κρίμα
Wordform Details
Translation: pityshame
Part of Speech: noun
Inflection Type:
neutersingularnominativeIs Dictionary Form: Yes
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma: κρίμα
Translation: shame; pity; too bad; what a shame (noun)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek κρίμα (krima), meaning 'judgment, decision', derived from κρίνω (krinō) 'to judge, decide'. The semantic shift from 'judgment' to 'pity/shame' reflects how something judged negatively became an expression of regret. Related to English 'crime' and 'crisis' through the Indo-European root *krei- meaning 'to sieve, discriminate, distinguish'.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'cream' - when something goes wrong with cream (it spoils), you say 'What a shame!'
- Related to 'crime' - when a crime happens, it's a shame
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Very frequently used in everyday Greek conversation as an exclamation of sympathy or regret. Often used as a standalone expression.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: κρίμα means 'shame/pity' while κλίμα means 'climate/weather'
Confused word:
Το κλίμα είναι υγρό εδώ.
The climate is humid here.
Notes: These words are frequently confused by learners due to their similar spelling and pronunciation
Mnemonic: κρίμα has ρ (rho) - think 'crying shame'; κλίμα has λ (lambda) - think 'climate'