19
First Declension Nouns
Almost all Greek nouns belong to one of three INFLECTION patterns, called the FIRST DECLENSION, SECOND DECLENSION, and THIRD DECLENSION. Each represents a particular set of CASE ENDINGS for gender, number, and case. So far, we have encountered only THIRD DECLENSION nouns. This lesson introduces FIRST DECLENSION nouns.
1. First Declension: Nouns with –η in the Singular
Most nouns of the first declension end in –η in the singular, which becomes –α in the plural (S 212). Most nouns in this declension are FEMININE and use endings similar to those of the FEMININE DEFINITE ARTICLE (S 216; GPH p. 1).
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | -η | -αι |
| Genitive | -ης | -ῶν |
| Dative | -ῃ | -αις |
| Accusative | -ην | -ας |
ἡ ἀγάπη -ης love, charity
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ἡ ἀγάπη | αἱ ἀγάπαι |
| Genitive | τῆς ἀγάπης | τῶν ἀγαπῶν |
| Dative | τῇ ἀγάπῃ | ταῖς ἀγάπαις |
| Accusative | τὴν ἀγάπην | τὰς ἀγάπας |
ἡ γνώμη -ης idea, intelligence, opinion
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ἡ γνώμη | αἱ γνῶμαι |
| Genitive | τῆς γνώμης | τῶν γνωμῶν |
| Dative | τῇ γνώμῃ | ταῖς γνώμαις |
| Accusative | τὴν γνώμην | τὰς γνώμας |
ἡ τιμή -ῆς value, honor
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | ἡ τιμή | αἱ τιμαί |
| Genitive | τῆς τιμῆς | τῶν τιμῶν |
| Dative | τῇ τιμῇ | ταῖς τιμαῖς |
| Accusative | τὴν τιμήν | τὰς τιμάς |
2. Accent of First Declension Nouns
Recall that nouns have a PERSISTENT ACCENT. FIRST DECLENSION nouns generally follow this pattern. There are two accent rules, however, that apply to nouns of the FIRST DECLENSION, but not to those of the third declension.
- Some FIRST DECLENSION nouns, e.g. τιμή -ῆς, have a persistent accent on the ultima of all inflected forms. When this happens, a CIRCUMFLEX is used on the genitive and dative, singular and plural; an ACUTE accent falls on the nominative and accusative, singular and plural. We have encountered the ultima “circumflex belt” before; note the accent pattern, for example, on the definite articles as well as on a number of pronouns, such as αὐτός αὐτή αὐτό.
- No matter where the persistent accent of a FIRST DECLENSION noun falls, the genitive plural is accented with a circumflex on the ultima: –ῶν. Note, for example, the inflections of ἀγάπη -ης and γνώμη -ης, above. This accent reflects a contraction of the original ending of the genitive plural: –άων (S 213).
For a download of all the accent rules for nouns, click here: Greek Accents Nouns.
3. Inflection of γῆ γῆς
There is only one monosyllabic first declension noun in our vocabulary list: γῆ γῆς. For this noun, all inflected forms have a circumflex! This noun reflects a contraction of γέᾱ– or γάᾱ-, and declines in Attic Greek as follows (S 227; cf. GPH p. 4):
ἡ γῆ γῆς earth
| Singular | (No plural) | |
| Nominative | ἡ γῆ | |
| Genitive | τῆς γῆς | |
| Dative | τῇ γῇ | |
| Accusative | τὴν γῆν |
4. First Declension: After –ε, –ι or –ρ
In Attic and Koine Greek, when a first declension noun has a stem endin