Ο σουγιάς κόβει το ψωμί.

the bread

Breakdown of Ο σουγιάς κόβει το ψωμί.

• κόβω: to cut
• ο σουγιάς: pocketknife

Questions & Answers about Ο σουγιάς κόβει το ψωμί.

Why are there two small words, ο and το, in the sentence?

They are the Greek definite articles, equivalent to the.

• ο = masculine singular nominative the
• το = neuter singular nominative/accusative the

So:

• ο σουγιάς = the pocketknife
• το ψωμί = the bread

Unlike English, Greek articles change form depending on gender, number, and case.

Why is it ο σουγιάς? How do I know σουγιάς is masculine?

Because σουγιάς is a masculine noun. In Greek, every noun has a grammatical gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter.

The dictionary form is ο σουγιάς, so the article ο tells you it is masculine. The ending -άς is also very commonly masculine.

So you learn the noun together with its article:

• ο σουγιάς = the pocketknife

This is a very good habit in Greek, because the article helps you remember the noun’s gender.

What exactly does σουγιάς mean? Is it just any knife?