Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek refers to the stage in the history of the Greek language corresponding to Classical Antiquity, which normally applies on two ancient periods of Greek history: Archaic and Classic Greece. The Ancient era of Greek history normally includes also the Hellenistic (post-Classic) age, however that period formally composes its own stage in the Greek Language known as Hellenistic Greek. For information on the Greek language prior to the creation of the Greek alphabet, see articles Mycenaean Greek and Proto-Greek.

Nouns

Ancient Greek nouns have three numbers (singular, dual, and plural), three genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter) and five cases (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative and vocative). The two major noun declensions are the vowel declension and the consonant declension. The vowel declension is split into the alpha-declension and the omicron-declension. There is also the minor consonant declension.

Related Topics:
Nominative - Genitive - Dative - Accusative - Vocative

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Alpha Declension

The alpha declension is predominantly, but not exclusively, feminine. Nouns belonging to the alpha declension have stems ending in alpha, short or long. In certain circumstances the alpha may change its length or become eta.

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In the table below of feminine nouns there are three examples: long-alpha stem ({{Unicode|?}}-stems), short-alpha stems ({{Unicode|?}}-stems), and a stems which can end in eta ({{Unicode|?}}-stems).

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The short alpha stem is not present in masculine nouns, thus only {{Unicode|?}}-stems and {{Unicode|?}}-stems are declined.

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Omicron Declension

Nouns in the omicron declension can be masculine, feminine, or neuter, though they are predominantly masculine and neuter. Masculine and feminine nouns are declined alike.

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The Article

Attic Greek has a definite article, but no indefinite article. The definite article agrees with its associated noun in number, gender and case. Proper names usually take the definite article. Adjectives are either placed between the article and noun or after the noun, in which case the article is repeated before the adjective. Dependent genitive noun phrases are positioned in exactly the same way, even though this frequently results in splitting the article and noun by a long dependent phrase. For example: {{polytonic|τὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔργον}} '{{Unicode|tò toû anthr?pou érgon}}', literally "the (of the man) deed", or: "The deed of the man."

Related Topics:
Definite article - Indefinite article

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The definite article is declined thus:

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