Questions & Answers about Κέρδισε το βραβείο.
What verb form is Κέρδισε?
Κέρδισε is the aorist form of the verb κερδίζω (to win / earn).
In this sentence, it is:
- 3rd person singular
- active voice
- past tense in meaning
So it means he won, she won, or it won, depending on context.
The dictionary form is κερδίζω.
Why doesn’t the sentence include a word for he or she?
Greek often leaves out subject pronouns when they are not needed. The verb ending already tells you the subject is 3rd person singular, so Κέρδισε by itself can mean:
- he won
- she won
- it won
This is very normal in Greek. If you do add a subject pronoun like αυτός or αυτή, it usually adds emphasis or contrast.
Could Κέρδισε mean both he won and she won?
Yes. In this form, Greek does not show gender.
So Κέρδισε το βραβείο can mean:
- He won the prize
- She won the prize
You understand the gender only from context.
Why is there το before βραβείο?
Το is the definite article, meaning the.
It matches βραβείο (prize / award), which is:
- neuter
- singular
So:
- το βραβείο = the prize
Unlike English, Greek articles change form depending on gender, number, and case.
What case is βραβείο in here?
Here βραβείο is the direct object of the verb, so it is in the accusative case.
The person won something — that something is the prize.
A useful detail: for many neuter nouns in Greek, the nominative and accusative singular look the same. So βραβείο looks the same in both cases. The article το is also the same in nominative and accusative neuter singular.
Why is the word order Κέρδισε το βραβείο? Could it be different?
Yes, Greek word order is more flexible than English.
Κέρδισε το βραβείο is a perfectly natural sentence. It puts the verb first, then the object.
Other word orders are possible, for example:
- Το βραβείο κέρδισε.
But changing the order usually changes the emphasis, not the basic meaning. The original sentence is a normal, straightforward way to say it.
How would I say He won the prize if I want to make he explicit?
You can say:
- Αυτός κέρδισε το βραβείο.
But in many situations, this sounds more emphatic than the English sentence. It can feel like:
- He won the prize
- He was the one who won the prize
So if there is no special emphasis, Greek often prefers simply:
- Κέρδισε το βραβείο.
What is the difference between Κέρδισε and Κέρδιζε?
This is a very common learner question.
- Κέρδισε = won
It refers to a completed event. - Κέρδιζε = was winning / used to win / kept winning
It is more ongoing, repeated, or descriptive in the past.
So in Κέρδισε το βραβείο, the sentence presents the winning as a single completed fact.
How do you pronounce Κέρδισε το βραβείο?
A rough pronunciation guide is:
KER-thi-se to vra-VEE-o
A few helpful points:
- Κ before ε sounds softer, closer to a palatal k
- δ sounds like th in this
- β sounds like v
- the stress is on ΚΕΡ in Κέρδισε
- the stress is on ΒΙ in βραβείο
So the rhythm is roughly:
KER-thi-se to vra-VEE-o
Is βραβείο always translated as prize?
Not always. Βραβείο can mean:
- prize
- award
Which English word is best depends on context. For example:
- in a contest, prize may sound more natural
- in a formal ceremony, award may sound more natural
So Κέρδισε το βραβείο could also be understood as He/She won the award.
Is this sentence formal or informal?
It is neutral and standard. There is nothing especially formal or informal about it.
You could use it in many situations:
- everyday conversation
- news reports
- written Greek
- simple storytelling
So it is a very useful basic sentence pattern to know.
Can this sentence stand on its own, or does it need more context?
It can definitely stand on its own as a complete sentence.
Greek often allows short complete sentences like this:
- Κέρδισε το βραβείο.
- Έφυγε.
- Το βρήκα.
Of course, context may tell you who won the prize, but grammatically the sentence is already complete.
What should I notice most as an English speaker?
The most important things are:
- Greek often drops the subject pronoun
- the verb form Κέρδισε already tells you it is he/she/it
- το βραβείο uses an article that agrees with the noun
- Greek word order is more flexible than English
- the past tense here is the aorist, showing a completed action
So even though the English translation may look simple, the Greek sentence teaches several core patterns at once.
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