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Questions & Answers about Τι σημαίνει «ούτε»;
How do I pronounce the word ούτε?
IPA: [ˈute], roughly “OO-teh.”
- The accent mark over ύ means the stress is on the first syllable (ού).
- ου is one sound /u/ (like the oo in “food”).
- τ is an unaspirated t.
- ε is a close-mid e (like the vowel in Spanish “pero” or close to English “met,” but tenser).
What kind of word is ούτε, and what does it express?
It’s a negative coordinating conjunction (and sometimes an adverbial negative). It typically means:
- “neither/nor” when used in pairs: ούτε … ούτε …
- “nor” linking to a previous negative clause
- “not even,” especially in the patterns ούτε (alone), ούτε καν, or ούτε που
Do I always need two ούτεs (neither…nor), or can I use just one?
Both are possible, depending on meaning.
- Pair for “neither…nor”: Ούτε ο Γιάννης ούτε η Μαρία ήρθαν. (Neither John nor Mary came.) Note the verb is plural because the subject is plural.
- Single ούτε for “nor” after a negative: Δεν ήρθε, ούτε τηλεφώνησε. (He didn’t come, nor did he call.)
- Single ούτε for “not even/…either”: Ούτε εγώ πήγα. (I didn’t go either / Me neither.)
Do I use δεν with ούτε?
Rule of thumb:
- If ούτε comes before a verb or introduces a second clause, you normally don’t use δεν with that verb: Δεν ήρθε, ούτε τηλεφώνησε.; Ούτε ήρθε ούτε τηλεφώνησε.
- If ούτε links objects/complements after a negated verb, you keep δεν: Δεν είδα ούτε τον Γιάννη ούτε τη Μαρία.
- Avoid forms like ούτε δεν ήρθε in the same clause; they’re unidiomatic.
Can ούτε mean “not even”? How do ούτε καν and ούτε που work?
Yes.
- Bare ούτε can mean “not even”: Ούτε το είδα. (I didn’t even see it.)
- ούτε καν strengthens “not even”: Ούτε καν τον χαιρέτησα. (I didn’t even greet him.)
- ούτε που ≈ “not even to the extent of”: Ούτε που το κατάλαβα. (I didn’t even realize.)
What’s the difference between ούτε and ή?
- ή … ή … = “either … or …”: Ή ο Γιάννης ή η Μαρία θα έρθει.
- ούτε … ούτε … = “neither … nor …”: Ούτε ο Γιάννης ούτε η Μαρία θα έρθουν.
What’s the difference between ούτε and μήτε?
They’re near-synonyms. μήτε is more formal/literary or found in set phrases. In everyday speech, ούτε is more common:
- Μήτε… μήτε… (formal/poetic) vs Ούτε… ούτε… (neutral/colloquial).
How do I say “Me neither” / “Nor do I” in Greek?
Use Ούτε εγώ, optionally with a verb:
- — Δεν πάω. — Ούτε εγώ. (— I’m not going. — Me neither.)
- — Δεν το είδα. — Ούτε εγώ το είδα. (— I didn’t see it. — Neither did I.)
Why is there a semicolon at the end? Is that really a question mark?
Yes. In Greek, the question mark is written with the character that looks like an English semicolon: ;
- So Τι σημαίνει … ; is a question.
- The Greek semicolon/colon is a different mark (the raised dot ·, called άνω τελεία).
What are the angle quotation marks « » around ούτε? Do I need spaces?
Greek commonly uses guillemets « » for quotes. In this usage (quoting a single word), there’s typically no space between the quotes and the word: «ούτε». You can also see straight quotes in informal contexts, but « » are the standard in formal writing.
Why does τι have no accent, while σημαίνει and ούτε do?
Most one-syllable words in Greek don’t show an accent mark in monotonic orthography, so τι appears unaccented. Words with two or more syllables show the stressed syllable:
- σημαίνει is stressed on -μαί- (pronounced [siˈmeni]).
- ούτε is stressed on the first syllable (ού-).
What exactly is σημαίνει in terms of grammar?
It’s the 3rd person singular present of σημαίνω (“to mean, signify”). The pattern Τι σημαίνει X; is the standard way to ask “What does X mean?” Another common, slightly more colloquial option is Τι θα πει X;
How would I transliterate the whole sentence, and where is the stress?
A simple transliteration is: Ti siméni oute? (showing stress with an acute: siméni, oúte). Pronunciation: [ti siˈmeni ˈute].
Can I connect more than two items with ούτε?
Yes—repeat ούτε before each item:
- Δεν πίνω ούτε καφέ, ούτε τσάι, ούτε αλκοόλ. (I drink neither coffee, nor tea, nor alcohol.)
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