Modern Greek Grammar
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5. The cases / Οι πτώσεις
In a higly inflected language as Greek the role of the words in the sentence is not indicated by their
position but by their cases.
Cases are the different forms Greek words as articles, nouns, adjectives, pronouns, participles can
have. The form of the words changes at the ending, the first part of the words, the so-called stem, does
not change.
Modern Greek has four cases:
1st : the nominative
2nd : the genitive
3rd : the accusative (in ancient Greek 4th)
4th : the vocative (case of direct address, in ancient Greek 5th)
The nominative
The nominative indicates:
1. the subject in the sentence
Η Ελένη αγοράζει μήλα. Helen buys apples.
2. the predicate in the sentence as well, when linking verbs are used:
Ο Νίκος είναι καλός μαθητής. Nikos is a good pupil.
The genitive
The genitive indicates:
1. Possession
Το αυτοκίνητο του Νίκου. Niko’s car.
Το ποδήλατο της Μαρίας. Maria’s bicycle.
2. The subject (The genitive with nouns related to verbs may indicate the subject of the action.
If these nouns convert to verbs, the word in genitive will become the subject of the sentence.)
Η νίκη των Σπαρτιατών. Οι Σπαρτιάτες νίκησαν. The victory of the Spartans. (The Spartans
won.)
3. The object (The genitive with nouns related to verbs may indicate the direct object of the
action. If these nouns convert to verbs, the word in genitive will become the direct object of
the sentence.)
Είναι οι φρουροί της χώρας. Φρουρούν τη χώρα. They are the guardians of the country. (They
guard the country)
4. The indirect object in the sentence, mostly persons or personal pronouns or the direct object
with certain scholarly verbs and other, not easy to classify, verbs that denote expression,
possession, action of the senses, e.g.: ηγούμαι (lead), δράττομαι (take), μιλώ (speak), απαντώ
(answer), εξηγώ (explain), τηλεφωνώ (phone), μοιάζω (take after)
Η γιαγιά δίνει της Μαρίας ένα δαχτυλίδι. Grandmother gives Maria a ring.
Του δίνω ένα βιβλίο. I give him a book.
Της δίνω καφέ. I offer her coffee.
Της τηλεφώνησα. I phoned her.
Μοιάζει του πατέρα του. He takes after his father.
Ηγείται του στρατεύματος. He leads the troops.
Δράττομαι της ευκαιρίας. I take the opportunity.
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Modern Greek Grammar
www.greekgrammar.eu
5. Age, date, time
Είμαι 23 (είκοσι τριών) χρονών. I am 23 years old.
Τα γενέθλια μου είναι στις 15 Μαρτίου. My birthday is on the 15th of March.
Στα μέσα της εβδομάδας. In the middle of the week.
6. Cause
Η λύπη του αποχωρισμού. The sorrow of the farewell.
7. Purpose, use
Ταξίδι αναψυχής. Leisure trip.
Παπούτσια ορειβασίας. Climbing shoes.
8. Characteristic
Άνθρωπος των γραμμάτων. A literate person.
9. Quantity
Αγόρασε μία γαλοπούλα τεσσάρων κιλών. He/She bought a four kilos turkey.
Έχει άδεια τριών μηνών. He/She has a three months leave.
10. Origin
Καπνιστό τυρί Μετσόβου. Smoked cheese from Metsovo.
11. Familial relationship
Ο αδελφός της Μαρίας. Maria’s brother.
12. Place
Η μάχη του Μαραθώνα. The battle of Marathon.
The accusative
The accusative
1. indicates the direct object in the sentence:
Ο Νίκος γνωρίζει τον Κώστα. Nikos knows Kosta.
Ο Κώστας γνωρίζει την Ελένη. Kostas knows Helen.
2. is used after a preposition:
με το Νίκο with …
από την Ελένη from …
για τον Κώστα for …
στον Ανδρέα to …
στην Άννα to …
3. may indicate time:
Πότε θα πας στη Μαρία; When wil you go to Maria?
Τη Δευτέρα. On Monday.
The vocative
The vocative is used to address somebody:
Κώστα! Νίκο! Ελένη! Γιατρέ! Παιδιά! Κυρίες και κύριοι!
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