Learn Greek: Grammar | Ο Τόνος - The Accent | Rules & Examples

In this #learnGreek video lesson, you'll learn everything you need to know about the Greek mark of "τόνος" (accent) (not technically punctuation as I said in the video). It goes on top of vowels to help us pronounce the words correctly and stress the right syllable.
In ΄this video lesson with Lina you'll find all the rules, the exceptions and as always a lot of useful examples.
If you need more Greek Grammar lessons check out this useful playlist goo.gl/uo8zWT
BLOG: learngreekwithlina.blogspot.gr/
FACEBOOK: / learngreekwithlina
TWITTER: / linaaaap
INSTAGRAM: / linaaaap
Support my work at PATREON: / linaaaap
Με αγάπη,
Λίνα

[@linaaaap1]

If you want to write correctly in Greek you should never forget the accents (τόνοι)! It is considered a huge mistake to present any text without accents. It doesn't matter if you make a few mistakes, but at least show that you know what's going on and mark your words with accents.

[@tiqo8549]

In our language, the accents are not quite important, but i know in greek they are. Some words sound the same in greek, but mean different things! Once again, Lina, Thanks for this vid. I almost want to donate some money to you so you keep making these videos! Σας ευχαριστώ πάρα πάρα πολύ!!!! !!

[@linaaaap1]

Yes, you are right! I think that the Greek accent is more help than trouble, especially for non-native speakers! I 've recently joined Patreon, because many creators and patrons seem to trust it, and since I spend so much time making these videos, I thought why not? My lessons are free anyway and I make them because I really enjoy it! I'll keep making videos as often as I can, unless I get a day job that leaves me no free time at all. If I don't get a job, I guess KZbin is the next best thing!

[@tiqo8549]

To me, it's worth to spend some money on learning the language. I know it's a lot of work, and even if you like to do it..it's still a lot of work besides your own daily life. I can relate to that. So i don't blame you with the Patreon thing...actually..i think you made a smart move ;-)

[@legaleagle46]

You might be interested to know, François, that up until about 30 years or so ago, the Greek accent marks were a bit more complicated. In addition to the acute and the grave, you also had the circumflex ( ^ ) for certain long vowels. And there were also special diacritical marks called "breathings" -- "smooth" (similar to an English apostrophe) and "rough" (similar to an English apostrophe written backwards) for vowels that began a word. The "breathings" dated all the way back to Ancient Greek, and their purpose was to indicate whether or not the vowel at the beginning of a word should be preceded by an "h" sound (since the letter "h" did not exist in Ancient Greek -- Greek "Χ" was NOT the same sound as our English "h"). If a word beginning with a vowel had a "rough" breathing, it was pronounced as though it began with an "h." That's why so many words that were borrowed from Ancient Greek into English (for example, "hydrogen," "heptathlon," and "hypocrite") begin with an "h," even though the "h" sound is no longer pronounced in the modern Greek equivalents (and this was true even when the breathings were still being used in writing -- the vowels they marked had already stopped being aspirated centuries earlier). I remember having to learn how to read and use the accents and the breathings when I first started reading (and especially writing) Greek some 35 years ago, but I think the accents and the breathings were phased out sometime after I had already been speaking, reading, and writing Greek for many years, because I notice that only the acute is used now, and that the breathings are no longer used at all. Lina, do you know when this change in the written language came about?

[@dusshan1]

Thanks again! very good lesson this one.

[@starfruitygirl]

This is great! You’re answering many of my long-standing questions that have confused me enough to keep me from moving forward in learning Greek. Thank you so much for your videos!

[@wasupdoc1738]

I'm from Greek origin and i learned things i never knew regarding the τόνο I never knew. It's even more complex than i thought.

[@Dr.Reason]

Lina, your teaching is amazing. Thank you.

[@naamashang5107]

Thanks I have been studying Greek for 2 1/2 years and your videos are absolutely amazing and a great supplement to my studies. Thank you so much and keep up the amazing work.

[@nielzene9656]

Amazing! Thank you!

[@sawssenouri5008]

Very useful video for reading and spelling exercise efXaristoooooo🎉

[@anisrahaman4754]

You have just read my mind . For me you are an angel. Whatever i need i can get it here .

[@linaaaap1]

Hello, I'm so glad to know my lessons help! Thank you!

[@anisrahaman4754]

@@linaaaap1 Yes absolutely . We really do appreciate your hard work and hope you will keep it up.......In next lesson you can make the combination of Article and Preposition please !

[@mkyrillos8048]

Perfect video and great effort

[@linaaaap1]

Thank you so much! :)

[@katiemarie7750]

Thank you very much for your Channel !!! 💕💕💕 👏👏👏👏 I have just SUBSCRIBED TODAY ! 🤗🙂 ☺️

[@YEvgin]

Thank you so much

[@kimanhchung8372]

Thanks

[@natalietornatore4342]

great thanks

[@user-zk9ve5vd6v]

Λινα you are the best

[@linaaaap1]

Thank you so much!😊

[@alaaalankar9097]

Merci beaucoup

[@ligidaykurin9106]

Thank u lina

[@Giyga]

Ευχαριστώ!

[@natalietornatore4342]

thanks

[@bads0892]

Γεια σας! could you make another video with more exceptions?

[@grace5447]

I am wondering why μια somehow sounded like "mi-nya"? I thought it would be "mya". But thank you for this! Hopefully I fully can understand Greek soon.

[@morbrakai8533]

Antepenult: Third to last syllable. Penult: Second to last syllable. Ultima: Last syllable.

[@qeib87]

Thank you so much. Could you explain when it’s necessary to use a double accent? For example: τα γενέθλια μου ή τα γενέθλιά μου; Ευχαριστώ! :)

[@linaaaap1]

Thank you! Interesting and advanced question! I'm noting down for future videos. In short, all words that normally have an accent on the antepenultimate syllable (third starting from the end), will get a second accent on the last syllable when the next word is a pronoun such as μου, σου, του, με, etc). This corresponds to spoken word, if you hear it you'll notice indeed two accents.

[@thatsunnypoet]

This is a great video, thank you so much. I just have a question though. How do I know if the letter 'υ' is pronounced 'ee' or 'v'? Is there a rule for it?

[@bunnylove2945]

Dam, I thought I could get away with not writing the accents like I do with Spanish but guess not

[@zakariahendawi1680]

Ευχαρεστο

[@wasupdoc1738]

Actually it's Ευχαριστώ (EfharistO) which is, thank you, and we usually respond with παρακαλώ (parakalO) which translates to, you're welcome

[@kyliejenner6059]

In maltese the accent only appears in the end of some words, usually of italian origin. (like sempliċità flessibilità soċjetà...)

[@STOPandsaid]

hello lina i'd like to know if there is any difference between πως (no accent)and ότι

[@linaaaap1]

Hi! No, there is no difference between "πως" (no accent) and "ότι". They both mean "that" (He told me that...) But you have to pay attention to two things. A) the accent of "πως" as you have mentioned, and B) ότι, without a comma. There is also "ό,τι" (with a comma after "ο"). It means "whatever". They both sound exactly the same, but they are different. Example: Μου είπε ότι θα έρθει. (He told me that he'll come). but :"Πάρε ό,τι θέλεις". (Take whatever you want).

[@douglasmarinho3653]

In my greek keyboard when I write a word totally in capital letters the word prediction gives me words with accent marks like in the word ΣΚΊΟΥΡΟΣ.

[@5tivi]

I was looking at a text before and I noticed there were a few different stress marks, sometimes it looked like a horizontal line, sometimes vertical inclined to one side or the other. How many stress marks are there and do they have different meaning?

[@erimikos]

Ancient greek had 3 accents. One for high pitch, one for low pitch and one for vibrato. Today there is only one and it is a volume buff.

[@chaveraoh]

I wonder if there is any connection (in meaning) to power, in, the rather international word, reumatism 🤓

[@paulbuono8430]

Hi, chaveroah -- The word ρεύμα, now used to mean "electric current," as Lina said, originally meant "flow," as of a fluid. You can see how that concept gave birth to the modern use for electrical current. And apparently, the ancients' understanding of rheumatism's inflammation of muscles/joints/tissues connected to a "flow" of fluid in the body. Merriam-Webster gives the following history/etymology of the word: "Latin rheumatismus flux, rheum, from Greek rheumatismos, from rheumatizesthai to suffer from a flux, from rheumat-, rheuma flux" Ρεύμα can still be used to mean a "flow" of air or water, too, as in "a breeze," "a chilly draft coming through cracks in the wall," or "she had to fight against the current, which was stronger than expected." Best wishes, Paul

[@alternativemedicinemoghal5735]

Best

[@CloudContainer]

I'm so confused ... πατάτα = 3 συλλαβές and it goes on the 2nd?! How, why?! Do you put the mark on the 2nd syllabus if it is a 3 syllabus word?

[@linaaaap1]

That's another tricky part of the Greek language! You never know where the accent goes! You have to listen, listen, listen!

[@aggelosn.6846]

You just put the mark to the syllable you need to stress. It's not that hard. For example in English in the word "morning" you would have to put it in o (mórning) while in the word (together) you would have to put it in e (togéther) because this is the syllable that is stressed.

[@shadowpastathetf2kidwithau706]

HI! Call me shadow i am fascinated by the different languages of the world such as this very language

[@zulkiflijamil4033]

Καλημέρα, τη κάνετα?

[@damongeo840]

Τὴν παλεύεις;

[@thedarkchoices4389]

[@antulefhq.]

And what about ΐ?

[@linaaaap1]

Very good question! I'll make sure to make a video about this!

[@damongeo840]

It would be better for these people to learn to write Greek the historic way (polytonic system), not the political/erroneous way. Virtually, 100% of the Greek literature is written in the polytonic system and I think that those people are here for our great ancestors, not for us who have destroyed our language so as to fit our puny standards.

[@strugglingathome]

Just take a deep breath. Your language is just fine.

[@damongeo840]

@@strugglingathome, it could have been better.