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Please feel free to add, change or correct the list of indeclinable nouns. Indeclinable Nouns (Stays the same no matter singular or plural) by Timon Rossolimos" English word Greek word 1 Bar μπαρ 2 Barman μπάρμαν 3 Basket μπάσκετ 4 Beach πλαζ 5 boutique μπουτίκ 6 Cake κέικ 7 Camouflage καμουφλάζ 8 Computer κομπιούτερ 9 Date ραντεβού 10 Day off ρεπό 11 Elite ελίτ 12 Euro ευρώ 13 Garage γκαράζ 14 Gognac κονιάκ 15 Jazz τζαζ 16 Lift ασανσέρ 17 Make-up μακγιάζ 18 Manager ο,η μάνατζερ 19 Match ματζ 20 Nylon ναίλον 21 Party πάρτι 22 Pent house ρετιρέ 23 Private Detective ο,η ντετέκτιβ 24 Reporter ο,η ρεπόρτερ 25 Shock σοκ 26 Speciality σπεσιαλιτέ 27 Stage-fright τρακ 28 Taxi ταξί 29 Whipped cream σαντιγί 30 Windscreen παρμπρίζ 31 Zip φερμουάρ Regards Timon |
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3. μπάσκετ is actually "basketball". The Greek version is η καλαθοσφαίριση. 8. κομπιούτερ is the colloquial word for "computer". The Greek version is ο ηλεκτρονικός υπολογιστής (ο Η/Υ) 9. ραντεβού (L88) 13. γκαράζ (L7) 14. κονιάκ (L9), "cognac", is also a generic word for any brandy. 17. spelled μακιγιάζ 19. ματζ, match, is for sporting events, usually soccer 20. spelled νάιλον (L80) 21. πάρτι (L28) 28. ταξί (L14) 31. φερμουάρ, "zipper" in the U.S. By the way, these indeclinable nouns are all foreign imports. There are many hundreds of such imports in the contemporary Greek language, most of them taken directly from English or French. For a little more about this, see "FYI: foreign imports" in Discussion Forum 42. Here's the list reordered alphabetically in Greek with etymologies for French-based imports. Where the Greek word is not neuter gender, the grammatical gender follows in parentheses: ασανσέρ - elevator, (Br.) lift (<Fr. ascenseur) γκαράζ - garage (Fr.) ελίτ (η) - elite (<Fr. élite) ευρώ - euro (€) καμουφλάζ - camouflage (Fr.) κέικ - cake κομπιούτερ - computer κονιάκ - cognac (Fr.) μακιγιάζ - makeup (<Fr. maquillage) μάνατζερ (ο/η) - business manager, agent (sports or entertainment) ματζ - match, game μπαρ - bar μπάρμαν (ο) - barman μπάσκετ - basketball μπουτίκ (η) - boutique (<Fr. boutique) νάιλον - nylon ντετέκτιβ (ο) - detective παρμπρίζ - windshield, (Br.) windscreen (<Fr. pare-brise) πάρτι - party πλαζ (η) - beach (<Fr. plage) ραντεβού - date, appointment (<Fr. rendezvous) ρεπό - day off (<Fr. repos) ρεπόρτερ (ο/η) - reporter ρετιρέ - penthouse (<Fr. retiré) σαντιγί - whipped cream (<Fr. (crème de) Chantilly) σοκ - shock σπεσιαλιτέ (η) - speciality (<Fr. spécialité) ταξί - taxi (Fr.) τζαζ (η) - jazz τρακ - stagefright (<Fr. trac) φερμουάρ - zipper, (Br.) zip (<Fr. fermoir) Regards, Greg Brush |
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This helps a lot Greg, Learning the etymology of Greek words helps the retention of the word stick... If only there was Greek etymology Dictionary somewhere on the net... Here are a few more indeclinable nouns FYI: αλκοόλ (alcohol) βίντεο (video) σινεμά (movie) σπορ (sport) στυλ (style) Regards Timon Rossolimos |
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Yes, in addition to σινεμά (L12) and the ones mentioned in my reply above, a number of others will be introduced and used in the LGO Lessons or mentioned in various Discussion Forums. For example: στούντιο (L5) - studio σάντουιτς (L47) - sandwich ουίσκι (L48) - whiskey χόμπι (L73) - hobby μαντάμ (η, L80) - madam φιλμ (L90) - film άλμπουμ (L102) - album and some other very common ones: αξεσουάρ - accessory [fashion] (<Fr. accessoire) βέτο - veto γκάζι - natural gas; accelerator, throttle (<Fr. gaz) γκολ - goal [soccer] θρίλερ - thriller κλαμπ - club [entertainment; sports] κοντέινερ - (cargo/shipping) container (Greek version το εμπορευματοκιβώτιο) μετρό - subway (<Fr. métro) μπουφάν - windbreaker, parka (<Fr. bouffant) ντέρμπι - crosstown game, local/regional/national rivalry [soccer, basketball] ντίζελ - diesel (<Ger. Diesel) ντους - shower (<Fr. douche) πανό - banner, poster, billboard (<Fr. panneau) πέναλτι - penalty kick [soccer] πούλμαν - motor coach (< Eng. pullman) σάιτ - website σεζόν (η) - season [fashion, sports, TV] (<Fr. saison) σουτ - shot [soccer, basketball] στρες - stress τάνκερ - tanker [Greek version το δεξαμενόπλοιο] φάουλ - foul [basketball, soccer] φούτερ - T shirt, sweat shirt, fleece top (<Ger. Futter) As to etymologies, take a look at the Triantafyllidis online dictionary at http://www.greek-language.gr/greekLang/modern_greek/tools/lexica/triantafyllides/index.html In the upper right corner you can toggle between a Greek and English background, and at the end of each Greek word that you search for you'll see the etymology. Regards, Greg Brush |
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I enjoyed the list of French words you added in the list Greg... I thought of doing a little project and finding as many French words I can relate to Greek to help reinforce the word in my medium-term (hopefully long-term memory). Please let me know if you can think of any more Greek words with the similar French word. ... You'll read them as Number, English, Greek, French 1 Accelerator γκάζι gaz 2 Accessory αξεσουάρ accessoire 3 Bathtub μπάνιο baignoire 4 Beach πλαζ Plage 5 billboard πανό panneau 6 Boot μπότα botte 7 Boutique μπουτίκ boutique 8 Bra σουτιέν soutien 9 Camouflage καμουφλάζ 10 Chic σικ chic 11 Coffee καφές café 12 Cognac κονιάκ cognac 13 Coupon κουπόνι coupon 14 Day-off ρεπό Repos 15 Elevator ασανσέρ ascenseur 16 Elite ελίτ élite 17 Fashion μόδα mode 18 Garage γκαράζ garage 19 Influenza γρίπη grippe 20 Make-up μακιγιάζ maquillage 21 Pen στυλό stylo 22 Penthouse ρετιρέ retiré 23 Pineapple ανανάς ananas 24 Problem πρόβλημα problème 25 Season σαιζόν saison 26 Shower ντους douche 27 Stage Fright τρακ trac 28 subway μετρό métro 29 Trouser παντελόνι pantalon 30 Trunk (Car) πορτμπαγκάζ Porte-bagage 31 Whipped cream σαντιγί Chantilly 32 Windscreen παρμπρίζ pare-brise 33 Zipper φερμουάρ fermoir Regards, Timon Rossolimos |
