How to Say “Work” in Greek

Ways to say it

In Greek, 'work' can mean employment, a specific task or a creative piece. For general talk about having a job or performing labor, use δουλειά. If you are referring to work specifically as a job or employment in a formal sense, use εργασία. If you are talking about a specific creative work, such as a book, a painting or a large-scale project, use έργο. When referring to an internship or practical training in a formal setting, the term Πρακτική is used. To express the idea of 'hard work', you can use the phrase Σκληρή δουλειά.

Which one should you use?

While δουλειά is the general term for work, εργασία is specifically used to refer to work as a job or employment. έργο differs from the others as it refers to a specific project, a deed or a creative opus. For tasks or assignments, such as schoolwork, the plural form εργασίες is used.

Related words

Intransitive: to do a specific task (verb): δουλεύω.

To function correctly, to act as intended, to achieve the goal designed for (verb): λειτουργώ.

How does it change in a sentence?

To say 'I work' or 'I have a job', use the verb δουλεύω. Note that when talking about whether a machine, a system or an organ is functioning correctly, you should use the verb λειτουργώ instead of δουλεύω. The plural form εργασίες is used to refer to specific tasks or school assignments.

How do you pronounce it?

/ðuˈʎa/

What mistakes should you avoid?

Do not use δουλεύω when describing whether a machine or a system is functioning correctly. In those mechanical or functional contexts, use λειτουργώ instead.