Hi there, This resource was for anyone who was interested in learning Modern Greek, but was primarily used as a repository for classnotes for a first year Modern Greek evening class.
Although this blog site will remain here, it has now been superceeded by a a regular website www.allgreek2me.com which contains all the referance material available on this blog. Additionally all future Year 2 referance notes will only appear on the new website.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Τα Λιοντάρια, Και Οι Τίγρες, Και Οι Αρκούδες - Ω Οχι!

The topic covers some vocabulary of the animal kingdom. Beware of genders, as they can get confused in Greek when assosiated with animals (τα ζώα/ΤΑ ΖΩΑ). For example if you look up cats and dogs in the dictionary then the word for cat is a feminine one (η γάτα/Η ΓΑΤΑ) whereas dog is a masculine one (ο σκύλος/Ο ΣΚΥΛΟΣ). However the reality is that both words have male, female and (confusingly) neuter forms so a male (tom) cat is ο γάτος/Ο ΓΑΤΟΣ, a female cat is η γάτα/Η ΓΑΤΑ and a cat in general could be το γάτι/ΤΟ ΓΑΤΙ. Please note that the neuter form does not refer to animals after a traumatic trip to the vets!
And, just as in English, sometimes there are different words for the male and female of the same animal (e.g. Lion and Lioness, Bull and Cow), or even completely different words for the animal in general (like rabbit and coney, or cockerel* and rooster in English).
*see comment
EnglishLowerUpper
Cat(ο γάτος) η γάτα (το γάτι)(Ο ΓΑΤΟΣ) Η ΓΑΤΑ (ΤΟ ΓΑΤΙ)
Dogο σκύλος (η σκύλα, το σκύλι)Ο ΣΚΥΛΟΣ (Η ΣΚΥΛΑ, ΤΟ ΣΚΥΛΙ)
Rabbit(ο κουνέλος, η κουνέλα) το κουνέλι(Ο ΚΟΥΝΕΛΟΣ, Η ΚΟΥΝΕΛΑ) ΤΟ ΚΟΥΝΕΛΙ
Bull, Cowο ταύρος, η αγελάδαΟ ΤΑΥΡΟΣ, Η ΑΓΕΛΑΔΑ
Pigτο γουρούνιΤΟ ΓΟΥΡΟΥΝΙ
Sheepτο πρόβατοΤΟ ΠΡΟΒΑΤΟ
Goatη γιδα (or το κατσίκι)Η ΓΙΔΑ (or ΤΟ ΚΑΤΣΙΚΙ)
Rooster, Henο κόκορας, η κόταΟ ΚΟΚΟΡΑΣ, Η ΚΟΤΑ
Horseτο άλογο (or ο ίππος)ΤΟ ΑΛΟΓΟ (or Ο ΙΠΠΟΣ)
Donkeyο γαΐδαροςΟ ΓΑΙΔΑΡΟΣ
Parrotο παπαγάλοςΟ ΠΑΠΑΓΑΛΟΣ
Monkeyη μαΐμουΗ ΜΑΪΜΟΥ
Tigerο τίγρηςΟ ΤΙΓΡΗΣ
Lion, Lionessτο λιοντάρι, η λέαιναΤΟ ΛΙΟΝΤΑΡΙ, Η ΛΕΑΙΝΑ
Bearη αρκούδαΗ ΑΡΚΟΥΔΑ
Elephantο ελέφανταςΟ ΕΛΕΦΑΝΤΑΣ
Hippopotamusο ιπποπόταμοςΟ ΙΠΠΟΠΟΤΑΜΟΣ
Crocodileο κροκόδειλοςΟ ΚΡΟΚΟΔΕΙΛΟΣ
Snakeτο φίδιΤΟ ΦΙΔΙ
Spiderη αράχνηΗ ΑΡΑΧΝΗ
Flyη μύγαΗ ΜΥΓΑ
Mosquitoτο κουνούπιΤΟ ΚΟΥΝΟΥΠΙ
In the first three examples the word NOT in brackets represents the dictionary translation, whereas the bracketed words are the other gender versions.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I realise that strictly speaking the term Cockerel refers to a rooster under 1 year of age, but I think you get my meaning anyway