Palabra Lexi · common words in Greek

How to say "sun" in Greek

"Sun" in Greek is ήλιος (ílios), pronounced I-li-os (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a masculine noun (ο ήλιος, plural οι ήλιοι).

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 ήλιος

Ήλιος is pronounced I-li-os, in IPA /ˈi.ʎos/. The stress falls on I, 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 ήλιος masculine, feminine or neuter?

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

Example sentences

Ο ήλιος λάμπει
the sun is shining

Ο ήλιος είναι ψηλά
The sun is high

Ο ήλιος δίνει ενέργεια.
The sun gives energy.

"Sun" in Greek: everyday use and word roots

Ήλιος is also the sun god Helios. Helium was named after it because it was first found in the Sun's spectrum.

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 ήλιος

ήλιος [I-li-os] sounds like the English “helios heel”. Picture this:

The sun steps across the sky on one burning heel, leaving glowing footprints on the clouds.

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

Practice ήλιος

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