Paradigm Reference — Greek Course

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The Article (full — all 24 forms) — Lesson 4 covers half; full table here for reference
The Article — Masculine & Neuter, Nom & Acc (Lesson 4)
2nd Declension Masculine — λόγος (Lesson 4)
2nd Declension Neuter — ἔργον (Lesson 4)
Case Function Quick Reference
Verb Endings — Preview (Present Active Indicative) (Lesson 10 — preview)

The Article — Full Paradigm

Greek's most frequent word, appearing over 19,000 times in the New Testament. The full table has 24 forms: 4 cases × 3 genders × 2 numbers. Lesson 4 covers the masculine and neuter nominative/accusative; the full table is here so you can see where it's going.

The Article — All Forms

Mounce calls this 'the most important paradigm in the language'

	Masculine		Feminine		Neuter
	sg	pl	sg	pl	sg	pl
Nom	ὁ	οἱ	ἡ	αἱ	τό	τά
Gen	τοῦ	τῶν	τῆς	τῶν	τοῦ	τῶν
Dat	τῷ	τοῖς	τῇ	ταῖς	τῷ	τοῖς
Acc	τόν	τούς	τήν	τάς	τό	τά

Patterns to spot The genitive plural is identical across all three genders — τῶν is the same for masculine, feminine, and neuter. That's a free win.

The neuter nominative and accusative are identical — both singular (τό) and plural (τά). This rule applies to every neuter noun in Greek, not just the article.

The masculine and neuter share the genitive and dative — same forms in those two cases. Once you've learned the masculine, you've already got the neuter genitive and dative.

Most forms start with τ-. The exceptions — ὁ, οἱ, ἡ, αἱ — are all rough-breathed nominative forms. They're the irregular ones; everything else follows the τ- pattern.

The Article — Masculine & Neuter, Nom & Acc

The portion you've memorized in Lesson 4. This is what you need cold for the simple sentences in Lessons 4–6.

Article — Lesson 4 Subset

	Masc sg	Masc pl	Neut sg	Neut pl
Nominative	ὁ	οἱ	τό	τά
Accusative	τόν	τούς	τό	τά

2nd Declension Masculine

Most masculine nouns ending in -ος follow this pattern. The stem is everything before the ending; the ending changes for case and number.

λόγος — 'word' (Stem: λογ-)

	Singular	Plural
Nominative	λόγος	λόγοι
Genitive	λόγου	λόγων
Dative	λόγῳ	λόγοις
Accusative	λόγον	λόγους

2nd Declension Masculine — Endings Only

-ος · -ου · -ῳ · -ον | -οι · -ων · -οις · -ους

Same pattern, different stems Every 2nd-declension masculine noun uses these endings. Just swap the stem:

θεός, θεοῦ, θεῷ, θεόν, θεοί, θεῶν, θεοῖς, θεούς (stem: θε-)
ἄνθρωπος, ἀνθρώπου, ἀνθρώπῳ, ἄνθρωπον… (stem: ἀνθρωπ-)
ἀδελφός, ἀδελφοῦ, ἀδελφῷ, ἀδελφόν… (stem: ἀδελφ-)

2nd Declension Neuter

Most neuter nouns ending in -ον follow this pattern. Note the rule: nominative and accusative are always identical in neuter.

ἔργον — 'work' (Stem: ἐργ-)

	Singular	Plural
Nominative	ἔργον	ἔργα
Genitive	ἔργου	ἔργων
Dative	ἔργῳ	ἔργοις
Accusative	ἔργον	ἔργα

2nd Declension Neuter — Endings Only

-ον · -ου · -ῳ · -ον | -α · -ων · -οις · -α

⚠ Neuter rule Notice that nominative singular = accusative singular = ον, and nominative plural = accusative plural = α. This is the universal Greek neuter rule — true for every neuter noun across all three declensions. Context is the only thing that tells you whether a neuter noun is the subject or the direct object.

Case Function Quick Reference

What each case does. This summary lives here so you can come back when a sentence puzzles you.

The Five Cases — Primary Functions

Case	Primary use	English equivalent	Example
Nominative	Subject of the verb	'I,' 'he,' 'the dog' (subject)	ὁ θεὸς ἀκούει
Genitive	Possession; source; description	"of X" / "X's"	ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ
Dative	Indirect object; instrument; location	"to/for X" / "with/by X"	λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ
Accusative	Direct object of the verb	'me,' 'him,' 'the dog' (object)	βλέπει τὸν λόγον
Vocative	Direct address ('O X!')	"O Lord," "Hey Tim"	κύριε

A note on cases as 'meanings' The "primary use" column gives the most common function, but each case has a range. The genitive isn't only possession — it's also the case of separation, comparison, and many idiomatic uses. The dative isn't only the indirect object — it covers means, manner, location, time, and more. As you read more Greek, you'll learn to distinguish these uses by context. Don't reduce a case to one fixed gloss.

Present Active Indicative

The first verb conjugation. Memorize these six personal endings — they're the foundation for thousands of Greek verbs.

Present Active Indicative — Endings

'I see, you see, he sees…' — λύω paradigm

	Singular	Plural
1st person	λύω — I loose	λύομεν — we loose
2nd person	λύεις — you (sg) loose	λύετε — you (pl) loose
3rd person	λύει — he/she/it looses	λύουσι(ν) — they loose

Memorization tip Recite the endings in order: -ω, -εις, -ει, -ομεν, -ετε, -ουσι(ν). Many students chant them like a song. Lock these in — they appear in thousands of verbs across the NT.

The (ν) in parentheses is a 'movable nu' — added when the next word starts with a vowel or at the end of a sentence. It exists for euphony, not grammar.

1st Declension Feminine — Three Subpatterns

First-declension nouns are mostly feminine. Three subpatterns share identical plural endings; only the singular varies based on the stem-final letter.

Subpattern 1: Pure α — καρδία ('heart')

Stem ends in ε, ι, or ρ

	Singular	Plural
Nom	καρδία	καρδίαι
Gen	καρδίας	καρδιῶν
Dat	καρδίᾳ	καρδίαις
Acc	καρδίαν	καρδίας

Subpattern 2: Alternating α/η — δόξα ('glory')

Stem ends in σ, ζ, ξ, or double consonants

	Singular	Plural
Nom	δόξα	δόξαι
Gen	δόξης	δοξῶν
Dat	δόξῃ	δόξαις
Acc	δόξαν	δόξας

Subpattern 3: Pure η — γραφή ('writing, scripture')

Stem ends in any other consonant

	Singular	Plural
Nom	γραφή	γραφαί
Gen	γραφῆς	γραφῶν
Dat	γραφῇ	γραφαῖς
Acc	γραφήν	γραφάς

Adjectives — 2-1-2 Pattern

Most adjectives use 2nd declension for masculine and neuter, 1st declension for feminine — hence "2-1-2."

καλός, καλή, καλόν — 'good, beautiful'

	Masculine		Feminine		Neuter
	sg	pl	sg	pl	sg	pl
Nom	καλός	καλοί	καλή	καλαί	καλόν	καλά
Gen	καλοῦ	καλῶν	καλῆς	καλῶν	καλοῦ	καλῶν
Dat	καλῷ	καλοῖς	καλῇ	καλαῖς	καλῷ	καλοῖς
Acc	καλόν	καλούς	καλήν	καλάς	καλόν	καλά

Position summary Attributive (1st): article + adj + noun → ὁ καλὸς λόγος = "the good word"
Attributive (2nd): article + noun + article + adj → ὁ λόγος ὁ καλός = "the good word"
Predicate: adj outside the article-noun group → καλὸς ὁ λόγος = "the word is good"
Substantival: article + adj alone (noun implied) → οἱ ἅγιοι = "the saints"

3rd Declension — Endings

3rd-decl stems are found by dropping -ος from the genitive singular. One ending set serves masc and fem; neuter differs slightly.

3rd Declension Endings

	Masc / Fem		Neuter
	sg	pl	sg	pl
Nom	- / -ς	-ες	- / -	-α
Gen	-ος	-ων	-ος	-ων
Dat	-ι	-σι(ν)	-ι	-σι(ν)
Acc	-α / -ν	-ας	- / -	-α

3rd Declension — Sample Paradigms

σάρξ, σαρκός, ἡ — 'flesh' (κ-stem)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	σάρξ	σάρκες
Gen	σαρκός	σαρκῶν
Dat	σαρκί	σαρξί(ν)
Acc	σάρκα	σάρκας

αἰών, αἰῶνος, ὁ — 'age' (ν-stem)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	αἰών	αἰῶνες
Gen	αἰῶνος	αἰώνων
Dat	αἰῶνι	αἰῶσι(ν)
Acc	αἰῶνα	αἰῶνας

πατήρ, πατρός, ὁ — 'father' (ρ-stem, irregular)

Same shape as μήτηρ ('mother'), θυγάτηρ ('daughter')

	Singular	Plural
Nom	πατήρ	πατέρες
Gen	πατρός	πατέρων
Dat	πατρί	πατράσι(ν)
Acc	πατέρα	πατέρας

πνεῦμα, πνεύματος, τό — 'spirit' (-ματ neuter)

Universal pattern for all -μα nouns: ὄνομα, σῶμα, αἷμα, θέλημα, ῥῆμα, σπέρμα, etc.

	Singular	Plural
Nom	πνεῦμα	πνεύματα
Gen	πνεύματος	πνευμάτων
Dat	πνεύματι	πνεύμασι(ν)
Acc	πνεῦμα	πνεύματα

βασιλεύς, βασιλέως, ὁ — 'king' (-εύς stem)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	βασιλεύς	βασιλεῖς
Gen	βασιλέως	βασιλέων
Dat	βασιλεῖ	βασιλεῦσι(ν)
Acc	βασιλέα	βασιλεῖς

Personal Pronouns — 1st & 2nd Person

ἐγώ — 'I, we'

Singular has emphatic / enclitic forms (separated by /)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	ἐγώ	ἡμεῖς
Gen	ἐμοῦ / μου	ἡμῶν
Dat	ἐμοί / μοι	ἡμῖν
Acc	ἐμέ / με	ἡμᾶς

σύ — 'you (sg/pl)'

	Singular	Plural
Nom	σύ	ὑμεῖς
Gen	σοῦ / σου	ὑμῶν
Dat	σοί / σοι	ὑμῖν
Acc	σέ / σε	ὑμᾶς

αὐτός — Personal / Intensive / Identical

αὐτός, αὐτή, αὐτό — full paradigm

	Masculine		Feminine		Neuter
	sg	pl	sg	pl	sg	pl
Nom	αὐτός	αὐτοί	αὐτή	αὐταί	αὐτό	αὐτά
Gen	αὐτοῦ	αὐτῶν	αὐτῆς	αὐτῶν	αὐτοῦ	αὐτῶν
Dat	αὐτῷ	αὐτοῖς	αὐτῇ	αὐταῖς	αὐτῷ	αὐτοῖς
Acc	αὐτόν	αὐτούς	αὐτήν	αὐτάς	αὐτό	αὐτά

Three functions by position Personal pronoun (alone, no noun): "he/she/it/they"
Intensive (predicate position w/ noun): "X himself" — ὁ ἀπόστολος αὐτός
Identical (attributive position w/ noun): "the same X" — ὁ αὐτὸς ἀπόστολος

Demonstratives — οὗτος and ἐκεῖνος

οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο — 'this'

	Masculine		Feminine		Neuter
	sg	pl	sg	pl	sg	pl
Nom	οὗτος	οὗτοι	αὕτη	αὗται	τοῦτο	ταῦτα
Gen	τούτου	τούτων	ταύτης	τούτων	τούτου	τούτων
Dat	τούτῳ	τούτοις	ταύτῃ	ταύταις	τούτῳ	τούτοις
Acc	τοῦτον	τούτους	ταύτην	ταύτας	τοῦτο	ταῦτα

ἐκεῖνος, ἐκείνη, ἐκεῖνο — 'that'

Pure 2-1-2 endings, no irregularity

	Masculine		Feminine		Neuter
	sg	pl	sg	pl	sg	pl
Nom	ἐκεῖνος	ἐκεῖνοι	ἐκείνη	ἐκεῖναι	ἐκεῖνο	ἐκεῖνα
Gen	ἐκείνου	ἐκείνων	ἐκείνης	ἐκείνων	ἐκείνου	ἐκείνων
Dat	ἐκείνῳ	ἐκείνοις	ἐκείνῃ	ἐκείναις	ἐκείνῳ	ἐκείνοις
Acc	ἐκεῖνον	ἐκείνους	ἐκείνην	ἐκείνας	ἐκεῖνο	ἐκεῖνα

Relative Pronoun ὅς, ἥ, ὅ

ὅς, ἥ, ὅ — 'who, which, that'

Always rough breathing + accent (distinguishes from article)

	Masculine		Feminine		Neuter
	sg	pl	sg	pl	sg	pl
Nom	ὅς	οἵ	ἥ	αἵ	ὅ	ἅ
Gen	οὗ	ὧν	ἧς	ὧν	οὗ	ὧν
Dat	ᾧ	οἷς	ᾗ	αἷς	ᾧ	οἷς
Acc	ὅν	οὕς	ἥν	ἅς	ὅ	ἅ

Agreement rule Gender + number from the antecedent; case from function in the relative clause.

Interrogative / Indefinite τίς / τις

τίς, τί — 'who? what?' (interrogative — accented)

Same paradigm with no accent = τις, τι 'someone, something' (indefinite, enclitic)

	Masc / Fem		Neuter
	sg	pl	sg	pl
Nom	τίς	τίνες	τί	τίνα
Gen	τίνος	τίνων	τίνος	τίνων
Dat	τίνι	τίσι(ν)	τίνι	τίσι(ν)
Acc	τίνα	τίνας	τί	τίνα

πᾶς — 'all, every, whole'

πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν

3rd-decl masc/neut, 1st-decl fem (mixed)

	Masculine		Feminine		Neuter
	sg	pl	sg	pl	sg	pl
Nom	πᾶς	πάντες	πᾶσα	πᾶσαι	πᾶν	πάντα
Gen	παντός	πάντων	πάσης	πασῶν	παντός	πάντων
Dat	παντί	πᾶσι(ν)	πάσῃ	πάσαις	παντί	πᾶσι(ν)
Acc	πάντα	πάντας	πᾶσαν	πάσας	πᾶν	πάντα

Prepositions Quick Reference

17 Prepositions by Case

Preposition	+ Gen	+ Dat	+ Acc
ἀπό	from	—	—
ἐκ / ἐξ	out of	—	—
πρό	before	—	—
ἐν	—	in, on, by	—
σύν	—	with	—
εἰς	—	—	into, to
πρός	—	—	to, toward
ἀνά	—	—	up, again
διά	through	—	because of
κατά	down from	—	according to
μετά	with	—	after
περί	concerning	—	around
ὑπό	by [agent]	—	under
ὑπέρ	on behalf of	—	above
ἐπί	on, upon	on, at	onto, against
παρά	from (person)	beside	alongside

The case-picture Genitive = motion away/through, source. Dative = stationary, in/at. Accusative = motion toward/onto, extent. The case shifts the meaning.

Contract Verbs — Three Patterns

Stems ending in α, ε, or ο contract with the connecting vowel. The lexicon shows the uncontracted form; texts show the contracted form. Three surface paradigms cover them all.

α-contract: ἀγαπάω → ἀγαπῶ ('I love')

α + ε/η → α; α + ο/ω → ω; α + ει → ᾳ

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	ἀγαπῶ	ἀγαπῶμεν
2nd	ἀγαπᾷς	ἀγαπᾶτε
3rd	ἀγαπᾷ	ἀγαπῶσι(ν)

ε-contract: ποιέω → ποιῶ ('I do, make')

ε + ε → ει; ε + ο → ου; ε + long vowel → long vowel

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	ποιῶ	ποιοῦμεν
2nd	ποιεῖς	ποιεῖτε
3rd	ποιεῖ	ποιοῦσι(ν)

ο-contract: πληρόω → πληρῶ ('I fill, fulfill')

ο + ε/ο/ου → ου; ο + ει/ῃ/ω → ω; ο + ει → οῖ

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	πληρῶ	πληροῦμεν
2nd	πληροῖς	πληροῦτε
3rd	πληροῖ	πληροῦσι(ν)

How to spot a contract verb Three signals: (1) the lexical form ends in -άω, -έω, or -όω; (2) a circumflex on the ending (marks contraction); (3) an iota subscript on the ending (e.g., ἀγαπᾷ, signature of α-contract 3sg).

Present Middle / Passive Indicative

In the present tense, middle and passive share the same forms. Context (especially the presence of an agent ὑπό + gen) tells you which.

λύομαι — 'I am loosed / I loose for myself'

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	λύομαι	λυόμεθα
2nd	λύῃ (or λύει)	λύεσθε
3rd	λύεται	λύονται

Active vs middle/passive at a glance Active 3sg = λύει. M/P 3sg = λύεται. The -ται cluster is the m/p signature; the -νται cluster signals 3pl m/p. Active 3pl = λύουσι vs. m/p 3pl = λύονται — easy to confuse, train your eye.

Deponents are verbs whose lexical form ends in -ομαι (e.g., ἔρχομαι, γίνομαι, ἀποκρίνομαι). They have m/p form but active meaning — translate as if active.

εἰμί — The Verb 'to be'

Greek's most common verb is irregular. Just memorize the six forms.

εἰμί — Present Indicative

2,460+ occurrences in the NT — the most-used verb

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	εἰμί — I am	ἐσμέν — we are
2nd	εἶ — you are	ἐστέ — you (pl) are
3rd	ἐστί(ν) — he/she/it is	εἰσί(ν) — they are

Memorization tip + the predicate-nominative rule Recite: εἰμί, εἶ, ἐστί(ν); ἐσμέν, ἐστέ, εἰσί(ν). Don't confuse 3sg ἐστί with 2pl ἐστέ — final ι vs ε is the distinction.

The predicate noun after εἰμί is in the nominative, not the accusative. ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ κύριος = "Jesus is the Lord" — both nouns nominative, εἰμί links them.

Existential use: verb-first ἔστιν θεός = "there is a God." Word order distinguishes the linking use from the existential.

More paradigms coming This page now covers Lessons 4-13 — the complete noun system AND the present-tense verb system: full article, all three declensions, the 2-1-2 adjective pattern, all major pronouns, the 17-preposition reference, present active and middle/passive endings, contract verbs, and εἰμί. Future additions: past tenses (imperfect, aorist), future, perfect, pluperfect, the participle paradigms (the most labor-intensive set in Greek), and the subjunctive and imperative moods. By the end of the course this page will be your primary reference document.