ντε

Greek

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /de/

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish ده‎ (de, “now then!”)[1][2].

Particle

ντε • (de)

  1. go on! (emphatic interjection exhortative, for a variety of emotions)
    Πήγαινε ντε, τι περιμένεις; (exhortative)
    Pígaine de, ti periméneis?
    Go then, what are you waiting for?
    Καλά ντε, μη φωνάζεις. (irritation)
    Kalá de, mi fonázeis.
    OK then, do not shout.
    Γιατί αγόρασες μελιτζάνες; — Για να φτιάξω μουσακά, ντε! (explanatory, confirmation)
    Giatí agórases melitzánes? — Gia na ftiáxo mousaká, de!
    Why did you buy aubergines? — To make moussaka of course.
    and see expressions
  2. giddyup! (especially to animals)
    Ντε, γαϊδαράκο μου, ντε!
    De, gaïdaráko mou, de!
    Move, my little donkey, move!
Derived terms

(expressions)

  • άντε ντε (ánte de, “go for it!”) (emphatic, exhortative)
  • έλα ντε (éla de, “really!”) (surprise)
  • ντε και καλά (de kai kalá, “absolutely”) (emphatic)
  • ντε και σώνει (de kai sónei, “absolutely”) (emphatic)
  • άντε (ánte, “go! proceed!”, interjection) (also exhortative)

Etymology 2

Transliteration of non-Greek words with letters of the Greek alphabet.

Particle

ντε • (de)

  1. transliteration of the Latin preposition dē (“from”) in the Greek alphabet
    (for stereotyped expressions)
    ντε φάκτο, ντε γιούρε ― de fákto, de gioúre ― de facto, de jure
  2. transliteration of the French preposition de (“of, from”) in the Greek alphabet
    (preposition for stereotyped terms)
    φον ντε τεν ― fon de ten ― fond de teint
    (particle for family names)
    Σαρλ ντε Γκωλ ― Sarl de Gkol ― Charles de Gaulle
  3. transliteration of the French numeral deux (“two”) in the Greek alphabet
    (for stereotyped terms)
    ντε πιες ― de pies ― deux-pièces
Usage notes

Especially for Latin, the original script in Latin alphabet is more common.

References
  1. Georgios Babiniotis (2002), “ντε”, in Λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας: […] [Dictionary of the New Greek Language] (in Greek), 2nd edition, Athens: Kentro Lexikologias, →ISBN.
  2. ντε - Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], 1998, by the "Triantafyllidis" Foundation.
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