Learn Greek › B2 › φυλάω
φυλάω
to guard, watch over, or keep safe /fiˈla.o/
verbB2#2841 most common
Also: to keep (something safe), to stand guard, to preserve (a secret)
Example sentences
Ο σκύλος φυλάει το σπίτι.
The dog guards the house.
Φυλάω τα κλειδιά μου στην τσάντα.
I keep my keys in my bag.
Ο φρουρός φυλάει την πύλη όλη νύχτα.
The guard watches the gate all night.
Θα φυλάξουμε το μυστικό σου.
We will keep your secret.
Οι στρατιώτες φύλαξαν τα σύνορα με μεγάλη προσοχή.
The soldiers guarded the borders with great care.
Παλιά, οι βοσκοί φύλαγαν τα πρόβατα στο βουνό για μήνες ολόκληρους.
In the old days, shepherds used to watch over the sheep on the mountain for whole months.
Conjugation
| Present Active | Simple Past Active | Simple Future Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1sg | φυλάω / φυλώ | φύλαξα | θα φυλάξω |
| 2sg | φυλάς | φύλαξες | θα φυλάξεις |
| 3sg | φυλάει / φυλά | φύλαξε | θα φυλάξει |
| 1pl | φυλάμε | φυλάξαμε | θα φυλάξουμε |
| 2pl | φυλάτε | φυλάξατε | θα φυλάξετε |
| 3pl | φυλάνε / φυλάν | φύλαξαν | θα φυλάξουν |
Word family
φύλακαςguard, watchmanφυλακήprison
φύλαξηguarding, custody
φυλαχτόamulet, charm
φυλάσσωto guard (formal variant of φυλάω)
Etymology
φυλάω is a Modern Greek variant of φυλάσσω/φυλάττω, the everyday verb for guarding or keeping watch. It comes from Ancient Greek φυλάσσω, built on the stem φυλακ-, the same stem seen in φύλαξ (guard) and φυλακή (prison, guard duty). The ultimate origin of this stem is not securely established, so no Indo-European root can be given with confidence.
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