λέω
Appearance
Greek
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]- λέγω (légo)
Etymology
[edit]From Ancient Greek λέγω (légō, “to say”), with suppletive inflections such as the simple past είπα (eípa) deriving from the aorist εἶπον (eîpon), εἶπα (eîpa).
Pronunciation
[edit]Verb
[edit]λέω • (léo) (past είπα, passive λέγομαι)
- (most senses) to say, tell
- Tο παιδί είπε την πρώτη του λέξη. ― To paidí eípe tin próti tou léxi. ― The child said his first word.
- Ο διευθυντής μου είπε ότι πρέπει να τελειώνουμε. ― O diefthyntís mou eípe óti prépei na teleiónoume. ― The director told me that we should finish.
- (transitive) to discuss, converse
- Τα λένε μεταξύ τους. ― Ta léne metaxý tous. ― They are discussing.
- (intransitive) to talk (with one another)
- Καιρό έχουμε να τα πούμε. ― Kairó échoume na ta poúme. ― It's been a while since we talked.
- to recite, tell, recount, sing (a poem, song, etc)
- Το παιδάκι είπε ένα τραγούδι. ― To paidáki eípe éna tragoúdi. ― The child sang a song.
- Να τα πούμε; ― Na ta poúme; ― Shall we sing them? (phrase used by Greek children carolling door to door around the New Year)
- (often in imperative) to suppose, imagine (a hypothetical scenario)
- Λέμε τώρα, αν γινόταν πόλεμος. ― Léme tóra, an ginótan pólemos. ― We're supposing now, if there were a war.
- Πες πως κάτι γινόταν. Τι θα έκανες; ― Pes pos káti ginótan. Ti tha ékanes? ― Let's say something happened. What would you do?
- (intransitive, often with για (gia)) refer to, talk about
- Λες για τον φίλο σου τώρα; ― Les gia ton fílo sou tóra? ― Are you talking about your friend now?
- (transitive) to mean, say (to clarify etc)
- Θέλω να πω ότι δεν είναι τόσο απλά τα πράγματα. ― Thélo na po óti den eínai tóso aplá ta prágmata. ― I mean that things aren't that simple.
- Τι θα πει, «ξέχασα τις ασκήσεις μου»; ― Ti tha pei, «xéchasa tis askíseis mou»? ― What do you mean, “I forgot my homework”?
- (intransitive, figuratively) to remind of, mean something to
- Αυτό το όνομα δε μου λέει τίποτα. ― Aftó to ónoma de mou léei típota. ― That name means nothing to me.
- (intransitive, figuratively) to be any good, be worth anything
- Λέει τίποτα αυτό το κομπιούτερ; ― Léei típota aftó to kompioúter? ― Is this computer any good?
- (intransitive) to suggest, advise
- Λέω να πάμε μια βόλτα. ― Léo na páme mia vólta. ― I say that we should go for a walk.
- (transitive) to call (name someone or something)
- Με λένε Γιώργο. ― Me léne Giórgo. ― I am called Giorgos.
- Τον είπα βλάκα. ― Ton eípa vláka. ― I called him a fool.
- used with δεν (den), indicates something is slow to come:
- Αυτή η μέρα δεν λέει να τελειώσει. ― Aftí i méra den léei na teleiósei. ― This day doesn't want to end.
- (intransitive, often with να (na)) think (something will happen)
- Λες να μας προδώσει; ― Les na mas prodósei? ― Do you think he'll betray us?
- (transitive, colloquial) to read, explain (fortell using cards etc.)
Conjugation
[edit]λέω/λέγω, λέγομαι
Active voice ➤ | Passive voice ➤ | |||
Indicative mood ➤ | Imperfective aspect ➤ | Perfective aspect ➤ | Imperfective aspect | Perfective aspect |
Non-past tenses ➤ | Present ➤ | Dependent ➤ | Present | Dependent |
1 sg | λέω, [λέγω] | πω | λέγομαι | ειπωθώ, λεχθώ |
2 sg | λες, [λέγεις] | πεις | λέγεσαι | ειπωθείς, λεχθείς |
3 sg | λέει, [λέγει] | πει | λέγεται1 | ειπωθεί, λεχθεί |
1 pl | λέμε, [λέγομε] | πούμε | λεγόμαστε | ειπωθούμε, λεχθούμε |
2 pl | λέτε, (λέγετε) | πείτε | λέγεστε, (λεγόσαστε), {λέγεσθε} | ειπωθείτε, λεχθείτε |
3 pl | λένε, λεν, [λέγουν(ε)] | πουν, (πούνε) | λέγονται | ειπωθούν(ε), λεχθούν(ε) |
Past tenses ➤ | Imperfect ➤ | Simple past ➤ | Imperfect | Simple past |
1 sg | έλεγα | είπα | λεγόμουν(α) | ειπώθηκα, λέχθηκα, [{ελέχθην}] |
2 sg | έλεγες | είπες | λεγόσουν(α) | ειπώθηκες, λέχθηκες, [{ελέχθης}] |
3 sg | έλεγε | είπε | λεγόταν(ε)1 | 1ειπώθηκε, λέχθηκε, {ελέχθη} |
1 pl | λέγαμε | είπαμε | λεγόμασταν, (‑όμαστε) | ειπωθήκαμε, λεχθήκαμε, [{ελέχθημεν}] |
2 pl | λέγατε | είπατε | λεγόσασταν, (‑όσαστε) | ειπωθήκατε, λεχθήκατε, [{ελέχθητε}] |
3 pl | έλεγαν, λέγαν(ε) | είπαν(ε) | λέγονταν, (λεγόντουσαν) | ειπώθηκαν, (ειπωθήκανε), λέχθηκαν, (λεχθήκανε), {ελέχθησαν} |
Future tenses ➤ | Continuous ➤ | Simple ➤ | Continuous | Simple |
1 sg | θα λέω, [θα λέγω] ➤ | θα πω ➤ | θα λέγομαι ➤ | θα ειπωθώ, θα λεχθώ ➤ |
2,3 sg, 1,2,3 pl | θα λες, …, [θα λέγεις], … | θα πεις, … | θα λέγεσαι, … | θα ειπωθείς, θα λεχθείς, … |
Perfect aspect ➤ | Perfect aspect | |||
Present perfect ➤ | έχω, έχεις, … πει | έχω, έχεις, … ειπωθεί / λεχθεί είμαι, είσαι, … ειπωμένος, ‑η, ‑ο / λεγμένος, ‑η, ‑ο ➤ | ||
Past perfect ➤ | είχα, είχες, … πει | είχα, είχες, … ειπωθεί / λεχθεί ήμουν, ήσουν, … ειπωμένος, ‑η, ‑ο / λεγμένος, ‑η, ‑ο | ||
Future perfect ➤ | θα έχω, θα έχεις, … πει | θα έχω, θα έχεις, … ειπωθεί / λεχθεί θα είμαι, θα είσαι, … ειπωμένος, ‑η, ‑ο / λεγμένος, ‑η, ‑ο | ||
Subjunctive mood ➤ | Formed using present, dependent (for simple past) or present perfect from above with a particle (να, ας). | |||
Imperative mood ➤ | Imperfective aspect | Perfective aspect | Imperfective aspect | Perfective aspect |
2 sg | λέγε | πες | — | |
2 pl | λέγετε, λέτε | πείτε, πέστε | λέγεστε | ειπωθείτε, λεχθείτε |
Other forms | Active voice | Passive voice | ||
Present participle➤ | λέγοντας ➤ | λεγόμενος, ‑η, ‑ο / (λεγάμενος, ‑η, ‑ο) ➤ | ||
Perfect participle➤ | έχοντας πει ➤ | ειπωμένος, ‑η, ‑ο / λεγμένος, ‑η, ‑ο ➤ | ||
Nonfinite form➤ | πει | ειπωθεί, λεχθεί | ||
Notes Appendix:Greek verbs |
1. Also as impersonal verb. • Also, formal past participle: o {λεχθείς}, η {λεχθείσα}, το {λεχθέν} • (…) optional or informal. […] rare. {…} learned, archaic. • Multiple forms are shown in order of reducing frequency. • Periphrastic imperative forms may be produced using the subjunctive. | |||
Synonyms
[edit]- (talk): μιλώ (miló)
- (converse): συζητώ (syzitó), κουβεντιάζω (kouventiázo)
- (recite): απαγγέλω (apangélo)
- (sing): τραγουδώ (tragoudó)
- (imagine): φαντάζομαι (fantázomai), σκέφτομαι (skéftomai)
- (refer to): αναφέρομαι (anaféromai)
- (mean, say): εννοώ (ennoó)
- (remind of): θυμίζω (thymízo)
- (be any good, be worth anything): αξίζω (axízo)
- (suggest, advise): προτείνω (proteíno)
- (name): ονομάζω (onomázo)
- (call): αποκαλώ (apokaló)
- (think): νομίζω (nomízo)
Derived terms
[edit]- πρωτολέω (protoléo, “say for the first time”)
- and see Derivatives of λέγω
Expressions:
- εγώ τα λέω, εγώ τα ακούω (egó ta léo, egó ta akoúo, “I might as well be talking to the wall”, literally “I say it, I hear it”)
- (για) να λέμε και του στραβού το δίκιο ((gia) na léme kai tou stravoú to díkio, “speaking honestly”)
- εδώ που τα λέμε (edó pou ta léme) (beginning of a phrase showing admission or confession)
- είπε ο γάιδαρος τον πετεινό κεφάλα (eípe o gáidaros ton peteinó kefála, “the pot calling the kettle black”, literally “The donkey called the rooster 'big head'”)
- εμένα μου λες; (eména mou les;, “you're telling me!”) (expressing disbelief, doubt)
- έχουμε και λέμε (échoume kai léme)
- θέλω να πω (thélo na po, “I mean”)
- και θα πεις κι ένα τραγούδι (kai tha peis ki éna tragoúdi, “you will do it anyway”)
- κάτι μας είπες (τώρα)! (káti mas eípes (tóra)!) (on being told a well-known fact)
- λεγόμενος (legómenos, “so-called”)
- λες και (les kai, “as if”, literally “say and”)
- λέω τα σύκα σύκα και τη σκάφη σκάφη (léo ta sýka sýka kai ti skáfi skáfi, “call a spade a spade”, literally “calling figs figs, and a trough a trough”) (synonym: λέω τα πράγματα με το όνομά τους)
- σου 'πα, μου 'πες (sou 'pa, mou 'pes, “this and that”) (evasive)
- τα λέμε (ta léme, “see you, bye”, literally “We say them”)
- τα λέω στον τοίχο (ta léo ston toícho, “I might as well be talking to the wall”)
Categories:
- Greek terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Greek terms inherited from Ancient Greek
- Greek terms derived from Ancient Greek
- Greek terms with IPA pronunciation
- Greek lemmas
- Greek verbs
- Greek terms with usage examples
- Greek transitive verbs
- Greek intransitive verbs
- Greek colloquialisms
- Greek irregular verbs
- Greek irregular contracted verbs
- Greek suppletive verbs