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Guide

Greek cases, simply explained

Why is it ο καφές in one sentence and τον καφέ in the next? Because Greek nouns change their ending, and their article, depending on the job they do in the sentence. Those forms are called cases.

The four cases

Modern Greek has four. Most of the time you only need to think about the first three.

Ancient Greek had a fifth case, the dative. Modern Greek uses σε ("to, in, at") instead. More on how the two differ.

The articles

The article changes with the case, so it's often the easiest clue. Learn these first and the noun endings get much easier.

"The"

One on top, more than one below.

"A"

Common endings

Most nouns follow one of a handful of patterns. Here are the ones you'll meet first.

Masculine in -ος: friend

Masculine in -ας: man

Masculine in -ης: pupil

Feminine in -α: hour

Feminine in -η: art

Neuter in -ο: book

Neuter in -ι: child

Neuter in -μα: name

Rules that help

• Prepositions take the accusative. σε, από, με, για, χωρίς are all followed by it: με τον φίλο μου (with my friend).
• σε joins the article. σε + το = στο, and the same for στον, στη(ν), στα, στους, στις: Πάω στον σταθμό (I'm going to the station).
• Neuter is kind to you. Its nominative and accusative are always the same: Το βιβλίο είναι εδώ. Διαβάζω το βιβλίο.
• So are feminine nouns in -α and -η. Only the article changes in the singular: η ώρα, την ώρα.
• "My" and "your" use the genitive. The short pronouns go after the noun: το σπίτι μου (my house), η γάτα σου (your cat).
• The final ν. τον keeps its ν. την keeps it before vowels and before κ, π, τ and similar hard sounds, and usually drops it before other consonants: τη Δευτέρα.
• Names in the vocative. Most masculine words in -ος change to -ε (κύριε, sir), but many common first names change to -ο: Νίκο, Πέτρο. Names in -ας and -ης just drop the ς: Γιάννη.