Ways to say it
| Greek | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| όμορφος | ómorfos | /ˈo.moɾ.fos/ |
| ωραίος | oraíos | /oˈɾe.os/ |
Both words are used to describe something attractive, but they carry different levels of intensity. ωραίος is commonly used to mean 'nice', 'pleasant' or 'lovely' and is frequently used to describe the weather or a day, such as in the phrase ωραία μέρα (a nice day).
Which one should you use?
όμορφος is generally more intense and carries a stronger sense of beauty than ωραίος, which is a weaker term often meaning 'nice' or 'lovely'.
How does it change in a sentence?
For the word όμορφος, the forms are όμορφος (masculine), όμορφη (feminine) and όμορφο (neuter). For the word ωραίος, the forms are ωραίος (masculine), ωραία (feminine) and ωραίο (neuter).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of όμορφος is /ˈo.moɾ.fos/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word ωραίος originally meant 'seasonable' or 'timely' in Koine Greek. Over time its meaning shifted from something occurring at the right time to something that is 'beautiful' or 'nice'.
- Greek has a specific way of intensifying beauty using the word πανέμορφος. By adding the prefix παν-, which means 'all', it transforms 'beautiful' into 'absolutely stunning'.
- In Greek, calling a man ωραίος is a very common way to say he is handsome, whereas όμορφος can sometimes sound overly poetic or feminine depending on the context.
Examples in context
- Σας έχω πει πόσο όμορφος είστε;Have I told you how beautiful you are?This sentence uses όμορφος to ask a question about someone's beauty.Tatoeba #5429396 by Zeus, translation #5418020 by Hybrid
- Κατά τη γνώμη μου, είσαι όμορφος.In my opinion, you're beautiful.This sentence uses όμορφος to express a personal opinion.Tatoeba #5434183 by Zeus, translation #2634309 by CM
- Είσαι όμορφος.You are beautiful.This sentence uses όμορφος to make a direct statement.Tatoeba #5452272 by Zeus, translation #20097 by CK
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kyriaki is complimenting Nikos on his new photo.
- Κυριακή KyriakiΚοίτα αυτή τη φωτογραφία, είσαι πολύ όμορφος!Koíta aftí ti fotografía, eísai polý ómorphos!Look at this photo, you are very beautiful!
- Νίκος NikosΣ' ευχαριστώ, Κυριακή. Είσαι πολύ gentil.S' efcharistó, Kyriáki. Eísai polý gentil.Thank you, Kyriaki. You are very kind.
- Κυριακή KyriakiΕίναι αλήθεια, ο φωτογραφικός σε έβγαλε όμορφος.Eínai alítheia, o fotografikós se évgale ómorphos.It's true, the photographer made you look beautiful.
- Νίκος NikosΤώρα με κοκκίνισες, Νίκος είπα!Tóra me kokkínises, Níkos eípa!Now you've made me blush, I said Nikos!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beautiful” translations and entries όμορφος, ωραίος, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ωραίος, όμορφος, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
