Time as a general concept
The word for time as a general concept is χρόνος, which has also given us English words like chronic or chronological.
It is also used when talking about time as a resource or commodity, time that is spent, given or taken, time that is available or time that is needed.
Έχω πολύ χρόνο. – I have a lot of time.
Δεν έχω χρόνο. – I don’t have time.
Χρειάζομαι χρόνο. – I need time.
Περνάει χρόνο μαζί μου. – She spends time with me.
Παίρνει πολύ χρόνο. – It takes a lot of time.
Διαρκεί πολύ χρόνο. – It lasts for a long time.
Ο χρόνος περνάει γρήγορα. – Time goes by fast.
Ο χρόνος μας τελειώνει. – Our time is running out.
Ο χρόνος δε σταματάει ποτέ. – Time never stops.
Year
The noun χρόνος also means ‘year’, but in the plural it’s no longer masculine, and becomes [τα] χρόνια ‘years’. This plural has no singular equivalent, which means that we cannot go from τα χρόνια to *το χρόνι – this singular form doesn’t exist.
Είναι πέντε χρόνια μεγαλύτερος. – He’s five years older.
Είναι τρία χρόνια μικρότερη. – She’s three years younger.
Έχουμε δυο χρόνια διαφορά. – We have a two-year age gap.
However, there are cases when the masculine singular [ο] χρόνος can be pluralised as a masculine noun: [οι] χρόνοι. You might occasionally see χρόνοι meaning ‘years’ in more poetic contexts, but also when χρόνος is used in other meanings, for example when it means ‘grammatical tense’.
| ‘Year’ | Other meanings |
|---|---|---|
Singular | ο χρόνος | ο χρόνος |
Plural | τα χρόνια ( poetic: οι χρόνοι) | οι χρόνοι |
Age
Things are different in the genitive plural. The genitive is the grammatical case that shows possession or belonging, which in English is expressed by the word 'of' or the suffix 's.
In order to say phrases like ‘of years’ or ‘of the years’, we use the masculine gender on all occasions – i.e., the neuter plural form τα χρόνια has no genitive. The context of age is the most common example.
Πόσων χρονών είσαι; – How old are you?
(Literally: ‘Of how many years are you?’)
Είμαι τριάντα χρονών. – I’m thirty years old.
(Literally: ‘I am of thirty years.’)
Το μωρό είναι ενός χρόνου. – The baby is one year old.
(Literally: ‘The baby is of one year.’)
Distinguishing between χρονών and χρόνων
We would perhaps expect the genitive plural to be χρόνων (stress on the ο) instead of χρονών (stress on the ω). However, when talking about age in everyday language, the form χρόνων is rarely used, and it’s considered quite formal. What you will hear the most in the context of age is: χρονών.
Outside the context of age, when we use word χρόνος with the meaning of ‘year’, or with one of its other meanings (e.g., ‘grammatical tense’, ‘stroke of an engine’, etc.), then we always use the form χρόνων.
Τα στατιστικά των τελευταίων δύο χρόνων. – Last two years’ statistics.
Οι κανόνες των χρόνων στα ελληνικά. – The rules of grammatical tenses in Greek.
| Year - age | Year - time period | Other meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
Singular | ο χρόνος | ο χρόνος | ο χρόνος |
Plural | τα χρόνια (poetic: οι χρόνοι) | τα χρόνια (poetic: οι χρόνοι) | οι χρόνοι |
Genitive Plural | χρονών (formal: χρόνων) | των χρόνων | των χρόνων |
Referring to a specific year – casual
When referring to a specific year (e.g., the year 1988, the year 56 B.C., etc.), we use: [η] χρονιά, which is feminine. The stress is on the α: [η] χρονιά, and it’s different to [τα] χρόνια ‘years’.
The word χρονιά has a regular plural: [οι] χρονιές.
Το 2005 ήταν μια καλή χρονιά. – 2005 was a good year.
Ποια χρονιά τελείωσες το σχολείο; – Which year did you finish school?
Αυτή η χρονιά θα είναι δύσκολη. – This year is going to be difficult.
Όλα έγιναν την ίδια χρονιά. – Everything happened in the same year.
Αυτές είναι οι δύο χρονιές που θυμάμαι καλά. – These are the two years that I remember well.
There are times when χρόνος and χρονιά are interchangeable, although this is quite situational.
'This is the second year I’m doing this job.'
Είναι η δεύτερη χρονιά που κάνω αυτή τη δουλειά.
Είναι ο δεύτερος χρόνος που κάνω αυτή τη δουλειά.
'The next three years will be important.'
Οι επόμενες τρεις χρονιές θα είναι σημαντικές.
Τα επόμενα τρία χρόνια θα είναι σημαντικά.
In these two examples, even though we refer to a specific period of 365 days – [μία] χρονιά –, this time period still amounts to one year – [ένας] χρόνος –, so no matter which one we choose the result is the same.
Despite its very specific use, the genitive plural of the word [η] χρονιά is not *των χρονιών (feminine) but των χρόνων (masculine), taken from the noun [ο] χρόνος.
It is important to clarify here that χρονιά does not only refer to the period from January 1st to December 31st. It can also, for example, refer to a school year, an academic year, or a financial year.
Referring to a specific year – formal
A formal synonym of [η] χρονιά is [το] έτος – plural: [τα] έτη – which is used in the same ways.
Σχολική χρονιά. / Σχολικό έτος. – School year.
When we talk about an academic year or a fiscal year, then έτος is the word that is normally used, but χρονιά is also used occasionally.
Ακαδημαϊκό έτος. – Academic year.
Φορολογικό έτος. – Fiscal year.
It is also the word that expresses which year a student is in college or university.
Σε ποιο έτος είσαι; / Τι έτος είσαι; – Which year are you in?
Είμαι (στο) τρίτο έτος. – I’m in my third year.
From the word έτος we have the adjective ετήσιος -α -ο ‘annual, yearly’, although in Cyprus you might also hear χρονιαίος -α -ο.
It is also used to express age, as a synonym of χρόνος/χρόνια, in the genitive plural. However, note that this is a very formal way to talk about age.
Πόσων ετών είσαι;
(Literally: ‘Of how many years are you?’)
Είμαι τριάντα ετών.
(Literally: ‘I am of thirty years.’)
Το μωρό είναι ενός έτους.
(Literally: ‘The baby is of one year.’)
Finally, έτος is also the word we use in phrases like: ‘The year 1988’ or ‘In the year 1988’, if we want to include the word ‘year’ in the Greek phrase too.
Το έτος 1988. – The year 1988. / In the year 1988.
Otherwise, we simply use the article το.
Το 1988. – The year 1988. / In the year 1988.
Age (years old) - Casual | Age (years old) - Formal |
χρονών | χρόνων / ετών |
χρόνου | χρόνου / έτους |
A context in which all three words, [τα] χρόνια, [η] χρονιά, and [το] έτος are used, is New Year wishes.
Χρόνια πολλά. – May you live long.
(Literally: ‘Years Many’. Also used in all kinds of celebrations and holidays, e.g., birthdays and Christmas)
Καλή χρονιά. – Happy New Year.
(Most common way to express this wish.)
Ευτυχισμένο το νέο έτος. – Happy New Year.
(Normally seen in written language only. Considered very formal.)
Distinguishing between: χρόνος / ώρα / καιρός
We mentioned that we use χρόνος when talking about time as a commodity, time that is spent, given or taken, time that is available or time that is needed.
However, when we want to talk about the length of an action, activity, event or situation, we don’t use χρόνος. Depending on the length of the activity, i.e., whether it’s short-term or long-term, we use either ώρα (short term) or καιρός (long term).
Συνήθως τρέχω πολλή ώρα. – I usually run for a long time.
Μαθαίνω ελληνικά πολύ καιρό. – I’ve been learning Greek for a long time.
Διαβάζω πολλή ώρα κάθε μέρα. – I read for a long time every day.
Είμαι σε αυτή τη δουλειά πολύ καιρό. – I’ve been at this job for a long time.
Δεν κοιμάμαι πολλή ώρα το μεσημέρι. – I don’t sleep long in the afternoon.
Δεν την ξέρω πολύ καιρό. – I haven’t known her for a long time.
Βρέχει πολλή ώρα; – Has it been raining for a long time?
Αυτό γίνεται πολύ καιρό. – This has been going on for a long time.
Ήμουν λίγη ώρα έξω. – I was outside for a short while.
Ήμουν λίγο καιρό στο εξωτερικό. – I was abroad for a short while.
Περιμένω αρκετή ώρα στη στάση. – I’ve been waiting for quite some time at the bus stop.
Περιμένω αρκετό καιρό αυτό το δέμα. – I’ve been waiting for this parcel for quite some time.
Ώρα also means ‘hour’, and it’s what we use in phrases like ‘What time is it?’, or ‘The time is 5:30’. It’s also the word that quantifies time when we talk about short-term activities and events – usually a few minutes or hours –, within the same day.
Καιρός also means ‘weather’, and it’s the word that quantifies time when we talk about long-term activities or situations, i.e., something that lasts for several days, a few weeks, a few months, or longer.
The following English phrases, can be translated using either ώρα or καιρός, depending on the context.
'How long have you been here? / I’ve been here for a long time.'
Πόση ώρα είσαι εδώ; / Είμαι εδώ πολλή ώρα.
(Waiting, standing, sitting or doing an activity for a few minutes or hours)
Πόσον καιρό είσαι εδώ; / Είμαι εδώ πολύ καιρό.
(Living, working, or attending for months or years)
'I have been singing for a long time'
Τραγουδάω πολλή ώρα. (Singing for perhaps 20 minutes already, or longer)
Τραγουδάω πολύ καιρό. (Singing for a few years maybe, as a hobby or profession)
In case we are unsure whether to use ώρα or καιρός, we can simply use πολύ / για πολύ (‘long’ / ‘for long’) or λίγο / για λίγο (‘not long’ / ‘not for long’).
However, note that the phrase σε λίγο ('in a bit’), only describes short periods of time, i.e., minutes or hours.
The words ώρα and καιρός can also refer to points in time, but they keep their distinction of short-time and long-time periods.
Δε θα μπορώ εκείνη την ώρα. – I won’t be available at that time.
Τι κάνεις αυτόν τον καιρό; – What have you been doing lately?
Η πιο δύσκολη ώρα. – The hardest time / The hardest moment.
Δύσκολοι καιροί. – Hard Times (by Charles Dickens)
The words ώρα and καιρός are also used in certain contexts where we can also use χρόνος.
Specifically, when talking about time needed, time spent, available that is or isn’t available, and time going by.
Παίρνει πολύ χρόνο. – It takes a long time.
Παίρνει πολλή ώρα. – It takes a long time.
Παίρνει πολύ καιρό. – It takes a long time.
Θέλει πολύ χρόνο. – It needs a lot of time.
Το φαγητό θέλει πολλή ώρα ακόμα. – The food needs a lot of time still.
Θέλεις πολύ καιρό για να χτίσεις ένα σπίτι. – It takes a long time to build a house.
Περνάμε πολύ χρόνο μαζί. – We spend a lot of time together.
Περνάω πολλή ώρα στο μπαλκόνι κάθε μέρα. – I spend a long time at the balcony every day.
Περνάω πολύ καιρό σε αυτή την πόλη κάθε χρόνο. – It spend a lot of time in this city every year.
Ο χρόνος περνάει. – Time goes by.
Η ώρα περνάει. – Time goes by.
Ο καιρός περνάει. – Time goes by.
Δεν έχεις πολύ χρόνο. – You don't have much time.
Δεν έχεις πολλή ώρα μπροστά σου. – You don't have much time left.
Έχεις πολύ καιρό μπροστά σου. – You have a lot of time ahead of you.
| χρόνος | ώρα | καιρός |
|---|---|---|---|
Time available (έχω) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Time needed (χρειάζομαι / θέλω / παίρνει) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Time that passes (περνάει) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Time spent (περνάω) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Time running out (τελειώνει) | ✓ | χ | χ |
Time stopping (σταματάει) | ✓ | χ | χ |
Length of action or activity (action verbs) | χ | ✓ | ✓ |
Length of event or situation (verbs of being, becoming, happening) | χ | ✓ | ✓ |
How many times?
A meaning that in English is also expressed through the word ‘time’, but often has its own word in other languages, is ‘times’, as in: ‘I have been there three times’ or ‘How many times did you try?’. The Greek word for that, is [η] φορά, and it’s unrelated to all other words we’ve seen so far here.
Πόσες φορές έχεις πάει εκεί; – How many times have you been there?
Τρώω μία φορά τη μέρα. – I eat once per day.
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