What does "much" mean in Modern Greek?
English has two words where Greek has one. Much goes with things you cannot count (much water, much time) and many goes with things you can (many friends, many years). Greek uses a single word for both, and it changes its ending to agree with the noun it stands before:
- πολύς (polís), masculine: πολύς κόσμος, "a lot of people" (literally "much world") - πολλή (pollí), feminine: πολλή ζέστη, "a lot of heat" - πολύ (polí), neuter: πολύ νερό, "a lot of water" - πολλοί, πολλές, πολλά (pollí, pollés, pollá), the plural: πολλοί φίλοι, "many friends"; πολλές εικόνες, "many pictures"; πολλά χρόνια, "many years"
The dictionary lists the word as πολύς, πολλή, πολύ. This lesson takes the neuter πολύ as its headword, because it is the form that does the most work. It is also the adverb: μιλάς πολύ is "you talk a lot", and πολύ ζεστός is "very hot". The adverb never changes. So πολύ answers three English questions at once: much (πολύ νερό), a lot (μιλάς πολύ) and very (πολύ καλό).
The word is old. Ancient Greek had πολύς, and the Greek root survives in English poly-: polygon, polyglot, polymath. Modern Greek still builds new words on it in the same way: πολυκατοικία (polikatikía), a block of flats, literally "many dwellings"; πολυθρόνα (polithróna), an armchair, literally "many seats"; πολύγλωσσος (políglossos), "polyglot".
A note on the script. The spelling of this word has one rule, and it is worth learning on the first day: πολύς and πολύ are written with one λ because they end in υ. Every other form has two: πολλή, πολλοί, πολλές, πολλά, πολλών. The double λ is not pronounced twice. Section D gives the whole pattern.
- πολύς, πολλή, πολύ = "much, many, a lot of": one word for both much and many - It agrees with its noun in gender, number and case: πολύς κόσμος, πολλή ζέστη, πολύ νερό, πολλά χρόνια - Singular for things in a mass (πολύ νερό), plural for things you can count (πολλά σύκα) - πολύ is also an adverb and never changes: μιλάς πολύ, πολύ ακριβό, ευχαριστώ πολύ - One λ before υ (πολύς, πολύ); two λ everywhere else (πολλή, πολλοί, πολλές, πολλά) - πάρα πολύ = "very much, far too much"; ο πολύς κόσμος = "most people"; οι πολλοί = "the many, the majority" - The opposite is λίγος, λίγη, λίγο, "little, few"
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87.1a Έχω have πολύ much χρόνο time
87.1b Écho (E-kho) have-1SG polí (po-LEE) much-ACC.SG.MASC chróno (KHRO-no) time-ACC.SG.MASC
87.2a Θέλω want πολύ much νερό water
87.2b Thélo (THE-lo) want-1SG polí (po-LEE) much-ACC.SG.NEUT neró (ne-RO) water-ACC.SG.NEUT
87.3a Δεν not έχουμε have πολλά many λεφτά money
87.3b Den (dhen) not-NEG échoume (E-khoo-me) have-1PL pollá (po-LA) many-ACC.PL.NEUT leftá (lef-TA) money-ACC.PL.NEUT
87.4a Έχει has πολλή much ζέστη heat σήμερα today
87.4b Échi (E-khi) has-3SG pollí (po-LEE) much-ACC.SG.FEM zésti (ZE-sti) heat-ACC.SG.FEM símera (SEE-me-ra) today
87.5a Πολύς much κόσμος people περιμένει waits έξω outside
87.5b Polís (po-LEES) much-NOM.SG.MASC kósmos (KOS-mos) people-NOM.SG.MASC periméni (pe-ree-ME-ni) waits-3SG éxo (E-kso) outside
87.6a Μιλάς talk πολύ a-lot
87.6b Milás (mee-LAS) talk-2SG polí (po-LEE) a-lot-ADV
87.7a Πολλοί many φίλοι friends μου my μένουν live στην in-the Αθήνα Athens
87.7b Pollí (po-LEE) many-NOM.PL.MASC fíli (FEE-lee) friends-NOM.PL.MASC mou (moo) my-GEN ménoun (ME-noon) live-3PL stin (steen) in-the-ACC.SG.FEM Athína (a-THEE-na) Athens-ACC.SG.FEM
87.8a Ο the καφές coffee έχει has πολλή much ζάχαρη sugar
87.8b O (o) the-NOM.SG.MASC kafés (ka-FES) coffee-NOM.SG.MASC échi (E-khi) has-3SG pollí (po-LEE) much-ACC.SG.FEM záchari (ZA-kha-ree) sugar-ACC.SG.FEM
87.9a Δεν not κοιμήθηκα slept πολύ much χθες yesterday το the βράδυ evening
87.9b Den (dhen) not-NEG kimíthika (kee-MEE-thee-ka) slept-1SG.PAST polí (po-LEE) much-ADV chthes (khthes) yesterday to (to) the-ACC.SG.NEUT vrádi (VRA-dhee) evening-ACC.SG.NEUT
87.10a Θέλεις want πολύ much ή or λίγο little ψωμί bread
87.10b Thélis (THE-lees) want-2SG polí (po-LEE) much-ACC.SG.NEUT í (ee) or lígo (LEE-gho) little-ACC.SG.NEUT psomí (pso-MEE) bread-ACC.SG.NEUT
87.11a Πριν before από from πολλά many χρόνια years ζούσαμε lived σε in ένα a μικρό small χωριό village
87.11b Prin (preen) before apó (a-PO) from pollá (po-LA) many-ACC.PL.NEUT chrónia (KHRO-nya) years-ACC.PL.NEUT zoúsame (ZOO-sa-me) lived-1PL.IMPF se (se) in éna (E-na) a-ACC.SG.NEUT mikró (mee-KRO) small-ACC.SG.NEUT chorió (kho-RYO) village-ACC.SG.NEUT
87.12a Σας you ευχαριστώ thank πολύ much για for τη the βοήθεια help
87.12b Sas (sas) you-ACC.PL.POLITE efcharistó (ef-kha-ree-STO) thank-1SG polí (po-LEE) much-ADV ya (ya) for ti (tee) the-ACC.SG.FEM voíthia (vo-EE-thee-a) help-ACC.SG.FEM
87.13a Αυτό this το the βιβλίο book έχει has πάρα beyond πολλές many εικόνες pictures
87.13b Aftó (af-TO) this-NOM.SG.NEUT to (to) the-NOM.SG.NEUT vivlío (vee-VLEE-o) book-NOM.SG.NEUT échi (E-khi) has-3SG pára (PA-ra) beyond-INTENS pollés (po-LES) many-ACC.PL.FEM ikónes (ee-KO-nes) pictures-ACC.PL.FEM
87.14a Μίλησα spoke πολύ a-lot με with τον the Πέτρο Petros αλλά but δεν not κατάλαβα understood πολλά much
87.14b Mílisa (MEE-lee-sa) spoke-1SG.PAST polí (po-LEE) a-lot-ADV me (me) with ton (ton) the-ACC.SG.MASC Pétro (PE-tro) Petros-ACC.SG.MASC alá (a-LA) but den (dhen) not-NEG katálava (ka-TA-la-va) understood-1SG.PAST pollá (po-LA) much-ACC.PL.NEUT
87.15a Ο the πολύς much κόσμος people δεν not ξέρει knows αυτό this το the νησί island
87.15b O (o) the-NOM.SG.MASC polís (po-LEES) much-NOM.SG.MASC kósmos (KOS-mos) people-NOM.SG.MASC den (dhen) not-NEG xéri (KSE-ree) knows-3SG aftó (af-TO) this-ACC.SG.NEUT to (to) the-ACC.SG.NEUT nisí (nee-SEE) island-ACC.SG.NEUT
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87.1 Έχω πολύ χρόνο. (Écho polí chróno.) "I have a lot of time."
87.2 Θέλω πολύ νερό. (Thélo polí neró.) "I want a lot of water."
87.3 Δεν έχουμε πολλά λεφτά. (Den échoume pollá leftá.) "We do not have much money."
87.4 Έχει πολλή ζέστη σήμερα. (Échi pollí zésti símera.) "It is very hot today." (literally, "There is much heat today.")
87.5 Πολύς κόσμος περιμένει έξω. (Polís kósmos periméni éxo.) "A lot of people are waiting outside."
87.6 Μιλάς πολύ. (Milás polí.) "You talk a lot."
87.7 Πολλοί φίλοι μου μένουν στην Αθήνα. (Pollí fíli mou ménoun stin Athína.) "Many of my friends live in Athens."
87.8 Ο καφές έχει πολλή ζάχαρη. (O kafés échi pollí záchari.) "The coffee has a lot of sugar."
87.9 Δεν κοιμήθηκα πολύ χθες το βράδυ. (Den kimíthika polí chthes to vrádi.) "I did not sleep much last night."
87.10 Θέλεις πολύ ή λίγο ψωμί; (Thélis polí í lígo psomí?) "Do you want a lot of bread or a little?"
87.11 Πριν από πολλά χρόνια ζούσαμε σε ένα μικρό χωριό. (Prin apó pollá chrónia zoúsame se éna mikró chorió.) "Many years ago we lived in a small village."
87.12 Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ για τη βοήθεια. (Sas efcharistó polí ya ti voíthia.) "Thank you very much for the help."
87.13 Αυτό το βιβλίο έχει πάρα πολλές εικόνες. (Aftó to vivlío échi pára pollés ikónes.) "This book has a great many pictures."
87.14 Μίλησα πολύ με τον Πέτρο, αλλά δεν κατάλαβα πολλά. (Mílisa polí me ton Pétro, alá den katálava pollá.) "I talked a lot with Petros, but I did not understand much."
87.15 Ο πολύς κόσμος δεν ξέρει αυτό το νησί. (O polís kósmos den xéri aftó to nisí.) "Most people do not know this island."
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87.1 Έχω πολύ χρόνο.
87.2 Θέλω πολύ νερό.
87.3 Δεν έχουμε πολλά λεφτά.
87.4 Έχει πολλή ζέστη σήμερα.
87.5 Πολύς κόσμος περιμένει έξω.
87.6 Μιλάς πολύ.
87.7 Πολλοί φίλοι μου μένουν στην Αθήνα.
87.8 Ο καφές έχει πολλή ζάχαρη.
87.9 Δεν κοιμήθηκα πολύ χθες το βράδυ.
87.10 Θέλεις πολύ ή λίγο ψωμί;
87.11 Πριν από πολλά χρόνια ζούσαμε σε ένα μικρό χωριό.
87.12 Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ για τη βοήθεια.
87.13 Αυτό το βιβλίο έχει πάρα πολλές εικόνες.
87.14 Μίλησα πολύ με τον Πέτρο, αλλά δεν κατάλαβα πολλά.
87.15 Ο πολύς κόσμος δεν ξέρει αυτό το νησί.
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The forms of πολύς, πολλή, πολύ. The word is irregular: it has two stems, πολυ- and πολλ-. Written as text lines, with the article:
- Singular nominative: ο πολύς (o polís), η πολλή (i pollí), το πολύ (to polí) - Singular accusative: τον πολύ (ton polí), την πολλή (tin pollí), το πολύ (to polí) - Singular genitive: του πολλού (tou pollú), της πολλής (tis pollís), του πολλού (tou pollú). The masculine and neuter genitive is rare, and πολύ is sometimes used instead. It survives in fixed phrases such as προ πολλού (pro pollú), "long ago". - Plural nominative: οι πολλοί (i pollí), οι πολλές (i pollés), τα πολλά (ta pollá) - Plural accusative: τους πολλούς (tous pollús), τις πολλές (tis pollés), τα πολλά (ta pollá) - Plural genitive, all genders: των πολλών (ton pollón) - There is no singular vocative.
The spelling rule. One λ only where υ follows: πολύς, πολύ. Everywhere else two λ: πολλού, πολλής, πολλοί, πολλές, πολλά, πολλών. The stress is always on the last syllable, and it is marked: πολύς, πολλή, πολλά.
Much and many. Where English chooses between much and many, Greek chooses between singular and plural, the same way it chooses for any adjective. A noun that names a mass, with no plural in the sense meant, takes the singular: πολύ νερό (87.2), πολλή ζάχαρη (87.8), πολύ τυρί (87.22). A noun that names things you can count takes the plural: πολλοί φίλοι (87.7), πολλές εικόνες (87.13), πολλά σύκα (87.22). Two nouns need care. κόσμος means both "world" and "people", and "a lot of people" is singular in Greek: πολύς κόσμος (87.5). χρόνος can be "time" or "year": πολύ χρόνο (87.1) is "a lot of time", and πολλά χρόνια (87.11) is "many years".
The adjective agrees; the adverb does not. Before a noun, πολύς is an adjective and must agree with it: πολλή ζέστη, because ζέστη is feminine. Anywhere else, πολύ is an adverb and stays as it is. It can modify a verb (μιλάς πολύ, "you talk a lot", 87.6; ευχαριστώ πολύ, 87.12) or an adjective (πολύ νόστιμες, "very tasty", 87.18; πολύ ακριβά, 87.19). Take care with the masculine and neuter singular: πολύ is the accusative of the adjective (πολύ χρόνο) and also the adverb (μιλάς πολύ), and the sentence tells you which. Only a masculine noun in the nominative changes to πολύς: πολύς θόρυβος (87.24).
Before another adjective. The word comes first: πολλά φρέσκα φρούτα, "a lot of fresh fruit" (87.17). It is not repeated before each noun.
With comparatives. The adverb πολύ strengthens a comparative, "much more": πολύ περισσότερα (87.28), πολύ πιο γρήγορα, "much faster".
Stronger and weaker. πάρα πολύ (pára polí) is "very much, far too much", and it agrees where πολύς would: πάρα πολλές εικόνες (87.13), πάρα πολλοί άνθρωποι. τόσο πολύ (tóso polí) is "so much". πόσο (póso) asks "how much?": πόσο κάνει; "how much is it?" The opposite is λίγος, λίγη, λίγο (lígos, lígi, lígo), "little, few", also an adverb: λίγο ψωμί (87.10), λίγες ελιές (87.23). "Very little" is πολύ λίγο.
With the article. The article turns πολύς into a group of people. ο πολύς κόσμος (87.15) is "most people, the general public", and οι πολλοί is "the many, the majority", as opposed to οι λίγοι, "the few".
Neuter plural as a pronoun. πολλά can stand alone for "much, many things": δεν κατάλαβα πολλά, "I did not understand much" (87.14).
Negation. Greek puts δεν before the verb and the quantity after it: δεν έχουμε πολλά λεφτά (87.3), δεν κοιμήθηκα πολύ (87.9). The English not much is exactly δεν … πολύ.
- Writing πολλύς or πολλύ. The ending ύ takes one λ. And the reverse: πολά and πολοί are wrong, because two λ stand before ά and οί. - Leaving the adjective in the neuter before a feminine or plural noun. For many friends, say πολλοί φίλοι, and for a lot of heat, πολλή ζέστη. The invariable πολύ is for verbs and adjectives. - Translating very many as πολύ πολλοί. Greek says πάρα πολλοί. - Using πολύ for many with a countable plural: *πολύ φίλοι. The plural noun needs the plural word, πολλοί φίλοι. - Mixing up πολύ with πόλη (póli), "city". They look alike, but πόλη has the stress on the first syllable and an η, and πολύ has the stress on the last.
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πολύ is one of the first words that any Greek speaker teaches a visitor. It is among the most frequent words in the language, and in the vocabulary list that this course follows it stands at 87. It has no formal or informal variant: the same word serves the market stall and the newspaper. Only the rare genitive πολλού belongs to a formal, older style, as in προ πολλού.
Several of the most common courtesies are built on πολύ. Ευχαριστώ πολύ (efcharistó polí) is "thank you very much". Χαίρω πολύ (chéro polí) is what one says on being introduced, "pleased to meet you", literally "I rejoice a lot". Χρόνια πολλά (chrónia pollá), "many years", is the greeting at a birthday, on a name day, at Christmas and at Easter. Here the adjective follows its noun, which is common in wishes. The name day, the feast of the saint whose name a person bears, is an occasion for celebration in Greece as much as the birthday is.
The prefix πολυ- gives Greek a series of compounds that English has to describe in several words. A πολυκατοικία (polikatikía) is the block of flats in which a great part of the urban population lives. A πολυθρόνα (polithróna) is an armchair, literally a "many-seat". A πολυκατάστημα (polikatástima) is a department store. In every one of them, the same πολυ- stands for "many".
The word κόσμος has a double life that mirrors English. In Greek it first meant "order, ornament", then "the ordered universe", and later "the world", and from this "the people of the world". So Greek says πολύς κόσμος where English says "a lot of people", and ο κόσμος can be "the world" or "the people" or "the crowd". A market that is γεμάτη κόσμο is "full of people", and the lesson's description (87.16) uses just this idiom. Section F shows the same word in a poem.
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Source: Constantine P. Cavafy (Κωνσταντίνος Π. Καβάφης), «Όσο μπορείς» ("As much as you can"), written in 1913. The opening five lines are given here.
Cavafy is one of the best-loved poets of the Greek language, and "Όσο μπορείς" is one of his poems of counsel: the poet addresses an imagined listener who cannot live exactly as they wish, and tells them what to protect. The poem is chosen for this lesson because the word is in its title as well as in the text: όσο is "as much as", and πολλή and πολλές appear in two consecutive lines, one for each number.
F.1a Κι and αν if δεν not μπορείς can να to κάμεις make την the ζωή life σου your όπως as την it θέλεις want
F.1b Ki (kee) and-ELIDED an (an) if den (dhen) not-NEG boreís (bo-REES) can-2SG na (na) SUBJ kámis (KA-mees) make-2SG.SUBJ tin (teen) the-ACC.SG.FEM zoí (zo-EE) life-ACC.SG.FEM sou (soo) your-GEN ópos (O-pos) as tin (teen) it-ACC.SG.FEM thélis (THE-lees) want-2SG
F.2a τούτο this προσπάθησε try τουλάχιστον at-least
F.2b toúto (TOO-to) this-ACC.SG.NEUT prospáthise (pro-SPA-thee-se) try-IMP.2SG touláchiston (too-LA-khee-ston) at-least
F.3a όσο as-much-as μπορείς can μην do-not την it εξευτελίζεις degrade
F.3b óso (O-so) as-much-as boreís (bo-REES) can-2SG min (meen) do-not-NEG.IMP tin (teen) it-ACC.SG.FEM exeftelízis (e-kse-fte-LEE-zees) degrade-2SG
F.4a μες in στην in-the πολλή much συνάφεια association του the κόσμου world
F.4b mes (mes) in stin (steen) in-the-ACC.SG.FEM pollí (po-LEE) much-ACC.SG.FEM sináfia (see-NA-fya) association-ACC.SG.FEM tou (too) the-GEN.SG.MASC kósmou (KOS-moo) world-GEN.SG.MASC
F.5a μες in στες in-the πολλές many κινήσεις movements κι and ομιλίες conversations
F.5b mes (mes) in stes (stes) in-the-ACC.PL.FEM pollés (po-LES) many-ACC.PL.FEM kiníseis (kee-NEE-sees) movements-ACC.PL.FEM ki (kee) and-ELIDED omilíes (o-mee-LEE-es) conversations-ACC.PL.FEM
Κι αν δεν μπορείς να κάμεις την ζωή σου όπως την θέλεις, τούτο προσπάθησε τουλάχιστον όσο μπορείς: μην την εξευτελίζεις μες στην πολλή συνάφεια του κόσμου, μες στες πολλές κινήσεις κι ομιλίες. (Ki an den boreís na kámis tin zoí sou ópos tin thélis, toúto prospáthise touláchiston óso boreís: min tin exeftelízis mes stin pollí sináfia tou kósmou, mes stes pollés kiníseis ki omilíes.)
"And if you cannot make your life as you want it, try this at least, as much as you can: do not degrade it through too much association with the world, through so many movements and conversations."
Κι αν δεν μπορείς να κάμεις την ζωή σου όπως την θέλεις, τούτο προσπάθησε τουλάχιστον όσο μπορείς: μην την εξευτελίζεις μες στην πολλή συνάφεια του κόσμου, μες στες πολλές κινήσεις κι ομιλίες.
The two uses of the word are the grammar of Section D in miniature. Πολλή συνάφεια is the singular, for an abstract mass noun, and it is feminine accusative after στην, so the form is πολλή: "much association". Πολλές κινήσεις is the plural, for things that can be counted, and it is feminine accusative plural: "many movements". The spelling follows the rule: two λ, because the next letter is not υ.
Cavafy's language is a mixture of the demotic and a little of the older, learned speech, and it shows in this passage. κάμεις (kámis) is the older form of κάνεις, "you make", and today's Greek would write κάνεις. στες is the old form of στις, "in the". μες is the colloquial short form of μέσα, here with the sense "in". την ζωή and την θέλεις keep the final ν that the modern spelling drops before ζ and θ: today we would write τη ζωή and τη θέλεις. The elision Κι and κι replaces και before a vowel. The word συνάφεια is "contact, association", and in modern Greek it can also mean "relevance". εξευτελίζεις means "you degrade, you debase" and is built on the old verb ευτελής, "cheap".
The poem's argument is a measured one. It does not forbid company. It warns against πολλή — too much — and the quantity does the work: a life can be worn thin by "much association" and "many movements and conversations", until it becomes, in the lines that follow, like a stranger and a burden. The line is therefore a good example of how πολύς, with the noun it agrees with, carries a judgement of degree.
Constantine Cavafy (1863–1933) was born in Alexandria, Egypt, to a Greek family, and he lived there for most of his life. He did not publish his poems in books in the usual way. He printed them in small groups and gave them to friends, and the collected poems appeared after his death. "Όσο μπορείς" belongs to the poems of his middle years, written in 1913.
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87.16a Κάθε every Σάββατο Saturday η the λαϊκή popular αγορά market της the γειτονιάς neighbourhood μας our γεμίζει fills με with πολύ much κόσμο people
87.16b Káthe (KA-the) every Sávvato (SA-va-to) Saturday-ACC.SG.NEUT i (ee) the-NOM.SG.FEM laikí (la-ee-KEE) popular-NOM.SG.FEM agorá (a-gho-RA) market-NOM.SG.FEM tis (tees) the-GEN.SG.FEM yitoniás (yee-to-NYAS) neighbourhood-GEN.SG.FEM mas (mas) our-GEN yemízi (ye-MEE-zee) fills-3SG me (me) with polí (po-LEE) much-ACC.SG.MASC kósmo (KOS-mo) people-ACC.SG.MASC
87.17a Οι the παραγωγοί producers έχουν have πολλά many φρέσκα fresh φρούτα fruit και and λαχανικά vegetables
87.17b I (ee) the-NOM.PL.MASC paragoyí (pa-ra-gho-YEE) producers-NOM.PL.MASC échoun (E-khoon) have-3PL pollá (po-LA) many-ACC.PL.NEUT fréska (FRE-ska) fresh-ACC.PL.NEUT froúta (FROO-ta) fruit-ACC.PL.NEUT ke (ke) and lachaniká (la-kha-nee-KA) vegetables-ACC.PL.NEUT
87.18a Οι the ντομάτες tomatoes φέτος this-year είναι are πολύ very νόστιμες tasty
87.18b I (ee) the-NOM.PL.FEM domátes (do-MA-tes) tomatoes-NOM.PL.FEM fétos (FE-tos) this-year íne (EE-ne) are-3PL polí (po-LEE) very-ADV nóstimes (NOS-tee-mes) tasty-NOM.PL.FEM
87.19a Ο the παππούς grandfather ρωτάει asks αν whether τα the σύκα figs είναι are πολύ very ακριβά expensive
87.19b O (o) the-NOM.SG.MASC papoús (pa-POOS) grandfather-NOM.SG.MASC rotái (ro-TA-ee) asks-3SG an (an) whether ta (ta) the-NOM.PL.NEUT síka (SEE-ka) figs-NOM.PL.NEUT íne (EE-ne) are-3PL polí (po-LEE) very-ADV akrivá (a-kree-VA) expensive-NOM.PL.NEUT
87.20a Όχι no δεν not κοστίζουν cost πολύ much απαντά answers ο the πωλητής seller
87.20b Óchi (O-khee) no den (dhen) not-NEG kostízoun (kos-TEE-zoon) cost-3PL polí (po-LEE) much-ADV apantá (a-pan-DA) answers-3SG o (o) the-NOM.SG.MASC politís (po-lee-TEES) seller-NOM.SG.MASC
87.21a Πάρτε take πολλά many και and θα will σας you κάνω make καλύτερη better τιμή price
87.21b Párte (PAR-te) take-IMP.2PL pollá (po-LA) many-ACC.PL.NEUT ke (ke) and tha (tha) will-FUT sas (sas) you-ACC.PL.POLITE káno (KA-no) make-1SG kalítiri (ka-LEE-tee-ree) better-ACC.SG.FEM timí (tee-MEE) price-ACC.SG.FEM
87.22a Ο the παππούς grandfather αγοράζει buys πολλά many σύκα figs και and πολύ much τυρί cheese
87.22b O (o) the-NOM.SG.MASC papoús (pa-POOS) grandfather-NOM.SG.MASC agorázi (a-gho-RA-zee) buys-3SG pollá (po-LA) many-ACC.PL.NEUT síka (SEE-ka) figs-ACC.PL.NEUT ke (ke) and polí (po-LEE) much-ACC.SG.NEUT tirí (tee-REE) cheese-ACC.SG.NEUT
87.23a Η the γιαγιά grandmother παίρνει takes πολλή much φέτα feta και and λίγες few ελιές olives
87.23b I (ee) the-NOM.SG.FEM yiayiá (ya-YA) grandmother-NOM.SG.FEM pérni (PER-nee) takes-3SG pollí (po-LEE) much-ACC.SG.FEM féta (FE-ta) feta-ACC.SG.FEM ke (ke) and líyes (LEE-yes) few-ACC.PL.FEM eliés (e-LYES) olives-ACC.PL.FEM
87.24a Στην in-the αγορά market υπάρχει exists πολύς much θόρυβος noise
87.24b Stin (steen) in-the-ACC.SG.FEM agorá (a-gho-RA) market-ACC.SG.FEM ipárchi (ee-PAR-khee) exists-3SG polís (po-LEES) much-NOM.SG.MASC thórivos (THO-ree-vos) noise-NOM.SG.MASC
87.25a Δεν not υπάρχει exists πολύς much χώρος space για for να to περπατήσεις walk
87.25b Den (dhen) not-NEG ipárchi (ee-PAR-khee) exists-3SG polís (po-LEES) much-NOM.SG.MASC chóros (KHO-ros) space-NOM.SG.MASC ya (ya) for na (na) SUBJ perpatísis (per-pa-TEE-sees) walk-2SG.SUBJ
87.26a Πολλά many παιδιά children τρέχουν run ανάμεσα between στους in-the πάγκους stalls
87.26b Pollá (po-LA) many-NOM.PL.NEUT pediá (pe-dhee-A) children-NOM.PL.NEUT tréchoun (TRE-khoon) run-3PL anámesa (a-NA-me-sa) between stous (stoos) in-the-ACC.PL.MASC pángous (PAN-ghoos) stalls-ACC.PL.MASC
87.27a Ένα a μικρό small αγόρι boy ζητάει asks-for πολλά many γλυκά sweets αλλά but η the μητέρα mother του his λέει says όχι no
87.27b Éna (E-na) a-NOM.SG.NEUT mikró (mee-KRO) small-NOM.SG.NEUT agóri (a-GHO-ree) boy-NOM.SG.NEUT zitái (zee-TA-ee) asks-for-3SG pollá (po-LA) many-ACC.PL.NEUT gliká (ghlee-KA) sweets-ACC.PL.NEUT alá (a-LA) but i (ee) the-NOM.SG.FEM mitéra (mee-TE-ra) mother-NOM.SG.FEM tou (too) his-GEN léi (LE-ee) says-3SG óchi (O-khee) no
87.28a Μετά after από from μία one ώρα hour έχουμε have αγοράσει bought πολύ much περισσότερα more από than όσα as-many-as χρειαζόμαστε need
87.28b Metá (me-TA) after apó (a-PO) from mía (MEE-a) one-ACC.SG.FEM óra (O-ra) hour-ACC.SG.FEM échoume (E-khoo-me) have-1PL agorási (a-gho-RA-see) bought-PERF polí (po-LEE) much-ADV perisótera (pe-ree-SO-te-ra) more-ACC.PL.NEUT apó (a-PO) than ósa (O-sa) as-many-as-ACC.PL.NEUT chriazómaste (khrya-ZO-ma-ste) need-1PL
87.29a Οι the σακούλες bags είναι are πολύ very βαριές heavy και and το the σπίτι house είναι is μακριά far
87.29b I (ee) the-NOM.PL.FEM sakoúles (sa-KOO-les) bags-NOM.PL.FEM íne (EE-ne) are-3PL polí (po-LEE) very-ADV variés (va-RYES) heavy-NOM.PL.FEM ke (ke) and to (to) the-NOM.SG.NEUT spíti (SPEE-tee) house-NOM.SG.NEUT íne (EE-ne) is-3SG makriá (ma-KRYA) far
87.30a Δεν not πειράζει matters το the ταξί taxi δεν not κοστίζει costs πολύ much και and φτάνουμε arrive γρήγορα quickly
87.30b Den (dhen) not-NEG pirázi (pee-RA-zee) matters-3SG to (to) the-NOM.SG.NEUT taxí (ta-KSEE) taxi-NOM.SG.NEUT den (dhen) not-NEG kostízi (kos-TEE-zee) costs-3SG polí (po-LEE) much-ADV ke (ke) and ftánoume (FTA-noo-me) arrive-1PL grígora (GHREE-gho-ra) quickly
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87.16 Κάθε Σάββατο η λαϊκή αγορά της γειτονιάς μας γεμίζει με πολύ κόσμο. (Káthe Sávvato i laikí agorá tis yitoniás mas yemízi me polí kósmo.) "Every Saturday our neighbourhood street market fills with a lot of people."
87.17 Οι παραγωγοί έχουν πολλά φρέσκα φρούτα και λαχανικά. (I paragoyí échoun pollá fréska froúta ke lachaniká.) "The producers have a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables."
87.18 Οι ντομάτες φέτος είναι πολύ νόστιμες. (I domátes fétos íne polí nóstimes.) "The tomatoes this year are very tasty."
87.19 Ο παππούς ρωτάει αν τα σύκα είναι πολύ ακριβά. (O papoús rotái an ta síka íne polí akrivá.) "Grandfather asks whether the figs are very expensive."
87.20 «Όχι, δεν κοστίζουν πολύ», απαντά ο πωλητής. («Óchi, den kostízoun polí», apantá o politís.) "'No, they do not cost much,' answers the seller."
87.21 Πάρτε πολλά και θα σας κάνω καλύτερη τιμή. (Párte pollá ke tha sas káno kalítiri timí.) "Take plenty, and I will give you a better price."
87.22 Ο παππούς αγοράζει πολλά σύκα και πολύ τυρί. (O papoús agorázi pollá síka ke polí tirí.) "Grandfather buys many figs and a lot of cheese."
87.23 Η γιαγιά παίρνει πολλή φέτα και λίγες ελιές. (I yiayiá pérni pollí féta ke líyes eliés.) "Grandmother takes a lot of feta and a few olives."
87.24 Στην αγορά υπάρχει πολύς θόρυβος. (Stin agorá ipárchi polís thórivos.) "There is a lot of noise in the market."
87.25 Δεν υπάρχει πολύς χώρος για να περπατήσεις. (Den ipárchi polís chóros ya na perpatísis.) "There is not much room to walk."
87.26 Πολλά παιδιά τρέχουν ανάμεσα στους πάγκους. (Pollá pediá tréchoun anámesa stous pángous.) "Many children run between the stalls."
87.27 Ένα μικρό αγόρι ζητάει πολλά γλυκά, αλλά η μητέρα του λέει όχι. (Éna mikró agóri zitái pollá gliká, alá i mitéra tou léi óchi.) "A little boy asks for lots of sweets, but his mother says no."
87.28 Μετά από μία ώρα έχουμε αγοράσει πολύ περισσότερα από όσα χρειαζόμαστε. (Metá apó mía óra échoume agorási polí perisótera apó ósa chriazómaste.) "After an hour we have bought much more than we need."
87.29 Οι σακούλες είναι πολύ βαριές και το σπίτι είναι μακριά. (I sakoúles íne polí variés ke to spíti íne makriá.) "The bags are very heavy and the house is far."
87.30 Δεν πειράζει. Το ταξί δεν κοστίζει πολύ και φτάνουμε γρήγορα. (Den pirázi. To taxí den kostízi polí ke ftánoume grígora.) "Never mind. The taxi does not cost much, and we arrive quickly."
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87.16 Κάθε Σάββατο η λαϊκή αγορά της γειτονιάς μας γεμίζει με πολύ κόσμο.
87.17 Οι παραγωγοί έχουν πολλά φρέσκα φρούτα και λαχανικά.
87.18 Οι ντομάτες φέτος είναι πολύ νόστιμες.
87.19 Ο παππούς ρωτάει αν τα σύκα είναι πολύ ακριβά.
87.20 «Όχι, δεν κοστίζουν πολύ», απαντά ο πωλητής.
87.21 Πάρτε πολλά και θα σας κάνω καλύτερη τιμή.
87.22 Ο παππούς αγοράζει πολλά σύκα και πολύ τυρί.
87.23 Η γιαγιά παίρνει πολλή φέτα και λίγες ελιές.
87.24 Στην αγορά υπάρχει πολύς θόρυβος.
87.25 Δεν υπάρχει πολύς χώρος για να περπατήσεις.
87.26 Πολλά παιδιά τρέχουν ανάμεσα στους πάγκους.
87.27 Ένα μικρό αγόρι ζητάει πολλά γλυκά, αλλά η μητέρα του λέει όχι.
87.28 Μετά από μία ώρα έχουμε αγοράσει πολύ περισσότερα από όσα χρειαζόμαστε.
87.29 Οι σακούλες είναι πολύ βαριές και το σπίτι είναι μακριά.
87.30 Δεν πειράζει. Το ταξί δεν κοστίζει πολύ και φτάνουμε γρήγορα.
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The description puts the whole range of the word into a single scene.
Mass and count side by side. In 87.22 one sentence gives both: πολλά σύκα (figs, countable, plural) and πολύ τυρί (cheese, a mass, singular). In 87.23 the feminine mass noun takes πολλή φέτα, and the plural of olives takes λίγες ελιές.
Which form for which noun. The nominative masculine πολύς appears with subjects: πολύς θόρυβος (87.24), πολύς χώρος (87.25), because both nouns are masculine and are the subject of υπάρχει. In 87.16 κόσμο is the object of the preposition με, and so it is accusative, and the form is πολύ κόσμο. Both patterns are the same masculine word, κόσμος, in two cases.
The adverb. In 87.18, 87.19 and 87.29 πολύ stands before an adjective and means "very". In 87.20 and 87.30 it ends the clause and means "much": δεν κοστίζουν πολύ. In 87.28 it strengthens the comparative περισσότερα, "much more".
The negative. δεν υπάρχει πολύς χώρος (87.25) is "there is not much room". The negative sits before the verb, and the quantity word keeps its agreement.
Greek punctuation. The Greek question mark looks like a semicolon: Θέλεις πολύ ή λίγο ψωμί; (87.10). A statement is ended with a full stop, so 87.30 is two sentences. The guillemets « » in 87.20 mark speech.
Idioms. κάνω τιμή (87.21) means "to give a price, to make an offer", and so καλύτερη τιμή is "a better price". δεν πειράζει (87.30) is the everyday "never mind, it doesn't matter". υπάρχει (87.24) is "there is", and it takes its subject in the nominative.
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πολύ (polí): /poˈli/. The stress is on the last syllable, and the υ is pronounced /i/, as in English "see". The π is unaspirated: no puff of air, unlike English "p". The λ is a clear /l/, close to the "l" of "leaf", and never the dark "l" of "ball".
πολύς (polís): /poˈlis/. Only the final ς is added.
- πολλή (pollí): /poˈli/. The double λλ is a single sound. - πολλοί (pollí): /poˈli/. Also the same sound. - πολλά (pollá): /poˈla/; πολλές (pollés): /poˈles/; πολλούς (pollús): /poˈlus/; πολλών (pollón): /poˈlon/.
So the sounds /poˈli/ stand for three different written words: πολύ (neuter), πολλή (feminine) and πολλοί (masculine plural). In speech the sentence decides, and in writing the spelling does.
- ου is /u/: ζούσαμε (zoúsame), μου (mou), πολλούς (pollús). - χ is /x/, like the "ch" of Scottish "loch", before a consonant or a back vowel (χρόνο, έχω, χώρος), and /ç/, like German "ich", before e or i (έχει, échi). - θ is /θ/, like "th" in "thin" (θέλω, θόρυβος); δ is /ð/, like "th" in "this" (δεν, βράδυ). - γ before a consonant or a back vowel is /ɣ/ (γλυκά, γρήγορα); before e or i it is /ʝ/, like English "y" (γειτονιά, γεμίζει). - β is /v/, not /b/: βράδυ (vrádi), βαριές (variés). μπ is /b/ (μπορείς) and ντ is /d/ (ντομάτες). - The stress is always marked on words of two or more syllables.
- πολύ (polí), πολλή (pollí) and πολλοί (pollí) all sound the same. - πολύς (polís), "much", and πόλις (pólis), "city" in the learned form, are written differently and stressed differently. - πολύ (polí) and πόλη (póli), the everyday word for "city", differ by stress and by letter: the first has the stress on the last syllable and ends in υ, the second has it on the first syllable and ends in η.
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