αυτός
aftós/aˈftos/masculine
The English pronoun "he" is translated into Greek as αυτός (aftós).
αυτός is used to mean "he". It can also be used to refer to "it" when discussing inanimate objects or animals. In many contexts, the pronoun αυτός is omitted from a sentence because the conjugation of the verb already makes it clear who the subject is.
Meaning: personal pronoun "he" (pron)
Which one should you use?
While αυτός functions as the personal pronoun for "he", it is also the standard word for "this" when it is used as a masculine demonstrative pronoun.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun changes based on gender and number. The feminine form is αυτή (she), and the neuter form is αυτό (it). For plural forms, use αυτοί for masculine "they", αυτές for feminine "they" and αυτά for neuter "they".
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is aftós and the IPA is /aˈftos/.
Did you know?
- While αυτός means 'he', the English word 'auto' comes from the same Ancient Greek root. It originally meant 'self', which is why 'automatic' implies something that acts by itself.
- The masculine plural form αυτοί is used to refer to a group of people even if there is only one male among many females. This 'inclusive masculine' is a standard rule in Greek grammar.
- Because Greek verbs change their endings to reflect the subject, saying αυτός can sometimes sound redundantly emphatic, like saying 'He, he did it' in English.
Examples in context
- Αυτός μου το έδωσε.He gave it to me.This example shows the use of αυτός to indicate the person who gave something.Tatoeba #7762223 by amoeba, translation #297511 by CK
- Αυτός έκλεισε τα 40.He turned 40.This example shows αυτός used when discussing someone's age.Tatoeba #3750273 by ggia, translation #9291786 by Nylez
- Αυτός θα σε βοηθήσει.He is going to help you.This example shows how αυτός can be used to indicate a person who will provide help.Tatoeba #2803661 by glavkos, translation #288763 by CK
- Εκείνο το αγόρι, αυτός έχει μια δυνατή προσωπικότητα.That boy, he has a strong personality.
- Θα πάω έξω με αυτόν τον φίλο.I'm going out with this friend (male).
- Έχει ωραία φωνή, αυτός τραγουδάει καλά.He has a beautiful voice, he sings well.
- 206 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anastasia and Giorgos are talking about a new colleague.
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΠού είναι ο νέος υπάλληλος;Pou einai o neos ypallilos?Where is the new employee?
- Γιώργος GiorgosΑυτός είναι στο γραφείο του.Autos einai sto grafeio tou.He is in his office.
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΕίναι έξυπνος ο Γιώργος;Einai exypnos o Giorgos?Is Giorgos smart?
- Γιώργος GiorgosΝαι, αυτός ξέρει τα πάντα.Nai, autos xerei ta panta.Yes, he knows everything.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “he” translations and entries αυτός, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries αυτός, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
