Learn Hardcore Greek: Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά στα ελληνικά, αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωράω. - I still have difficulty with pronunciation in Greek, but little by little I’m making progress.

Word

Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά στα ελληνικά, αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωράω.

Meaning

I still have difficulty with pronunciation in Greek, but little by little I’m making progress.

Part of speech

sentence

Pronunciation

Course

Hardcore Greek

Lesson

Lesson 39

Breakdown of Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά στα ελληνικά, αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωράω.

Questions & Answers about Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά στα ελληνικά, αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωράω.

What exactly does δυσκολεύομαι mean, grammatically? Is it like I am difficult or I make things difficult?

Δυσκολεύομαι is the middle/passive form of the verb δυσκολεύω.

δυσκολεύω (active) = I make (someone/something) have difficulty / I make things hard
- e.g. Αυτό με δυσκολεύει. = This makes it hard for me.
δυσκολεύομαι (middle/passive) = I have difficulty / I struggle
- e.g. Δυσκολεύομαι με την προφορά. = I have trouble with pronunciation.

In Modern Greek, this middle/passive form is very often used with a reflexive meaning (like I get myself into difficulty), but you don’t add a separate word for myself. The idea of myself is built into -ομαι.

So Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά… = I’m still having difficulty with pronunciation…

Why do we say με την προφορά and not just με προφορά?

In Greek, the definite article is used more often than in English, especially with abstract nouns.

με την προφορά literally: with the pronunciation
English naturally drops the article: with pronunciation

If you said με προφορά (without την), it would sound incomplete or a bit unnatural in this sentence. Greek tends to use την προφορά, τη γλώσσα, τη γραμματική etc., where English often uses bare nouns (pronunciation, language, grammar).