CHAPTER 5: First Declension Nouns

You will be able to—
1.   understand the English syntax of nouns in sentences (subject, object, number, gender, etc.),
2.   understand the Greek noun system (gender, number, case),
3.   write out and chant the first declension paradigm for feminine nouns, and
4.   master ten more high-frequency vocabulary words.

Introduction

There are three noun declensions in Greek. We have learned the second declension with its masculine and neuter nouns and its characteristic ο endings. Now we will focus on the first declension. First declension nouns are largely feminine, as indicated by placing the feminine article ἡ (“the”) after the nominative singular form. Each noun should be learned with its definite article, which indicates its gender. The stem of first declension nouns ends with an alpha or eta. Learn to chant through this eta first declension of γραφή. Learn to recognize the variations on the other two forms (alpha and masculine form).

Feminine First Declension Forms (Stem Ending in η)
       γραφή, ἡ = writing, Scripture

 

Singular

Plural

Inflectional Endings

Nom./Voc.

γραφή

γραφαί

η

αι

Gen.

γραφῆς

γραφῶν

ης

ων

Dat.

γραφῇ

γραφαῖς

αις

Acc.

γραφήν

γραφάς

ην

ας

Meanings: Translation of Inflectional Forms

 

Singular

 

Plural

 

 

Nom.

γραφή

A writing

γραφαί

writings

(subject of sentence)

Gen.

γραφῆς

of a writing

γραφῶν

of writings

(possessive/description)

Dat.

γραφῇ

to a writing

γραφαῖς

to writings

(indirect object/agency)

Acc.

γραφήν

A writing

γραφάς

writings

(direct object)

Voc.

γραφή

O writing

γραφαί

O writings

(direct address)

  • Nominative = subject of the sentence, predicate nom., apposition
  • Genitive = possessive/description/origin usually translated with “of”
  • Dative = indirect object, usually translated with “to,” “for,” “by,” “at,” or “with” (2 by 4 ate [at] with)
  • Accusative = direct object of a sentence, double accusative
  • Vocative = direct address (e.g., “O writings, show us . . .”)

The nominative can be used as in an appositional use.  Apposition is when this form restates or specifies a noun. 

For example:  “Paul, a servant, an apostle writes,” --where “a servant” and “an apostle” are appositional renaming or specifying Paul.

Feminine First Declension Forms (Stem Ending in α)
       ὥρα, ἡ = hour

 

Singular

Plural

Nom./Voc.

ὥρα

hour

ὧραι

hours

(subject of sentence)

Gen.

ὥρας

of an hour

ὡρῶν

of hours

(possessive/descrip.)

Dat.

ὥρᾳ

for an hour

ὥραις

for hours

(indirect object/ag.)

Acc.

ὥραν

hour

ὥρας

hours

(direct object)

Note that the nominative and vocative have the same form. The ὥρα and γραφή forms are largely the same except for the simple shift of the eta to an alpha in the singular.

Masculine First Declension Forms (Stem Ending in η)
       προφήτης, ὁ = prophet

 

Singular

 

Plural

 

 

Nom.

προφήτης

prophet

προφῆται

prophets

(subject)

Gen.

προφήτου

of a prophet

προφητῶν

of prophets

(possessive)

Dat.

προφήτῃ

to a prophet

προφήταις

to prophets

(indirect object)

Acc.

προφήτην

prophet

προφήτας

prophets

(direct object)

Voc.

προφῆτα

O prophet

προφῆται

O prophets

(direct address)

Note that the only major variation here is the genitive singular, which takes an -ου ending. Beyond that, it is much the same as γραφή. Vocatives are rare.

Nouns ending in a consonantal blend (ψ, ξ, or ζ) or double
      consonant  δόξα, -ης, ἡ = glory

 

Singular

 

Plural

 

 

Nom.

δόξα

glory

δόξαι

glories

(subject)

Gen.

δόξης

of glory

δοξῶν

of glories

(possessive)

Dat.

δόξῃ

to glory

δόξαις

to glories

(indirect object)

Acc.

δόξαν

glory

δόξας

glories

(direct object)

Voc.

δόξα

O glory

δόξαι

O glories

(direct address)

The Article

While Greek has no indefinite article like the English “a” (e.g., a book), the Greek article, usually translated “the,” occurs throughout the New Testament although it often can be used as a substitute for a personal pronoun, demonstrative pronoun (this/that) or a relative pronoun (who/which). The article is inflected for gender, number, and case. Indeed, the article must match its noun in gender, number, and case. The article marks the gender of a noun, whether it is a first, second, or third declension noun.  The article can sometimes function as a pronoun (he, she, it . . . ) and at root has a nominalizing impact on the words it goes with.  Sometimes it is not translated at all especially with proper nouns (“Jesus” not “the Jesus”) or abstracts (“grace” not “the grace”).

Examples:

λόγος

“word” or “a word”

Nom. sg. masc. (Acts 13:15)

ὁ λόγος

“the word”

Nom. sg. masc. (Jn. 1:1)

λόγον

“word” or “a word”

Acc. sg. masc. (Jn. 8:51)

τὸν λόγον

“the word”

Acc. sg. masc. (Jn. 4:39)

Article Forms

 

Singular

Plural

 

Masc.

Fem.

Neut.

Masc.

Fem.

Neut.

Nom.

τό

οἱ

αἱ

τά

Gen.

τοῦ

τῆς

τοῦ

τῶν

τῶν

τῶν

Dat.

τῷ

τῇ

τῷ

τοῖς

ταῖς

τοῖς

Acc.

τόν

τήν

τό

τούς

τάς

τά

Note that ὁ, οἱ, ἡ, and αἱ are proclitics, each bearing no accent because it is associated so closely with (leans on) the following word. Being able to recognize the case of the article is handy, since that will also tell you the case of the accompanying noun. Thus, it is a good way to double-check whether or not you are declining a noun properly.

The 2-1-2 Noun Chant (recite this so it becomes automatic)

          2-Declension                   1-Declension                      2-Declension

λόγος   (word: Subject)     γραφή   (writing: Subject)  ἱερόν  (temple: Subject)

λόγου   (of a word)           γραφῆς  (of a writing)          ἱεροῦ  (of a temple)

λόγῳ    (to/by/for a word) γραφῇ (to/by/for a writing)  ἱερῷ (to/by/for a temple)

λόγον   (word:  Object)     γραφήν  (writing: Object)     ἱερόν  (temple: Object)

λόγοι    (words: Subject)   γραφαί  (writings: Subject)   ἱερά (temples: Subject)

λόγων   (of words)            γραφῶν  (of writings)            ἱερῶν  (of temples)

λόγοις (to/by/for words)   γραφαῖς (to/by/for writings)  ἱεροῖς  (to/by/for temples)

λόγους  (words: Object)  γραφάς  (writings: Object)      ἱερά (temples: Object)

Vocabulary

ἀγάπη, -ης, ἡ

love (116)

ἀλήθεια, -ας, ἡ

truth (109)

ἁμαρτία, -ας, ἡ

sin (173)

βασιλεία, -ας, ἡ

kingdom (162)

γραφή, -ῆς, ἡ

writing, Scripture (50)

ἐγείρω

I raise up (144)

ἐκκλησία, -ας, ἡ

assembly, church (114)

ἔργον, -ου, τό

work (169)

μαθητής, -οῦ, ὁ

disciple (261)

ὥρα, -ας, ἡ

hour (106)

最后修改: 2018年08月8日 星期三 12:47