γιατρ-ών των κύρι-ων των ανθρώπ-ων - ων Αιτ. τους γιατρ-ούς τους κύρι-ους τους ανθρώπ-ους - ους Κλ. γιατρ-οί κύρι-οι άνθρωπ-οι - οι Exceptions: ο ο Πέτρος – Πέτρο, ο Νίκος – Νίκο.
If the stress falls on the 1st and 2nd syllables from the end, then it (the stress) remains in its place
in all cases.
If the stress falls on the 3rd syllable from the end, then it moves to the 2nd syllable from the end.
a) in units number - in the genitive case,
b) in plural number - in the genitive and accusative cases.Declension of masculine nouns with ending – ης
a) equisyllabic
Singular
Plural
If the stress falls on the first syllable from the end, then it does not change - it remains in its place.
If the stress falls on the 2nd syllable from the end, then in the genitive plural
it moves to the last syllable.
b) unequally complex
Singular
Plural
c) especially inclined
Singular
Plural
Declension of masculine nouns with ending –ας
a) equisyllabic
Singular
Plural
If the stress falls on the 2nd syllable from the end, then it remains in its place.
If the stress falls on the 3rd syllable from the end, then it moves to the 2nd syllable in the genitive case
plural.
There are a number of exceptions:
Singular
Plural
The emphasis in the genitive plural shifts to the ending.
b) unequally complex
Singular
Plural
Declension of masculine nouns with ending –ές
Singular
Plural
Declension of masculine nouns with ending –έας
Singular
Plural
Declension of masculine nouns with ending –ούς
Singular
Plural
The ancient Greek language has preserved fewer cases than its ancestor, the common Indo-European language (in which scientists have restored 8 cases: in addition to those known in Greek, also “local”, “removal”, “instrumental”). When some cases died out, their functions were taken over by others. This is how the above rules for using cases developed.
The formation of nouns in Russian corresponds to Greek traditions. Nouns can be proper - names of people (ἈlέxandroV - Alexander) or mythological characters (ἈJhnᾶ - goddess Athena), geographical names(ἈJῆnai – city of Athens); common nouns, as generalized names of homogeneous objects or phenomena (ἀgorά - area, ἀrcή - beginning, power), concrete and abstract, collective, animate and inanimate, material.
In the Greek language, thanks to the development of rhetoric and philosophy, the formation of numerous collective and abstract concepts from one root began with the help of suffixes, which were often borrowed in new languages to form a special or scientific vocabulary. For example, from the word man (ἀνήρ̦ ἀνδρός) the nouns courage (ἀνδρία), image of a person (ἀνδριάς), men’s room (ἀνδρών) were formed. There were diminutive forms: man (ἀνδρίον). There were compound (complex) words: sculptor, sculptor (ἀνδριαντοποιός). Compound words, as in Russian, receive the gender that is expressed by them last part. At the same time, the concept of courage was expressed using different suffixes(ἀνδρειότης or ἀνδρότης) or compound word, literally “the positive dignity of a man” (ἀνδραγαϑία). With the same root, nouns appeared in Greek, meaning armor, slave trader, slave, statuette, murder, murderer, kidnapping, multitude, courageous youth, destroyer of husbands. Not all such words became commonly used, since they were created with the help of poetic or literary imagination, a sense of rhythm, the aesthetics of language and its laws. Unsuccessful experiences remained as examples of the cumbersome artificial vocabulary of individual authors.
Some nouns, as in Russian (sani, seni) exist only in the plural (Qῆbai - Thebes), others - only in the singular (EὐjrάthV - Euphrates River).
Many nouns are formed using prefixes, which is also very typical for Russian word formation (mena - replacement - change - substitution - cancellation - change - betrayal, etc.): dῆmoV (people, country, region) - αποδημία (departure, journey) – ἐπιδημία (stay).
For all neuter names, the accusative case coincides with the nominative case. In addition, in the accusative plural, such names inherited from the common Indo-European language the sign of a collective concept - ending in alpha.
In the dictionary, nouns are given in the nominative singular case, with the ending of the genitive singular case indicated next to them. numbers, with the help of which you can see the stem of the word and understand the type of declension, then the article is indicated to indicate the gender: ParJenώn, ῶnoV, ὁ Parthenon. The base of the word in its pure form is most often seen in the genitive case of the singular, where it is joined by a case ending, as in other indirect cases (all cases are indirect, except the nominative, i.e. the case of the subject). In the nominative case, the basis, according to the laws of word formation (due to the interaction of sounds), can be hidden by various changes. This is most evident in the third declension.
The endings of the nominative case (dictionary form) of these words are very diverse; by the ending of the genitive case given in the dictionaries, one can understand that they belong to the III declension.
In the dative plural, the ending -si(n) is adjacent to the stem without a connecting vowel.
In the words: patήr (father), mήthr (mother), Jugάthr (daughter), gastήr (stomach), when declined, the epsilon drops out and this letter appears, following the example:
Nu before sigma falls out
In some words, nu may also appear between vowels in certain cases. Accusative singular: Ἀpόllwn - Ἀpόllw< Ἀpόllwna (w + a).
Basics on g, k, c; b, p, j. The interaction of stem consonants with sigma occurs according to the rules of fusion:
Base on delta. The interaction of the base consonants with the sigma occurs according to the rules of fusion: d + s > s.
Tau based. The interaction of stem consonants with sigma occurs according to the rules of fusion: t + s > s.
The basis is one iota. Iota is preserved only in the nominative and accusative cases of the singular; in other cases it becomes epsilon. Such words have a special ending in the singular genitive case:
Base on -eu. Like words ending in iota, such words have a special ending in the genitive singular. The pure stem is retained only in the nominative singular and the dative plural. In other cases the stem ends in epsilon. The merger occurs only in the nominative plural.
Sigma basis. The sigma between vowels is dropped, causing them to merge. In the dative plural, sigma also drops before the ending -si(n).
Merge Rules
| e + e > ei e + o > ou | e + ou > ou e + ei > ei e + w > w e + h > h | ||||||
| o + ei > oi o + o > ou | o + w > w o + h > oi o + ou > ou | ||||||
| Nominativus (nominative) | gέnh (< genesa) |
||||||
| Genitivus (genitive) | genῶn (< geneswn) |
||||||
(> geneouV > genesoV)
Nu Tau Basics. In the dative plural, the ending -si(n) is preceded by -nt-, causing the vowels to stretch: o > ou, e > ei, a > h, a.
Grammar
In this lesson we will get acquainted with the genitive case of articles, with the genitive and vocative case of masculine nouns in -ος, -ης, -ας, feminine in -α, -η, neuter in -o, -ι, -μα, and also with some adjectives.
Genitive
Genitive case of articles
Genitive singular of masculine nouns in -ος, -ης, -ας, feminine in -α, -η, neuter in -o, -ι, -μα
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |||
| on -ος | του δασκάλ ου | on -α | της γυναίκ ας | on -o | του σχολεί ου |
| on -ης | του φοιτητ ή | on -η | της βιβλιοθήκ ης | on -ι | του παιδ ιού |
| on -ας | του άντρ α | on -μα | του γράμ ματος | ||
Genitive plural of masculine nouns in -ος, -ης, -ας, feminine in -α, -η, neuter in -o, -ι, -μα
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |||
| on -ος | των δασκάλ ων | on -α | των γυναικ ών | on -o | των σχολεί ων |
| on -ης | των φοιτητ ών | on -η | των βιβλιοθηκ ών | on -ι | των παιδ ιών |
| on -ας | των αντρ ών | on -μα | των γραμ μάτων | ||
As can be seen from the tables, in the genitive plural the form of the definite article and the ending of nouns coincides in all genders. Pay attention to the emphasis:
1. For masculine nouns, -ος with the stress on the third syllable from the end in the genitive case singular and plural, the stress moves to the second syllable from the end: o δ ά σκαλος - του δασκ ά λου - των δασκ ά λων . Usually proper names, polysyllabic words and neologisms retain the emphasis: o Θ ό δωρος - του Θ ό δωρου, oh αντ ί λαλος - του αντ ί λαλου - των αντ ί λαλων - echo, ο αν ή φορος - του αν ή φορου - των αν ή φορων - rise.
2. U two-syllable words on -ας and all the words on -ίας in the genitive plural the stress goes to the last syllable o ά ντρας - των αντρ ώ ν, o ταμ ί ας - των ταμι ώ ν - cashier
3. For masculine nouns, -ης o πολ ί της - των πολιτ ώ ν - citizen.
4. For feminine nouns -α in the genitive plural the stress goes to the last syllable: η γυν αί κα - των γυναικ ώ ν . Nouns retain their stress on -ίδα And -άδα (η σελ ί δα - των σελ ί δων - page, η ομ ά δα - των ομ ά δων - group), as well as words η μητ έ ρα - των μητ έ ρων, η δασκ ά λα - των δασκ ά λων, η εικ ό να - των εικ ό νων - picture, icon.
5. Feminine nouns have -η with the stress on the second syllable from the end in the genitive plural, the stress moves to the last syllable: η τ έ χνη - των τεχν ώ ν - art.
6. From neuter nouns to -o with the stress on the third syllable from the end, for some in the genitive case singular and plural the stress moves to the second syllable from the end: το πρ ό σωπο - του προσ ώ που - των προσ ώ πων - face, το ά λογο - του αλ ό γου - των αλ ό γων - horse, το έ πιπλο - του επ ί πλου - των επ ί πλων - furniture, το θ έ ατρο - του θε ά τρου - των θε ά τρων - theater; and for others it remains: το σ ί δερο - του σ ί δερου - των σ ί δερων - iron, το δ ά χτυλο - του δ ά χτυλου - των δ ά χτυλων - finger, το σ ύ ννεφο - του σ ύ ννεφου - των σ ύ ννεφων - cloud, το τριαντ ά φυλλο - του τριαντ ά φυλλου - των τριαντ ά φυλλων - rose.
7. All nouns have neuter gender -ι in the genitive case singular and plural the stress is on the last syllable: το σπ ί τι - του σπιτ ιού - των σπιτ ιώ ν - house.
8. All nouns have neuter gender -μα in the genitive plural the stress moves to the second syllable from the end: το γρ ά μμα - των γραμμ ά των - letter.
In what cases is the genitive case used?
First, to show ownership (answer to the question “whose?”): το σπίτι του πατέρα μου - my father's house, η τσάντα της μητέρας μου - my mother's bag.
Secondly, to denote an indirect object (the answer to the question “to whom?” “to what?”). In modern Greek No dative case, therefore its functions are distributed between the genitive and accusative cases.
Thus, there are two ways to indicate an indirect object: genitive - λέω του παιδιού ένα παραμύθι δίνω της δασκάλας την κιμωλία - I give the teacher chalk; accusative case with preposition σε - λέω στο παιδί ένα παραμύθι - I’m telling you a fairy tale for a child, δίνω στην δασκάλα την κιμωλία - I give the teacher chalk. As far as nouns are concerned, the second way of marking the indirect object (accusative case with the preposition σε) is more common. With personal pronouns the situation is different, but we will talk about this later.
Vocative case
The vocative case is used when you address someone (or something!). Once upon a time there was a vocative case in the Russian language. Its relics are still preserved in some words, for example: Father, God!
IN Greek The vocative case never uses an article! In the form of feminine and neuter nouns, the vocative case of the singular coincides with the nominative case of the singular: Η Μαρία - Μαρία, τo κορίτσι - κορίτσι , and the vocative plural coincides with the nominative plural: οι κυρίες - κυρίες, τα κορίτσια - κορίτσια . For masculine nouns, the vocative plural coincides with the nominative plural: οι κύριοι - κύριοι . Thus, the main attention should be paid to the singular vocative case of masculine nouns. Nouns have -ης And -ας in the vocative case the singular is dropped ς : O πατέρας - πατέρα, about Γιάννης - Γιάννη . In common nouns -ος and proper names on -ος , consisting of more than two syllables, ending -ος changes to ending -ε : o φίλος - φίλε, o Θόδωρος - Θόδωρε . In proper names -ος , consisting of two syllables, in the vocative case the singular is discarded ς : about Νίκος - Νίκο .
Thus, we have become acquainted with all cases of masculine nouns in -ος, -ης, -ας, feminine in -α, -η, neuter in -o, -ι, -μα and now we will present their declension in summary tables.
Tables of case endings
Declension of masculine nouns into -ος
Declension of masculine nouns into -ης
Declension of masculine nouns into -ας
Declension of feminine nouns into -α
Declension of feminine nouns into -η
Declension of neuter nouns starting with -o
Declension of neuter nouns into -ι
Declension of neuter nouns into -μα
Adjectives on -ος, -η, -о / -ος, -α, -о / -ας, -ια, -о
Adjectives in Greek vary according to gender, number and case. Most adjectives whose masculine gender ends in -oς, has a feminine ending -η
, and on average -o
:
μεγάλ ος
- μεγάλ η
- μεγάλ ο
- big - big - big,
μικρ ός
- μικρ ή
- μικρ ό
- small - small - small,
καλ ός
- καλ ή
- καλ ό
- good - good - good.
But some adjectives have a feminine ending -α
:
γκρίζ ος
- γκρίζ α
- γκρίζ ο
- gray - gray - gray,
μοντέρν ος
- μοντέρν α
- μοντέρν ο
- modern - modern - modern,
σκούρ ος
- σκούρ α
- σκούρ ο
- dark - dark - dark,
κρύ ος
- κρύ α
- κρύ ο
- cold - cold - cold,
νε ός
- νέ α
- νέ ο
- new, young - new, young - new, young,
ωραί ος
- ωραί α
- ωραί ο
- beautiful - beautiful - beautiful,
όρθι ος
- όρθ ια
- όρθ ιο
- straight - straight - straight,
παλι ός
- παλ ιά
- παλ ιό
- old - old - old,
πλούσι ος
- πλούσ ια
- πλούσ ιο
- rich - rich - rich.
And some have a feminine ending -ιά
:
γλυκ ός
- γλυκ ιά
- γλυκ ό
- sweet, pleasant - sweet, pleasant - sweet, pleasant,
ελαφρ ός
- ελαφρ ιά
- ελαφρ ό
- light - light - light.
Some adjectives whose masculine gender ends in -ής , in the feminine gender they have the ending -ιά , and on average -ί .
Adjectives agree with nouns in gender, number and case. Usually the adjective is placed before the noun, in which case the article is placed before the adjective: o κάλος φίλος - good friend, μια μικρή τσάντα - a small bag, το μεγάλο σπίτι - a big house.
Possessive pronouns can come after a noun ( o καλός φίλος μου), and can also be between an adjective and a noun, thus joining the adjective ( o καλός μου φίλος).
Masculine adjectives are inclined to -ος, like masculine nouns to -ος, masculine adjectives to -ής in a special way, feminine adjectives to -η, like feminine nouns to -η, feminine adjectives to -α and -ια , as feminine nouns with -α, neuter adjectives -o, as neuter nouns with -o, neuter adjectives with -ί, as neuter nouns with -ι. Adjectives ροζ, γκρι, καφέ, μενεξεδί, μπλε, μπεζ do not change by gender, number and case.
The rules for transferring stress on adjectives do not apply.
Declension of adjectives into -ος, -η, -о
| Case | Singular | Plural | ||||
| Husband. | Women | Avg. | Husband. | Women | Avg. | |
| Nominative | καλ ός | καλ ή | καλ ό | καλ οί | καλ ές | καλ ά |
| Genitive | καλ ού | καλ ής | καλ ού | καλ ών | καλ ών | καλ ών |
| Accusative | καλ ό | καλ ή | καλ ό | καλ ούς | καλ ές | καλ ά |
| Vocative | καλ έ | καλ ή | καλ ό | καλ οί | καλ ές | καλ ά |
Declension of adjectives into -ος, -α, -o
| Case | Singular | Plural | ||||
| Husband. | Women | Avg. | Husband. | Women | Avg. | |
| Nominative | νέ ος | νε ά | νέ ο | νέ οι | νέ ες | νέ α |
| Genitive | νέ ου | νέ ας | νέ ου | νέ ων | νέ ων | νέ ων |
| Accusative | νέ ο | νέ α | νέ ο | νέ ους | νέ ες | νέ α |
| Vocative | νέ ε | νέ α | νέ ο | νέ οι | νέ ες | νέ α |
Declension of adjectives into -ος, -ιά, -о
| Case | Singular | Plural | ||||
| Husband. | Women | Avg. | Husband. | Women | Avg. | |
| Nominative | γλυκ ός | γλυκ ιά | γλυκ ό | γλυκ οί | γλυκ ιές | γλυκ ά |
| Genitive | γλυκ ού | γλυκ ιάς | γλυκ ού | γλυκ ών | γλυκ ιών | γλυκ ών |
| Accusative | γλυκ ό | γλυκ ιά | γλυκ ό | γλυκ ούς | γλυκ ιές | γλυκ ά |
| Vocative | γλυκ έ | γλυκ ιά | γλυκ ό | γλυκ οί | γλυκ ιές | γλυκ ά |
Declension of adjectives into -ής, -ιά, -ί
| Case | Singular | Plural | ||||
| Husband. | Women | Avg. | Husband. | Women | Avg. | |
| Nominative | σταχτ ής | σταχτ ιά | σταχτ ί | σταχτ ιοί | σταχτ ιές | σταχτ ιά |
| Genitive | σταχτ ιού /σταχτ ή | σταχτ ιάς | σταχτ ιού | σταχτ ιών | σταχτ ιών | σταχτ ιών |
| Accusative | σταχτ ή | σταχτ ιά | σταχτ ί | σταχτ ιούς | σταχτ ιές | σταχτ ιά |
| Vocative | σταχτ ή | σταχτ ιά | σταχτ ί | σταχτ ιοί | σταχτ ιές | σταχτ ιά |
Diminutive suffixes
In addition to the already familiar diminutive suffix -άκι, there are several more diminutive suffixes:
for masculine
-άκης
:
Γιώργος - Γιωργάκης
- Zhorochka,
Δημήτρης - Δημητράκης
- Dimochka
-ούλης
:
αδελφός - αδελφούλης
- brother,
πατέρας - πατερούλης
- daddy
-άκος
:
δρόμος - δρομάκος
- street,
γέροντας - γεροντάκος
- old man
for feminine
-ίτσα
:
Ελένη - Ελενίτσα - Helen,
κούκλα - κουκλίτσα
- doll
-ούλα
:
Άννα - Αννούλα - Anechka,
κόρη - κορούλα - daughter,
μητέρα - μητερούλα
- mommy
The Greeks are very fond of diminutive suffixes.
Read the dialogue. The expressions below will help you.
Appearance
- Έχεις καμία φωτογραφία της κόρης σου;
- Νομίζω πως έχω. Ορίστε.
- Τι όμορφο κοριτσάκι! Κρίμα που η φωτογραφία δεν είναι έγχρωμη. Τι χρώμα είναι τα μάτια της;
- Γαλανά σαν του πατέρα της. Όλοι στην οικογένεια του άντρα μου έχουν γαλάζια μάτια.
- Τα μαλλιά της όμως είναι σκούρα.
- Ναι, είναι καστανά.
- Μοιάζουν πολύ πατέρας και κόρη;
- Στα χαρακτηριστικά του προσώπου όχι πολύ, γιατί έχει το στόμα μου και το σχήμα της μύτης μου, αλλά έχουν και οι δύο τους το ίδιο σώμα και το ίδιο περπάτημα.
Words
It is not necessary to learn the words below, they are given for reference and exercises.
Body parts
| το κεφάλι - head | το στόμα - mouth |
| το πρόσωπο - face | το χείλος/τα χείλη - lip/lips |
| τα μαλλιά - hair | το ρουθούνι - nostril |
| το μέτωπο - forehead | το μουστάκι - mustache |
| το φρύδι - eyebrow | τα γένια - beard |
| το μάτι - eye | το πιγούνι - chin |
| η βλεφαρίδα - eyelash | το σώμα/το κορμί - body, figure |
| το αυτί - ear | ο λαιμός - neck, throat |
| η μύτη - nose | about ώμος- shoulder |
| το μάγουλο - cheek | το στήθος - breast |
| η καρδιά - heart | το χέρι - hand |
| οι πνεύμονες - lungs | το δάχτυλο - finger |
| το συκώτι - liver | το πόδι - leg |
| το στομάχι - belly | το γόνατο - knee |
| η πλάτη - back | η γάμπα - calf, drumstick |
| η μέση - waist | ο αστραγάλος - ankle |
Colors
άσπρος, η, ο / λευκός, ή, ό
- white
μαύρος, η, ο
- black
κόκκινος, η, ο
- red, red
πράσινος, η, ο
- green
κίτρινος, η , ο
- yellow
γαλανός, ή, ό / γαλάζιος, α, ο
- blue
καστανός, ή, ό
- chestnut, brown
μελαχρινός, ή, ό
- dark
ρόδινος, η, о / ροζ / τριανταφυλλένιος, α, ο
- pink
σκούρος, α, ο
- dark
ξανθός, ιά, ό
- light (blonde)
γκρίζος, α, ο / γκρί
- grey
βυσσινής, ιά, ί
- cherry
πορτοκαλής, ιά, ί
- orange
σταχτής, ιά, ί
- ashy
καφετής, ιά, ί / καφέ
- coffee, brown
θαλασσής, ιά, ί
- sea green
μενεξεδί
- violet
μπλέ
- blue
μπεζ
- beige
Additional Expressions
το πρόσωπο - face:
τα χαρακτηριστικά - facial features:
αδρά - large
λεπτά - thin
τα μαλλιά - hair:
μαλακά / απαλά / σαν μετάξι
- soft / like silk
σκληρά και όρθια σαν του σκαντζόχοιρου
- hard and erect, like a hedgehog’s
Remember that everything you learn must be spoken out loud, listening to the voice-over of both the lesson itself and the answers to the exercises. Don’t be afraid if you are not yet familiar with the reading rules - just repeat after the announcer and return to the file according to the reading rules.
The pronunciation will pick up itself in the process of working with the Greek language.
Listen to the audio lesson with additional explanations
In Greek, as in all others European languages, you can't just say:
I'm beautiful, he's weird, they're at home, you're at work.
Get used to what any foreigner will say:
I There is beautiful, she There is weird, they There is at home, you There is At work.
The so-called verb "be"– one of the most important verbs in any foreign language.
The British have to be. The Germans have sein.
The French have être. The Italians have essere.
The Greeks also have a verb "be".
Conjugation of the verb είμαι (to be)
Present tense verb είμαι (to be) is the only verb that does not change according to the rules. Therefore, it must be remembered.
Together with the verb είμαι (to be) we will look at pronouns, which also have their own characteristics.
For example:
Αυτός είναι
διευθυντής και αυτή είναι
γραμματέας. Αυτός είναι
πολύ πλούσιος και αυτή είναι
πολύ όμορφη.
He (is) the director, and she (is) the secretary. He (is) very rich, and she (is) very beautiful.
What to look for in pronouns.
The main thing is that the Greeks often do not use pronouns, because they believe that this is already obvious from the verb. This concerns any phrases and sentences. But you still need to know pronouns.
Feature of the pronoun "They". There are 3 pronouns in Greek "They": αυτοί, αυτές, αυτά.
Αυτοί - This "They" masculine. If there are men in the company, as well as men and women, even if it is a whole harem, but there is one man, then this is the pronoun that is used. That is: man + man, man + woman, man + child (boy, girl) use a pronoun αυτοί .
Αυτές - This "They" feminine. If there are women in the company or women and children, which are neuter in Greek. So: woman + woman, woman + child (girl) – αυτές . But if woman + child (boy), then we get the pronoun αυτοί .
Αυτά - This "They" neuter. For example, children, boys and girls- we all have neuter genders. Children, boy + girl, as well as inanimate objects (pieces of furniture, for example) - αυτά .
Negative form of the verb είμαι
Just put a particle before the verb δεν .
| Εγώ | δεν είμαι | I don't have |
| Εσύ | δεν είσαι | You are not |
| Αυτός / αυτή / αυτό | δεν είναι | He/she/it is not |
| Εμείς | δεν είμαστε | We are not |
| Εσείς | δεν είσαστε / δεν είστε | You are not |
| Αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά | δεν είναι | They are not |
Αυτός δεν
είναι διευθυντής και αυτή δεν
είναι γραμματέας. Αυτός δεν
είναι πολύ πλούσιος και αυτή δεν
είναι πολύ όμορφη.
He is not (is) a director, and she is not (is) a secretary. He is not (is) very rich, and she is not (is) very beautiful.
Interrogative form of the verb είμαι
Complete analogy with the Russian language. What we want to ask, we highlight with intonation. Note the unusual question mark in Greek " ; ».
Αυτή είναι γραμματέας; - Is she a secretary?
Αυτός είναι πολύ πλούσιος; – Is he very rich?
Set expressions
Based on the verb to be είμαι in Greek there are a number of stable expressions that you just need to learn and introduce into your speech:
| είμαι καλά | be good (doing well) |
| είμαι χάλια | be bad (things are bad) |
| είμαι άρρωστος | be sick |
| είμαι παντρεμένος | be married |
| είμαι ελεύθερος | be free |
| είμαι απασχολημένος | be busy |
| είμαι έτοιμος | be ready |
| είμαι σίγουρος (ότι / σε) | to be confident (that + verb / of someone, something) |
| είμαι ευχαριστημένος με… | to be pleased with (something) |
| είναι ερωτευμένος | be in love |
| είμαι κουρασμένος | be tired |
| είμαι στο σπίτι | be home |
| είμαι θυμωμένος | to be angry, to be angry |
| είμαι στην ώρα | be on time |
| είμαι σύμφωνος με… | to agree (with someone, something) |
| είμαι απογοητευμένος με (σε) | to be disappointed (about something) |
| είμαι νευρικός | to be nervous, to be nervous |
| είμαι … χρονών | be aged... years |
Coordination
Many of these common expressions contain adjectives in Greek: to be tired, to be in love, happy, busy, and so on.
In Russian we say:
I'm healthy, I'm healthy A, they are healthy s.
I'm busy, I'm busy A, they're busy s.
What you should pay attention to - in the language of grammar this is called agree the adjective in gender and number. To put it simply, you need to put the correct endings to these adjectives:
For example:
Είμαι κουρασμέν ος
. - I'm tired.
Είμαι κουρασμέν η
. - I'm tired.
Είμαι σίγουρ ος
. - I'm sure.
Είμαι σίγουρ η
.- I'm sure.
Το παιδί είναι σίγουρ ο
. - The child is confident.
Είμαστε σίγουρ οι
. – We are confident. (masculine)
Είμαστε σίγουρ ες
. – We are confident. (feminine)
Τα παιδιά είναι σίγουρ α
. - The children are confident.
Usually our first lesson is devoted only to the verb to be and its stable expressions.
Because with the verb είμαι (to be) phrases are built with turnover "it is"(this is a store, this is a city in Greece, this is music), then in such sentences, in addition to the verb, there is also a noun.
Therefore, we will also give nouns as a micro-topic for this lesson.
Nouns in Greek
Nouns in Greek are divided into 3 genders: male, female And average. The noun must be preceded by an article, which indicates the gender of the word. In this lesson we answer questions "Who? What?" in the singular:
Pay attention to the articles and the characteristic endings for each gender: masculine – article O, feminine – article η , neuter – article το .
For example:
Εγώ είμαι η
Τατιάνα. - I (am) Tatyana.
Αυτός είναι ο
Νίκος. - He (is) Nikos.
Αυτή είναι η
Ελένη. - She (is) Eleni.
Αυτό είναι το
τηλέφων ο
. – This (is) a telephone.
Εμείς είμαστε ο
Γιώργος και η
Νατάσα. – We (are) Yorgos and Natasa.
That's it. Despite the volume of material, it is all very simple and presented in the correct sequence.
No one is forcing you to work through this lesson in 15 minutes and say that there is too much material in it, nothing was remembered. Nothing will be remembered if this material is not worked out and introduced into your speech. Therefore, we recommend returning to the lesson several times, working on one topic in the exercises: be it verb conjugation, set expressions or nouns.
We missed a lot of pronouns in the exercises. And it looks right and beautiful for Greek language. However, if they are needed for grammar, to make it easier for you to understand, their use is not an error; you can put them almost everywhere. It will just look more bookish.
Be sure to listen to the voiceover of both the entire lesson and the exercises to hear the Greek language. Work with the file Rules for Reading in Greek throughout the course.
