γε G1065
Emphatic enclitic particle: indeed, certainly; at least, at any rate; even (intensifying scalar force).
The tiny Greek particle ge is easy to overlook but hard to translate — an enclitic that clings to the word before it and says 'pay attention here.' Unlike full adverbs, ge modifies emphasis rather than content, which is why translations scatter across 'indeed,' 'certainly,' 'at least,' and sometimes no word at all. Spanish captures its concessive shade with al menos and ciertamente, while French du moins and German doch reach for different pragmatic strategies. Paul exploits its versatile force in 1 Corinthians 9:2, insisting that whatever others may think, 'at least to you I am an apostle,' and again in Philippians 3:8 where ge intensifies his radical claim that he counts all things loss.
Senses
1. indeed, certainly, truly — An emphatic affirmative particle reinforcing the truth or certainty of the statement it attaches to — 'indeed, certainly, truly.' With 12 occurrences, this is ge's default function: confirming what might otherwise seem doubtful. In Acts 17:27, Paul declares God is 'not far from each one of us' with ge underscoring the certainty. Luke 24:21 uses it in the disciples' wistful 'we were hoping that he was the one.' Spanish ciertamente, French certes, and German ja-doch all deploy affirmative markers here. 12×
AR["حَقًّا","حَقّاً","فَعلًا"]·ben["-অবশ্যই","-তো","-সত্যই","অত-যে","অবশ্যই","তো","বাস্তবিকই","যেন","সত্যই","হাঁ"]·DE["doch","ja-"]·EN["indeed","indeed-"]·FR["certes","certes-","du-moins"]·heb["-","אַף","אָכֵן","בֶּאֱמֶת","הֲרֵי"]·HI["-","-तो","-दासों-पर","तो","तोह","वास्तव-में","सचचि","सचमुच","हाँ"]·ID["bahkan","benar","memang","saja","sesungguhnya","sungguh"]·IT["certo","certo-","ge"]·jav["inggih","malah","pancen","pancèn","saestu","sajakipun","sanget","sayekti","ta"]·KO["과연","될-것이다","실로","정말","정말로","진실로","참으로"]·PT["-","certamente","de-fato","na-verdade"]·RU["-Своего","ведь-","даже-","действительно","же","же-","также"]·ES["*","-","ciertamente","de-veras","en-verdad"]·SW["hakika","kwa-hakika","kwa-kweli","kweli","kweli-","na-kweli"]·TR["-mı","gercekten","gerçekten","gerçekten-","hatta","keşke","ki"]·urd["بیشک","بے-شک","تو","واقعی","ہی","یقیناً"]
2. at least, at any rate — A restrictive or concessive particle meaning 'at least, at any rate,' setting a minimum threshold even when the broader claim may be contested. Three occurrences carry this shade: the persistent widow who will get justice 'at least' because of her boldness (Luke 18:5), the neighbor who will help 'at least' because of shameless persistence (Luke 11:8), and Paul's appeal that 'at least to you I am an apostle' (1 Cor 9:2). Spanish al menos and French du moins make the concessive logic explicit where English often smooths it away. 3×
AR["-إِنَّ","-بالتَّأْكيدِ","حَقّاً"]·ben["অতঃপর","অন্তত","অবশ্যই"]·DE["doch","ja-"]·EN["indeed-"]·FR["certes-","du-moins"]·heb["אָכֵן","בֶּאֱמֶת","לְ-פָחוֹת"]·HI["तो","निश्चय"]·ID["pasti","setidaknya"]·IT["certo-","ge"]·jav["saestu","sanget","sayektos"]·KO["적어도","참으로"]·PT["certamente"]·RU["по-крайней-мере","того-что"]·ES["*","al-menos","ciertamente"]·SW["hakika","kwa-kweli"]·TR["ama-","en-azından"]·urd["کم-از-کم","ہی"]
3. even, intensifying emphasis — An intensive scalar particle that heightens or escalates a word's force to mean 'even,' pushing emphasis beyond what context alone would supply. The single clear NT instance is Philippians 3:8, where Paul writes 'I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish.' Spanish aun ('even'), French certes, and German ja capture the scalar escalation. This intensifying use echoes classical Greek's deployment of ge with superlatives and universals. 1×
AR["نَعَمْ"]·ben["আসলে"]·DE["ja-"]·EN["even-"]·FR["certes"]·heb["עוֹד,"]·HI["क्य,"]·ID["sungguh"]·IT["certo"]·jav["ugi"]·KO["정말로,"]·PT["até"]·RU["даже"]·ES["aun"]·SW["basi"]·TR["gercekten"]·urd["ہاں"]
Related Senses
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
γε, Doric dialect and Boeotian dialect γα, enclitic Particle, giving emphasis to the word or words which it follows. __I with single words, at least, at any rate, but often only to be rendered by italics in writing, or emphasis in pronunciation: τὸ γὰρ.. σιδήρου γε κράτος ἐστίν such is the power of iron, Refs 8th c.BC+; εἴ που πτωχῶν γε θεοὶ.. εἰσίν if the poor have any gods to care for…