Έκτο μάθημα (= lesson 6)

Έκτο μάθημα (= lesson 6)

            Vowel pronunciation:

            In greek language we can write the sound –e with two different ways: epsilon

            (-ε), and by combining the vowels alpha and yota (-αι).

            Sometimes we can hear before the epsilon or the alpha-yota combination a

            yota that it is not written.

            It happens because the sound of –ε and -αι depends on the former letter of the

            word.

            If the former letter of the word is –κ, -γ or –χ, then the sound is as if there was

            a yota before the sound –e.

            γέφυρα = bridge

            γεύση = taste

            γεύμα = meal

            κεφάλι  = head

            καιρός = weather

            χέρι = hand

            χελώνα = tortoise

            αποχαιρετώ = say good-bye, take leave of

            αποκέντρωση = decentralization

            If the former letter of the word is one of the other consonants, then the sound

            -e is clear:

            νερό = water

            πεταλούδα = butterfly

            παίζω = play (v)

            φέρνω = bring (v)

            Θεός = God

           

             Διαβάζω τις παρακάτω λέξεις (Read the following words).

            ξένος = stranger, foreign

            κενός = empty, vacant

            καινοτομία = innovation

            μελωδία = melody

            μαία = midwife

            γεράκι = hawk, falcon

            χαίρομαι = rejoice, be glad, be happy

            χελιδόνι = swallow

            ψέμα = lie

            δέντρο = tree

            λέξη = word

            σεβασμός = respect (n)

Πέμπτο μάθημα (= lesson 5)

Πέμπτο μάθημα (= lesson 5)

            Συνίζηση (= synizesis)

Sometimes we pronounce two vowels or a vowel and a vowel combination together.

When the first of the two vowels is ι, η, υ, ει, οι (-i) and the former letter of the word is β, γ, δ, ζ, ρ, μπ, ντ, τζ, we pronounce the word as if there was a -γ before the –i.

βιολί = violin

χωριό = village

διαβάζω = read

But when the former letter of the word is one of the following consonants θ, κ, ξ, π, σ, τ, ψ, τσ, then we pronounce the word as if there was a –χ before the –i.

πάπια = duck

ανιψιά = niece

κορίτσια = girls

κεράσια  = cherries

ποιος = who

Ø  The fact that we write two vowels together and the first is –i, does not mean that we have to pronounce them together. So it is always important to know the sound of the word and if there is synizesis (so if we pronounce the two vowels together).

Ø  For example in the word ποιος, we pronounce the –οι combination and the vowel –ο together (so one syllable, and this is why there is not accent mark), but in the word αρτοποιός (baker) we pronounce the –οι combination and the vowel omikron separately.

Άσκηση:

Διαβάζω τις παρακάτω λέξεις (read the following words).

κερασιά = cherry tree

διάβολος = devil

κουμπιά = buttons

κουπιά = oars, studs, links

κλειδιά = keys

παπούτσια = shoes

κουτιά = boxes

           

Τέταρτο μάθημα (Lesson 4)

Τέταρτο μάθημα (Lesson 4)

            Κανόνες τονισμού:

1.      α. We put accent mark only in the top of vowels.

σκύλος (dog), γάτα (cat)

β. When the accent mark is in the top of the second vowel of a vowel combination we have to pronounce the two vowels together.

παίζω (to play), αύριο (tomorrow), λουλούδι (flower)

γ. When the accent mark is in the top of the first vowel of a vowel combination, we have to pronounce the two vowels separately.

άυπνος (sleepless), άυλος (immaterial)

δ. When the accent mark is in the top of the second vowel but we have to pronounce the two vowels separately we use διαλυτικά (diaeresis).

προΰπαρξη (pre-existence), καΐκι (caique)

ε. When none of the two vowels of a vowel combination is stressed but we have to pronounce them separately, we use διαλυτικά.

μαϊδανός (parsley), μαϊμού (monkey)

2.      We can put accent mark only in one of the last three syllables of the word.

3.      We don’t put accent mark in one syllable words.

ναι (yes), και (and), ζω (I live)

4.      We don’t put accent mark when we write with capital letters.

MΑΡΙΑ

We put accent mark in a capital vowel only if it is the first letter of a word.

ΆΡΤΕΜΙΣ

In this case the accent mark is in the left side of the capital vowel.