Ways to say it
| Greek | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| μαθητής | mathitís | masculine | |
| μαθήτρια | mathítria | feminine | |
| φοιτητής | foititís | /fitiˈtis/ | masculine |
| φοιτήτρια | foitítria | feminine | |
| σπουδαστής | spoudastís | masculine | |
| σπουδάστρια | spoudástria | feminine | |
| μελετητής | meletitís | masculine |
The term for student in Greek changes based on the specific type of education the person is receiving. You use terms for primary or secondary school students, terms for university students and terms for more specialized scholars or researchers.
Which one should you use?
Greek distinguishes between students based on their level of study. Use μαθητής (masculine) or μαθήτρια (feminine) for students in primary or secondary school. Use φοιτητής (masculine) or φοιτήτρια (feminine) specifically for students enrolled in a university or higher education. If you are describing a more formal or specialized student, such as a scholar or someone pursuing specific studies, use σπουδαστής (masculine) or σπουδάστρια (feminine). The form μελετητής (masculine) is also available.
How does it change in a sentence?
Greek nouns change form to reflect gender and number. For a group of male students or a mixed-gender group of primary/secondary school students, use the plural μαθητές. For a group of exclusively female primary/secondary school students, use μαθήτριες. For a group of male or mixed-gender university students, use φοιτητές, while a group of exclusively female university students is φοιτήτριες.
How do you pronounce it?
mathitís
Did you know?
- In many contexts, the word μαθητής can also mean 'disciple', used for someone following the teachings of a specific philosopher or religious leader.
- The university term φοιτητής comes from a verb meaning 'to go through' or 'to pass through', implying the student is passing through a period of study.
- A Greek person might use φοιτητής to describe themselves even if they have been in university for a decade, as there is no specific word for 'senior' or 'undergraduate'.
Examples in context
- Είναι μια νεαρή μαθήτρια.She is a young student.This sentence is useful for describing a young female student using μαθήτρια.Tatoeba #5401372 by Zeus, translation #2604296 by Gulo_Luscus
- Είναι μια νεαρή φοιτήτρια.She's a young student.This sentence is useful for describing a young female university student using φοιτήτρια.Tatoeba #2604291 by Zeus, translation #2617198 by Prophete
- Είστε καθηγητής ή μαθητής;Are you a teacher or a student?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is a teacher or a student using μαθητής.Tatoeba #2834294 by glavkos, translation #370763 by saeb
- Η Μαρία είναι μια άριστη μαθήτρια. Πάντα μελετάει σκληρά για τις εξετάσεις της.Maria is an excellent student. She always studies hard for her exams.
- Ας συναντηθούμε στο καφέ του πανεπιστημίου μετά το μάθημα, όλοι οι φοιτητές θα είμαστε εκεί.Let's meet at the university café after class, all the students will be there.
- Ο Γιώργος είναι ένας αφοσιωμένος φοιτητής που αγαπά να μαθαίνει νέες γλώσσες.George is a dedicated student who loves learning new languages.
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
George and Maria are talking about George's younger brother.
- Γιώργος GiorgosΟ αδερφός μου είναι καλός μαθητής.O aderfós mou eínai kalós mathitís.My brother is a good student.
- Μαρία MariaΣε ποιο σχολείο πηγαίνει τώρα;Se pio scholeío pigánei tóra?Which school does he go to now?
- Γιώργος GiorgosΠηγαίνει στο γυμνάσιο της γειτονιάς.Pigánei sto gymnásio tis geitoniás.He goes to the neighborhood middle school.
- Μαρία MariaΕίναι πολύ χαρούμενος που είναι μαθητής εκεί.Eínai polý charoúmenos pou eínai mathitís ekéi.He is very happy to be a student there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “student” translations and entries μαθητής, μαθήτρια, φοιτητής, φοιτήτρια, σπουδαστής, σπουδάστρια, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries μαθήτρια, μαθητής, φοιτητής, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
