Greek Vocabulary and Idiom
Vocabulary and idiom questions test whether you know how Greek builds meaning: by root, prefix, case government, and fixed phrase. Learning lists is less useful than learning families and constructions.
Build word families
Learn verbs with their compounds: βάλλω gives ἐμβάλλω ('throw in'), ἐκβάλλω ('throw out'), ἐπιβάλλω ('throw upon; attack'), διαβάλλω ('slander'), συμβάλλω ('throw together; contribute'). The prefix changes the case the verb takes, so record the whole phrase.
Prepositions and case
Prepositions are examinable with their case: ἐν + dative ('in'), εἰς + accusative ('into'), ἐκ/ἐξ + genitive ('out of'), πρός + accusative ('towards'), + genitive ('from a person, in oaths'), + dative ('near'). μετά + genitive = 'with'; + accusative = 'after'. κατά + genitive = 'down from, against'; + accusative = 'according to, along'.
Fixed idioms
καλῶς ἔχει = 'it is well'; ἄξιόν ἐστι + infinitive = 'it is worth doing'; δίκην διδόναι = 'to pay the penalty'; λόγον ἔχειν = 'to be reasonable'; οὐ μόνον... ἀλλὰ καί = 'not only... but also'.
Worked example
διαβάλλω. Root βάλλω 'throw'; διά 'across'. Literally 'throw across', hence 'set at variance', then 'slander, accuse falsely'. In Xenophon: διαβάλλειν τινὰ πρός τινα = 'to slander someone to someone'. Contrast ἐκβάλλω ('drive out') and ἐπιβάλλω ('attack'). The exam may ask you to explain the difference; give the prefix meaning and the resulting sense, not a vague synonym.
Traps
- Assuming compounds are transparent: συμφέρω means 'be advantageous', not 'sympathize'.
- Forgetting that middle voice can change meaning: παύω 'stop (something)' vs παύομαι 'cease'.
- Ignoring case government: ἄρχω takes the genitive ('rule over'), not the accusative.
- Treating ὅτι and διότι as interchangeable.
- Translating an idiom word by word.