Palabra Lexi · common words in Greek

How to say "water" in Greek

"Water" in Greek is νερό (neró), pronounced ne-RO (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a neuter noun (το νερό, plural τα νερά).

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 νερό

Νερό is pronounced ne-RO, in IPA /neˈɾo/. The stress falls on RO, 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 νερό masculine, feminine or neuter?

Νερό is neuter, so it takes the article το: το νερό. The plural is τα νερά. That fits the pattern: nouns ending in -ο and -ι are neuter.

Example sentences

Το νερό είναι κρύο.
The water is cold.

Ένα νερό, παρακαλώ.
A water, please.

Θέλω νερό
I want water

"Water" in Greek: everyday use and word roots

Everyday Greek uses νερό. It comes from medieval Greek, where "fresh water" (νεαρόν ὕδωρ) was shortened to the word for "fresh".

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 νερό

νερό [ne-RO] sounds like the English “narrow”. Picture this:

Water rushes down a narrow stone gutter, squeezing through and splashing over your shoes.

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

Practice νερό

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

Word web: νερό

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