# εξέλιξη or ανάπτυξη



## Englishisgreat

Dear all,

I would like to know the difference between the words εκέλιξη and ανάπτυξη ?

I would be happy if anyone could explain it to me ?

Best regards

Christos


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## millougriega

Hello, Christos!

Those two words are synonyms! Has anybody told you that they have a difference? Is there a reason that you ask that question? I mean, you have an essay or sth?


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## Englishisgreat

Hello,

Thanks for your reply. That means you can say η εξέλιξη/η ανάπτυξη του πολιτισμού οr η ανάπτυξη/η εξέλιξη των παιδιών στο σχολείο and there is absolutely no difference between εξέλιξη and ανάπτυξη and they are always interchangeable ?

Best regards

Christos


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## millougriega

Ok, now I understand better your question.

Well, you can say both ανάπτυξη/εξέλιξη του πολιτισμού. You can say ανάπτυξη του παιδιού when you refer to the way a child is developing (if it is growing as it should be for its age) and you can say η εξέλιξη του παιδιού στο σχολείο when you are referring to his grades and to its development as a student.

Ανάπτυξη = the progression to maturation

Εξέλιξη= the way to get sth better than before


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## Englishisgreat

Many thanks for your prompt reply .

I think that I have understood it now.

I can also say: Η επαγγελματική μου εξέλιξη σ'αυτήν την εταιρεία είναι υπέροχη. Here it means that I change from one company to another company without problems. I have now a good and stable job.

When I say Η επαγγελματική μου ανάπτυξη σ'αυτή την εταιρεία είναι υπέροχη. Ηere it means that I began from the very start and then I made career and now I have a leading position ?

Best regards

Christos


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## Englishisgreat

I have forgotten something. H επαγγελματική μου εξέλιξη also  means that I have a better job than for example before.

Best regards

Christos


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## millougriega

Dear Christos,

oh god! I want so much to help you, but now that you are asking these specific questions, I realize how difficult the whole concept of those two words may be for you!

Η επαγγελματική μου εξέλιξη σε αυτήν την εταιρία= I'm getting better and better to what I do in the same company

Η επαγγελματική μου ανάπτυξη σε αυτήν την εταιρία-> We would never use it in this concept. We would say Η επαγγελματική μου ανέλιξη σε αυτήν την εταιρία, in order to say that we got to a higher position within the same company

I change from one company to another company without problems. -> We don't use εξέλιξη/ανάπτυξη for this case. Maybe we would say Η μετάβασή μου σε αυτήν την εταιρία.


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## millougriega

Επαγγελματική ανάπτυξη: the procedure with witch someone is getting better in what he is doing by studying or attending seminars or using new methods. It's a more general concept from the first two examples you gave me.


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## Englishisgreat

Hello,

Thanks for your reply.

In some situations you cannot say εξέλιξη or ανάπτυξη. 

The same is I think for οικονομική ανάπτυξη it is better here than οικονομική εξέλιξη.

Best regards

Christos


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## Englishisgreat

I would like to thank you very much for your help and explanation. I think I have to read more phrase to use it one day correctly.

Best regards

Christos


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## millougriega

I'll give it one more try, in hope that I' ll make it more clear to you.

Ανάπτυξη= a procedure in witch you do some things in order to get better and mature in sth. You are really trying to get better using some means to do it.

Εξέλιξη= the way you are getting better and better into something. It' s sth that comes more naturally because time goes by and you get experience.


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## Englishisgreat

Ok. Many thanks for your very good explanation


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## ireney

While they both can be used with the meaning of "development", ανάπτυξη also means "growth" while εξέλιξη means "evolution, progress" (both can be both literal and metaphorical).


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## Englishisgreat

Dear all,

That's the disadvantage of not having learnt Greek as a child. 

This morning I made a list

Η εξέλιξη ενός φαινομένου, μιας αρρώστιας, του πολέμου, της οικονομίας, της επιστήμης, της τεχνολογίας, των ειδών. Εντυπωσιακή / ταχαία εξέλιξη στη δουλειά.

Η ανάπτυξη δραστηριότητας, της θρησκείας, της βιομηχανίας, της γεωργίας, του εμπορίου, ενός συστήματος, των μελών του σώματος.

I hope this list will help me to accustom to the difference of the two words.

Best regards

Christos


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## Perseas

Another example: we translate "Evolution theory" (Darwin) as "Θεωρία της εξέλιξης".
Αlso: "developed/developing countries" > "ανεπτυγμένες/αναπτυσσόμενες χώρες".



Englishisgreat said:


> Η εξέλιξη ... της οικονομίας...


Η ανάπτυξη would also fit here, depending on context.

Η εξέλιξη της οικονομίας στις βιομηχανικές κοινωνίες ήταν διαφορετική απ' ό,τι στις αγροτικές.
Ανάπτυξη της οικονομίας κατά 3% προβλέπεται για φέτος.


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## Englishisgreat

Many thanks for your feedback. 

And we say H Zωή εξελίχθηκε σε μια πολύ όμορφη κοπέλα/σε μια άριστη μαθήτρια/σε μια υπέροχη μητέρα/σε μια αυστηρή διευθύντρια ?

Οι φοιτητές ανέπτυξαν μια νέα εφαρμογή μετάφρασης από τα ελληνικά στα σουηδικά.

Is that right ?
Best regards

Christos


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## Perseas

Yes, all are right!


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## Englishisgreat

Many thanks Perseas for your feedback.

Happy Easter for you and your family. 

Best regards

Christos


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## Perseas

Englishisgreat said:


> Many thanks Perseas for your feedback.
> 
> Happy Easter for you and your family.
> 
> Best regards
> 
> Christos


Happy Easter! Καλό Πάσχα!


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## mysunrise

Hi!

Τhese two words are not always synonyms.

Ανάπτυξη (development) has to do with *growth*, getting bigger or better, blossom, going up, expand, extend, etc.
Eξέλιξη (evolution) has to do with *change*, and this has not always a positive meaning.

Check these:
α) Ήταν ένας καλός φοιτητής και *εξελίχθηκε* σε έναν διαπρεπή επιστήμονα.
β) Η *εξέλιξη* του Νίκου, παρόλο που ήταν γιος πλούσιας οικογένειας και είχε πολύ καλή αγωγή, ήταν άσχημη. Έμπλεξε με κακές παρέες και στο τέλος έχασε την ζωή του από υπερβολική δόση ηρωίνης.
γ) Η *εξέλιξη* της υγείας του ήταν άσχημη. Ο όγκος που είχε, ήταν καρκίνος. (Ο όγκος μεγάλωσε. Eξελίχθηκε σε καρκίνο.  *Νot: *αναπτύχθηκε.)
δ) Οι τελευταίες *εξελίξεις* (_facts, news, changes..._) μετά το δημοψήφισμα στην Τουρκία δεν ήταν αναμενόμενες. Υπάρχει μεγάλη αβεβαιότητα και ανασφάλεια.

In all these sentences: *ανάπτυξη cannot be used*.

Even if, in some cases, both words fit, there might also be a little (or bigger) diference in the meaning.

Check this:
H *εξέλιξη* της επιστήμης. Η *ανάπτυξη* της επιστήμης. Both sound good, even if I prefer εξέλiξη instead of ανάπτυξη.

Have in mind that both may have a positive meaning, but
- *newclear bombs* are not good for humanity, so this is εξέλιξη, not ανάπτυξη (in the sense that science has to be beneficial for human beings)
- at the same time, the *newclear energy*, is helpful in medicine, hospitals, etc. (in this sense you can surely use εξέλιξη, it´s a good εξέλιξη, and you can also say ανάπτυξη, because you talk about a good aspect).

Remember the general rule:
Ανάπτυξη> growth, development (almost always positive)
Εξέλιξη> change (to the better, to the worst, to the most, to the least, etc....)

Ανέλιξη> only means *going up* (to hierarchy; also the smoke in the air, but this is not a common use)
Aνέλιξη is only a positive aspect of εξέλιξη.

Greetings


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## Englishisgreat

Hello mysunrise,

Perfect explanation. Many thanks for your precious feedback. 

Best regards

Christos


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