How to say “I rent” or “it is for rent” in Greek?
Learn the active and passive form of this verb
THIS PART OF GRAMMAR MIGHT BE CONFUSING, AND NEEDS SOME PRACTICE.
But do not worry, siga-siga!
When you learn Greek, a difficult part in grammar is the use of active and passive verbs.
Most students get confused, since it is not something you learn in other European languages.
So here below, we will explain the verb “to rent” in its active form, as well as “it is for rent” in the passive form.
If you prefer to watch and listen to the video first, then click here
THE ACTIVE FORM OF THE VERB “I rent”
- Ενοικιάζω/ νοικιάζω = to rent, to put something up for rent
For this verb, it is the same whether you put the “ε» as the first letter or not. However, in daily language you mostly use it without “ε».
So νοικιάζω IS THE ACTIVE FORM and THE CONJUGATION IS AS FOLLOWS;
Εγώ νοικιάζ-ω
Εσύ νοικιάζ-εις
Αυτός,ή νοικιάζ-ει
Εμείς νοικιάζ-ουμε
Εσείς νοικιάζ-ετε
Αυτοί,ές,ά νοικιάζ-ουν
for example
- Ο Γιώργος νοικιάζει ένα διαμέρισμα στην Αθήνα. (George rents an apartment in Athens.)
- Όταν ταξιδεύουμε στην Ελλάδα, νοικιάζουμε αυτοκίνητο. (When we travel to Greece, we rent a car.)
- Η Μαρία και η Ελένη νοικιάζουν συχνά ποδήλατα. (Maria and Eleni often rent bicycles.)
WE CALL THIS THE ACTIVE FORM, BECAUSE George, we and Maria and Eleni ACTUALLY DO THE ACTION….
THIS MEANS…George rents an apartment…, we rent a car, Maria and Eleni rent the bicycles.
NOTE: The conjugation of the active form is exactly like other verbs, such as
πίνω – to drink,
μένω – to live,
δουλέυω – to work,
καταλαβαίνω – to understand Click here to learn the verb ‘to understand’
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THE PASSIVE FORM
NOW WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE THIS VERB ALSO PASSIVE, and they you say “it is for rent”.
YOU CHANGE THE VERB, TO PASSIVE AS FOLLOWS
Active voice Passive Voice
νοικιάζ-ω (to rent) (νοικιάζ-ομαι) (to be rented, to be for rent)
So you keep the same stem, but you change the ending
Keep in mind that we only use the third person (in singular and plural)
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Εγώ –
Εσύ –
Αυτός,ή,ό νοικιάζ-εται
Εμείς –
Εσείς –
Αυτοί,ές,ά νοικιάζ-ονται
Useful Sentences and examples
Active voice:
- Ο Γιώργος νοικιάζει ένα διαμέρισμα στην Αθήνα.
(George rents an apartment in Athens.)
The Passive voice goes as follows.
- Ένα διαμέρισμα στην Αθήνα νοικιάζεται από τον Γιώργο.
(An apartment in Athens is rented by George.)
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However, the most common use of “ενοικιάζεται» and “ενοικιάζονται» is on
“for RENT” signs and announcements.
Here we mostly use the extra “e” so “ενοικιάζεται» and not “νοικιάζεται».
Some sentences;
- Ενοικιάζεται επιπλωμένο διαμέρισμα.
(Furnished apartment for rent.) - Ενοικιάζονται μηχανάκια.
(Motorbikes for rent.)
Take a look at the video with teacher Myrto
(click on the photo below)
and listen to the correct pronunciation of the conjugations and sentences.
Extra vocabulary
Also good to know, the word “ενοίκιο» or “νοίκι», which means “the rent”
-Το σπίτι δεν είναι δικό μου. Πληρώνω ενοίκιο.
(The house is not mine. I pay rent.)
Last but not least, «rooms to let” in Greek are “ενοικιαζόμενα δωμάτια».
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More verbs
Did you like this lesson?
If you want to have one more example with the Active and Passive voice,
then click here
Active voice –> Passive Voice – Πλέν-ω (I wash) –> πλέν-ομαι = TO BE WASHED
Or
Active voice –> Passive Voice – απαγορεύω (I forbid) –> απαγορεύεται = TO BE FORBIDDEN
Click here
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