Μερικοί έχουν άγχος πριν από την εξέταση.

Some people are stressed before the exam.

Breakdown of Μερικοί έχουν άγχος πριν από την εξέταση.

• έχω: to have
• το άγχος: the stress
• πριν από: before
• η εξέταση: the exam
• μερικοί: some people

Questions & Answers about Μερικοί έχουν άγχος πριν από την εξέταση.

What exactly does Μερικοί mean here?

Μερικοί literally means “some” (people).

• It is masculine plural, so in full it would often be μερικοί άνθρωποι = some people.
• In everyday Greek, if it’s clear we’re talking about people, the noun άνθρωποι is often dropped and you just say μερικοί.
• It is used for an indefinite, but not huge, number: “some, several, a few”.

A near‑synonym is κάποιοι (“some”), which often feels a bit more vague or neutral. Here, μερικοί is perfectly natural: Some (people) feel anxious…

Why is there no word for “people” after Μερικοί? Is that normal?

Yes, it’s normal. Greek often drops a noun when it is obvious from context.

• Full version: Μερικοί άνθρωποι έχουν άγχος…
• Shortened, natural version: Μερικοί έχουν άγχος…

Because the verb έχουν is 3rd person plural (“they have”), we know μερικοί must be “some (people)” rather than “some (things)”. So the noun is easily understood and doesn’t need to be stated.

What tense and person is έχουν? How would I conjugate έχω?

Έχουν is:

• Present tense
• 3rd person plural
• From the verb έχω = to have

Present tense of έχω:

• (εγώ) έχω – I have
• (εσύ) έχεις – you have (singular)
• (αυτός/αυτή/αυτό) έχει – he/she/it has
• (εμείς) έχουμε – we have
• (εσείς) έχετε – you have (plural/polite)
• (αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά) έχουν – they have

So Μερικοί έχουν άγχος = Some (people) have anxiety / feel anxious.

Why does Greek say έχουν άγχος (“have anxiety”) instead of “are anxious”? Is there an adjective for “anxious”?

Greek can express this idea in two main ways:

1. έχω άγχος – I have anxiety / I’m anxious
2. είμαι αγχωμένος / αγχωμένη – I’m anxious (adjective)

So you could also say:

• Μερικοί είναι αγχωμένοι πριν από την εξέταση.

The noun‑based phrase έχω άγχος is extremely common and sounds very natural, especially for temporary, situational anxiety: I have exam anxiety, I’m stressed about the exam.

The adjective αγχωμένος (masc.), αγχωμένη (fem.), αγχωμένο (neut.) is also common, but έχω άγχος is slightly more neutral and is often preferred when you’re talking about being stressed in a particular context (exam, job interview, trip, etc.).

What is the gender and form of άγχος? Is it countable?

Άγχος is:

• Neuter
• Singular
• A noun meaning anxiety, stress

Basic forms (most common):

• Nominative: το άγχος – the anxiety
• Genitive: του άγχους – of the anxiety
• Accusative: (το) άγχος – (the) anxiety

In everyday speech it’s usually uncountable, like “stress” in English:

• Έχω πολύ άγχος. – I have a lot of anxiety/stress.

There is a plural τα άγχη, but it’s rare and feels quite formal or literary. Learners mostly just need the singular.

Why is πριν από used? Could I just say πριν or πριν την εξέταση?

All three are possible, with small stylistic differences:

1. πριν από την εξέταση – very standard and clear
2. πριν την εξέταση – also common, especially in speech
3. πριν on its own – only when what comes after is a clause, not a noun:
   • πριν δώσω εξετάσεις – before I sit exams
   • πριν φύγω – before I leave

When πριν is directly followed by a noun, you can:

• Use πριν από + noun (safe, standard choice)
• Or drop από: πριν την εξέταση (very common in conversation)

So the given sentence uses the safe, textbook form πριν από την εξέταση.

What case is την εξέταση, and why is την used?

Την εξέταση is in the accusative singular, feminine.

• εξέταση is a feminine noun: η εξέταση – the exam
• In the accusative singular, the article is την:
  
  • Nominative: η εξέταση – the exam (subject)
  • Accusative: την εξέταση – the exam (object / after a preposition)

Prepositions like πριν από take the accusative, so:

• πριν από την εξέταση – before the exam

The article την agrees with εξέταση in gender (feminine), number (singular), and case (accusative).

Could we drop the article and say πριν από εξέταση?

Normally, no. That would sound incomplete or quite odd in this context.

Greek uses the definite article much more than English, including with:

• Generic references: η εξέταση = “exams / the exam (in general)”
• Specific known things: την εξέταση = “the (particular) exam”

So:

• πριν από την εξέταση ≈ before the exam (the one we both know about)
• Saying πριν από εξέταση would feel like a fragment (before exam), not standard Greek.

There are some fixed expressions without articles, but this isn’t one of them.

What does εξέταση mean exactly? Is it only for school exams?

Εξέταση means “examination, exam” and is used in several contexts:

1. Academic: school/university examinations

   • έχω εξέταση – I have an exam
   • δίνω εξετάσεις – I sit exams

2. Medical: a medical examination

   • ιατρική εξέταση – medical check‑up / examination

3. More generally, any formal examination / inspection / assessment.

For casual or short tests, people may also say τεστ, but εξέταση is the basic word for formal exams like school tests, final exams, driving tests (often εξέταση οδήγησης), etc.

Can I change the word order, e.g. put πριν από την εξέταση at the beginning?

Yes, Greek word order is fairly flexible. These are all possible:

• Μερικοί έχουν άγχος πριν από την εξέταση.
• Πριν από την εξέταση, μερικοί έχουν άγχος.
• Μερικοί, πριν από την εξέταση, έχουν άγχος.

The basic information doesn’t change; only the emphasis or rhythm does.

Putting Πριν από την εξέταση first slightly emphasizes the time (“As for before the exam…”), but all are natural and correct.

How do you pronounce άγχος and εξέταση? The γχ looks tricky.

Pronunciation (with English approximations):

• άγχος: [Á-nghos]

  • ά stressed: like “a” in “father”
  • γχα combination γχ is pronounced like ngh:
    • Start with ng (as in “sing”) and then a harsh h/x sound, like German “Bach”.
  • So it’s something like ANGH-hos (two syllables: ΑΝ-χος).

• εξέταση: [e-XÉ-ta-si]

  • Stress on -ξέ-: ε-ΞΕ-τα-ση
  • ε as in “met”
  • ξ like “ks” in “books”
  • All vowels are clear and separate: e‑XE‑ta‑si.

If you focus on the stress marks (ά, έ), and remember γχ = ngh, you’ll be close to native pronunciation.

Is there a more colloquial or alternative way to say the same idea in Greek?

Yes, a few very natural alternatives:

• Μερικοί αγχώνονται πριν από την εξέταση.
  (Some people get anxious / stress out before the exam.)

• Μερικοί αγχώνονται πριν δώσουν εξετάσεις.
  (Some people get anxious before they sit exams.)

• Μερικοί στρεσάρονται πριν από την εξέταση.
  (More informal, with an English loan verb στρεσάρομαι = “to get stressed”.)

The original sentence Μερικοί έχουν άγχος πριν από την εξέταση. is neutral and fully natural, especially in written or semi-formal contexts.