School Activities

School activities in Greek

This topic is about the activities you do at school - lessons, sport, music, trips, homework and exams. Every word comes with its Greek script, a transliteration in brackets to help you say it, and the English meaning. Greek uses its own alphabet, written left to right.

Words for school activities

Here are six to learn first. Each shows the script, how to say it, and what it means.

What gymnastiki means in Greek

What does γυμναστική (gymnastiki) mean?

• PE or gymnastics
• Music
• Homework
• A library

Match each word to its English meaning

How the script works

Two things about the Greek script. First, Greek uses its own alphabet (alpha α, beta β, gamma γ...), written left to right - the ancestor of our Latin one. Watch the false friends: Ρ is "r" not "p", Η is "i", and Χ is "ch". Second, a small accent called a tonos marks the stressed syllable, as in μάθημα (mathima).

More school words

Four more, including a place and two objects you will need for the next check.

Which are activities?

Select the THREE words that are school ACTIVITIES, not objects.

• γυμναστική (gymnastiki)
• μουσική (mousiki)
• εκδρομή (ekdromi)
• βιβλίο (vivlio)
• στυλό (stylo)

Match the script to how it is said

Where are you?

You go to the βιβλιοθήκη (vivliothiki). What is it?

• The library
• The classroom
• The music room
• The exam hall

How do you say it?

A lesson μάθημα is said _____. Homework εργασία is said _____. PE γυμναστική is said _____. A trip εκδρομή is said _____.

Putting it together

Now you can talk about a whole school day. At school (σχολείο) you sit in a lesson (μάθημα), you might do PE (γυμναστική) or music (μουσική), and there may be an exam (εξέταση). There are also school trips (εκδρομή) and the library (βιβλιοθήκη), and at home there is always the homework (εργασία).

Greek merges the preposition with the article

The school words become sentences with είναι (is), and σε merges with the article that follows it: - Το μάθημα είναι στο σχολείο = "the lesson is at the school". σχολείο takes το, so σε + το becomes στο. The gender of the noun decides which merged form you need. - Μου αρέσει η μουσική = "I like music". Literally "to me music is pleasing". Greek says it the other way round from English: μου (to me) comes first and μουσική is the thing doing the pleasing.

After σε the article merges into one word

After σε the article merges into one word. Which of these says "the lesson is at the school"?

• Το μάθημα είναι στο σχολείο
• Το μάθημα είναι σε το σχολείο
• Το μάθημα είναι στην σχολείο
• Μου αρέσει η μουσική

Order the school day

Put a normal school day into a sensible order. (Each step tags its Greek word.)

• You arrive at school (σχολείο)
• You have your first lesson (μάθημα)
• You do PE (γυμναστική)
• You visit the library (βιβλιοθήκη)
• At home you do your homework (εργασία)

Pick the word

For each situation, choose the right Greek word.

• You want to talk about PE and sport at school.
• Your class is going on a school trip.
• The teacher gives you work to finish at home.

Read the script

Three questions about the Greek script itself.

• Which alphabet does Greek use?
• What does the small accent called a tonos show?
• Which word is the Greek for "school"?