Το λεξιλόγιο, το οποίο μαθαίνουμε σήμερα, έχει πολλές λέξεις για συναισθήματα.

The vocabulary that we are learning today has many words for feelings.

Breakdown of Το λεξιλόγιο, το οποίο μαθαίνουμε σήμερα, έχει πολλές λέξεις για συναισθήματα.

• έχω: to have
• σήμερα: today
• για: for
• πολύς: many
• μαθαίνω: to learn
• η λέξη: the word
• ο οποίος: which
• το λεξιλόγιο: the vocabulary
• το συναίσθημα: the feeling

Questions & Answers about Το λεξιλόγιο, το οποίο μαθαίνουμε σήμερα, έχει πολλές λέξεις για συναισθήματα.

What exactly does το λεξιλόγιο mean here, and why does it have the article το?

Λεξιλόγιο means vocabulary – a set or list of words. In Greek it is:

• neuter gender
• singular: το λεξιλόγιο
• plural: τα λεξιλόγια

Here it refers to a specific set of vocabulary (the vocabulary for today’s lesson), so Greek uses the definite article το (the).

In English we often just say “vocabulary” without the, but in Greek, when you mean a specific, known set, you normally say το λεξιλόγιο (the vocabulary), not just λεξιλόγιο.

Why is there a comma before and after το οποίο μαθαίνουμε σήμερα?

The commas mark a non‑essential (non‑restrictive) relative clause, just like in English:

• Το λεξιλόγιο, το οποίο μαθαίνουμε σήμερα, ...
  = The vocabulary, which we are learning today, ...

This clause gives extra information about το λεξιλόγιο, but it doesn’t identify which vocabulary; we already know which one from the context (today’s lesson).

In Greek, non‑essential clauses introduced by το οποίο (or ο οποίος / η οποία) are normally set off with commas, just like in English with which.

What is το οποίο exactly, and why that form?

Το οποίο is a relative pronoun meaning which.

• It refers back to το λεξιλόγιο, which is neuter singular.
• It must agree in gender and number with the noun it refers to:
  • λεξιλόγιο → neuter singular → το οποίο

In the sentence:

• Το λεξιλόγιο, το οποίο μαθαίνουμε σήμερα, ...

Το οποίο is the object of the verb μαθαίνουμε (we are learning it), so grammatically it is neuter singular accusative.
The form το οποίο looks the same in nominative and accusative, so you tell the case from the function in the sentence, not from the shape.

Could we replace το οποίο with που? What’s the difference?

Yes. A very natural version is:

• Το λεξιλόγιο που μαθαίνουμε σήμερα έχει πολλές λέξεις για συναισθήματα.

Differences:

• που

  • Much more colloquial and common in everyday speech.
  • Simpler to use: it doesn’t change for gender/case/number.
  • Often used without commas in restrictive clauses.

• το οποίο

  • More formal or careful style (writing, textbooks, formal speech).
  • Must agree in gender and number, and follow case rules.
  • Typically used with commas in non‑essential clauses.

Both are correct here; choice depends mainly on register and style.

Why is the verb μαθαίνουμε used, and how should I understand its tense?

Μαθαίνουμε is:

• present tense
• 1st person plural: we learn / we are learning

Greek present tense covers both “we learn” (simple present) and “we are learning” (present continuous). The exact English translation depends on context.

Here, since it’s about today’s lesson, the natural English equivalent is “which we are learning today.”

Can I change the position of σήμερα? For example, say σήμερα μαθαίνουμε?

Yes. Greek word order is quite flexible for adverbs like σήμερα. All of these are possible and natural:

• Το λεξιλόγιο, το οποίο μαθαίνουμε σήμερα, έχει πολλές λέξεις...
• Το λεξιλόγιο, το οποίο σήμερα μαθαίνουμε, έχει πολλές λέξεις... (more marked/emphatic)
• Το λεξιλόγιο, που σήμερα μαθαίνουμε, έχει πολλές λέξεις...
• Σήμερα μαθαίνουμε το λεξιλόγιο που έχει πολλές λέξεις για συναισθήματα.

The version in the sentence (μαθαίνουμε σήμερα) is neutral and very common.

Why is it πολλές λέξεις and not πολλή λέξη or πολύ λέξεις?

Because the adjective must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

• λέξη = word

  • feminine singular nominative: η λέξη
  • plural accusative: τις λέξεις

• πολύς / πολλή / πολύ = much / many

  • feminine plural accusative: πολλές

The phrase is:

• πολλές λέξεις = many words
  
  • πολλές (feminine plural accusative)
  • λέξεις (feminine plural accusative)

So πολλές is the correct form to match λέξεις.
Πολύ λέξεις is grammatically wrong in standard Greek.

What case are λέξεις and συναισθήματα in, and why?

• λέξεις

  • Noun: η λέξη (word)
  • In the sentence: πολλές λέξεις
  • Function: direct object of έχει (has)
    → Case: accusative plural

• συναισθήματα

  • Noun: το συναίσθημα (feeling, emotion)
  • In the sentence: για συναισθήματα
  • After the preposition για, Greek uses the accusative
    → Case: accusative plural neuter

So both λέξεις and συναισθήματα are in accusative plural, but they are different genders and have different roles in the sentence.

Why is the preposition για used before συναισθήματα? Could we say something else?

Για commonly means:

• for, about, concerning

Here:

• λέξεις για συναισθήματα
  = words for emotions / words about feelings

Other options:

• λέξεις των συναισθημάτων (literally: words of the feelings) – sounds more abstract/technical, not natural in this context.
• λέξεις σχετικά με τα συναισθήματα = words related to the feelings (longer, slightly more formal).

For a simple “words for feelings,” για is the most natural and idiomatic choice.

Does συναισθήματα mean “feelings” or “emotions”? Is there a nuance?

Συναισθήματα can be translated as feelings or emotions; in many contexts they overlap.

• το συναίσθημα = a feeling / an emotion
• τα συναισθήματα = feelings / emotions

Often:

• In everyday speech, English feelings is a good default.
• In more psychological or formal contexts, emotions can be more appropriate.

Greek doesn’t always draw a strict line between those two English words in this noun; context decides which English word feels more natural.

How do you pronounce the harder words, like λεξιλόγιο and συναισθήματα?

Approximate pronunciations (stressed syllable in ALL CAPS):

• Το λεξιλόγιο → to leksi-LO-yi-o

  • λ = l
  • ξ = ks
  • γ before ι is a soft sound, like a “y”/soft “gh” → here it sounds like yo

• συναισθήματα → si-nes-THÍ-ma-ta

  • αι is pronounced like e in pet
  • η is pronounced like ee
  • θ like th in think

• Whole sentence (roughly):
  To leksi-LO-yi-o, to o-PI-o ma-THÉ-nu-me SÍ-me-ra, É-chi po-LÉS LÉ-kseis ya si-nes-THÍ-ma-ta.

Could we say Το λεξιλόγιο που μαθαίνουμε σήμερα έχει πολλές λέξεις για συναισθήματα without commas? Is that correct?

Yes, it is fully correct and sounds very natural:

• Το λεξιλόγιο που μαθαίνουμε σήμερα έχει πολλές λέξεις για συναισθήματα.

Differences compared to the original:

• Uses που instead of το οποίο → more colloquial.
• No commas → the που‑clause is treated as more tightly connected to the noun (often interpreted as more “restrictive” in feel).
• Meaning in practice is the same here: The vocabulary that we’re learning today has many words for feelings.

So this version is common in everyday spoken and written Greek.