Ο καρκίνος χρειάζεται θεραπεία.

to need

Breakdown of Ο καρκίνος χρειάζεται θεραπεία.

• η θεραπεία: the treatment
• ο καρκίνος: cancer

Questions & Answers about Ο καρκίνος χρειάζεται θεραπεία.

Why is there an article ο before καρκίνος?

In Greek, nouns often appear with the definite article much more often than in English. So ο καρκίνος is literally the cancer, but in many contexts it is simply the normal Greek way to talk about cancer.

Here, ο is:

• masculine
• singular
• nominative

It matches καρκίνος, which is a masculine singular noun.

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Does ο καρκίνος mean cancer in general, or a specific cancer?

It can often mean either one, depending on context.

In this sentence, Ο καρκίνος χρειάζεται θεραπεία, Greek can use the article even when speaking generally, so it may correspond to English Cancer needs treatment.

But in another context, it could also mean The cancer needs treatment, referring to a particular case already being discussed.

So the article does not always make it as specific as English the does.

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Why is θεραπεία used without an article?