Classical Greek
Grammar
The definite article
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The definite article
The Definite Article
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The definite article in Greek corresponds to "the" in English.
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It agrees in gender, number and case with the noun it modifies.
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It has three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
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Each gender has four cases: nominative, genitive, dative, and accusative.
Forms of the Definite Article
Masculine
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Nominative Singular: ὁ
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Genitive Singular: τοῦ
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Dative Singular: τῷ
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Accusative Singular: τὸν
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Nominative Plural: οἱ
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Genitive Plural: τῶν
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Dative Plural: τοῖς
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Accusative Plural: τούς
Feminine
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Nominative Singular: ἡ
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Genitive Singular: τῆς
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Dative Singular: τῇ
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Accusative Singular: τήν
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Nominative Plural: αἱ
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Genitive Plural: τῶν
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Dative Plural: ταῖς
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Accusative Plural: τάς
Neuter
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Nominative Singular: τό
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Genitive Singular: τοῦ
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Dative Singular: τῷ
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Accusative Singular: τό
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Nominative Plural: τά
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Genitive Plural: τῶν
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Dative Plural: τοῖς
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Accusative Plural: τά
Key Usage Notes
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Unlike English, Greek often uses the definite article with proper names.
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The definite article is also used before adjectives that are used substantively, i.e., as nouns.
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The article can also appear with infinitives, with a participle acting as a substantive, with adverbs, with a clause that is acting as a noun, and with prepositions.