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.
- 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.
| 3η από το τέλος | 2η από το τέλος | τελευταία |
|---|---|---|
| ά-νθρω-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.)