HSC Modern Greek Beginners flashcards

40 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

μου αρέσει / μου αρέσουν

Means 'I like'. Use «μου αρέσει» with a singular or uncountable thing (Μου αρέσει το ψάρι) and «μου αρέσουν» with a plural thing (Μου αρέσουν τα φρούτα). The liked thing is the grammatical subject.

Daily routine time phrases

Greek uses the accusative article with no preposition: «το πρωί» in the morning, «το μεσημέρι» at midday, «το απόγευμα» in the afternoon, «το βράδυ» in the evening, «τη νύχτα» at night.

Telling the clock in Greek

«Είναι + number + η ώρα». Quarter past uses «και τέταρτο», half past uses «και μισή», quarter to uses «παρά τέταρτο»: «Είναι τρεις παρά τέταρτο» means 2:45.

Possessive μου σου του

Possessive words follow the noun and agree with the thing owned, not the owner: «ο φίλος μου» my friend, «η τσάντα μου» my bag, «τα βιβλία μου» my books. Plural adds the article «οι φίλοι μου».

Present tense A conjugation

Verbs in -ω take endings -ω, -εις, -ει, -ουμε, -ετε, -ουν: γράφω, γράφεις, γράφει, γράφουμε, γράφετε, γράφουν. The personal ending alone shows the subject, so pronouns are usually omitted.

Leisure activity verbs

Common free-time verbs: «παίζω» play, «πηγαίνω» go, «ακούω μουσική» listen to music, «βλέπω τηλεόραση» watch TV, «κάνω ποδήλατο» ride a bike, «διαβάζω» read, «κολυμπάω» swim.

Frequency adverbs in Greek

«πάντα» always, «συχνά» often, «μερικές φορές» sometimes, «σπάνια» rarely, «ποτέ» never. They usually sit before the verb or at the start of the sentence for emphasis.

Greek Easter customs

Orthodox Easter is the major feast: red-dyed eggs («βάψιμο αυγών»), egg-tapping, «μαγειρίτσα» soup, spit-roasted lamb, and the greeting «Χριστός Ανέστη» answered with «Αληθώς Ανέστη».

Vasilopita New Year cake

A cake baked for New Year with a hidden coin, the «φλουρί». It is cut in a set order and whoever receives the coin is considered lucky for the year. Saint Basil, not Santa, brings gifts.

Greek national days

«Η 25η Μαρτίου» marks Independence Day and the Annunciation with parades; «Η 28η Οκτωβρίου» is Ochi Day, commemorating the refusal of an ultimatum in 1940. Both are public holidays.

Greek geography basics

Greece combines a mainland and many islands. Athens is the capital, Thessaloniki the second city, Crete the largest island. Island groups include the Cyclades, Dodecanese and Ionian islands.

Name days in Greece

Each Orthodox saint's feast is celebrated by people bearing that name. Guests greet the person with «Χρόνια Πολλά», and the reply is «Ευχαριστώ, επίσης». Name days often matter as much as birthdays.

Greek staple foods

Core items: «ψωμί» bread, «τυρί» cheese, «ελιές» olives, «ελαιόλαδο» olive oil, «γιαούρτι» yoghurt, «φακές» lentils, «μέλι» honey. Dishes include moussaka, dolmadakia and halvas.

Village festival πανηγύρι

A local celebration tied to a patron saint, held in the village square or church yard. It involves food, music, dancing and stalls, and functions as a key event of community life.

Listen for stressed homophones

Accent changes meaning: «πότε» when versus «ποτέ» never; «πού» where versus «που» that; «ή» or versus «η» the. Listening questions often test exactly these pairs, so track the stress.

Greek numbers to one hundred

Zero to ten: μηδέν, ένα, δύο, τρία, τέσσερα, πέντε, έξι, επτά, οκτώ, εννέα, δέκα. Teens end in -δεκα; tens are είκοσι, τριάντα, σαράντα, πενήντα, εξήντα, εβδομήντα, ογδόντα, ενενήντα, εκατό.

Discourse markers to catch

Signals of the answer: «λοιπόν» well, «δηλαδή» that is, «αλλά/όμως» but, «γιατί/επειδή» because, «γι' αυτό» that's why, «τελικά» in the end. They often introduce the key detail.

Listening strategy: two passes

First listen for the setting, speakers and topic. Second listen for the exact detail the question asks. Note whether the answer is a name, number, time, place or reason before the audio starts.

Recognising text types

Layout reveals genre: a sign is short and imperative, an invitation names event, time and place, a menu lists dishes with prices, an email has a greeting and sign-off, an article has a headline.

Greek suffix clues

Endings reveal meaning: «-είο» and «-τήριο» often mark places or instruments (βιβλιοπωλείο, εστιατόριο); «-ικός» forms adjectives; «-ότητα» forms abstract nouns. Use them to guess unknown words.

Case endings and sentence role

Nominative marks the subject (ο φίλος), accusative the object after verbs and prepositions like σε, με, από, για (τον φίλο), genitive shows possession (του φίλου). Endings, not word order, decide the role.

Reading short-answer discipline

Answer only what is asked, in the form requested: a place for «Πού;», a time for «Πότε;», a clause with γιατί or επειδή for «Γιατί;». Copying a whole sentence usually fails a short-answer requirement.

Formal versus informal register

Use «εσύ» forms with friends and peers, «εσείς» with adults and officials. Formal letters open with «Αξιότιμε κύριε/Αξιότιμη κυρία» and close with «Με εκτίμηση».

Informal email frame

Open «Αγαπητέ/Αγαπητή + name», continue with «Πώς είσαι;», give your news in the body, then close with «Φιλικά» or «Με αγάπη» and your name. Keep sentences short and check accents.

Aorist versus imperfect

The aorist (έγραψα, πήγα) reports a completed action; the imperfect (έγραφα, πήγαινα) sets background or repeated past action. Narratives mix both, linked by πρώτα, μετά, ύστερα, τελικά.

Greek punctuation marks

The Greek question mark is «;», identical in shape to a semicolon. The «άνω τελεία» (·) separates clauses like a colon. Accents are compulsory and mark the stressed vowel of each word.

Writing accuracy checklist

Before submitting, check that each verb ending matches its subject, each article matches noun gender and case, connectors και, ή, αλλά join clauses correctly, and the word count meets the task requirement.

Greek alphabet sound values

Key values: β = v, η, ι, υ = i, θ = th in 'think', δ = th in 'this', χ = ch in 'loch', γ before e or i = y. Diphthongs αι = e, ει and οι = i, ου = u.

Final sigma rule

Sigma is written «ς» only at the end of a word, as in «κόσμος» and «είσαι»; elsewhere it is «σ». Before β, γ, δ or μ the sound becomes voiced like English z.

Article as gender clue

The article identifies gender: ο masculine, η feminine, το neuter. Most neuter nouns end in -ο, -ι or -μα; most feminine in -η or -α; masculine nouns typically end in -ος, -ης or -ας.

Definite article case table

Nominative ο, η, το with plural οι, οι, τα. Genitive του, της, του with plural των, των, των. Accusative τον, την, το with plural τους, τις, τα. Learn the three cases as a set.

Future and subjunctive with θα να

Place «θα» before a verb form for the future («θα πάω» I will go) and «να» for subjunctive after verbs like θέλω or μπορώ («θέλω να πάω»). Both may use present or aorist stems.

Greek negation δεν and μην

Use «δεν» before indicative verbs («δεν θέλω») and «μην» before subjunctive or imperative forms («μην πας»). Double negation is normal: «δεν βλέπω τίποτα» means I see nothing.

Multiple-choice elimination

Reject options that reuse a word from the text but change the relation of person, time or place. The correct option usually paraphrases the text rather than repeating its wording.

Gap-fill grammar check

The inserted word must fit the surrounding article, ending and accent. Decide the required part of speech and case first, then choose the form that agrees; write one word per gap unless told otherwise.

Justifying true or false

When justification is required, cite or paraphrase the exact line that proves the answer. A correct true/false label without supporting evidence earns only partial credit.

Politeness formulas

«Παρακαλώ» please and you're welcome, «Ευχαριστώ» thank you, «Συγγνώμη» sorry, «Με συγχωρείτε» formal excuse me, «Ορίστε» here you are. «Γεια σας» is formal or plural, «Γεια σου» informal.

Asking directions and prices

«Πού είναι...;» asks where something is; answers use «ευθεία» straight, «δεξιά/αριστερά» right/left, «δίπλα/απέναντι» next to/opposite. «Πόσο κάνει;» asks the price.

Ordering at a taverna

The waiter asks «Τι θα πάρετε;». Order with «Θα ήθελα...». Request the bill with «Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ». Specify preferences such as «χωρίς πάγο» without ice or «με νερό» with water.

Accepting and declining invitations

An invitation uses «Θέλεις να έρθεις...;». Accept with «Με χαρά!» or «Ευχαριστώ, θα έρθω». Decline politely with «Λυπάμαι, δεν μπορώ» followed by a short reason.