Palabra Lexi · common words in Greek
How to say "sister" in Greek
"Sister" in Greek is αδελφή (adelfí), pronounced a-del-FI (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a feminine noun (η αδελφή, plural οι αδελφές). Also: αδερφή, the everyday spelling of αδελφή.
| Greek | αδελφή |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | adelfí |
| Pronunciation | a-del-FI |
| Meaning | sister |
| Gender | feminine: η αδελφή |
| Plural | οι αδελφές |
| Frequency | #85 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 αδελφή
Αδελφή is pronounced a-del-FI, in IPA /a.ðelˈfi/. The stress falls on FI, 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 αδελφή masculine, feminine or neuter?
Αδελφή is feminine, so it takes the article η: η αδελφή. The plural is οι αδελφές. That fits the usual pattern: most nouns ending in -α and -η are feminine.
Example sentence
Η αδελφή μου
my sister
"Sister" in Greek: everyday use and word roots
Both spellings are correct: αδελφή (more formal) and αδερφή (everyday).
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 αδελφή
αδελφή [a-del-FI] sounds like the English “a-delphi”. Picture this:
Your sister answers like the Delphi oracle: one riddle instead of «where is my charger».
A sound-alike plus a vivid scene is the keyword method, a well-studied way to learn vocabulary. How it works.
Practice αδελφή
Two quick games, right here: no sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere.