Palabra Lexi · common words in Greek
How to say "father" in Greek
"Father" in Greek is πατέρας (patéras), pronounced pa-TE-ras (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a masculine noun (ο πατέρας, plural οι πατέρες).
| Greek | πατέρας |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | patéras |
| Pronunciation | pa-TE-ras |
| Meaning | father |
| Gender | masculine: ο πατέρας |
| Plural | οι πατέρες |
| Frequency | #83 in the Palabra list of common Greek words |
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 πατέρας
Πατέρας is pronounced pa-TE-ras, in IPA /paˈte.ɾas/. The stress falls on TE, 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 πατέρας masculine, feminine or neuter?
Πατέρας is masculine, so it takes the article ο: ο πατέρας. The plural is οι πατέρες. That fits the pattern: nouns ending in -ας and -ης are masculine.
Example sentences
Ο πατέρας μου
my father
ο πατέρας μαγειρεύει
the father is cooking
"Father" in Greek: everyday use and word roots
Other forms you will hear
- μπαμπάς — dad, the everyday word
Word roots
- English words from the same root: patriarch, patriot
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 πατέρας
πατέρας [pa-TE-ras] sounds like the English “pot terrace”. Picture this:
Father waters a pot terrace at dawn: thirty pots, one watering can, total happiness.
A sound-alike plus a vivid scene is the keyword method, a well-studied way to learn vocabulary. How it works.
Practice πατέρας
Two quick games, right here: no sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere.