First and second declensions

Families of nouns

The last two lessons gave you cases and the article. But if every noun had its own set of endings, reading would be hopeless. The good news is that Greek nouns come in a few families whose endings change in the same way, and each family is called a declension. Learn one pattern and you can read hundreds of words. In this lesson we take the two commonest families, the second and the first declension.

The second declension has masculine nouns in -ος and neuter nouns in -ον. Last lesson's λόγος (logos) is the model masculine, and ἔργον (ergon), "work", is the model neuter. The first declension is mostly feminine nouns in -η or -α, plus some masculine nouns in -ης. Examples of the first are ζωή (zōē) "life", ἀρχή (archē) "beginning", καρδία (kardia) "heart", ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) "church" and δόξα (doxa) "glory", and of the masculine group μαθητής (mathētēs) "disciple" and προφήτης (prophētēs) "prophet". A third family, which includes πατήρ "father" and πνεῦμα "spirit", comes in a later lesson.

Endings that echo the article

The best help in learning these endings is the article from the last lesson, because the endings look a lot like it. See the article and noun side by side.

Put τοῦ beside λόγου, τῷ beside λόγῳ, τῆς beside ζωῆς and τῇ beside ζωῇ, and you can see the vowels answering each other. So if you know the article, you can often guess the noun's ending. Notice too that the neuter has the same form in the nominative and the accusative.

The endings table

These tables are for recognition. Do not try to memorise them; come back when a form puzzles you.

The first declension comes in -η and -α types, with the same plural, and a masculine -ης type.

There is some variation: a few -α nouns such as δόξα show η in the genitive and dative singular (δόξης, δόξῃ). For now keep the big picture. The plural endings -αι (nominative) and -ας (accusative) point to the first declension, and the genitive plural -ων is the same in every family. Note, though, that -ας is also the genitive singular of the -α type (καρδίας), so check the panel's case label when you meet it.

Back to the dictionary

A dictionary lists a noun in its nominative singular. To look up a word you meet in a verse, use the panel's case and number to turn it back into that form. In John 1:12, τέκνα is neuter plural, so it goes back to the neuter -ον type: τέκνον (teknon), "child". In Mark 1:1, εὐαγγελίου is a genitive singular neuter, so it comes from εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion), "gospel".

In John 1:14, δόξαν is accusative singular feminine, and the -αν takes you back to δόξα, "glory". In John 2:11, μαθηταὶ is nominative plural masculine, from μαθητής, "disciple". In Matthew 5:17, προφήτας ends in -ας but is masculine and accusative plural, from προφήτης, "prophet". And in John 1:1, ἀρχῇ is dative singular feminine, from ἀρχή.

You can also guess gender from endings: usually -ος is masculine, -ον neuter, -η and -α feminine, and -ης masculine. There are exceptions, so the article is the final word. In John 6:29, τὸ ἔργον, "the work", is neuter, and the article confirms it.

Words in this lesson

Besides ἔργον "work", τέκνον "child", εὐαγγέλιον "gospel", δόξα "glory", μαθητής "disciple", προφήτης "prophet" and ἐκκλησία "church", the lesson adds καρδία (kardia), "heart". In John 14:1, "Do not let your hearts be troubled", ἡ καρδία is the subject.

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says He will build His ἐκκλησίαν, "church". The word originally means an "assembly", and in the New Testament it is the usual word for the community of believers.

Summary

Nouns come in families that share endings. The second declension has masculine -ος and neuter -ον; the first has feminine -η and -α and masculine -ης. Their endings resemble the article, the dictionary lists the nominative singular, and the panel's case label lets you turn any form back into that word. That gives you a frame for most of the nouns in the New Testament.

Words in this lesson

• ἔργονergonwork169 times in the NT
• τέκνονteknonchild99 times in the NT
• εὐαγγέλιονeuangeliongospel75 times in the NT
• δόξαdoxaglory166 times in the NT
• καρδίαkardiaheart156 times in the NT
• μαθητήςmathētēsdisciple261 times in the NT
• προφήτηςprophētēsprophet144 times in the NT
• ἐκκλησίαekklēsiaassembly114 times in the NT

Practice