The stress mark and syllables
Every Greek word of two syllables or more carries a stress mark. It is not decorative — it changes meaning.
What it does
It tells you which syllable to say louder. One per word, compulsory from two syllables up — leaving it out is a spelling mistake, not a detail.
Where may the Greek accent stand?
What it does
It tells you which syllable to say louder. One per word, compulsory from two syllables up — leaving it out is a spelling mistake, not a detail.
- καλημέραgood morning
- ευχαριστώthank you
Where it can fall
Never further back than the third syllable from the end. That is a real limit — it narrows your options to three.
- καλή — στη λήγουσα“good” — accent on the last syllable
- καλημέρα — στην παραλήγουσα“good morning” — accent on the second-to-last syllable
- άνθρωπος — στην προπαραλήγουσα“person” — accent on the third-from-last syllable
| 3η από το τέλος | 2η από το τέλος | τελευταία |
|---|---|---|
| άν-θρω-πος | κα-λη-μέ-ρα | ευ-χα-ρι-στώ |
| δά-σκα-λος | θά-λασ-σα | κα-λά |
It changes the meaning
Same letters, different stress, different word. This is exactly why you cannot skip it.
- πότε / ποτέwhen? / never
- γέρος / γερόςold man / sturdy
- χάλι / χαλίa mess / carpet
One-syllable words
A one-syllable word takes no stress mark. The exception: a few pairs that have to be told apart in writing.
- πού / πουwhere? / who, that
- ή / ηor / the (fem.)
Често задавани въпроси
Does Greek put an accent on every word?
Every word of two syllables or more, yes, and it is compulsory: «καλημέρα», «ευχαριστώ». One-syllable words take none, except a few pairs that must be told apart in writing: «πού» (where) versus «που» (who/that), «ή» (or) versus «η» (the).
Can the Greek accent change a word's meaning?
Yes, completely: same letters, different accent, different word. «πότε» means “when?” and «ποτέ» means “never”; «γέρος» is an old man while «γερός» is someone sturdy; «χάλι» is a mess and «χαλί» is a carpet.
Which syllable can the Greek accent fall on?
Never further back than the third syllable from the end: «καλή» (last), «καλημέρα» (second from last), «άνθρωπος» (third from last). It is a real limit, and it narrows your options to three.