Lesson 7
Ποιός είμαι
Who I am
In this lesson you will learn how to form simple sentences and say simple things about you.
Read also Grammar 7 and 8.
Read and then listen to the following passages about Maria and Nikos. Can you translate them? (The answer is at the bottom of the page.)
Με λένε Μαρία.
Ζω στην Αθήνα.
Αγαπάω την Αθήνα.
Είναι μία πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα πόλη.
Έχω δύο φίλους, το Νίκο και την Κατερίνα.
Έχω μία γάτα, επίσης, την Αλεξία. Την αγαπάω πολύ.
 Με λένε Νίκο.
Είμαι Αθηναίος.
Ζω σε ένα διαμέρισμα στο κέντρο της Αθήνας.
Είναι μεγάλο αλλά έχει πολύ φασαρία.
Το κέντρο έχει πολύ κίνηση. Αγαπώ το ποδόσφαιρο, το καλό φαγητό και τις γυναίκες.
ζω = I live
αγαπάω = I love
πολύ = a lot, too much, very
ενδιαφέρον(m, n) = interesting
ενδιαφέρουσα(f) = interesting
πόλη = city
φίλος(m) = male friend
φίλη(f) = female friend
γάτα(f) = cat
|
σε = in, at, to
διαμέρισμα(n) = apartment
κέντρο(n) = centre
φασαρία(f) = noise
κίνηση(f) = traffic
μικρός -ή -ό = small
ποδόσφαιρο(n) = football
φαγητό(n) = food
γυναίκα(f) = woman
|
Notice the use of the words την and στην. (Grammar 7 and 8)
Αγαπάω την Αθήνα.
I love Athens.
Ζω στην Αθήνα.
I live in Athens.
Αγαπάω τη γάτα.
I love the cat.
Μιλάω στη γάτα.
I talk to the cat.
Ζω στο κέντρο της Αθήνας.
I live at the centre of Athens.
Αγαπάω τις γυναίκες.
I love women.
Μιλάω στις γυναίκες.
I talk to the women.
Did you know that?
(you don't have to learn that)
The word γράμμα means letter. From that we have the words:
γραμματική = grammar, the rules of the letters
γραμμή = line, the building block of letters
γραμματέας = secretary, the person who works with letters (not postman)
γραμμόφωνο = gramophone, the voice that comes from the lines (φωνή = voice). Think of the tracks on the gramophone record.
γραφίτης = graphite, the ore with which we can write
γράφιτι = graffiti, writting on the wall
γράφω = I write
γραφή = writting
μονογραφή = monograph, single letter or writting (μονό = single)
γράφημα = graph
γραφολόγος = graphologist, the person who studies the writting
εγγράφω = engrave (think of the "french" word gravure)
and many more.
We also have the word:
γραμμάριο = gram (for weight), literally meaning "small line" (the -άριο ending makes the word "small") because the weight used to be measured by filling pots against a ruler marked with small lines. The heavier the pot the more it would sink against the ruler and the more "small lines" (γραμμάρια) would weigh! So, even today we ask "how many grams does it weigh?".
|
The translation of the texts:
My name is Maria. I live in Athens. I love Athens. It is a very interesting city. I have two friends, Nikos and Katerina. I also have a cat, Alexia. I love her very much.
My name is Nikos. I am an Athenian. I live in an apartment at the centre of Athens. It is large but it has lots of noise. The centre (of the city) has lots of traffic. I love football, good food and women.
|
|
Architecture
Αρχιτεκτονική
A Greek word in origin. It brings science and art together. Greece has more splendid architectural sites than any other country in Europe. Why not come and survey them?
|
