βλάψει
Wordform Details
Translation: harmhurtdamage
Part of Speech: verb
Inflection Type:
third-personsingularfutureIs Dictionary Form: No
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma: βλάπτω
Translation: to harm; to damage; to injure; to hurt; to impair (verb)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek βλάπτω (blaptō), meaning 'to disable, hinder, damage'. The word has Indo-European roots related to concepts of striking or harming. It shares distant connections with English words like 'blemish' through Proto-Indo-European roots. The concept of causing harm or damage has remained consistent throughout its evolution from ancient to modern Greek.
Example Usage
Το κάπνισμα βλάπτει σοβαρά την υγεία.
Smoking seriously harms health.
Η ρύπανση βλάπτει το περιβάλλον.
Pollution harms the environment.
Μην κάνεις πράγματα που βλάπτουν τους άλλους.
Don't do things that harm others.
Το αλκοόλ βλάπτει το συκώτι.
Alcohol damages the liver.
Η υπερβολική έκθεση στον ήλιο βλάπτει το δέρμα.
Excessive sun exposure damages the skin.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'βλάπτω' as 'blap-toe' - imagine stepping on someone's toe (blap!) and causing harm.
- Connect with 'blame' in English - when you blame someone, you often imply they caused harm.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
Commonly seen in health warnings and legal contexts. The phrase 'το κάπνισμα βλάπτει σοβαρά την υγεία' (smoking seriously harms health) is mandatory on cigarette packaging in Greece.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'βλάπτω' means 'to harm', 'βλέπω' means 'to see'. They look and sound somewhat similar but have completely different meanings.
Confused word:
Βλέπω ένα όμορφο τοπίο.
I see a beautiful landscape.
Notes: These verbs have different conjugation patterns and are used in completely different contexts.
Mnemonic: 'βλάπτω' has an 'α' (alpha) which you can associate with 'attack' (harm), while 'βλέπω' has an 'ε' (epsilon) which you can associate with 'eye' (seeing).
Explanation: 'βλάπτω' means 'to harm' while 'λάμπω' means 'to shine'. They share some similar sounds but have unrelated meanings.
Confused word:
Ο ήλιος λάμπει σήμερα.
The sun is shining today.
Notes: The initial 'βλ' sound in 'βλάπτω' versus the 'λ' sound in 'λάμπω' is a key distinguishing feature.
Mnemonic: 'λάμπω' relates to 'lamp' in English (things that shine), while 'βλάπτω' starts with 'βλ' which you can associate with 'blemish' (damage).