Ways to say it
| Greek | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ψεύδομαι | psévdomai | /ˈpse.vðo.me/ |
| λέω ψέματα | léo psémata |
The term refers to the act of telling an intentional untruth. You can use the noun ψέμα to refer to a single lie, or the plural ψέματα when referring to lies.
What does it mean word for word?
The common phrase λέω ψέματα is composed of the verb λέω, meaning I say or tell and the plural noun ψέματα, meaning lies.
Which one should you use?
The verb ψεύδομαι is a formal and literary way to express the idea of lying, whereas the phrase λέω ψέματα is the standard, everyday way to say someone is telling lies.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ψεύδομαι is a formal term, and the noun ψεύδος can also be used in formal contexts to express the idea of a lie. In informal settings, the plural form ψέματα is commonly used, as is the phrase λέω ψέματα.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The present participle of the formal verb ψεύδομαι is ψευδόμενος, which is used as an adjective to describe someone who is lying.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of ψεύδομαι is /ˈpse.vðo.me/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The Greek word ψεύδος is the ancestor of the English prefix 'pseudo-'. When an English speaker describes something as 'pseudoscientific', they are literally calling it 'false science'.
- While ψεύδομαι is the standard verb for lying, the Greek language uses it as a middle voice verb, meaning the action is directed back toward the speaker.
- The verb λέω undergoes a massive transformation in its past tense to είπα, which is a linguistic phenomenon known as suppletion.
Examples in context
- Μην λες ψέματα!Don't tell lies!
- Δεν μπορώ να ανέχομαι το ψεύδος!I can't tolerate the lie!
- Μην πεις ψέματα, παίζουμε μπάλα απόψε!Don't lie, we're playing football tonight!
- Δε μου λες ψέματα, έτσι;You're not lying to me, right?
- Είναι λάθος να ψεύδομαι σε μια επίσημη συνέντευξη.Ínai láthos na pséfdomai se mia epísimi synénteixi.It is wrong to lie in a formal interview.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a report at the office.
- Ελένη EleniΓιατί ψεύδομαι για τα αποτελέσματα;Giati pseudomai gia ta apoteleasmata?Why would I lie about the results?
- Γιώργος GiorgosΝομίζω ότι η αλήθεια είναι διαφορετική.Nomizo oti i alitheia einai diaforetiki.I think the truth is different.
- Ελένη EleniΔεν ψεύδομαι ποτέ στην εργασία μου.Den pseudomai pote stin ergasia mou.I never lie in my work.
- Γιώργος GiorgosΣε πιστεύω, Ελένη.Se pistevo, Eleni.I believe you, Eleni.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lie” translations and entries ψεύδομαι, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries λέω, ψεύδομαι, CC BY-SA 4.0.
