LingoflyRoughly so much: καμιά δεκαριά, γύρω στα
Greek rarely names an exact number out loud. A rough one is the norm, and there are several ways to it. For example: “Ήρθαν (írthan) καμιά δεκαριά άνθρωποι” (ánthropi) — About ten people came. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Greek rarely names an exact number out loud. A rough one is the norm, and there are several ways to it.
καμιά (kamiá) and κανένα (kanéna) before a number mean "about": καμιά δεκαριά (about ten), κανένα (kanéna) δίωρο (a couple of hours). The same words without a number mean "none". And γύρω (yíro) στα (sta) (yíro sta) is "in the region of": γύρω (yíro) στα (sta) είκοσι (íkosi) κιλά (kilá) (yíro sta íkosi kilá).
The endings -άρι and -αριά turn a number into a rough noun: δεκαριά (about ten), εικοσαριά (some twenty), πενηνταριά (fifty or so).
πάνω (páno) από (apó) (páno apó) and κάτω (káto) από (apó) (káto apó) are "more than" and "less than": πάνω (páno) από (apó) πέντε (pénde) λίτρα (lítra) (páno apó pénde lítra). And ίσα ίσα (ísa ísa) means "only just enough", always about a shortage.
Table
| the turn | what it means | example |
|---|---|---|
| καμιά δεκαριά | about ten | καμιά δεκαριά μέρες (méres) |
| γύρω (yíro) στα (sta) | in the region of | γύρω (yíro) στα (sta) τριάντα (triánda) |
| -αριά | some so many | εικοσαριά κομμάτια (komátia) |
| πάνω (páno) από (apó) | more than | πάνω (páno) από (apó) πέντε (pénde) |
| ίσα ίσα (ísa ísa) | just barely enough | ίσα ίσα (ísa ísa) έφτασαν (éftasan) |
By example
- ta khrímata ítan ísa ísa ya to isitírioThere was just enough money for the ticket
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Roughly so much: how does it work in Greek?
Greek rarely names an exact number out loud. A rough one is the norm, and there are several ways to it.
What does it look like in a Greek example sentence?
“Ήρθαν (írthan) καμιά δεκαριά άνθρωποι” (ánthropi) (írthan kamiá dekariá ánthropi) — About ten people came. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.