ανά
Wordform Details
Translation: perfor each
Part of Speech: preposition
Inflection Type:
invariableIs Dictionary Form: Yes
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma: ανά
Translation: per; each; every; up; throughout; among (preposition)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek ἀνά (aná), meaning 'up, throughout, again'. This preposition has Indo-European roots and is related to English words with the prefix 'ana-' such as 'anatomy' (cutting up) and 'analysis' (breaking up into parts). The core meaning involves distribution, upward movement, or thoroughness.
Example Usage
Το κόστος είναι 5 ευρώ ανά άτομο.
The cost is 5 euros per person.
Πρέπει να παίρνει το φάρμακο ανά οκτώ ώρες.
He must take the medicine every eight hours.
Οι μαθητές κάθονται ανά δύο στα θρανία.
The students sit two by two at the desks.
Ανά την Ελλάδα υπάρχουν πολλά αρχαία μνημεία.
Throughout Greece there are many ancient monuments.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'ana-' in English words like 'analyze' (to break up into parts) to remember the distributive meaning.
- Associate with 'up' in English to recall the upward directional meaning.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Used frequently in formal writing, especially in mathematical, scientific, and administrative contexts. Less common in everyday speech where phrases like 'για κάθε' might be preferred.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'ανά' means 'per' or 'throughout', 'από' means 'from' or 'by'. They look similar but have different functions.
Confused word:
Έρχομαι από την Αθήνα.
I come from Athens.
Notes: 'Ανά' is more formal and often used in written contexts, while 'από' is extremely common in everyday speech.
Mnemonic: 'Ανά' has to do with distribution (think 'ana-lysis' - breaking things up), while 'από' has to do with origin (think 'apo-strophe' - turning away from).
Explanation: Both 'ανά' and 'κατά' can mean 'per' in certain contexts, but 'κατά' has additional meanings like 'against' or 'according to'.
Confused word:
Κατά τη γνώμη μου, είναι λάθος.
In my opinion, it's wrong.
Notes: 'Ανά' is more limited in its usage, while 'κατά' has a broader range of applications.
Mnemonic: Think of 'ανά' for distribution upward or throughout, and 'κατά' for direction downward or against.