πολύ
polý/poˈli/
In Greek, 'a lot' is said as πολύ (polý).
πολύ is used as an adverb to mean 'a lot' or 'very much'. It can also function as an adjective meaning 'much' or 'many' depending on the context.
Meaning: very much (adv)
Which one should you use?
When used as an adverb to mean 'a lot' (for example, 'I eat a lot'), the form remains invariant as πολύ regardless of the subject. However, when functioning as an adjective, the form changes to match the gender and number of the noun: use πολλή for feminine singular nouns and πολλά for neuter plural nouns to mean 'many' or 'a lot of'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word πολύ can function as an adverb meaning 'a lot' or as an adjective meaning 'much' or 'many' depending on the context. When used as an adverb, it does not change based on the subject.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is polý and the IPA is /poˈli/.
Did you know?
- The English word 'polyglot', meaning someone who speaks many languages, comes from the Greek word πολύ combined with 'glotta' for 'tongue'.
- To express 'a lot' in terms of intensity, Greeks often repeat the word, such as saying πολύ πολύ to mean 'very, very much'.
- Ancient Greek used πολύ in a similar way to modern Greek, showing a rare level of continuity in basic vocabulary over thousands of years.
Examples in context
- Ο Τομ τρώει πολύ.Tom eats a lot.This sentence is useful for seeing πολύ used as an adverb to describe the frequency or amount of an action.Tatoeba #5609001 by Zeus, translation #1025858 by CK
- Μη πίνετε πολύ κρασί!Don't drink a lot of wine!This sentence shows πολύ used to quantify a noun.Tatoeba #3638479 by glavkos, translation #9131543 by megamanenm
- Μου αρέσει η πίτσα πολύ.I like pizza a lot.This sentence demonstrates how πολύ can be placed at the end of a sentence to express intensity.Tatoeba #7798889 by eypros, translation #7798807 by CK
- Έχω πολλή δουλειά σήμερα.I have a lot of work today.
- Θέλει πολλά χρήματα για να ταξιδέψεις.It takes a lot of money to travel.
- Ο σκύλος μου τρώει πολλή τροφή.My dog eats a lot of food.
- Έχει πάρα πολλή γνώση σε αυτόν τον τομέα.He has a great deal of knowledge in this field.
- Τρως πάρα πολλή ζάχαρη. Πρέπει να περιορίσεις την κατανάλωσή σου.You consume a lot of sugar. You need to limit your intake.
- Περιμένω πολύ πολύ καιρό να σε ξαναδώ!I've been waiting a long time to see you again!
- 99 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giorgos and Anastasia are talking about a movie they just saw.
- Γιώργος GiorgosΣου άρεσε η ταινία;Sou arese i tainia;Did you like the movie?
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΝαι, μου άρεσε πολύ!Ne, mou arese poli!Yes, I liked it a lot!
- Γιώργος GiorgosΕπίσης μου άρεσε πολύ η μουσική.Episis mou arese poli i mousiki.I also liked the music a lot.
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΉταν πραγματικά υπέροχη.Itan pragmatika iperochi.It was truly wonderful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry πολύ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries πολύ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
