16ο μάθημα (lesson 16)

16^ο μάθημα (lesson 16)

Nouns :

The greek nouns are declinable words and their endings differ according

to the gender, the number and the case.

In Modern Greek there are 4 cases:

Ονομαστική: Nominative

Γενική: Genitive

Αιτιατική: Accusative

Κλητική : Vocative

We use the Nominative when the noun is the subject of the sentence.

We use the Accusative when the noun is the object of the sentence.

We use the Genitive to describe that something belongs to someone.

Το βιβλίο του Γιώργου (George’s book).

Η είσοδος της πολυκατοικίας (the block of flats’ entrance).

Also, some verbs take object in Genitive.

We use the Vocative for addressing someone.

Γιώργο, θα πας στο σούπερ μάρκετ; (George, will you go to the super market?)

We separate the nouns of each gender in groups according to their ending in

Nominative Singular. The nouns of a same group which have the same ending

decline the same way.

Masculine nouns ending in –ής (with accent mark in the last syllable).

Ενικός αριθμός  (Singular)                Πληθυντικός αριθμός(Plural)

Oνομαστική: ο μαθητής                     οι μαθητές

Γενική:        του μαθητή                     των μαθητών

Αιτιατική:    τον μαθητή                     τους μαθητές

Κλητική:       -  μαθητή                      -       μαθητές

We never use article in Vocative!

The masculine nouns ending in –ής, have always accent mark in the last syllable and they have the same number of syllables in all cases in Singular and in Plural.

Ιn Singular the Vocative is identical to the Genitive and Accusative, but some nouns which declare a job have in Vocative –α (alpha) instead of –η, especially when we have the word κύριε (mister) before the noun. For example: κύριε διευθυντά!

Μasculine nouns ending in –ής:

ο αθλητής: athlete

ο φοιτητής: student (of university)

ο λογιστής: accountant, book keeper

ο αγοραστής: buyer, purchaser

ο δανειστής: lender, creditor

ο βουλευτής: congressman, member of parliament

ο διευθυντής: director, manager, head master

ο δικαστής: judge

ο καθηγητής: professor of secondary/high school or university

Τhe masculine nouns ending in –ης (without accent mark) have always the accent mark in the second from the end syllable except for Genitive Plural. In Genitive Plural the accent mark is always in the last syllable.

Also they have the same number of syllables in all cases in Singular and in Plural.

Ενικός αριθμός                      Πληθυντικός αριθμός

Ονομαστική: ο επιβάτης(passenger)              οι επιβάτες

Γενική:         του επιβάτη                               των επιβατών

Αιτιατική:    τον επιβάτη                                τους επιβάτες

Κλητική:        -  επιβάτη                                 -       επιβάτες

            Masculine nouns ending in –ης:

            ο ναύτης: seaman, sailor, mariner

            ο επιβάτης: passenger

            ο εργάτης: worker, laborer

            ο πολίτης: citizen

            ο δεσπότης: despot, bishop

            ο εργοδότης: employer

            ο στρατιώτης: soldier

            ο ράφτης:tailor, seamster

Μάθημα 15 (=lesson 15)

Μάθημα 15 (=lesson 15)

            The greek definite article differs according to the gender, the number,

            and the case.

Αρσενικό (masculine)

            Ενικός αριθμός (Singular)                  Πληθυντικός αριθμός (Plural)

            Oνομαστική (Nominative):                Oνομαστική (Nominative):

                        ο                                                         οι

            Γενική (Genitive):                              Γενική (Genitive):

                        του                                                     των

            Aιτιατική (Accusative):                      Aιτιατική (Accusative):

                        τον                                                      τους

Θηλυκό (feminine)

            Ενικός αριθμός (Singular)                  Πληθυντικός αριθμός (Plural)

            Oνομαστική (Nominative):                Oνομαστική (Nominative):

                        η                                                         οι

            Γενική (Genitive):                              Γενική (Genitive):

                        της                                                      των

            Aιτιατική (Accusative):                      Aιτιατική (Accusative):

                        τη(ν)                                                   τις

            Οrthography rule:

The feminine singular definite article in accusative is written and pronounced like τη or την. It depends on the first letter of the following word. If the first

            letter of the following word is a vowel or one of the following consonants

             κ, π, τ, ψ, ξ, or one consonant combination μπ, ντ, γκ, τζ, τσ , then we

            write and pronounce a –ν at the end of the aricle (την).

            την αλήθεια

            την πεταλούδα

            When the first letter of the following word is one of the other consonants

            then we don’t put a –ν at the end of the article (τη).

            τη μαμά

            τη γάτα

            τη θάλασσα

Ουδέτερο (neutral)

            Ενικός αριθμός (Singular)                  Πληθυντικός αριθμός (Plural)

            Oνομαστική (Νominative):                Oνομαστική (Nominative):

                        το                                                       τα

            Γενική (Genitive):                              Γενική (Genitive):

                        του                                                     των

            Aιτιατική (Accusative):                      Aιτιατική (Accusative):

                        το                                                       τα

            Ιmportant tip: We never put accent mark in definite articles, because

            we don’t put accent mark in one syllable words.

1.      We use the greek definite article when we talk about a person, an

            animal or an object which is known or has been previously introduced.

            Θα αγοράσω το αυτοκίνητο της Μαρίας (I will buy Maria’s car).

            We use definite article because we talk specifically about Maria’s car.

When we want to say generally that we will buy a car, then we don’t

            have to use article: Θα αγοράσω αυτοκίνητο.

            The second article of the sentence (της) is the feminine definite article

            in genitive (the car of Maria, Maria’s car). In Greek we usually use

            definite articles with main names.

            Ο Γιώργος είναι δάσκαλος (George is teacher).

            Aγαπώ τον Γιώργο (I love George).

2.      We use definite article when we talk generally about a group of

similar things.

 Ο σκύλος είναι ο πιο πιστός φίλος του ανθρώπου (Dog is man’s most

loyal friend).

Τα γλυκά μας παχαίνουν (Sweets fatten us).