1.19: Second Declension Nouns
Module 16
© 2021 Philip S. Peek, CC BY 4.0 https://doi.org/ 10.11647/OBP.0264. 19
Nouns
Nouns in Greek are defined just like nouns are in English; but the way they create meaning is different. As in English, Greek nouns ( ὀνόματα ) refer to people, places, things, and ideas. Greek nouns have endings. English nouns can change form when they show possession, as in Jada’s book , where the ’s is added as a suffix and indicates that the book belongs to Jada. English nouns also change form when expressing the plural: two suns , three oxen , four mice . The endings on Greek nouns, as we have seen previously, create the same meanings that English does through form change, word order, and the use of prepositional phrases.
Second Declension Nouns
The nominative singular of nouns of the second declension ends in - ος or – ον . Most second declension nouns whose nominative ends in - ος are masculine in gender and a few are feminine. Second declension nouns whose nominative ending is – ον are neuter in gender. Memorize these endings, know how to obtain the noun’s stem, and know how to decline the nouns.
Declining Second Declension Nouns in -ος or -ον
To decline second declension noun endings in - ος or – ον , first get the stem by removing the genitive singular ending. For sets 7 and 8, the genitive singular ending is - ου . For sets 9 and 10, the genitive singular ending is - ος . For sets 1 and 2, the genitive singular is - ης or - ᾱς . What remains is the stem. To the stem add the following endings:
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ἥλιος, ἡλίου, ἀδελφός, ἀδελφοῦ, ἔργον, ἔργου
To decline the noun ἥλιος , ἡλί ου ὁ sun , take the genitive singular ἡλίου , remove the genitive singular ending - ου to get the stem: ἡλί -, and add the masculine/feminine endings from above.
To decline ἀδελφό ς , ἀδελφοῦ ὁ brother , take the genitive singular ἀδελφοῦ , remove the genitive singular ending - ου to get the stem: ἀδελφ - , and add the masculine/feminine endings from above.
To decline ἔργον , ἔργου τ ό work , take the genitive singular ἔργου , remove the genitive singular ending - ου to get the stem: ἔργ - , and add the neuter endings from above.
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Singular |
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N |
ἥλιος |
ἀδελφός |
ἔργον |
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A |
ἥλιον |
ἀδελφόν |
ἔργον |
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G |
ἡλίου |
ἀδελφοῦ |
ἔργου |
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D |
ἡλίῳ |
ἀδελφῷ |
ἔργῳ |
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V |
ἥλιε |
ἄδελφε |
ἔργον |
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Plural |
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N |
ἥλιοι |
ἀδελφοί |
ἔργα |
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A |
ἡλίους |
ἀδελφούς |
ἔργα |
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G |
ἡλίων |
ἀδελφῶν |
ἔργων |
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D |
ἡλίοις |
ἀδελφοῖς |
ἔργοις |
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V |
ἥλιοι |
ἀδελφοί |
ἔργα |
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Singular |
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N |
ἥλιος |
ἀδελφός |
ἔργον |
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G |
ἡλίου |
ἀδελφοῦ |
ἔργου |
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D |
ἡλίῳ |
ἀδελφῷ |
ἔργῳ |
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A |
ἥλιον |
ἀδελφόν |
ἔργον |
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V |
ἥλιε |
ἄδελφε |
ἔργον |
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Plural |
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N |
ἥλιοι |
ἀδελφοί |
ἔργα |
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G |
ἡλίων |
ἀδελφῶν |
ἔργων |
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D |
ἡλίοις |
ἀδελφοῖς |
ἔργοις |
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A |
ἡλίους |
ἀδελφούς |
ἔργα |
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V |
ἥλιοι |
ἀδελφοί |
ἔργα |
ἥλιος:
- Note that the vocative singular is different from the nominative singular. As in all nouns, the vocative plural is the same as the nominative plural.
- The accent does not shift to the ultima in the genitive plural as it does in the first declension.
- Final - αι and - οι count as short for purposes of accentuation except in the optative, a mood that you’ll learn in Part II of the 21st-Century series. Thus the accent remains on the antepenult in ἥλιοι .
ἀδελφός:
- When first and second declension nouns have an acute accent on the ultima in the nominative singular, the accent changes to a circumflex in the genitive and dative, singular and plural.
- ἄδελφε is an exception for the rules of accent.
ἔργον:
- In all neuter nouns, the accusative and vocative are the same as the nominative, both in the singular and in the plural.
- The nominative and vocative plural ending of all neuter nouns is - α .
Practice Translating. Translate the sentences below adapted from the prologue of Euripides’ Bakkhai ( Βάκχαι ). Remember the meanings and functions of the cases presented in Module 7 . Nominative case endings are bolded; genitive endings are italicized; dative endings are highlighted; and accusative endings are underlined. Note that the third declension increases the number of possible endings for the nominative singular. Check your understanding with the translations in the Answer Key . Now go back and read each sentence two or three times, noticing with each rereading how much better your understanding of the sentence becomes. Make this a habit and you will improve quickly.
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Case |
Ending |
Function |
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Nominative |
- α , - η , - ης , ις , - ξ , - ο , - ον , - ος , - ρ , - ς , - ων |
subject of the verb |
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Genitive |
- ας , - ης , - ος , - ου , - ων |
dependence; object of preposition; possession |
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Dative |
- οις , - σι |
dative with adjective |
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Accusative |
- α , - αν , - ας , - ε , - εις , - η , - ην , - ν , - ο , - ον , - ος |
motion toward; object of verb or preposition |
ἥκω Δι ὸς παῖ ς τ ὴν Θηβαί ων χθόν α , Διόνυσ ος . ἐμ ὲ μὲν τίκτει ποθ ’ ἡ Κάδμ ου κόρ η , Σεμέλ η · ἐμ ὲ δὲ ἀστραπηφόρ ον λοχεύει πῦ ρ . μορφ ὴν δʼ ἀμείβω ἐκ θε οῦ βροτεί αν · ὁρ άω δὲ μητρ ὸς μνῆμ α καὶ δό μ ων ἐρείπι α . τ ὰ δὲ ἔτι τύ φεται , Δί ου πυρ ὸς φλό ξ , ἀθάνατ ος Ἥρ ας μητέρ α εἰς ἐμ ὴν ὕβρ ις . αἰνέω δὲ Κάδμ ον . ὁ δὲ γὰρ ἄβατ ον τ ὸ πέδ ον τίθησι , θυγατρ ὸς σηκ όν . λείπω δὲ ἐγὼ Λυδ ῶν γύ ας Φρυγ ῶν τε , Περσ ῶν τε πλάκ ας Βάκτρι ά τε τείχ η τ ήν τε χθόν α Μήδ ων . καὶ δὲ ἐ πέρχομαι Ἀραβί αν τ ’ Ἀσί αν τε . ἡ δὲ Ἀσί α παρ ’ ἅλ α κεῖται καὶ ἔχει μιγάδ ας Ἕλλη σι βαρβάρ οις θʼ ὁμοῦ πόλ εις . ἐκεῖ μὲν ἤδη χορεύω καὶ καθίστημι τ ὰς τελετ άς . ἐγὼ δὲ ν ῦν ἔρχομαι εἰς Ἑλλήν ων πόλι ν ὅτι εἰμὶ ἐμφαν ὴς δαίμ ων βροτ οῖς . πρώτ ας δὲ θήβ ας τ ῆς γ ῆς Ἑλληνίδ ος ἀνολολύζω , καὶ νεβρ ίδ α ἐξάπτω χρο ὸς θύρσ ον τε δίδωμι ἐς χεῖρ α , κίσσιν ον βέλ ος .
Adverbs and Verbs
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αἰνέω praise, approve, promise |
* καθίστημι appoint, establish, put into a state ; (intrans.) be established, be appointed |
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ἀμείβω answer; change, exchange |
* κεῖμαι lie |
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ἀνολολύζω cry aloud, shout; excite |
λείπω leave |
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* δίδωμι give ; δίκην δίδωμι I pay the penalty ; δίδωμι χάριν I give thanks |
λοχεύω bring forth, bear; deliver |
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* εἰμί be |
* ὁράω see |
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ἐ κεῖ there |
* τίθημι put, place |
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ἐξάπτω fasten to or from |
τίκτω bear, give birth |
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ἐπέρχομαι come upon; approach; attack |
τύφω raise a smoke, smoke ; (pass.) smolder |
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* ἔρχομαι come, go |
χορεύω dance |
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* ἥκω have come, be present |
Adjectives, Nouns, Pronouns
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Νοminative |
Genitive |
Dative |
Accusative |
English Equivalent |
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ἄβατον |
ἀβάτου |
ἀβάτῳ |
ἄβατον |
untrodden, impassable |
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ἀθάνατος |
ἀθανάτου |
ἀθανάτῳ |
ἀθάνατον |
immortal, deathless |
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ἅλς |
ἁλός |
ἁλί |
ἅλα |
sea |
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Ἀραβία |
Ἀραβίας |
Ἀραβίᾳ |
Ἀραβίαν |
Arabia |
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Ἀσία |
Ἀσίας |
Ἀσίᾳ |
Ἀσίαν |
Asia |
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ἀστραπηφόρον |
- φόρου |
- φόρῳ |
- φόρον |
lightning-bearing |
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Βάκτρια |
Βακτρίων |
Βακτρίοις |
Βάκτρια |
Baktria |
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βάρβαροι |
βαρβάρων |
βαρβάροις |
βαρβάρους |
barbarians |
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βέλος |
βέλεος (- ους ) |
βέλει |
βέλος |
missile, arrow, dart |
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βροτεία |
βροτείας |
βροτείᾳ |
βροτείαν |
mortal |
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βροτοί |
βροτῶν |
βροτοῖς |
βροτούς |
mortals |
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* γῆ |
γῆς |
γῇ |
γῆν |
land, earth |
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γύαι |
γυῶν |
γύαις |
γύας |
lands |
|
δαίμων |
δαίμονος |
δαίμονι |
δαίμονα |
god, deity |
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Διόνυσος |
Διονύσου |
Διονύσῳ |
Διόνυσον |
Dionysos |
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δόμοι |
δόμων |
δόμοις |
δόμους |
house, houses |
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* ἐ γώ |
ἐμοῦ |
ἐμοί |
ἐμέ |
I, me, mine |
|
* Ἕλληνες |
Ἑλλήνων |
Ἕλλησι ( ν ) |
Ἕλληνας |
Greeks |
|
Ἑλληνίς |
Ἑλληνίδος |
Ἑλληνίδι |
Ἑλληνίδα |
Greek |
|
* ἐμ ή |
ἐμῆς |
ἐμῇ |
ἐμήν |
my |
|
ἐμφανή ς |
ἐμφανέος (- οῦς ) |
ἐμφανεῖ |
ἐμφανέα (- ῆ ) |
clear, manifest |
|
ἐρείπιον |
ἐρειπίου |
ἐρειπίῳ |
ἐρείπιον |
ruin, wreck |
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* Ζεύς |
Διός ( Ζηνός ) |
Διί ( Ζηνί ) |
Δία ( Ζῆνα ) |
Zeus |
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Ἥρα |
Ἥρας |
Ἥρᾳ |
Ἥραν |
Hera |
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* θεός |
θεοῦ |
θεῷ |
θεόν |
god, goddess |
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θῆβαι |
θηβῶν |
θήβαις |
θήβας |
Thebes |
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Θηβαῖοι |
Θηβαίων |
Θηβαίοις |
Θηβαίους |
Theban |
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θυγάτηρ |
θυγατρός |
θυγατρί |
θυγατέρα |
daughter |
|
θύρσος |
θύρσου |
θύρσῳ |
θύρσον |
thyrsos |
|
Κάδμος |
Κάδμου |
Κάδμῳ |
Κάδμον |
Kadmos |
|
κίσσινος |
κισσίνου |
κισσίνῳ |
κίσσινον |
of ivy |
|
κόρη |
κόρης |
κόρῃ |
κόρην |
girl; daughter |
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Λυδοί |
Λυδῶν |
Λυδοῖς |
Λυδούς |
Lydian |
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Μῆδοι |
Μήδων |
Μήδοις |
Μήδους |
Mede, Persian |
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* μήτηρ |
μητρός |
μητρί |
μητέρα |
mother |
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μιγάδες |
μιγάδων |
μιγάσι ( ν ) |
μιγάδας |
mixed |
|
μνῆμα |
μνήματος |
μνήματι |
μνῆμα |
memorial, record, tomb |
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μορφή |
μορφῆς |
μορφῇ |
μορφήν |
form, appearance |
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νεβρίς |
νεβρίδος |
νεβρίδι |
νεβρίδα |
fawnskin |
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* παῖς |
παιδός |
παιδί |
παῖδα |
child |
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πέδον |
πέδου |
πέδῳ |
πέδον |
earth, ground |
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Πέρσαι |
Περσέων (- ῶν ) |
Πέρσαις |
Πέρσας |
Persians |
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πλάκες |
πλακῶν |
πλαξί ( ν ) |
πλάκας |
plains, fields |
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* πόλις |
πόλεως |
πόλει |
πόλιν |
city |
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πρ ῶται |
πρώτων |
πρώταις |
πρώτας |
first |
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πῦρ |
πυρός |
πυρί |
πῦρ |
fire |
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Σεμέλη |
Σεμέλης |
Σεμέλῃ |
Σεμέλην |
Semele |
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σηκός |
σηκοῦ |
σηκῷ |
σηκόν |
pen, fold, precinct |
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τά δέ |
τῶν δέ |
τοῖς δέ |
τά δέ |
they, them, theirs |
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τείχη |
τειχῶν |
τείχεσι ( ν ) |
τείχη |
walls |
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τελεταί |
τελετῶν |
τελεταῖς |
τελετάς |
rites, mysteries |
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ὕβρις |
ὕβρεως |
ὕβρει |
ὕβριν |
hybris, brutality |
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φλόξ |
φλογός |
φλογί |
φλόγα |
flame, fire, blaze |
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Φρύγες |
Φρυγῶν |
Φρυξί ( ν ) |
Φρύγας |
Phrygian |
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* χείρ |
χειρός |
χειρί |
χε ῖρα |
hand; force, army |
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χθών |
χθονός |
χθονί |
χθόνα |
earth, ground |
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χρώς |
χρωτός ( χροός ) |
χρωτί ( χροΐ ) |
χρῶτα ( χρόα ) |
skin |
- The asterisk indicates the top 250 most frequently occurring vocabulary, which you are to memorize.
Practice Parsing Greek Sentences. Parse each word of the sentence found below. For nouns and pronouns, give case and function. For verbs, give person, number, tense, mood, and voice. For adverbs and conjunctions, identify them. For prepositional phrases, give the preposition and the preposition’s object. For adjectives, tell what noun they agree with in gender, number, and case.
καὶ νεβρίδα ἐξάπτω χροὸς θύρσον τε δίδωμι ἐς χεῖρα , κί σσινον βέλος .
Check your answers with those in the Answer Key .
Classics and Our Modern World: Tom Palaima
In his article “Songs of the ‘Hard Traveler’ from Odysseus to the Never-Ending Tourist,” Classicist and professor Tom Palaima studies themes connected with traveling and existing away from home from the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer through the modern folk song tradition as performed and transformed by Bob Dylan, including songs by the Stanley Brothers, Charley Patton, Skip James, Muddy Waters, Stephen F. Foster, Martin Carthy and Dionysis Savvopoulos. Ancient Greek serves as the first recorded examples of songs exploring these experiences.
To read the article, follow this link:
Songs of the Hard Traveler . 1
Module 16 Top 250 Vocabulary to be Memorized. Like learning the alphabet and endings, memorizing vocabulary is essential to acquiring language. The better you memorize the top 250 most frequently occurring words, the greater mastery of the language you will have.
Nouns
ἄνθρωπος , ἀνθρώπου ἡ ὁ human, person
ἔργον , ἔργου τό deed, task, work; building ; ἔργον in truth, in deed
θεός , θεοῦ ἡ ὁ god, goddess, deity
λόγος , λόγου ὁ word, speech, story; reason, account
νόμος , νόμου ὁ law, custom
πόλεμος , πολέμου ὁ war
χρόνος , χρόνου ὁ time
Verb
νομίζω believe, think, have the custom of, hold as custom