Πώς λέγεται το παιχνίδι που παίζουμε;

What is the game we are playing called?

Breakdown of Πώς λέγεται το παιχνίδι που παίζουμε;

• πώς: how
• που: that
• παίζω: to play
• το παιχνίδι: the game
• λέγομαι: to be called

Questions & Answers about Πώς λέγεται το παιχνίδι που παίζουμε;

Why does Greek use Πώς (“how”) instead of “what” to ask for a name?

In Greek the idiomatic way to ask for a name is Πώς λέγεται ...; literally “How is it called?” In English we say “What is it called?”, but Greek uses πώς here. You can also hear Πώς το λένε ...; (colloquial) or Πώς ονομάζεται ...; (more formal). By contrast, Τι παιχνίδι παίζουμε; asks “Which/what game are we playing?” (not necessarily its name).

What exactly is λέγεται (form and meaning)?

λέγεται is 3rd person singular, present tense, middle/passive of λέγομαι. Here it means “is called/has the name.” In other contexts it can mean “it is said” (impersonal), e.g., Λέγεται ότι... = “It is said that...”.

Is there a difference between Πώς λέγεται... and Πώς το λένε...?

Both are natural and mean the same. Πώς λέγεται... uses the passive (“how is it called?”), while Πώς το λένε... uses an impersonal 3rd-plural (“how do they call it?”), which is slightly more colloquial. For people, natives often prefer Πώς τον/την λένε; over Πώς λέγεται; in everyday speech.

Can I say Ποιο είναι το όνομα του παιχνιδιού που παίζουμε;?

It’s grammatical but sounds bookish/formal. Natives usually say Πώς λέγεται το παιχνίδι που παίζουμε; or, more formal, Πώς ονομάζεται το παιχνίδι που παίζουμε;.

What is the punctuation mark at the end (;)?

That’s the Greek question mark. In Greek, the question mark looks like the English semicolon. The Greek semicolon is a different mark (·, the raised dot), and it indicates a pause/semicolon, not a question.

What does που do here? Is it the same as πού?

που (no accent) is a relative pronoun meaning “that/which/who,” introducing the clause που παίζουμε (“that we play”). πού (with an accent) means “where.” They are different words.

Could I use το οποίο instead of που?

Yes, but it’s more formal. You must match gender/number/case: Πώς λέγεται το παιχνίδι το οποίο παίζουμε; (neuter singular accusative, because it’s the object of παίζουμε).

Why is the article το used before παιχνίδι?

Greek uses definite articles more than English. Here you’re asking about a specific, context-known game, so το παιχνίδι is natural. Without the article it would sound odd in this context.

Do I need a pronoun in the relative clause (που το παίζουμε)?

Not in standard careful Greek. το παιχνίδι που παίζουμε is the norm. In casual speech, some speakers add a “resumptive” clitic (που το παίζουμε), but it’s unnecessary and can sound redundant in writing.

What person and tense is παίζουμε?

Present tense, first person plural of παίζω: “we play/are playing.”

How do you pronounce the whole sentence?

Approximate IPA: [pos ˈleʝete to peˈçniði pu ˈpezume]. Tips:

• Πώς = [pos]
• λέγεται = [ˈleʝete] (the γ before ε is like a soft “y”-ish sound [ʝ]; -ται sounds like [-te])
• παιχνίδι = [peˈçniði] (the χ before ι is the soft German “ich” sound [ç]; δ is the voiced “th” in “this” [ð])
• παίζουμε = [ˈpezume] (the ζ is [z], ου is [u]) Stress the syllables with the written accent.

Spelling gotcha: λέγεται vs λέγετε vs λέγεστε vs λέτε?

• λέγεται = “it is called” (correct here).
• λέγεστε = “you (plural) are called.”
• λέτε = “you (plural) say.”
• λέγετε is a formal/older “you (plural) say” or an imperative; don’t use it for “is called.” The -ται ending (not -τε) is key in λέγεται.

Can I change the word order?

Yes. Greek is flexible: Το παιχνίδι που παίζουμε, πώς λέγεται; or Πώς λέγεται αυτό το παιχνίδι που παίζουμε; All are natural, with slight emphasis shifts.

Does λέγεται ever mean “it is said”?

Yes. Λέγεται ότι... = “It is said that...,” “People say that...”. In your sentence, context clearly gives the “is called” meaning.

What’s the gender and plural of παιχνίδι?

It’s neuter: το παιχνίδι (singular), τα παιχνίδια (plural). Example: Αυτό το παιχνίδι = “this game,” Αυτά τα παιχνίδια = “these games.”

What’s the difference between πώς and πως?

πώς (with accent) = “how” (question word), as in Πώς λέγεται...;. πως (without accent) = “that” (conjunction), often interchangeable with ότι: Μου είπε πως θα έρθει = “He told me that he will come.”

Is Τι λέγεται το παιχνίδι...; a correct alternative?

No. Τι λέγεται...; means “what is said...?” not “what is it called?” Use Πώς λέγεται...; or Πώς το λένε...; to ask for a name.