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Learn Hardcore Greek: Το ίχνος είναι καθαρό. - The trace is clear.

Hardcore Greek
/Taking photos around town
/Το ίχνος είναι καθαρό.

Το ίχνος είναι καθαρό.

Word

Το ίχνος είναι καθαρό.

Meaning

The trace is clear.

Part of speech

sentence

Pronunciation

Course

Lesson

Taking photos around town

Breakdown of Το ίχνος είναι καθαρό.

το ίχνος

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Questions & Answers about Το ίχνος είναι καθαρό.

Why is the sentence Το ίχνος είναι καθαρό and not something like Ο ίχνος?

Because ίχνος is a neuter noun in Greek.

Greek definite articles change according to gender, number, and case:

ο = masculine singular
η = feminine singular
το = neuter singular

So with the neuter noun ίχνος, you use το:

το ίχνος = the trace / the mark / the footprint (depending on context)

What gender is ίχνος, and how can I tell?

ίχνος is neuter.

A common clue is that many neuter nouns in Greek end in -ο or -ος, though -ος is not always masculine. So you cannot rely only on the ending 100% of the time.

In this sentence, you can tell it is neuter because:

the article is το
the adjective is καθαρό, which is the neuter singular form

So the agreement tells you the gender clearly.

Why is the adjective καθαρό and not καθαρός or καθαρή?

Because adjectives in Greek must agree with the noun they describe.

Since ίχνος is:

neuter
singular
nominative (the subject of the sentence)

the adjective must also be neuter singular nominative:

masculine: καθαρός
feminine: καθαρή
neuter: καθαρό

So:

το ίχνος είναι καθαρό

is grammatically matched all the way through.

What exactly is είναι here?

είναι is the verb to be.

In this sentence it means is.

So the structure is:

Το ίχνος = the trace
είναι = is
καθαρό = clean / clear / distinct, depending on context

A useful note: in Modern Greek, είναι is used for both:

he/she/it is
they are

So context tells you whether it is singular or plural.

Does Greek always need the verb είναι in sentences like this?

Yes, in a normal statement like this, Greek uses είναι just as English uses is.

So:

Το ίχνος καθαρό would sound incomplete in standard Greek
Το ίχνος είναι καθαρό is the normal full sentence

Greek does sometimes omit verbs in special contexts like headings, notes, or very informal speech, but for ordinary grammar, you should include είναι.

What case is ίχνος in here?

It is in the nominative singular because it is the subject of the sentence.

The sentence is saying something about the trace, so το ίχνος is the thing being described.

Also, for many neuter nouns, the nominative and accusative forms are the same, so the article and context help you identify the role.

Here, the sentence pattern is:

subject
- είναι
  - predicate adjective

So το ίχνος is nominative.

Why is there no separate word for a or an?

Greek does have an indefinite article, but it is not used in this sentence because the noun is definite: the trace, not a trace.

The Greek indefinite article is:

ένας for masculine
μια / μία for feminine
ένα for neuter

So if you wanted a trace, you could say:

ένα ίχνος

But the sentence you have uses the definite article:

το ίχνος = the trace

How do you pronounce ίχνος and καθαρό?

A simple pronunciation guide:

ίχνος ≈ EE-hnos
καθαρό ≈ ka-tha-RO

More specifically:

ί sounds like ee in see
χ is not English ch; it is a rough sound, like the h-like sound in German ich or the stronger sound in Scottish loch depending on the surrounding vowels
θ sounds like th in think
the stressed syllable is marked by the accent:
- ίχνος → stress on the first syllable
- καθαρό → stress on the last syllable

A natural full pronunciation is roughly:

TO EE-hnos EH-ne ka-tha-RO

What is the little mark over ί and ό?

That mark is the stress accent.

In Modern Greek writing, one syllable in most words is marked as stressed:

ίχνος
καθαρό
είναι

This tells you where to put the emphasis when speaking.

For example:

ίχνος → stress the first syllable
καθαρό → stress the last syllable

Learning to notice accents is very important in Greek because stress is part of correct pronunciation.

Can the word order change?

Yes, Greek word order is more flexible than English, although the most neutral order here is:

Το ίχνος είναι καθαρό.

You may also see other orders for emphasis, such as:

Καθαρό είναι το ίχνος.
Είναι καθαρό το ίχνος.

These can sound more marked or context-dependent. For a learner, the best default is the standard order:

subject + verb + adjective

So Το ίχνος είναι καθαρό is the safest and most natural form to learn first.

Does καθαρό mean clean or clear?

It can mean either, depending on context.

The adjective καθαρός / καθαρή / καθαρό has a range of meanings, including:

clean
clear
pure
unmixed

With ίχνος, the most natural English translation may depend on what kind of trace is meant:

a physical mark might be clean or sharp
evidence or a sign might be clear or distinct

So even if the basic meaning is already given, it is useful to know that καθαρό is a flexible adjective whose exact English equivalent depends on context.

Is ίχνος only used for a physical trace, like a footprint?

No. ίχνος can be used both literally and figuratively.

It can refer to:

a mark
a trace
a footprint
a sign
a small amount left of something

For example, Greek can use ίχνος in expressions meaning no trace of... or not the slightest sign of...

So it is a useful word with a wider range than just a physical footprint.

If I wanted to say The traces are clear, how would this change?

You would make the noun, article, and adjective plural:

Τα ίχνη είναι καθαρά.

Breakdown:

τα = the (neuter plural)
ίχνη = traces
είναι = are
καθαρά = clear/clean (neuter plural)

Notice that:

το becomes τα
ίχνος becomes ίχνη
καθαρό becomes καθαρά

This is a good example of how Greek agreement works across the whole sentence.

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