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- "Τα δικά της τσίζκεικ."
28 Comments
I do see the plural in τα δικά, but found it confusing not to find it in cheesecake. So, is κέικ not only cake but its plural, cakes (like one deer / two deer)?
Yes, you are right, the word κέικ is indeclinable - in Modern Greek most words borrowed from other languages are indeclinable. This passage from an article called Modern Greek Nouns provides some more information.
How is it even possible to differentiate between "Her cheesecake" and "Her cheesecakes" in this context?
The article is the indicator: Φέρε μου το τσίζκεϊκ της. - Bring me her cheesecake. vs. Φέρε μου τα τσίζκεϊκ της. - Bring me her cheesecakes. Or using as an example the sentence of this exercise: Το δικό της τσίζκεϊκ. (singular) vs Τα δικά της τσίζκεϊκ. (plural)
Out of curiosity, I googled τσιζκεικ all the classic chefs from Vefa, to Parialros to Petretzikis, and beyond predominantly had: τσιζκέικ , a few τσιζκέικ, even τσιζ κέικ. And in spite of the vagaries of spelling it usually sounds like cheesecake. :-)) I'd like to check it out in a good dictionary. I went and gave my Babiniotis to a colloge student but I can see one in the library. I'll try to do that.
I don't have that dictionary - which I think is the best - but I'm almost sure you won't find "τσίζκεϊκ" or "τσιζκέικ" in it. Linguists are reluctant to add recently borrowed foreign words in greek dictionaries.
The new audio sounds extremely garbled for this. I reported it as "audio does not sound correct". It's possibly that it's only on my end but it's happened on multiple lessons with the word τσίζκεικ
I think they are indicating different things. We're not trying to show that the cheesecake belongs to her but some aspect of her cheesecake. For example: "What is she bringing to the cake sale?" "Her own cheesecakes." Thank you for your input and keep it coming and send up your observations.
Very briefly: the definite article is used in Greek much more than in English and in different ways. You may have noticed them with proper nouns: η Ελένη. Hope that helps. Sentence by sentence you'll become accustomed. Let us know if you have any other questions. I assume you have a Greek keyboard. If not we have links. Don't forget to read the TipsNotes on all units and check the hover drop down hints for each sentence. The hints will give you a good idea of what to write.
So τΑ δικΆ της τσίζκεικ = her own cheesecakeS (pl)
but
τΟ δικΌ της τσίζκεικ = her own cheesecake (sing)
I wrote "her own cheesecake" singular against the "τα δικά" version and it was marked correct with "Another correct solution: Her own cheesecakes."
How can it be both singular AND plural - there isn't an appropriate choice to make when you try to report it.
"τσίζκεικ" as with other borrowed words does not change to show singular and plural in Greek. We say: "ένα τσίζκείκ ="one cheesecake" or "δεκα τσίζκεικ"=ten cheesecakes.
Sorry, I misunderstood your question and what you had written.
Yes, if you were shown "τα δικά της τσίζκεικ" only plural should have been accepted. There was an error in the incubator which I have just corrected.
Actually, "sentence is unnatural or has an error" was a good choice it draws our attention to errors of this sort.
Thanks for the Report, and your comments; they are of value to the whole community.
hi jaye16 - not sure if that's a reply to my question - but I do understand the idea that τσίζκεικ is the word used for one or 10 cheesecakes, but what I haven't understood (and it may be a Duo error) is why my answer was correct, when I think it should have been incorrect because of the 'τα δικά'.....
Would "Τα τσίζκεικ της" also be a possible way to say the same thing? And if yes are there prefered situations to use one or the other?
It is in plural. Foreign words very often do not decline. For example "σαντουιτς" is the same in singular and plural, as is "τσιζκεικ" the plural is shown by the article "τα".
No, it isn't. It would be "τα τσίζκεϊκ της", the possessive goes after the noun.
