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