The order of words in a Greek sentence is much more free than in English, but you can correctly construct a sentence using the familiar English syntax of subject+verb, or subject+verb+object. The subject is usually omitted when it is a pronoun.
Sentences:
| Είναι καλό. | It is good. |
| Είναι κακό. | It is bad. |
Audio recording: 
Modern_greek_1l.ogg (help·info)
NOTE: This recording was made by a non-native speaker of Greek.
We would be grateful to any native speaker who could redo it.
In Greek, adjectives change their endings to agree with the gender and number of the nounsthey describe (declension). The following vocabulary list introduces some nouns that happen to be neuter,and some adjectives, which are given in neuter form. The word το is the definite article, like English "the," used withsingular neuter nouns.
Vocabulary:
| νερό | water |
| κρασί | wine |
| τσάι | tea |
| καυτό | hot |
| κρύο | cold |
| άσπρο | white |
| κόκκινο | red |
| θέλω | to want |
Audio recording: Modern_greek_1m.ogg (help·info)
NOTE: This recording was made by a non-native speaker of Greek.
We would be grateful to any native speaker who could redo it.
Sentences:
| Το νερό είναι κρύο. | The water is cold |
| Το κρασί είναι κρύο. | The wine is cold. |
| Το τσάι είναι καυτό. | The tea is hot. |
| Το άσπρο κρασί είναι κρύο. | The white wine is cold. |
Audio recording: Modern_greek_1n.ogg (help·info)
NOTE: This recording was made by a non-native speaker of Greek.
We would be grateful to any native speaker who could redo it.
Negatives are formed by placing δεν before the verb. The question mark in Greek is the semicolon.
Sentences:
| Το κόκκινο κρασί δεν είναι κρύο. | The red wine is not cold |
| Το νερό δεν είναι καυτό. | The water is not hot. |
Audio recording: Modern_greek_1o.ogg (help·info)
NOTE: This recording was made by a non-native speaker of Greek.
We would be grateful to any native speaker who could redo it.
Dialog:
| Χαίρετε. | Hello. |
| Χαίρετε. | Hello. |
| Έχετε τσάι; | Do you have tea? |
| Οχι, δεν έχουμε τσάι. Θέλετε νερό; | No, we don't have tea. Do you want water? |
| Ναι, ευχαριστώ. | Yes, thank you. |
Audio recording: Modern_greek_1p.ogg (help·info)
NOTE: This recording was made by a non-native speaker of Greek.
We would be grateful to any native speaker who could redo it.
Greece uses the euro, το ευρώ, as its currency. One hundredth of a euro is ενα λεπτό. Both words are neuter, and the plural and singular forms of ευρώ are the same.
| το ευρώ | τα ευρώ |
| το λεπτό | τα λεπτά |
Dialog in a wine shop:
| Τι θέλετε; | What would you like? |
| Πόσο κάνει το μπουκάλι; | How much is the bottle? |
| Εννέα ευρώ και δεκα λεπτά. | Nine euros and ten cents. |
I'm a linguistics enthusiast with a deep understanding of language structures and syntax, particularly in the context of Greek and English. My expertise stems from extensive study and practical application, allowing me to analyze and explain linguistic concepts with precision.
Now, let's delve into the concepts used in the provided article about Modern Greek language:
-
Sentence Structure in Greek:
- The order of words in a Greek sentence is more flexible than in English.
- Greek sentences can follow the familiar English syntax of subject+verb or subject+verb+object.
- Pronouns often omit the subject in Greek.
-
Vocabulary and Declension:
- Adjectives in Greek change their endings to agree with the gender and number of the nouns they describe (declension).
- Neuter nouns are introduced with the definite article "το," similar to the English "the."
-
Vocabulary List:
- νερό (water)
- κρασί (wine)
- τσάι (tea)
- καυτό (hot)
- κρύο (cold)
- άσπρο (white)
- κόκκινο (red)
- θέλω (to want)
-
Audio Recordings:
- Audio recordings are provided for practice and pronunciation improvement.
- Native speakers are encouraged to redo the recordings for accuracy.
-
Negatives and Questions:
- Negatives in Greek are formed by placing "δεν" before the verb.
- The question mark in Greek is represented by the semicolon.
-
Dialogues:
- Conversational dialogues are presented to illustrate common expressions.
- Politeness is observed with greetings like "Χαίρετε" (Hello) and expressions like "Ευχαριστώ" (Thank you).
-
Currency:
- Greece uses the euro (το ευρώ) as its currency.
- The dialogue in the wine shop includes expressions related to currency and pricing.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of various linguistic aspects, from sentence structure to vocabulary and practical dialogues, making it a valuable resource for learners of Modern Greek. If you have any specific questions or need further clarification on any linguistic concept, feel free to ask.
