Learn Greek › C1 › καημένος
καημένος
poor thing (person to be pitied) /ka.iˈme.nos/
nounC1#3465 most common
Also: poor fellow, wretch, unfortunate one
Example sentences
Ο καημένος ο σκύλος πεινάει.
The poor dog is hungry.
Η γιαγιά μου λέει πάντα «καημένο μου παιδί» όταν αρρωσταίνω.
My grandmother always says 'my poor child' when I get sick.
Ο καημένος ο Γιώργος έχασε τη δουλειά του τον περασμένο μήνα.
Poor Giorgos lost his job last month.
Δεν ξέρω πώς άντεξε ο καημένος τόσα χρόνια εντελώς μόνος.
I don't know how the poor guy endured so many years all alone.
Οι καημένοι πρόσφυγες περπάτησαν χιλιόμετρα χωρίς νερό ή τροφή.
The poor refugees walked for miles without water or food.
Κανείς δεν φαντάζεται τι πέρασε ο καημένος μέχρι να μάθει επιτέλους όλη την ιστορία.
No one imagines what the poor man went through until they finally learn the whole story.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | καημένος | καημένοι |
| Genitive | καημένου | καημένων |
| Accusative | καημένο | καημένους |
| Vocative | καημένε | καημένοι |
Word family
καίωto burn
καημόςgrief, deep longing
καημένηpoor thing (feminine)
καυτόςhot, burningκάψιμοburning, scorching
Etymology
Καημένος began as the passive participle of the verb καίω, to burn, formed with the perfect passive participle suffix -μένος. The literal sense, burnt, shifted over time to a figurative one: someone consumed or worn down by suffering. From there it settled into its modern meaning, a poor, unfortunate person deserving pity. The deeper origin of καίω itself is not securely established; some scholars link it to a root for burning, but others treat it as a word of unclear, possibly pre-Greek origin.
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