ψοφάω

Greek

Alternative forms

• ψοφώ (psofó)

Etymology

From Ancient Greek φοφέω (phophéō) / ψοφῶ (psophô, “to make loud noise; Koine Greek sense: die -of an animal-”), from ψόφος (psóphos, “loud noise”). From the noise made by someone literally dropping dead.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /psoˈfao/
• Hyphenation: ψο‧φά‧ω

Verb

ψοφάω, ψοφώ • (psofáo, psofó) (past ψόφησα, passive —)

1. (intransitive) die (of an animal)

   Τα πρόβατα ψόφησαν από το κρύο. ― Ta próvata psófisan apó to krýo. ― The sheep died from the cold.

2. (intransitive, derogatory) die (of a person, see below)

   Έχει ψοφήσει ακόμα ο παλιόγερος; ― Échei psofísei akóma o paliógeros? ― Has that old bastard died yet?

3. (intransitive, figuratively) to be worn out, to die (of the cold, etc)

   Έχω ψοφήσει από τη δουλειά. ― Écho psofísei apó ti douleiá. ― Work has killed me.

4. (intransitive, figuratively) to have a strong desire for, to have a thirst for (of the cold, etc)

   Η αδερφή μου ψοφάει για κουτσομπολιό. ― I aderfí mou psofáei gia koutsompolió. ― My sister is crazy about gossip.

5. (transitive) to kill (an animal)

   Ψόφησε το σκυλί της από την πείνα. ― Psófise to skylí tis apó tin peína. ― She killed her dog with hunger (by not feeding it).

6. (transitive, figuratively) to wear out, exhaust

   Μας έχει ψοφήσει στις πρόβες, μέχρι να μάθουμε ολόκληρο το κομμάτι. ― Mas échei psofísei stis próves, méchri na máthoume olókliro to kommáti. ― He's exhausting us with practice, until we learn the entire piece.

Usage notes

When used of a person instead of an animal, it is quite dysphemistic and carries the implication that either:

• the person was horrible, undesirable or bad and deserved it, or
• they died in an unseemly or ungraceful manner.

Synonyms

• πεθαίνω (pethaíno) (a person)
• ξεραίνομαι (xeraínomai) (a plant)
• ξεψυχώ (xepsychó) (euphemistic)
• σβήνω (svíno) (euphemistic)

Related terms

• άψοφος (ápsofos, “hard to die”), αψόφητος (apsófitos), αψόφιστος (apsófistos)
• ψοφίμι n (psofími, “carcass”)
• ψοφοδεής (psofodeḯs, “easily frightened”)
• ψοφόκρυο n (psofókryo, “extreme cold”)
• ψόφος m (psófos, “death; extreme cold”)
• ψοφώδης (psofódis, “noisy”) (formal, archaic)