Palabra Lexi · common words in Greek
How to say "olive" in Greek
"Olive" in Greek is ελιά (eliá), pronounced e-LYA (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a feminine noun (η ελιά, plural οι ελιές).
| Greek | ελιά |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | eliá |
| Pronunciation | e-LYA |
| Meaning | olive |
| Gender | feminine: η ελιά |
| Plural | οι ελιές |
| Frequency | #26 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 ελιά
Ελιά is pronounced e-LYA, in IPA /e.ˈʎa/. The stress falls on LYA, 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 ελιά masculine, feminine or neuter?
Ελιά is feminine, so it takes the article η: η ελιά. The plural is οι ελιές. That fits the usual pattern: most nouns ending in -α and -η are feminine.
Example sentences
Ψωμί με ελιές
bread with olives
ελιές Καλαμών
Kalamata olives
"Olive" in Greek: everyday use and word roots
Both English olive and oil go back to Greek ἐλαία and ἔλαιον. Olive oil in Greek is ελαιόλαδο.
Word roots
- Ancient Greek: ἐλαία (elaía)
- English words from the same root: olive, oil
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 ελιά
ελιά [e-LYA] sounds like the English “Elijah”. Picture this:
Elijah shakes the tree and olives drum on his umbrella like green hail.
A sound-alike plus a vivid scene is the keyword method, a well-studied way to learn vocabulary. How it works.
Practice ελιά
Two quick games, right here: no sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere.