Fractions, multiples and percents: τα δύο τρίτα, διπλάσιος, τοις εκατό
Half is το μισό, and it works as an adjective: μισό κιλό, μισή ώρα, μισός μισθός. On its own it takes the neuter article: Το μισό πήγε στο νοίκι. For example: “Τα δύο τρίτα του μισθού πάνε στο νοίκι” — Two thirds of the salary go to the rent. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Half is το μισό (to misó), and it works as an adjective: μισό κιλό (misó kiló), μισή ώρα (misí óra), μισός μισθός. On its own it takes the neuter article: Το μισό πήγε στο νοίκι (to misó píye sto níki).
The other fractions are built the same way: a counting number on top, an ordinal underneath. το ένα τρίτο (to éna tríto), τα δύο τρίτα (ta dío tríta), το ένα τέταρτο (to éna tétarto). The article is obligatory, and it shows the number too.
What the fraction is of goes into the "of" shape: τα δύο τρίτα του μισθού (ta dío tríta tu misthú), τα δύο τρίτα των κατοίκων. The verb follows the number on top.
"Twice as much" is an adjective, not an adverb: διπλάσιος, τριπλάσιος. What you compare with comes in with από (apó): Το νοίκι είναι διπλάσιο από πέρσι (to níki íne diplásio apó pérsi).
Table
| how much | in Greek | in English |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | το μισό | one half |
| 1/3 | το ένα τρίτο | one third |
| 2/3 | τα δύο τρίτα | two thirds |
| ×2 | διπλάσιος | twice as much |
| ×3 | τριπλάσιος | three times as much |
| 20% | είκοσι τοις εκατό | twenty percent |
By example
- Τα δύο τρίτα του μισθού πάνε στο νοίκιta dío tríta tu misthú páne sto níkiTwo thirds of the salary go to the rent
- Ο πληθωρισμός αυξήθηκε κατά τρία τοις εκατόo plithorizmós afksíthike katá tría tis ekatóInflation rose by three percent
- Το κέρδος ήταν διπλάσιο από πέρσιto kérdos ítan diplásio apó pérsiThe profit turned out twice last year's
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
Fractions, multiples and percents: how does it work in Greek?
Half is το μισό, and it works as an adjective: μισό κιλό, μισή ώρα, μισός μισθός. On its own it takes the neuter article: Το μισό πήγε στο νοίκι.
What does it look like in an example sentence Greek?
“Τα δύο τρίτα του μισθού πάνε στο νοίκι” (ta dío tríta tu misthú páne sto níki) — Two thirds of the salary go to the rent. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.