When we were younger, we used to find our own ways to remember or learn things. Today we will teach you something like “passphrases”, as they would say in the IT world, which sound like a rhyme.
Interrogative words in Greek
- Ποιος; Πού; Πότε; Τι; Γιατί; = Who? Where? When? What? Why?
These are the “W” questions in English and they are essential for beginners’ level. And what could be the answers?
- Κάποιος κάπου κάποτε κάτι έκανε = Someone somewhere sometime was doing something
These are the 5 «Κ» in Greek and they answer to the questions above.
Ποιος – κάποιος (pios – kápios) = who – someone
Πού – κάπου (pu – kápu) = where – somewhere
Πότε – κάποτε (póte – kápote) = when – sometime
Τι – κάτι (ti – káti) = what – something
Γιατί – κάνω (ghiatí – káno) = why – doing (verb)
Pattern
Have you noticed the pattern? In English they use the prefix “some” while in Greek we use the prefix «κα» for the same reason!
If you wish to be more specific in the answers, here’s what we offer:
Ποιος / ποια / ποιο – αυτός / αυτή / αυτό (pios/pia/pio – aftós/aftí/aftó) = who (3 genders) – he / she / it
Πού – εδώ / εκεί (pu – ethó/ekí) = where – here / there
Πότε – χθες / σήμερα / αύριο (póte – hthes/símera/ávrio) = when – yesterday / today / tomorrow
Γιατί – επειδή (ghiatí – epithí) = why – because