Eleni Elefterias-Kostakidis

(Based on the work of Dr Alfred Vincent)

2015

Rules for the Monotonic for Beginners

Since 1982 there is only one accent used in Modern Greek.
There are various versions over the years but this one is
approved by the Greek state.

1. There is only one accent-sign called the acute ().

Examples: , .
2. The acute is used on words of two or more syllables to
indicate that syllable which is stressed in pronunciation.
Examples: , , , .
3. The acute is also used on certain mono-syllabic words, to
distinguish them from other words of different meaning
but similar spelling.
Examples: , (the
article) (or.
4. Words written in Capitals do not take an accent at all.
Examples: , ,
5. Words beginning with a capital take an accent before the
capital letter such as a name or at the beginning of a
sentence.
Examples: . .
6. When two letters stand for a single vowel sound, then the
second letter takes an accent if needed. , , , ,
(av & af), (ev & ef) , .
Examples: , , , , .
7. All words or two or more syllables are written with an
accent on the stressed vowel.
8. When words are contracted (known as contractions), an
originally two syllabled word has dropped the final
unstressed vowel (which is replaced by an apostrophe),
the word still takes an accent.
Examples: becomes .
becomes .
becomes .
9. The only exception to rule 8 above is when a stressed
vowel is dropped and is replaced by an apostrophe.
Examples: becomes
becomes
Eleni Elefterias-Kostakidis
(Based on the work of Dr Alfred Vincent)
2015

becomes
10. Monosyllabic words receive no accent however there
are exceptions.
11. Exception to Rule 10. The word OR so that it can
be differentiated from the article (see rule 3 above)
Examples: ,
12. Exception to Rule 10. The interrogative (questioning)
word meaning ; (where?)
Examples: ; .
Do not confuse with the word meaning which for
example: . .
.
13. Exception to Rule 10. The interrogative (questioning)
word ; (How?)
Examples: ; ; ;
Do not confuse with the word meaning that for example
.
.
14. Exception to Rule 10. The weak pronoun forms ,
, , , , , , , , , ONLY take
an accent in cases of ambiguity.
Examples: = My father spoke
as opposed to
= My father spoke to me.
15. Exception to Rule 10. Monosyllabic words
pronounced as one unit with the verb forms (I go out),
(I find), , (I go in), ( I come) in any
person or number take an accent when the verb itself is
unstressed in pronunciation and its stress passes to the
previous monosyllable.
Examples: becomes (pronounced
THArthi) as opposed to (pronounced
tharTHI). Also
becomes (poetic license as
in the poem by Cavafys

Eleni Elefterias-Kostakidis
(Based on the work of Dr Alfred Vincent)
2015

16. These words are monosyllables and do not take an

accent as the I sound in them is pronounced like the
English y.
Examples: , , , ,
, , , = y sound.
17. These words can be pronounced as one or two
syllables. Therefore they can be written and or
pronounced with or without an accent.
Examples: , , , .
18. When a word, accented on the third syllable from the
end, is followed by an enclitic, it receives a secondary
stress in pronunciation, and a written accent is placed on
the final syllable. This applies to nouns followed by
possessives as in the examples below.
Examples: , .
Also the verbs forms (imperatives of participles) followed
by an object pronoun as in the following examples.
Examples: , ,
.
In the past a hyphen was used (such as - but
this has been abolished.)
19. If an imperative accented on the second-last syllable
is followed by the two object pronouns, the first will take
an accent.
Examples: , .
20. Exception to Rule 19. A monosyllabic imperative
form, such as in Rule 10 and its exceptions, takes o
accents, even when followed by two enclitics.
Examples: .
21. The diaresis () is used when the letter in
one of the dipthongs retains its original sound. These
dipthongs are: , , , , , . The sound of ai is
pronounced a-i instead of e.
Examples: = , , ,
(meaning cutlet as opposed to meaning child).
Note that the diaresis is not used when the first letter of
the dipthong takes an accent. The two letters retain their
original pronunciation.
Eleni Elefterias-Kostakidis
(Based on the work of Dr Alfred Vincent)
2015

Examples: .
K (I make fun of) becomes
(I made fun
of in the past tense).