Palabra Lexi · common words in Greek

How to say "heart" in Greek

"Heart" in Greek is καρδιά (kardiá), pronounced kar-DYA (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a feminine noun (η καρδιά, plural οι καρδιές).

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 καρδιά

Καρδιά is pronounced kar-DYA, in IPA /karˈðʝa/. The stress falls on DYA, the syllable in capitals. Greek shows this in writing: the accent mark sits on the stressed vowel.

• Δ is th as in "this".

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

Is καρδιά masculine, feminine or neuter?

Καρδιά is feminine, so it takes the article η: η καρδιά. The plural is οι καρδιές. That fits the usual pattern: most nouns ending in -α and -η are feminine.

Example sentences

Με όλη μου την καρδιά
with all my heart

Η καρδιά μου χτυπάει
my heart is beating

"Heart" in Greek: everyday use and word roots

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 καρδιά

καρδιά [kar-DYA] sounds like the English “cardio”. Picture this:

Cardio class: your heart jogs on its own little treadmill, wiping sweat with a tiny towel.

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

Practice καρδιά

Two quick games, right here: no sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere.

Word web: καρδιά

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