{"id":981,"date":"2013-07-17T21:38:52","date_gmt":"2013-07-17T21:38:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/?p=981"},"modified":"2014-08-21T19:03:43","modified_gmt":"2014-08-21T19:03:43","slug":"passing-through-the-symplegades-avoiding-some-of-the-most-common-mistakes-in-greek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/passing-through-the-symplegades-avoiding-some-of-the-most-common-mistakes-in-greek\/","title":{"rendered":"Passing through the Symplegades: Avoiding Some of the Most Common Mistakes in Greek"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

In Greek mythology, the Symplegades were two rocks that crashed together every time a ship was passing between them. In spite of the different techniques used in the process of learning a foreign language, we all pass through the slamming rocks. We all make mistakes and we all get discouraged.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"sympleglads\"<\/a>

Image by george erws on Flickr.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Some of the most common errors in the use of Greek are the following:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u03bc\u03ae\u03c0\u03c9\u03c2 (mipos) vs. \u03af\u03c3\u03c9\u03c2 (isos):<\/span><\/b>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

They both mean \u201cperhaps\u201d. The difference between them is that \u03bc\u03ae\u03c0\u03c9\u03c2<\/b> is used only in questions, and \u03af\u03c3\u03c9\u03c2<\/b> is used in responses: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u039c\u03ae\u03c0\u03c9\u03c2<\/span><\/span><\/b> \u03b5\u03af\u03b4\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd<\/span><\/span> \u0395\u03b9\u03c1\u03ae\u03bd\u03b7<\/span>\u00a0 (mipos ides \u03c4in Irini?) – Have you seen Irini (perhaps)?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u00ab\u0398\u03b1 \u03c0\u03ac\u03bc\u03b5 \u03c3\u03b9\u03bd\u03b5\u03bc\u03ac<\/span>;\u00bb \u00ab\u038a\u03c3\u03c9\u03c2<\/span><\/b>.\u00bb (\u201c<\/span>Tha <\/span>pame <\/span>cinema<\/span>?\u201d <\/span>\u201cIsos.\u201d) \u2013 \u201cWill we go to movies?\u201d \u201cMaybe\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>Incorrect\u00a0 use of \u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 (tria, three) and \u03c4\u03ad\u03c3\u03c3\u03b5\u03c1\u03b1 (tessera, four): <\/span><\/b>\u00a0When \u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 and \u03c4\u03ad\u03c3\u03c3\u03b5\u03c1\u03b1 are followed by a noun they must be in the same case and gender as the noun:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u0388\u03c7\u03c9 \u03c4\u03c1\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03b1\u03b4\u03b5\u03bb\u03c6\u03ad\u03c2<\/span><\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/b> (Eho tris adelfes. I have three sisters). <\/span><\/p>\n

\u0388\u03c7\u03c9<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/b> \u03c4\u03c1\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/b>\u03b1\u03b4\u03b5\u03bb\u03c6\u03bf\u03cd\u03c2<\/span><\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/span><\/b> (Eho treis adelfous. I have three brothers.) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u03a4\u03c1\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2<\/span><\/b>, <\/span><\/b>refers to a masculine or a feminine noun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0388\u03c7\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/b>\u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/b>\u03b1\u03c5\u03c4\u03bf\u03ba\u03af\u03bd\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1<\/span><\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/span><\/b> (Ehoun tria aftokinita. They have three cars.)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03a4\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 <\/span><\/b><\/b>refers to a neuter noun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u0398\u03ad\u03bb\u03c9 \u03c4\u03ad\u03c3\u03c3\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c6\u03ad\u03b4\u03b5\u03c2<\/span>.<\/span><\/b> (Thelo tesseris kafedes. I want four coffees) <\/span><\/p>\n

\u0388\u03c7\u03c9 <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/b>\u03c4\u03ad\u03c3\u03c3\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03c2 <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/b>\u03b3\u03ac\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2<\/span><\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/b> (Eho tesseris gates. I have four cats.)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03a4\u03ad\u03c3\u03c3\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03c2<\/span><\/b>, refers to a masculine or a feminine noun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0388\u03c6\u03b1\u03b3\u03b1 <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/b>\u03c4\u03ad\u03c3\u03c3\u03b5\u03c1\u03b1 <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/b>\u03bc\u03ae\u03bb\u03b1<\/span><\/span><\/b>. <\/span><\/b>(Efaga tessera mila. I ate four apples.)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03a4\u03ad\u03c3\u03c3\u03b5\u03c1\u03b1<\/span><\/b>, <\/span><\/b>refers to a neuter noun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>Accusative and vocative of the masculine nouns:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u03a0\u03ac\u03c9 \u03c3\u03b9\u03bd\u03b5\u03bc\u03ac \u03bc\u03b5 \u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03a0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf<\/b><\/span><\/span>. (Pao cinema me ton Petro. I\u2019m going to the movies with Petro) and not<\/b> \u03a0\u03ac\u03c9 \u03c3\u03b9\u03bd\u03b5\u03bc\u03ac \u03bc\u03b5<\/span> \u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03a0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n

After the preposition <\/span>\u03bc\u03b5<\/span> (me, with), we must use the accusative<\/i>: <\/span>\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd <\/span><\/b><\/b>\u03a0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf<\/span><\/b> (ton Petro) and drop the final \u2013<\/span><\/span>\u03c2<\/span> of the nominative. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u039a\u03b1\u03bb\u03b7\u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1 \u0392\u03b1\u03c3\u03af\u03bb\u03b7<\/span><\/span><\/b>, \u03c4\u03b9 \u03ba\u03ac\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2<\/span><\/span>; (Kalimera Vassili, ti kanis? Goodmorning Vassili, how are you?) not<\/b> \u039a\u03b1\u03bb\u03b7\u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1 \u0392\u03b1\u03c3\u03af\u03bb\u03b7\u03c2<\/span>. The final \u2013\u03c2\u00a0 must be omitted because we talk directly to Vassili, so we must use the vocative<\/i> : <\/span>\u0392\u03b1\u03c3\u03af\u03bb\u03b7<\/span><\/b><\/b>(Vassili).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>Subjunctive<\/span><\/b><\/b>Mode<\/span><\/b>:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u03a5\u03c0\u03bf\u03c4\u03b1\u03ba\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae<\/span><\/b><\/b>\u0395\u03bd\u03b5\u03c3\u03c4\u03ce\u03c4\u03b1<\/span><\/b> (Ipotaktiki Enestota, Present Subjunctive):<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u0398\u03ad\u03bb\u03c9 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c6\u03ac\u03c9<\/b> \u03ad\u03bd\u03b1 \u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03c4\u03bf\u03ba\u03ac\u03bb\u03b9<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>(Thelo na fao ena portokali. I want to eat an orange): we are talking about something that we would like to do at the moment of speaking, so we use the Present Subjunctive<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u03a5\u03c0\u03bf\u03c4\u03b1\u03ba\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae<\/span><\/b><\/b>\u0391\u03bf\u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5<\/span><\/b> (Ipotaktiki Aoristou, Simple Past Subjunctive):<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u0398\u03ad\u03bb\u03c9 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c4\u03c1\u03ce\u03c9<\/b> \u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03c4\u03bf\u03ba\u03ac\u03bb\u03b9\u03b1 \u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>(Thelo na troo portokalia In this case, the action indicated by the verb (<\/b><\/span>\u03bd\u03b1<\/span><\/b><\/b>\u03c4\u03c1\u03ce\u03c9<\/span><\/b>, na troo, to<\/span><\/b> eat)<\/b> is permanent. Therefore, we use the Simple Past Subjunctive<\/em>. In English, the infinitive is used (to eat) instead of the Subjunctive, so the structure of the sentence is simpler.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u03a0\u03bf\u03c5 and \u03c0\u03c9\u03c2:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u03a0\u03bf\u03c5 (pou)<\/span><\/b>, with no accent<\/b> , is a relative pronoun and can be translated as \u201cwho<\/b>, \u201cthat<\/b>\u201d or \u201cwhich<\/b>\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03a4\u03bf \u03ba\u03bf\u03c1\u03af\u03c4\u03c3\u03b9 \u03c0\u03bf\u03c5 \u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9 \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03c4\u03bf \u03cc\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u03bf \u03b5\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c6\u03af\u03bb\u03b7 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5<\/span><\/span><\/b>. <\/span>(To koritsi pou menei ston trito orofo ine fili mou. The girl who lives on the third floor is a friend of mine.)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a7\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u03a0<\/span><\/b>\u03c9\u03c2 (pos<\/span><\/b>) with no accent<\/b> is a conjunction and it means \u201cthat<\/b>\u201d: \u039c\u03bf\u03c5 \u03b5\u03af\u03c0\u03b5 \u03c0\u03c9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03bb\u03ad\u03bd\u03b5 \u039d\u03af\u03ba\u03bf<\/span>.<\/b> (Mou ipe pos ton lene Niko. He told me (that) his name is Niko.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Most learners use a variety of tools such as books, audio files, videos, games and applications. Some of them give priority to mastering Greek grammar and not to the practical use of Greek.\u00a0 It\u2019s very important to use the language from the very beginning and to produce sentences even if the only thing one has been taught is \u00ab\u039c\u03b5 \u03bb\u03ad\u03bd\u03b5 \u03a7\u00bb (Me lene X, My name is X). Language is like cars, one cannot learn how to use them unless they practice. Start talking with your tutor, a Greek friend, your Greek alter ego, or your Greek grand-mother. If you are too shy to talk, start writing short sentences and ask for a feedback.<\/b> If you are not interested in spelling, no problem, write in \u201cGreeklish\u201d (i.e. Greek in Latin characters). \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The only way to \u201cdigest\u201d all the grammar rules you have been taught is through practice.<\/span><\/b> Start producing short sentences and soon you will reach a point when you use the language automatically. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u0399<\/span>n this process, one might be discouraged by the mistakes they make or by an inappropriate tutor\/partner. Don\u2019t be afraid to make mistakes and don\u2019t lose courage and confidence. Most native Greek speakers make mistakes and some of them are not even aware of them.\u00a0 Remember: Language is a treasure that belongs to everyone and not only to native speakers<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

In Greek mythology, the Symplegades were two rocks that crashed together every time a ship was passing between them. In spite of the different techniques used in the process of learning a foreign language, we all pass through the slamming rocks. We all make mistakes and we all get discouraged.   Some of the most…<\/p>\n

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