Palabra Lexi · common words in Greek

How to say "woman" in Greek

"Woman" in Greek is γυναίκα (gynéka), pronounced yi-NE-ka (stress on the syllable in capitals). It is a feminine noun (η γυναίκα, plural οι γυναίκες).

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 γυναίκα

Γυναίκα is pronounced yi-NE-ka, in IPA /ʝiˈne.ka/. The stress falls on NE, the syllable in capitals. Greek shows this in writing: the accent mark sits on the stressed vowel.

• Γ before an e or i sound is like the y in "yes".
• Αι is e as in "met".

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

Is γυναίκα masculine, feminine or neuter?

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

Example sentences

Μια όμορφη γυναίκα
a beautiful woman

Η γυναίκα οδηγεί αυτοκίνητο
The woman drives a car

"Woman" in Greek: everyday use and word roots

Γυναίκα also means wife: η γυναίκα μου (my wife).

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 γυναίκα

γυναίκα [yi-NE-ka] sounds like the English “gain a car”. Picture this:

The woman wins the lottery, gains a car, and drives it straight through the confetti.

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

Practice γυναίκα

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