Greek correct spelling rules. How to write correctly the sound “I”

Greek correct spelling rules. How to write correctly the sound “I”

Lesson 27

                 In Greek we can write the sound “i” with 6 different ways, 3 vowels (η, ι, υ)

                and 3 diphthongs (ει, οι, υι). Ιn ancient Greek their pronunciation was different,

                 but today we pronounce all of them the same, this is why we should learn

                some grammatical rules to avoid the mistakes. The rules can mainly help us to

                write correctly the endings of the words.

                First rule: The feminine definite article in Singular is written with η (eta) in all

                cases. Nominative:     η

                            Genitive:           της

                            Accusative:      τη/ την

                Second rule: The feminine definite article in Genitive Singular is της and it is

                written with eta. Another definite article sounds exactly the same is the  feminine

                definite article in Accusative Plural, which is written with yota   (τις).

                Third rule: The feminine and masculine definite article in Nominative Plural is

                same and it is written with omicron-yota (οι).

                οι γάτες (feminine noun-the cats)

                οι τραγουδιστές (masculine noun-the singers)

                Fourth rule: The feminine nouns which in Nominative Singular end in “i” are

                written in all cases in Singular with eta.

                η λίμνη

                της λίμνης

                τη λίμνη 

                The noun’s endings are exactly same with the definite article.

                Fifth rule: The masculine nouns and adjectives which in Nominative Singular end in

                -os, in Nominative and Vocative Plural end in –i, and this “i” is written with omicron-

                Yota (οι)

                Examples: ο άνθρωπος (masculine noun-human being)

                Nominative Plural: οι άνθρωποι

                Vocative Plural:        -  άνθρωποι

                o ψηλός (masculine adjective-tall)

                Nominative Plural: οι ψηλοί

                Vocative Plural:        -  ψηλοί

               

Greek homophones. Omikron or omega?

Greek homophones. Omikron or omega?

Lesson 26.

                The term “homophone” comes from the ancient greek words  ὁμός (same) +

                φωνή (voice). The term is used to describe a word that sounds the same as

                another word, but it has a different meaning and sometimes it is written with

                a different way. Let’s see some examples:

1.       το βάζο: jar, vase. It is a neutral noun this is why we write its ending with

omikron.

εγώ βάζω: I put. It is a verb, this is why we write its ending with omega.

2.       το πιάνο: the piano. Again we have a neutral noun and we write its ending’s

“o” with omikron.

εγώ πιάνω: I catch. It is a verb, this is why its ending’s “o” is written with

omega.

3.       καλό: the neutral form of the adjective ο καλός - η καλή – το καλό (good).

εγώ καλώ: as we can understand from its ending’s omega it is a verb and it

means “I call, I invite”.

4.       το σύκο: a neutral noun which means “the fig”.

σήκω: the imperative form of the verb σηκώνομαι (I get up/I stand up) in

the second singular person.

5.       το μετρό: a neutral noun which means “the Metro”.

μετρώ: It is a verb and it means “I measure/I count”.

6.       το κοινό: a neutral noun which means “the public”.

εγώ κινώ: a verb which means “I move”.

7.       το φυτό: it is a neutral noun and it means “the plant”

εγώ φοιτώ: a verb which means “I study at university/ school”.

8.       καλός: a masculine adjective which means “good”. The masculine adjectives

endings’ “o” is always written with omikron.

καλώς: it is an adverb and it means “well”. The adverbs ending in –os are written

with omega.

9.       απλός: a masculine adjective which means “simple”

απλώς : an adverb which means “simply”.

10.   ίσος: a masculine adjective which means “equal”.

ίσως: maybe, perhaps

11.   όμως : it is a conjugation and it means “but, however”.

ο όμως: a masculine noun which means “the shoulder”.

12.   η σορός: a feminine noun which means “the corpse”.

ο σωρός: a masculine noun which means “the heap”.             

Greek Orthography/ Spelling rules. Omikron or Omega? Lesson 25.

Greek Orthography/ Spelling rules. Omikron or Omega?

Lesson 25.

                One of the most difficult things for the Greek language learners is the correct

                spelling of the words. Six different vowels to write the sound «i», two different

                vowels to write the sound «e» and two vowels to write the sound «ο». Even

                for the majority of the native speakers it is difficult to write correct all the greek

                words.

Nevertheless, even if you have to memorize some words, there are some grammar

rules and I will try to concentrate them for you.

We will start with the sound “o”. We can write this sound with two different vowels,

omicron and omega. In the ancient greek language their pronunciation was

different. O-mikron (μικρός=short, small) means short o, and o-mega (μέγας= big,

long, great) means long o. Today we pronounce both of them with the same way,

like short o. Let’s see the rules:

1.       The active verbs in Present tense and in Future tenses in first singular person

end in omega: παίζω, γράφω. Ιt is the easiest way, when we have a word without personal pronouns or articles, to understand if it is a verb or a noun.

2.       The verbs ending in –ono have also omega in the second from the end syllable

and they maintain it in all persons and tenses. (ανακυκλώνω, ανακύκλωσα,

ανακύκλωνα, θα ανακυκλώσω, θα ανακυκλώνω, έχω ανακυκλώσει, είχα

ανακυκλώσει, θα έχω ανακυκλώσει).

3.       Τhe Present active participle’s ending is –ontas.

Ο Γιώργος πήγε στο σχολείο τραγουδώντας.

Ο Γιώργος πήγε στο σχολείο κλαίγοντας.

When do we write the ending’s “o” with omikron and when do we write it with

omega? When the ending’s “o” is stressed, it is written with omega, when it

is not stressed, it is written with omikron.  

4.       The neutral nouns ending in –o are written with omikron: βιβλίο, αυτοκίνητο,

τηλέφωνο.

5.       Τhe masculine and neutral definite article in all cases in Singular is written with

omikron. In Plural we have the sound “o” only in Genitive (των). This article is

same for masculine, feminine and neutral and it is always written with omega.

6.       As the definite article in Genitive Plural is same in all genders and it is always written with omega, the following noun’s ending too is written with omega:

των εβδομάδων (feminine noun), των ανθρώπων (masculine noun), των

σπιτιών (neutral noun).

7.       The local adverbs ending in “o” are written with omega.

εδώ: here, έξω: outside, κάτω: down, πάνω: up, πίσω: behind/ back,

γύρω: around/ about, τριγύρω: all around.

8.       The local adverbs, the adverbs of manner and the adverbs of time ending

in –os are written with omega.

καλώς: well, τελείως: completely/utterly, απλώς: simply/ merely, ασφαλώς:

safely/ certainly, ευτυχώς: fortunately/ luckily, δυστυχώς: unfortunately,

νοτίως: southwards, βορείως: northwards, συνήθως: usually, σπανίως:

rarely/seldom, αμέσως: immediately/right away.

   

How to say “Welcome” in Greek. Lesson 23.

How to say “Welcome” in Greek. Lesson 23.

            There are two different ways to say “welcome” in Greek.

            First way : We can informally say to one visitor Καλώς ήρθες (well you

came/welcome).

            The word καλώς is the archaic form of the modern greek word καλά,

            which means “well”.

            The word ήρθες is the second singular person  of the verb έρχομαι (I come)

            in Simple Past.

            Αόριστος (Simple Past)

            εγώ ήρθα (I came)

            εσύ ήρθες (you came)

            αυτός / αυτή / αυτό ήρθε (he/she/it came)

            εμείς ήρθαμε (we came)

            εσείς ήρθατε (you came)

            αυτοί / αυτές/ αυτά ήρθαν (they came)

            If we want to be polite or if we talk to many people we can say

            Καλώς ήρθατε.

Second way: We can informally say to one visitor Καλώς όρισες and if we want to be polite or if we have many visitors we can say Καλώς ορίσατε.

It means “well you commanded”, but we use it like welcome.

Αόριστος (Simple Past)

εγώ όρισα

εσύ όρισες

αυτός / αυτή / αυτό όρισε

εμείς ορίσαμε

εσείς ορίσατε

αυτοί / αυτές/ αυτά όρισαν

Answers:

The visitor, one person, can answer to one host Καλώς σε βρήκα (well I have

found you).

Τhe word βρήκα is the first singular person of the verb βρίσκω (I find) in

Simple Past.

Αόριστος (Simple Past)

εγώ βρήκα

εσύ βρήκες

αυτός / αυτή/ αυτό βρήκε

εμείς βρήκαμε

εσείς βρήκατε

αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά βρήκαν

Ιf there are two or more visitors and one only host, then they can answer

Καλώς σε βρήκαμε (well we have found you).

If there is one visitor and two or more hosts, the visitor can answer

Καλώς σας βρήκα.

And if there are two or more visitors and two or more hosts, the visitors can

answer Καλώς σας βρήκαμε.