γεμίζω
Wordform Details
Translation: I fillI stuffI load
Part of Speech: verb
Inflection Type:
first-personsingularpresentIs Dictionary Form: No
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma: γεμίζω
Translation: to fill; to stuff; to load; to pack (verb)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek γεμίζω, derived from γέμω meaning 'to be full'. The root is related to the Proto-Indo-European *gʷem- meaning 'to go, come'. Interestingly, this connects to English words like 'come' and 'welcome' through the same PIE root. The Greek word specifically developed the sense of 'filling' from the original notion of 'arriving' or 'coming to completion'. This semantic evolution from movement to fullness is unique to Greek among Indo-European languages.
Example Usage
Γέμισε το ποτήρι με νερό.
Fill the glass with water.
Το δωμάτιο γέμισε με κόσμο.
The room filled with people.
Γέμισα το αυτοκίνητο με βενζίνη.
I filled the car with gas.
Με γεμίζει χαρά όταν σε βλέπω.
It fills me with joy when I see you.
Γέμισε τις μπαταρίες του κινητού.
Charge the mobile phone batteries.
Γεμίζω το ποτήρι με νερό.
I fill the glass with water.
Η μητέρα μου γεμίζει τις ντομάτες με ρύζι.
My mother stuffs the tomatoes with rice.
Γέμισε η αίθουσα με κόσμο.
The hall filled up with people.
Η μητέρα μου γεμίζει ντομάτες με ρύζι.
My mother stuffs tomatoes with rice.
Η μητέρα γεμίζει τις ντομάτες με ρύζι.
The mother stuffs the tomatoes with rice.
Γέμισε η τσάντα με βιβλία.
The bag filled up with books.
Γέμισε η τσάντα μου με βιβλία.
My bag filled up with books.
Mnemonics
- Think 'gem' + 'easy' - gems easily fill a treasure chest
- Remember 'gemizo' sounds like 'jam-izo' - jamming things full
Cultural Context
Commonly used in cooking contexts, especially for traditional Greek dishes like γεμιστά (stuffed vegetables). Also frequently used in everyday situations involving containers, bags, or spaces being filled.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: γεμώ means 'to be full' (intransitive) while γεμίζω means 'to fill something' (transitive)
This word:
Γεμίζω το μπουκάλι.
I fill the bottle.
Confused word:
Το μπουκάλι γεμώ.
The bottle is full.
Notes: This is a classic transitive vs intransitive distinction that English speakers often struggle with in Greek
Mnemonic: γεμίζω has the -ίζω ending like many action verbs (I do the filling), γεμώ is a state (it is full)