LingoflyAdjectives agree: μαύρος, μαύρη, μαύρο
An adjective changes along with its noun — gender, number and shape. There are three patterns, and the first covers most words: -ος, -η, -ο (μαύρος (mávros), μαύρη (mávri), μαύρο (mávro)). For example: “Θέλω (thélo) ένα (éna) μαύρο (mávro) παντελόνι” (pandelóni) — I want black trousers. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
An adjective changes along with its noun — gender, number and shape. There are three patterns, and the first covers most words: -ος, -η (-i), -ο (μαύρος (mávros), μαύρη (mávri), μαύρο (mávro)).
The second is the same, but with feminine -α (-a) instead of -η. A letter decides it: a vowel or ρ right before the ending. ωραίος — ωραία (oréa) (oréa), νέος (néos) — νέα (néa), κρύος (kríos) — κρύα (kría).
The third is a short row in -ύς, -ιά, -ύ: μακρύς (makrís), μακριά (makriá), μακρύ (makrí) (makrí); βαρύς (varís), βαριά (variá), βαρύ (varí). Two dozen words, nearly all about size and weight.
And a few never change at all: the borrowed colours μπλε (ble), γκρι (gri), καφέ (kafé), ροζ, μοβ. Το (to) μπλε (ble) φόρεμα (fórema) (to ble fórema), τα (ta) μπλε (ble) παπούτσια (papútsia) (ta ble papútsia) — one shape for everything.
Table
By example
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
Adjectives agree: how does it work in Greek?
An adjective changes along with its noun — gender, number and shape. There are three patterns, and the first covers most words: -ος, -η, -ο (μαύρος (mávros), μαύρη (mávri), μαύρο (mávro)).
What does it look like in a Greek example sentence?
“Θέλω (thélo) ένα (éna) μαύρο (mávro) παντελόνι” (pandelóni) (thélo éna mávro pandelóni) — I want black trousers. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.