Learn Greek › B2 › πονάω
πονάω
to hurt, to feel pain /poˈnao/
verbB2#2858 most common
Also: to ache, to be in pain, to feel sorrow for (figurative)
Example sentences
Πονάει το κεφάλι μου.
My head hurts.
Μου πονάει η κοιλιά.
My stomach hurts.
Πονάω πολύ σήμερα, δεν μπορώ να περπατήσω καλά.
I'm in a lot of pain today, I can't walk well.
Της πονούσε ο λαιμός όλη τη νύχτα.
Her throat hurt all night.
Μου πόνεσε η καρδιά όταν είδα το παιδί να κλαίει μόνο του.
My heart ached when I saw the child crying alone.
Παρόλο που πονούσε αφόρητα, δεν άφησε να φανεί καμία έκφραση πόνου στο πρόσωπό του.
Although he was in unbearable pain, he let no expression of pain show on his face.
Conjugation
| Present Active | Simple Past Active | Simple Future Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1sg | πονάω / πονώ | πόνεσα | θα πονέσω |
| 2sg | πονάς | πόνεσες | θα πονέσεις |
| 3sg | πονάει / πονά | πόνεσε | θα πονέσει |
| 1pl | πονάμε | πονέσαμε | θα πονέσουμε |
| 2pl | πονάτε | πονέσατε | θα πονέσετε |
| 3pl | πονάνε / πονούν | πόνεσαν | θα πονέσουν |
Word family
πόνοςpain, ache, toil
πονεμένοςpained, sore, hurting
πονόδοντοςtoothache
πονοκέφαλοςheadache
συμπονώto sympathize, to feel for someone's pain
Etymology
Πονάω comes from the ancient noun πόνος, meaning toil, hardship, or pain, joined with the verb-forming suffix -άω. In antiquity πόνος leaned toward hard labor and struggle. Over time, through Koine and Byzantine Greek, the meaning narrowed toward physical and emotional pain, which is the sense that dominates in Modern Greek today.
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