A glossary of terms used with Modern Greek entries in this dictionary.
- See also Dodatak:Rečnik for generally applied terms.
- comparative (see also degrees of comparison)
- The form of an adjective allowing comparison between one thing and another. As in English forms can be produced in two ways: most commonly by periphrasis and often by suffixation.
- by periphrasis: τολμηρός → πιο τολμηρός (eg Κωνσταντίνος είναι πιο τολμηρός από τον Γιώργο — "Konstantinos is more bold than Georgios.")
- by suffixation: νέος → νεότερος (eg Γιώργος είναι νεότερος από το Κωνσταντίνο — "Georgios is younger than Konstantinos.")
- degree of comparison — βαθμός του επιθέτου
- The forms of an adjective (or adverb) allowing the comparison of nouns described. For further detail see:
- positive, comparative, relative superlative, & absolute superlative.
- dependent — εξαρτημένος τύπος
- The dependent form (also known as the perfective non-past or aorist subjunctive) of a verb expresses an action completed within a moment (e.g. "I wrote"), not continuously. It is never used on its own. It follows preverbal particles and other words such as: ας (as), να (na), θα (tha), ίσως (ísos), the negative μην (min) or the auxiliary verb έχω (écho). It may be active, or passive:
- It forms the subjunctive when used with various particles:
- Θέλω να γράψω στη μητέρα μου απόψε. — "I should write to my mother tonight."
- It forms the future simple tense when used in with the particle θα (tha):
- Θα γράψει στη μητέρα του. — "He will write to his mother."
- And it forms the various perfect tenses when used in conjunction with the auxiliary verb έχω (écho, “to have”):
- Έχει γράψει στη μητέρα του. — "He has written to his mother [already]."
- parisyllabic — ισοσύλλαβος
- Of a noun whose plural forms have the same number of syllables as the singular (eg θάλασσα → θάλασσες). Compare with #imparisyllabic.
- passive voice
- a verb in the passive voice has a subject which is not the person or thing doing the action, they are usually having the action done to them.
- It should be compared with the active voice where the subject is usually the person doing the action — διδάσκω (“I teach”). Note that deponent verbs conjugate passively but have an active meaning — κάθομαι (“I sit”).
- past — see: #simple past
- perfect passive participle (Category:Greek declinable participles)
- A nonfinite verb form used as an adjective. They always end in -μένος, -η, -ο, declining in gender, number and case:
- (feminine singular) η λυμένη ζώνη — "the unbuckled belt"
- (neuter plural) τα λυμένα μαλλιά — "the loosened hair"
- They are used, normally only with transitive verbs, in the formation of perfect tenses in both their active and passive voices:
- (active) Ο Γιάννης είχε λυμένη τη ζώνη του. — "Yanni had unbuckled his belt."
- (passive) Τα μαλλιά της Ελένης ήταν λυμένα. — "Eleni's hair had been loosened."
- positive — θετικός βαθμός (see also degrees of comparison)
- The normal basic form of an adjective (or adverb) from which the comparatives and various superlatives are formed.
- T-V distinction
- The T-V distinction (from the Latin tu and vos) is found in many languages. When using the second-person to someone in Greek a choice must be made between using the singular or plural form of the verb. The choice made depends upon the relationship between the speaker and the person spoken to.
- The singular form is familiar and informal, used with family, friends, children and younger people:
- The plural is polite and formal, and used with strangers and to give respect: