ελάφι
eláfi/eˈlafi/neuter
The English word "deer" can be translated into Greek using ελάφι (eláfi). Wiktionary also lists ζαρκάδι (zarkádi) and δορκάδα (dorkáda).
Meaning: animal of the family Cervidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Greek | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ελάφι | eláfi | /eˈlafi/ | neuter |
| ζαρκάδι | zarkádi | /zaɾˈka.ði/ | neuter |
| δορκάδα | dorkáda | feminine | |
| άλκη | álki | feminine |
The terms are used to refer to animals of the family Cervidae.
Which one should you use?
ελάφι and ζαρκάδι are neuter nouns, while δορκάδα and άλκη are feminine nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
The common neuter noun ελάφι becomes ελάφια in its plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /eˈlafi/ (eláfi).
Did you know?
- In Greek mythology, the 'Ceryneian Hind' was a massive deer with golden antlers and bronze hooves that Heracles had to capture.
- The word ελάφι is actually a diminutive form of the older Greek word élaphos, meaning it essentially translates to 'little deer'.
- The Greek term for a certain type of deer, ζαρκάδι, was actually borrowed into the Albanian language as 'sorkadh'.
Examples in context
- Τα ελάφια είναι όμορφα ζώα.Deer are beautiful animals.
- Είδα ένα ελάφι στο δάσος.Eida ena elafi sto dasos.I saw a deer in the forest.
- Το ελάφι τρέχει γρήγορα.To elafi trehei gryfora.The deer runs fast.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are talking about a hiking trip.
- Κυριακή KyriakiΕίδες το ελάφι χθες;Eides to elafi chthes;Did you see the deer yesterday?
- Γιώργος GiorgosΝαι, το είδα κοντά στο ποτάμι.Nai, to eida konta sto potami.Yes, I saw it near the river.
- Κυριακή KyriakiΉταν όμορφο το ελάφι;Itan omorfo to elafi;Was the deer beautiful?
- Γιώργος GiorgosΉταν πολύ πανέμορφο, Κυριακή.Itan poly panemorfo, Kyriaki.It was very beautiful, Kyriaki.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “deer” translations and entries ελάφι, ζαρκάδι, άλκη, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ελάφι, ζαρκάδι, CC BY-SA 4.0.
