# Difference between λεπτός and αδύνατος



## larshgf

Ηι,

The two words λεπτός and αδύνατος can be used in the meaning slim. Is there any difference in their use?

BR Lars


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## Perseas

There's no difference when they mean slim.
But in other contexts they may have other meanings. In Georgakas Gr-En online dictionary you can read in a thorough way all meanings of "αδύνατος". You can read also the meanings of "λεπτός" but they are offered only in Greek: λεπτός.


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## larshgf

Perseas said:


> There's no difference when they mean slim.


According to my Greek-Danish dictionary (Danish translated to English):

λεπτός-ή-ό  1. thin, slim  2. (fig) fine
αδύνατος-η-ο  1. impossible  2. weak  3. thin, slim

So I understand that when you use the λεπτός/αδύνατος in the sense of slim/thin there is no difference. I just had this idea that there might be some delicate difference or twist in the meaning of thin/slim between the two words that could not be translated to danish. For instance so that αδύνατος could indicate that the person is thin but also with a Little weak/tired appereance (if you understand what I mean).

Whenever I see two or more words in a greek for a single word in danish I always think that there might be a Little difference between these words and as I dont know what happens of "linguistic perception" in a Greek person I allow myself to Wonder a bit about it. 

BTW: Thank you very much for this forum. I hope it is allowed to ask perpetually!


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## Perseas

larshgf said:


> So I understand that when you use the λεπτός/αδύνατος in the sense of slim/thin there is no difference. I just had this idea that there might be some delicate difference or twist in the meaning of thin/slim between the two words that could not be translated to danish. For instance so that αδύνατος could indicate that the person is thin but also with a Little weak/tired appereance (if you understand what I mean).


Etymologically "αδύνατος" is he who lacks strength. If a person is weak or tired, you can say "αδύνατος" (eg. αδύνατος οργανισμός) or "αδύναμος", but to call a thin person, "αδύνατος" would be unambiguous.



larshgf said:


> BTW: Thank you very much for this forum. I hope it is allowed to ask perpetually!


Yoy are welcome! Anytime.


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## Andrious

When it comes to things, you will only use "λεπτός". For example, the film "The thin red line" is translated only as "Η λεπτή κόκκινη γραμμή".


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## Helleno File

This has been an interesting discussion for me. Thanks to larshgf for bringing this one up too. We've covered both αδύνατος and  λεπτός in my Greek class but it has been helpful to have them brought together so  carefully. I certainly did not know Andrious' observation that it is only λεπτός for things.

Any thoughts about where αδύναμος fits in. Also am I right to think that although I prefer my καφές to be δυνατός (strong) as it is in front of me now, many like it ελαφρύς (weak), although in many contexts the latter means 'light'. There is also απαλός 'soft' which can have some of the meanings of λεπτός in the sense of slight, faint, e.g. απαλή διάκριση, 'a fine distinction' - is that right? And then there's αχνός...!!

All this is a tremendous example of how within one language a word can have several meanings each of which can sit on a semantic spectrum with other words with overlaps and distinctions often depending on context. And then we have the task of mapping these spectrums to those in other languages. Which is what makes it such fun!

Tony


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## fdb

Please correct me if I am wrong, but λεπτός looks like a classical/katharevousa form. For demotic I would expect *λεφτός, but this does not seem to exist. This suggests that it belongs to a more formal register.


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## Perseas

fdb said:


> Please correct me if I am wrong, but λεπτός looks like a classical/katharevousa form. For demotic I would expect *λεφτός, but this does not seem to exist. This suggests that it belongs to a more formal register.


The adjective "λεπτός,-ή,-ό" is Modern Greek, it's very common and is used irrespective of register variety.
We also have the noun "λεφτά" (=money), but "χρήματα" is more formal. *λεφτός does not exist.


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