Koine Greek: Nouns

Synopsis: A noun, in basic terms, is a word that is a thing or an object or a concept. Examples include words like book (Βιβλιον) which is a thing or an object, and love (Αγαπη) which is a abstract concept or an idea. Unlike English, in Koine Greek, nouns decline, that is, they undergo changes in their form depending upon their use in a sentence.

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Related topics

• Prepositions
• Definite
• Adjectives

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Koine Greek: Nouns (discussion) (For short comments and opinions)

Lesson

A noun, in basic terms, is a word that is a thing or an object or a concept.

Examples include words like book (Βιβλιον) which is a thing or an object, and love (Αγαπη) which is a abstract concept or an idea.

Function of nouns in a sentence

Unlike English, in Koine Greek, nouns decline, that is, they undergo changes in their form depending upon their use in a sentence.

In Greek, nouns are classified as one of the following

• Nominative (the subject of a verb)
• Accusative (usually the direct object of a verb)
• Dative (usually the indirect object of a verb)
• Genitive (usually representing possession, or qualifying another noun)
• Vocative (a form of address)

Nouns can also be related to a preposition

Declensions

Third Declension Feminine and Masculine Nouns

Third Declension Nouns are those that are not First or Second Declension. Various irregular forms exist, however most follow a standard pattern with a variable nominative case.

The stem of the verb is seen in the genitive case, not the nominative case.

The paradigm is as follows: variable ος ι α ες ων σι ας

For example the feminie noun ελπις (hope) declines as follows

• ελπις (Nom, Sing)
• ελπιδος (Gen, Sing)
• ελπιδα (Dat, Sing)
• ελπιδι (Acc, Sing)
• ελπιδες (Nom, Plu)
• ελπιδων (Gen, Plu)
• ελπισι (Dat, Plu)
• ελπιδας (Acc, Plu)

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