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Lesson 1
I am είμαι
what? τι
yes ναι
the (m.) ο
the (f.) η
book το βιβλίο
pencil το μολύβι
box το κουτί
table το τραπέζι
magazine το περιοδικό
window το παράθυρο
I am (present tense)
sg. pl.
1st είμαι είμαστε
Ed. notes:
1. κι is often used in place of και, both in speech and in informal writing, before a word
beginning with a vowel sound.
2. These LGO Audio Lessons were first recorded on Cyprus in the mid-1960s. At that time,
a more formal language (katharevousa) was the basis of educated speech and writing.
The LGO Lessons contain a small number of these older katharevousa pronunciations,
words, or phrasings which are no longer current in mainland demotic Greek. Such
katharevousa forms are noted in the appropriate Lesson Notes, Vocabulary listings, or
Discussion Forums. For example, throughout the first 25 Lessons, the speakers use the
older katharevousa ακροαταί for demotic ακροατές, "listeners".
Ν. Hello, listeners. This is our first lesson in Greek and I wish to tell you now, at the very
beginning, that this course of lessons by radio is going to be a very practical one, and I hope easy
and pleasant too. We are not going to give you complicated rules of grammar. We'll try to avoid
that as much as we can. We shall only ask you to listen carefully and speak when you're asked to
do so. When you're called upon to speak, please do so aloud, not under your breath and try to
imitate, to the best of your ability, the sounds you hear. You will discover that it is not at all
difficult. In order to make things easier for you in the early stages, we shall translate for you the
words and expressions we introduce into English. Now that we are ready to begin, allow me to
introduce your hosts; or better, I will ask them to introduce themselves to you.
Α. Είμαι ο Αντρέας.
Ε. Είμαι η Έλλη.
Ν. What you've just heard means "I'm Andreas. I'm Ellie". Listen again.
Α. Είμαι ο Αντρέας.
Ε. Είμαι η Έλλη.
N. You have noticed that Andreas uses the sound "ο" before his name, ο Αντρέας, whilst Ellie
uses the sound "η" before hers, η Έλλη. Ο and η are definite articles, ο for the masculine gender
and η for the feminine gender. Allow me to introduce myself: Είμαι ο Νίκος Πετρίδης. Now,
listeners, say who you are, beginning with είμαι, I am, and using ο before your name, if you are a
man or a boy, and η if you are a woman or a girl. Remember: ο if you are a man or a boy, η if
you're a woman or a girl. Ευχαριστώ -- thank you. There's a table here in front of me with a few
objects on it. We'll start by giving you the names of these objects. Andreas is holding a book and
Ellie is holding a pencil. Listen to what they're going to say:
N. This is a pencil.
Α. Βιβλίο.
Ε. Μολύβι.
N. This is a box.
N. This is a magazine.
Ε. Αυτό είναι βιβλίο και αυτό είναι μολύβι. Αυτό είναι βιβλίο και αυτό είναι μολύβι.
N. Now listen to Andreas and Ellie again and repeat after them.
Ε. Αυτό είναι τραπέζι και αυτό είναι κουτί. Ναι, αυτό είναι τραπέζι και αυτό είναι κουτί.
Α. Αυτό είναι βιβλίο και αυτό είναι περιοδικό. Ναι, αυτό είναι βιβλίο και αυτό είναι περιοδικό.
Ε. Αυτό είναι μολύβι και αυτό είναι κουτί. Αυτό είναι μολύβι και αυτό είναι κουτί.
N. Andreas is going to ask Ellie some questions now and Ellie will answer them. Listen
carefully. Andreas holds up a book.
A. Τι είναι αυτό;
Ε. Είναι βιβλίο.
N. It's a book. Ellie could have answered Αυτό είναι βιβλίο, but unless one wants to emphasize
the word αυτό, this, it's more natural not to use it. Είναι βιβλίο will do.
Α. Τι είναι αυτό;
Ε. Είναι κουτί.
Α. Τι είναι αυτό;
Ε. Είναι περιοδικό.
Α. Τι είναι αυτό;
Ε. Είναι τραπέζι.
Α. Αυτό, τι είναι;
Ε. Είναι μολύβι.
Ν. Now, listeners, try to answer the questions that Andreas and Ellie are going to ask you. Speak
up, please. Ellie touches the table.
E. Τι είναι αυτό;
Α. Τι είναι αυτό;
Α. Είναι περιοδικό.
E. Τι είναι αυτό;
Ε. Είναι μολύβι.
Ν. Ευχαριστώ, αγαπητοί ακροατές, thank you, listeners. Listen now to Andreas. He points to the
window at the other end of the room and says:
A. Εκείνο … παράθυρο. Εκείνο είναι παράθυρο. Αυτό είναι τραπέζι και εκείνο είναι παράθυρο.
N. That's very good. Now, listeners, point to a window yourselves and say with me:
A few more questions, please. Andreas and Ellie will help you answer them. Listen.
A. Αυτό είναι βιβλίο και εκείνο είναι περιοδικό. Τι είναι αυτό; Είναι βιβλίο. Τι είναι εκείνο; Ναι,
εκείνο είναι περιοδικό.
E. Εκείνο είναι παράθυρο και αυτό είναι τραπέζι. Τι είναι αυτό; Είναι τραπέζι. Τι είναι εκείνο;
Είναι παράθυρο.
Α. Αυτό είναι μολύβι και εκείνο είναι κουτί. Τι είναι αυτό; Είναι μολύβι. Εκείνο τι είναι; Ναι
είναι κουτί.
N. Now, listeners, let's go over what we have learned in the last fifteen minutes or so. We have
learned the names of six objects: βιβλίο, περιοδικό, παράθυρο, τραπέζι, μολύβι, και κουτί.
We have also learned the structures or the sentence patterns: αυτό είναι βιβλίο, κουτί, etc., when
an object is near us, when we touch it or hold it, και εκείνο είναι παράθυρο, τραπέζι, etc., when
an object is away and we point to it.
We've learned also the question pattern: τι είναι αυτό; or τι είναι εκείνο; I expect you haven't
found it too hard and you've found it interesting. Looking forward to being with you again next
week, goodbye.