Greek alphabet Α α Alpha Ν ν Nu Β β Beta Ξ ξ Xi Γ γ Gamma Ο ο Omicron Δ δ Delta Π π Pi Ε ε Epsilon Ρ ρ Rho Ζ ζ Zeta Σ σ ς Sigma Η η Eta Τ τ Tau Θ θ Theta Υ υ Upsilon Ι ι Iota Φ φ Phi Κ κ Kappa Χ χ Khi Λ λ Lambda Ψ ψ Psi Μ μ Mu Ω ω Omega
Declension of the definite article masculine feminine neuter ὁ ἡ το τον την το του της του τῳ τῃ τῳ plural οἱ αἱ τα τους τας τα των των των τοις ταις τοις
Adjective fine, beautiful, good masculine feminine neuter καλ-ος καλ-η καλ-ον καλ-ον καλ-ην καλ-ον καλ-ου καλ-ης καλ-ου καλ-ῳ καλ-ῃ καλ-ῳ voc. (where differing from ) καλ-ε plural καλ-οι καλ-αι καλ-α καλ-ους καλ-ας καλ-α καλ-ων καλ-ων καλ-ων καλ-οις καλ-αις καλ-οις
Adjective bad, evil, cowardly, lowly, mean masculine feminine neuter κακ-ος κακ-η κακ-ον κακ-ον κακ-ην κακ-ον κακ-ου κακ-ης κακ-ου κακ-ῳ κακ-ῃ κακ-ῳ voc. (where differing from ) κακ-ε plural κακ-οι κακ-αι κακ-α κακ-ους κακ-ας κακ-α κακ-ων κακ-ων κακ-ων κακ-οις κακ-αις κακ-οις N.B. this slide is purely illustrative; the forms are the same as καλ-ος
Verb I go, I am going, I do go present, indicative, active the imperative mood (as a command) 1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person plural βαιν-ω βαιν-ε βαιν-εις plural βαιν-ετε βαιν-ει βαιν-ομεν 2nd person plural βαιν-ετε 3rd person plural βαιν-ουσι(ν) N.B. the nu is added when preceding a word beginning with a vowel
Contract verbs There are three types: α-contracts ε-contracts ο-contracts Note that contraction is confined to verbs whose stem ends in α- ε- or ο-.
Contract verbs α+ο/ου/ω=ω α+ει=ᾳ α+ε=α ε+ω=ω ε+ε/ει=ει ε+ο/ου=ου ο+ω=ω ο+ε/ο/ου=ου ο+ι/οι=οι
Contract verbs uncontracted α-contract ε-contract ο-contract βαινω ὁραω ποιεω δηλοω I go I see I do/make I show 1st person βαιν-ω ὁρ-ω ποι-ω δηλ-ω 2nd person βαιν-εις ὁρ-ᾳς ποι-εις δηλ-οις 3rd person βαιν-ει ὁρ-ᾳ ποι-ει δηλ-οι 1st person plural βαιν-ομεν ὁρ-ωμεν ποι-ουμεν δηλ-ουμεν 2nd person plural βαιν-ετε ὁρ-ατε ποι-ειτε δηλ-ουτε 3rd person plural βαιν-ουσι(ν) ὁρ-ωσι(ν) ποι-ουσι(ν) δηλ-ουσι(ν) imperative βαιν-ε ὁρ-α ποι-ει δηλ-ου plural imperative βαιν-ετε ὁρ-ατε ποι-ειτε δηλ-ουτε
Forming adverbs adjective genitive masculine plural adverb καλ-ος καλ-ων καλ-ως fine/beautiful finely/ beautifully κακ-ος κακ-ων κακ-ως bad/evil badly/evilly σαφ-ης σαφ-ων σαφ-ως clear clearly βαθ-υς βαθ-εων βαθ-εως deep deeply ἀκριβ-ης ἀκριβ-ων ἀκριβ-ως accurate accurately
Nouns type 2a ἀνθρωπος, ὁ man/fellow masculine ἀνθρωπ ος ἀνθρωπ ον ἀνθρωπ ου ἀνθρωπ ῳ voc. (where differing from ) ἀνθρωπ ε plural ἀνθρωπ οι ἀνθρωπ ους ἀνθρωπ ων ἀνθρωπ οις
Nouns type 2b ἐργον, το task/duty/job/work neuter ἐργ-ον ἐργ-ον ἐργ-ου ἐργ-ῳ plural ἐργ-α ἐργ-α ἐργ-ων ἐργ-οις
The ι, ρ, ε rule If an adjective ends in -ος in the masculine nominative and its stem ends in ι, ρ or ε, it will follow the pattern of ἡμετερος (i.e. it will have α instead of η in the feminine ).
Adjective our(s) male female neuter ἡμετερ-ος ἡμετερ-α ἡμετερ-ον ἡμετερ-ον ἡμετερ-αν ἡμετερ-ον ἡμετερ-ου ἡμετερ-ας ἡμετερ-ου ἡμετερ-ῳ ἡμετερ-ᾳ ἡμετερ-ῳ plural ἡμετερ-οι ἡμετερ-αι ἡμετερ-α ἡμετερ-ους ἡμετερ-ας ἡμετερ-α ἡμετερ-ων ἡμετερ-ων ἡμετερ-ων ἡμετερ-οις ἡμετερ-αις ἡμετερ-οις
Prepositions προς + =towards e.g. προς την γην (towards the land) ἀπο + =away from e.g. ἀπο του πλοιου (away from the ship) ἐκ + =out of/from e.g. ἐκ του πλοιου (from the ship) ἐν + =in, on, among e.g. ἐν τῃ θαλαττῃ (in the sea)
Irregular verb I am present, indicative, active 1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person plural 2nd person plural 3rd person plural εἰμι εἰ ἐστι(ν) ἐσμεν ἐστε εἰσι(ν)
Irregular verb I know present, indicative, active 1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person plural 2nd person plural 3rd person plural οἰδα οἰσθα οἰδε ἰσμεν ἰστε ἰσασι(ν)
No complementary definite article In Greek, the complement does not normally have a definite article; the subject has a definite article.
Omission of the verb to be Quite often, in Greek, the verb to be is omitted from a sentence (a feature called ellipsis ). Thus when finding a sentence without a verb try inserting some form of εἰμι. e.g. Μεμνων καλος (Memnon handsome) can be read Μεμνων [ἐστι] καλος (Memnon [is] handsome)
Verb I go, I am going, I do go present, indicative, active the imperative mood 1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person plural ἐρχ-ομαι ἐρχ-ου ἐρχ-ῃ (-ει) plural ἐρχ-εσθε ἐρχ-εται ἐρχ-ομεθα 2nd person plural ἐρχ-εσθε 3rd person plural ἐρχ-ονται N.B. the nu is added when preceding a word beginning with a vowel
Contracted middle verbs uncontracted α-contract ε-contract ο-contract ἐρχομαι θεαομαι φοβεομαι δουλοομαι I go I watch I fear I enslave (for myself) 1st person ἐρχ-ομαι θε-ωμαι φοβ-ουμαι δουλ-ουμαι 2nd person ἐρχ-ῃ (-ει) θε-ᾳ φοβ-ῃ δουλ-οι 3rd person ἐρχ-εται θε-αται φοβ-ειται δουλ-ουται 1st person plural ἐρχ-ομεθα θε-ωμεθα φοβ-ουμεθα δουλ-ουμεθα 2nd person plural ἐρχ-εσθε θε-ασθε φοβ-εισθε δουλ-ουσθε 3rd person plural ἐρχ-ονται θε-ωνται φοβ-ουνται δουλ-ουνται imperative ἐρχ-ου θε-ω φοβ-ου δουλ-ου plural imperative ἐρχ-εσθε θε-ασθε φοβ-εισθε δουλ-ουσθε
Nouns type 1a N.B. all type 1a nouns are feminine βοη, ἡ shout feminine plural βο-η βο-ην βο-ης βο-ῃ βο-αι βο-ας βο-ων βο-αις
Nouns type 1b N.B. all type 1b nouns are feminine ἀπορια, ἡ perplexity feminine απορι-α απορι-αν απορι-ας απορι-ᾳ plural απορι-αι απορι-ας απορι-ων απορι-αις N.B. type 1b nouns merely invoke the ι, ρ, ε rule
Nouns type 1c N.B. all type 1c nouns are feminine θαλαττα, ἡ sea feminine plural θαλαττ-α θαλαττ-αν θαλαττ-ης θαλαττ-ῃ θαλαττ-αι θαλαττ-ας θαλαττ-ων θαλαττ-αις N.B. type 1c nouns usually, but not always, have a stem ending in a sigma or double consonant
Nouns type 1d N.B. all type 1d nouns are masculine voc. ναυτης, ὁ sailor masculine ναυτη-ς ναυτ-ην ναυτ-ου ναυτ-ῃ ναυτ-α plural ναυτ-αι ναυτ-ας ναυτ-ων ναυτ-αις
Nouns type 1d N.B. some type 1d nouns end in the nominative thus: -ας (e.g. νεανι-ας) νεανιας, ὁ young man masculine νεανι-ας νεανι-αν νεανι-ου νεανι-ᾳ voc. νεανι-α plural νεανι-αι νεανι-ας νεανι-ων νεανι-αις
Prepositions παρα + =along(side) ἐπι + =against, at, to attack δια + =because of περι + =about εἰς + =to, into, onto
Nouns type 3a N.B. all type 3a nouns are either masculine or feminine, but never neuter λιμην, ὁ (λιμεν-) harbour masculine λιμην λιμεν-α λιμεν-ος λιμεν-ι plural λιμεν-ες λιμεν-ας λιμεν-ων λιμεσι(ν) [< λιμεν-σι(ν)]
Nouns type 3a N.B. all type 3a nouns are either masculine or feminine, but never neuter νυξ, ἡ (νυκτ-) night feminine νυξ νυκτ-α νυκτ-ος νυκτ-ι plural νυκτ-ες νυκτ-ας νυκτ-ων νυξι(ν) [< νυκτ-σι(ν)]
3a nouns ending in -ις (usually feminine) generally have an accusative in - ιν. For example, χαρις (χαριτ-), grace, accusative χαριν, but otherwise follow the same pattern as λιμην and νυξ. Note, however, that πατρις (accusative: πατριδα) is an exception.
Personal pronouns I/me you (s.) ἐγω συ με or ἐμε σε μου or ἐμου σου μοι or ἐμοι σοι the latter form is more emphatic plural we/us you (p.) ἡμεις ὑμεις ἡμας ὑμας ἡμων ὑμων ἡμιν ὑμιν
Adjective/pronoun this (or he, she, it) masculine feminine neuter οὑτ-ος αὑτ-η τουτ-ο τουτ-ον ταυτ-ην τουτ-ο τουτ-ου ταυτ-ης τουτ-ου τουτ-ῳ ταυτ-ῃ τουτ-ῳ plural οὑτ-οι αὑτ-αι ταυτ-α τουτ-ους ταυτ-ας ταυτ-α τουτ-ων τουτ-ων τουτ-ων τουτ-οις ταυτ-αις τουτ-οις N.B. the rule is that α/η in the ending goes with -αυ- in the stem, whereas ο/ω in the ending goes with -ου- in the stem
Adjective/pronoun that (or he, she, it) masculine feminine neuter ἐκειν-ος ἐκειν-η ἐκειν-ο ἐκειν-ον ἐκειν-ην ἐκειν-ο ἐκειν-ου ἐκειν-ης ἐκειν-ου ἐκειν-ῳ ἐκειν-ῃ ἐκειν-ῳ plural ἐκειν-οι ἐκειν-αι ἐκειν-α ἐκειν-ους ἐκειν-ας ἐκειν-α ἐκειν-ων ἐκειν-ων ἐκειν-ων ἐκειν-οις ἐκειν-αις ἐκειν-οις
Both οὑτος and ἐκεινος can occur in forms ending in -ι, e.g. ἐκεινοςι, τουτονι etc. This intensifies the pronouns so that they mean this man here or that woman there etc.