σε
Wordform Details
Translation: you
Part of Speech: pronoun
Inflection Type:
second-personsingularaccusativeIs Dictionary Form: No
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma: εσύ
Translation: you (pronoun)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek ἐσύ (esú), which developed from earlier σύ (sú), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *túh₂. This is cognate with English 'thou' (archaic second-person singular pronoun), Latin 'tu', Spanish 'tú', French 'tu', and German 'du', all sharing the same Indo-European root for the second person singular pronoun.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'εσύ' as starting with 'e' for 'everyone you talk to directly'
- The 'σύ' part sounds a bit like 'you' if you say it quickly
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Greek, unlike English, the second-person singular pronoun 'εσύ' is used only for informal situations or with people you're familiar with. For formal situations or with strangers, Greeks use the plural form 'εσείς' as a sign of respect, similar to the French 'vous' or Spanish 'usted'.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'εσύ' is the singular 'you', 'εσείς' is the plural 'you' or the formal singular 'you'.
Notes: The distinction between singular informal 'εσύ' and plural or formal 'εσείς' is important in Greek social interactions and affects verb conjugation.
Mnemonic: εσύ ends with a single letter (ύ) for a single person; εσείς is longer for more people or more formality
Explanation: 'Εσύ' means 'you' while 'εγώ' means 'I'. Both are first-position personal pronouns but refer to different persons.
This word:
Εσύ είσαι δάσκαλος.
You are a teacher.
Confused word:
Εγώ είμαι δάσκαλος.
I am a teacher.
Notes: Both pronouns are often omitted in Greek sentences since the verb forms already indicate the person, but they're used for emphasis.
Mnemonic: 'Εσύ' starts with 'ε' like 'everyone else' (not me); 'εγώ' starts with 'ε' like 'ego' (myself)