Greek Numbers Adventure 1-20
Greek Numbers 1-5
The First Five Numbers
Numbers are one of the first things you learn in any new language. They pop up everywhere, from ordering coffee to telling time. Let's start with the basics in Greek, counting from one to five.
The number one is ένα.
one
Example: Έχω ένα βιβλίο. (Écho éna vivlío.) — I have one book.
Next up is the number two, δύο.
two
Example: Βλέπω δύο γάτες. (Vlépo dýo gátes.) — I see two cats.
The number three is τρία.
three
Example: Υπάρχουν τρία αυτοκίνητα. (Ypárchoun tría aftokínita.) — There are three cars.
Following that is the number four, τέσσερα.
four
Example: Αγόρασα τέσσερα εισιτήρια. (Agórasa téssera eisitíria.) — I bought four tickets.
And finally, the number five is πέντε.
five
Example: Χρειάζομαι πέντε λεπτά. (Chreiázomai pénte leptá.) — I need five minutes.
A Quick Review
Here are the first five numbers all in one place. Practice saying them out loud.
| Number | Greek Word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ένα | Éna |
| 2 | δύο | Dýo |
| 3 | τρία | Tría |
| 4 | τέσσερα | Téssera |
| 5 | πέντε | Pénte |
A Note on Gender
In Greek, nouns have a gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter. The numbers for one, three, and four change their endings to match the gender of the noun they describe. The numbers two and five stay the same regardless of gender.
For now, just be aware of this rule. We'll focus on the neuter forms we've already learned, which are the ones you use when just counting. Here’s a quick look at how 'one' changes:
| Gender | Greek for 'One' | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | ένας | énas |
| Feminine | μία | mía |
| Neuter | ένα | éna |
For example, you would say 'ένας άντρας' (one man), 'μία γυναίκα' (one woman), and 'ένα παιδί' (one child).
How do you say "four" in Greek?
The Greek word 'δύο' means which number?
Memorizing these first five numbers gives you a solid base for counting and understanding more of the Greek language.