δώδεκα
dódeka/ˈðo.ðe.ka/
The Greek word for twelve is δώδεκα (dódeka).
δώδεκα is the cardinal number 12.
Meaning: cardinal number 12 (num)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈðo.ðe.ka/. The stress is on the first of the three syllables.
Did you know?
- The word δώδεκα is the root of the English word 'dodecahedron', which describes a 3D shape with twelve faces.
- In Ancient Greece, the number δώδεκα was often associated with the 'Dodekatheon', the group of twelve Olympian gods who resided on Mount Olympus.
- The word δώδεκα is a linguistic relative of the English word 'dozen', as both stem from the same ancient Indo-European roots.
Examples in context
- Κοιμήθηκα δώδεκα ώρες χτες.I slept twelve hours yesterday.This sentence shows how to use δώδεκα to express a duration of time.Tatoeba #5593597 by Zeus, translation #63307 by CK
- Είναι δώδεκα και τέταρτο.It's a quarter past twelve.This sentence shows how to use δώδεκα when telling the time.Tatoeba #13045740 by glossboss, translation #13045497 by glossboss
- Ο χρόνος έχει δώδεκα μήνες.One year has twelve months.This sentence shows how to use δώδεκα to state a quantity of months.Tatoeba #1405305 by enteka, translation #480575 by biglion
- Πόσα αυγά έβαλες στη ζύμη, – Έβαλα δώδεκα αυγά.How many eggs did you put in the dough? – I put twelve eggs.
- Ο αγαπημένος μου αριθμός είναι το δώδεκα.My favorite number is twelve.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kostas and Eleni are counting eggs in the kitchen.
- Κώστας KostasΠόσα αυγά έχουμε στο ψυγείο, Ελένη;Pósa avgá échoume sto psygeío, Eléni?How many eggs do we have in the fridge, Eleni?
- Ελένη EleniΈχουμε ακριβώς δώδεκα αυγά.Échoume akrivós dódeka avgá.We have exactly twelve eggs.
- Κώστας KostasΕίναι αρκετά για τη συνταγή;Eínai arketá gia ti syntagí?Are they enough for the recipe?
- Ελένη EleniΝαι, χρειαζόμαστε μόνο δώδεκα.Nai, chreiazómaste móno dódeka.Yes, we only need twelve.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “twelve” translations and entries δώδεκα, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries δώδεκα, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
