Palabra Lexi · common words in Greek

How to say "dog" in Greek

"Dog" in Greek is σκύλος (skílos), pronounced SKI-los (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a masculine noun (ο σκύλος, plural οι σκύλοι). Also: σκυλί (dog).

Pronunciation is spelled out in English, one syllable at a time, with the stressed syllable in capitals; Greek marks that syllable with an accent in writing too. The speaker button uses your browser's built-in Greek voice. Gender and plural: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

How to pronounce σκύλος

Σκύλος is pronounced SKI-los, in IPA /ˈsci.los/. The stress falls on SKI, the syllable in capitals. Greek shows this in writing: the accent mark sits on the stressed vowel.

Listen: normal and slow speed, in your browser's Greek voice. IPA: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Is σκύλος masculine, feminine or neuter?

Σκύλος is masculine, so it takes the article ο: ο σκύλος. The plural is οι σκύλοι. That fits the usual pattern: most nouns ending in -ος are masculine.

Example sentences

Ο σκύλος γαβγίζει
the dog is barking

Ο σκύλος τρέχει στο πάρκο.
The dog runs in the park.

Ο σκύλος μου λέγεται Άρης.
My dog is called Aris.

"Dog" in Greek: everyday use and word roots

The Cynic philosophers were called "dog-like" (κυνικοί).

Regional words and roots: Wiktionary and the Liddell–Scott Greek lexicon. Greek varies by region, so treat these as the most common patterns, not strict rules.

How to remember σκύλος

σκύλος [SKI-los] sounds like the English “ski loss”. Picture this:

The dog mourns his ski loss: one ski gone downhill, he howls at the slope.

A sound-alike plus a vivid scene is the keyword method, a well-studied way to learn vocabulary. How it works.

Practice σκύλος

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Other ways to say "dog" in Greek

Word web: σκύλος

Words that live next to σκύλος in the Palabra word web, each with its own English sound-alike and scene. Learning them together makes each one easier to recall.