The definite article

The Definite Article

  • The definite article in Greek corresponds to “the” in English.

  • It agrees in gender, number and case with the noun it modifies.

  • It has three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.

  • Each gender has four cases: nominative, genitive, dative, and accusative.

Forms of the Definite Article

Masculine

  • Nominative Singular: ὁ

  • Genitive Singular: τοῦ

  • Dative Singular: τῷ

  • Accusative Singular: τὸν

  • Nominative Plural: οἱ

  • Genitive Plural: τῶν

  • Dative Plural: τοῖς

  • Accusative Plural: τούς

Feminine

  • Nominative Singular: ἡ

  • Genitive Singular: τῆς

  • Dative Singular: τῇ

  • Accusative Singular: τήν

  • Nominative Plural: αἱ

  • Genitive Plural: τῶν

  • Dative Plural: ταῖς

  • Accusative Plural: τάς

Neuter

  • Nominative Singular: τό

  • Genitive Singular: τοῦ

  • Dative Singular: τῷ

  • Accusative Singular: τό

  • Nominative Plural: τά

  • Genitive Plural: τῶν

  • Dative Plural: τοῖς

  • Accusative Plural: τά

Key Usage Notes

  • Unlike English, Greek often uses the definite article with proper names.

  • The definite article is also used before adjectives that are used substantively, i.e., as nouns.

  • The article can also appear with infinitives, with a participle acting as a substantive, with adverbs, with a clause that is acting as a noun, and with prepositions.