20
First Declension Nouns
Almost all Greek nouns belong to one of three INFLECTION patterns, called the FIRST DECLENSION, SECOND DECLENSION, and THIRD DECLENSION. Each represents a particular set of CASE ENDINGS for gender, number, and case. So far, we have encountered only THIRD DECLENSION nouns. This lesson introduces FIRST DECLENSION nouns.
1. First Declension: Nouns with –η in the Singular
Most nouns of the first declension end in –η in the singular, which becomes –α in the plural (S 212). Most nouns in this declension are FEMININE and use endings similar to those of the FEMININE DEFINITE ARTICLE (S 216; GPH p. 1).
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | -η | -αι |
| Genitive | -ης | -ῶν |
| Dative | -ῃ | -αις |
| Accusative | -ην | -ας |
ἡ ἀγάπη -ης love, charity
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ἡ ἀγάπη | αἱ ἀγάπαι |
| Genitive | τῆς ἀγάπης | τῶν ἀγαπῶν |
| Dative | τῇ ἀγάπῃ | ταῖς ἀγάπαις |
| Accusative | τὴν ἀγάπην | τὰς ἀγάπας |
ἡ γνώμη -ης idea, intelligence, opinion
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ἡ γνώμη | αἱ γνῶμαι |
| Genitive | τῆς γνώμης | τῶν γνωμῶν |
| Dative | τῇ γνώμῃ | ταῖς γνώμαις |
| Accusative | τὴν γνώμην | τὰς γνώμας |
ἡ τιμή -ῆς value, honor
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ἡ τιμή | αἱ τιμαί |
| Genitive | τῆς τιμῆς | τῶν τιμῶν |
| Dative | τῇ τιμῇ | ταῖς τιμαῖς |
| Accusative | τὴν τιμήν | τὰς τιμάς |
ALL 1st DECLENSION FEMININE NOUNS/ADJECTIVES use their NOMINATIVE SINGULAR forms for the VOCATIVE:
- nominative sing.: ἡ ἡμέρα, ἡ τέχνη
- vocative sing.: ὦ ἡμέρα, ὦ τέχνη
2. Accent of First Declension Nouns
Recall that nouns have a PERSISTENT ACCENT. FIRST DECLENSION nouns generally follow this pattern. There are two accent rules, however, that apply to nouns of the FIRST DECLENSION, but not to those of the third declension.
- Some FIRST DECLENSION nouns, e.g. τιμή -ῆς, have a persistent accent on the ultima of all inflected forms. When this happens, a CIRCUMFLEX is used on the genitive and dative, singular and plural; an ACUTE accent falls on the nominative and accusative, singular and plural. We have encountered the ultima “circumflex belt” before; note the accent pattern, for example, on the definite articles as well as on a number of pronouns, such as αὐτός αὐτή αὐτό.
- No matter where the persistent accent of a FIRST DECLENSION noun falls, the genitive plural is accented with a circumflex on the ultima: –ῶν. Note, for example, the inflections of ἀγάπη -ης and γνώμη -ης, above. This accent reflects a contraction of the original ending of the genitive plural: –άων (S 213).
For a download of all the accent rules for nouns, click here: Greek Accents Nouns.
3. Inflection of γῆ γῆς
There is only one monosyllabic first declension noun in our vocabulary list: γῆ γῆς. For this noun, all inflected forms have a circumflex! This noun reflects a contraction of γέᾱ– or γάᾱ-, and declines in Attic Greek as follows (S 227; cf. GPH p. 4):
ἡ γῆ γῆς earth
| Singular | (No plural) | |
| Nominative | ἡ γῆ | |
| Genitive | τῆς γῆς | |
| Dative | τῇ γῇ | |
| Accusative | τὴν γῆν |
4. First Declension: After –ε, –ι or –ρ
In Attic and Koine Greek, when a first declension noun has a stem ending in –ε, –ι or –ρ, ᾱ appears instead of η in all cases in the singular (e.g. οἰκίᾱ building, house, χώρᾱ land, place). This change has no meaning. It is just a difference in pronunciation. These endings remain all long with the exception of the nominative plural –αι (cf. S 216; GPH p. 2).
Note that when this change to ᾱ occurs in the genitive singular, its form now is identical to that of the accusative plural! The definite article, as well as context within a sentence, helps to distinguish between the two.
ἡ οἰκία -ας building, house
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ἡ οἰκία | αἱ οἰκίαι |
| Genitive | τῆς οἰκίας | τῶν οἰκιῶν |
| Dative | τῇ οἰκίᾳ | ταῖς οἰκίαις |
| Accusative | τὴν οἰκίαν | τὰς οἰκίας |
ἡ χώρα -ας land, place
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ἡ χώρα | αἱ χῶραι |
| Genitive | τῆς χώρας | τῶν χωρῶν |
| Dative | τῇ χώρᾳ | ταῖς χώραις |
| Accusative | τὴν χώραν | τὰς χώρας |
5. First Declension: Nominative and Accusative Singular in –ᾰ–
A handful of first declension nouns end in –ᾰ– in the NOMINATIVE and ACCUSATIVE SINGULAR, yet still retain –η– in the genitive and dative singular (S 216, 221; cf. GPH p. 2). Nouns of this class can often be identified by the accent of the nominative singular. Note, for example, that the –α must be short for the accent to be able to recede to the antepenult of θάλαττα sea, or to allow for a circumflex over the penult of γλῶττα tongue, language.
Again, when this type of noun has a stem ending in –ε, –ι or –ρ, ᾱ is used for the genitive and dative singular. Note the following inflections:
ἡ γλῶττα -ης tongue, language
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ἡ γλῶττα | αἱ γλῶτται |
| Genitive | τῆς γλώττης | τῶν γλωττῶν |
| Dative | τῇ γλώττῃ | ταῖς γλώτταις |
| Accusative | τὴν γλῶτταν | τὰς γλώττας |
ἡ ἀλήθεια -ας truth
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ἡ ἀλήθεια | αἱ ἀλήθειαι |
| Genitive | τῆς ἀληθείας | τῶν ἀληθειῶν |
| Dative | τῇ ἀληθείᾳ | ταῖς ἀληθείαις |
| Accusative | τὴν ἀλήθειαν | τὰς ἀληθείας |
6. First Declension: Masculine Nouns
Most nouns of the first declension are feminine. Some nouns of the first declension, however, are MASCULINE, particularly those referring to a specifically male person. In such instances, two changes occur:
- The NOMINATIVE SINGULAR adds –ς.
- The GENITIVE SINGULAR uses the masculine –ου ending.
Otherwise, masculine nouns follow the basic rules for all other first declension nouns. Observe the following (cf. S 222; GPH p. 3):
ὁ στρατιώτης –ου soldier
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ὁ στρατιώτης | οἱ στρατιῶται |
| Genitive | τοῦ στρατιώτου | τῶν στρατιωτῶν |
| Dative | τῷ στρατιώτῃ | τοῖς στρατιώταις |
| Accusative | τὸν στρατιώτην | τοὺς στρατιώτας |
ὁ ποιητής -οῦ creator, poet
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ὁ ποιητής | οἱ ποιηταί |
| Genitive | τοῦ ποιητοῦ | τῶν ποιητῶν |
| Dative | τῷ ποιητῇ | τοῖς ποιηταῖς |
| Accusative | τὸν ποιητήν | τοὺς ποιητάς |
For the VOCATIVE, 1st DECLENSION MASCULINE nouns usually use just their stem, like nouns of the 3rd declension.
- παραδίδως, ὦ Ἑρμῆ, τὴν πατρίδα μου.
- Hermes, you are betraying my country.
- Ἑρμῆς (nom.) → Ἑρμῆ (voc.)
1st DECLENSION MASCULINE nouns that end in –της are an important exception, forming their vocative singular in -τᾰ (S 226).
- παραδίδως, ὦ στρατιῶτα, τὴν πατρίδα.
- Soldier, you are betraying your country.
- στρατιώτης (nom.) → στρατιῶτα (voc.)
- παραδίδως, ὦ ποιητά, τὴν πατρίδα.
- Poet, you are betraying your country.
- ποιητής (nom.) → ποιητά (voc.)
– τὸ τέλος –
Paradigms, Key Terms and Concepts
- Chapter Paradigms
- ACCENT OF FIRST DECLENSION NOUNS
- INFLECTION OF γῆ, γῆς ἡ
- FIRST DECLENSION: NOUN STEMS IN –ε, –ι, or –ρ BEFORE –η
- FIRST DECLENSION: NOMINATIVE AND ACCUSATIVE SINGULAR IN –ᾰ
- FIRST DECLENSION: MASCULINE NOUNS
Vocabulary List 1
Noun in –η
- ἀνάγκη -ης ἡ necessity
- ἀρετή -ῆς ἡ excellence, goodness, valor, virtue
- ἀρχή -ῆς ἡ beginning; authority, office
- βουλή -ῆς ἡ council, plan, advice
- γῆ γῆς ἡ earth
- γνώμη -ης ἡ idea, intelligence, opinion
- γραφή -ῆς ἡ drawing, writing, indictment
- δίκη -ης ἡ justice; legal case
- εἰρήνη -ης ἡ peace
- ἐπιστήμη -ης ἡ knowledge
- ἡδονή -ῆς ἡ pleasure, enjoyment
- κεφαλή -ῆς ἡ head
- μάχη -ης ἡ battle
- νίκη -ης ἡ victory
- ὀργή -ῆς ἡ anger
- τέχνη -ης ἡ art, skill
- τιμή -ῆς ἡ value, honor
- τροφή -ῆς ἡ nourishment, food
- τύχη -ης ἡ luck, fate
- φωνή -ῆς ἡ sound, voice
- ψυχή -ῆς ἡ breath, soul
Vocabulary List 2
Noun Stems in –ε, –ι or –ρ
- αἰτία -ας ἡ cause, origin; accusation
- διαφορά -ᾶς ἡ difference, disagreement
- ἐκκλησία -ας ἡ gathering; church
- ἡμέρα -ας ἡ day
- οἰκία -ας ἡ building, house
- οὐσία -ας ἡ essence, property
- πολιτεία -ας ἡ constitution, republic
- σοφία -ας ἡ wisdom
- στρατιά -ᾶς ἡ army
- συμφορά -ᾶς ἡ event, situation, disaster
- σωτηρία -ας ἡ safety
- χώρα -ας ἡ land, place
Noun in –ᾰ–
- ἀλήθεια -ας ἡ truth
- γλῶττα -ης ἡ tongue, language
- Koine: γλῶσσα -ης ἡ
- δόξα -ης ἡ opinion, judgment, glory
- θάλαττα -ης ἡ sea
- Koine: θάλασσα -ης ἡ
Masculine Nouns
- δεσπότης -ου ὁ master
- ποιητής -οῦ ὁ creator, poet
- στρατιώτης -ου ὁ soldier
Exercises
I. Memorize the vocabulary.
II. Decline in full the following nouns:
- ἡ γραφή -ῆς
- ἡ ἡμέρα -ας
- ἡ θάλαττα -ης
- ὁ δεσπότης -ου
- ἡ γῆ γῆς
III. For the following noun forms, 1). Give the proper form of its article(s), and 2). Change to its opposite number (singular to plural, plural to singular).
For example: ὀργῆς (answer: τῆς /τῶν ὀργῶν)
- εἰρήνη
- σωτηρίᾳ
- ψυχάς
- θάλατται
- ἐκκλησιῶν
- τύχην
- ποιητοῦ
- ἀρεταῖς
- σοφίαν
- μάχῃ