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Declensions

Class Notes Download Second Declension

In linguistic terms, declension refers to the way nouns, pronouns, and adjectives in languages, particularly inflected ones like Greek, Latin, or Hebrew, change their form to express different grammatical categories such as case (nominative, genitive, etc.), number (singular, plural), and gender (masculine, feminine, neuter). In Greek and Hebrew, declensions are crucial because they help to indicate the function of a word in a sentence, such as whether it is the subject, object, or shows possession, among other roles.

First Declension: The first declension is characterized by long vowel endings like -η and -α in the nominative singular. Typically includes nouns that are mostly feminine but also some masculine nouns.

Second Declension: The second declension is categorized by o class vowels. Masculine nouns generally have endings in -ος (e.g., λόγος) in the nominative singular, while neuter nouns end in -ον.

Third Declension: This declension is more irregular and diverse, containing nouns of all three genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter). The nouns in the third declension can have various stem endings and exhibit more complex case endings, such as -ς (e.g., βασιλεύς).

Gender refers to a system of noun classification that affects how nouns and related words (such as adjectives, pronouns, and verbs) are inflected in a language. In languages with grammatical gender, nouns are categorized into specific gender classes, which often determine the form of associated words (e.g., adjectives and pronouns) and can sometimes affect the verb conjugation.

In Koine Greek, there are three grammatical genders:

1. Masculine: This gender is often used for nouns referring to males but also includes many inanimate objects and abstract concepts. For example, ἀδελφός (adelphos) means “brother” and is […]
   

Class Notes

Prepositions

Prepositions are adverbs specialized to define more clearly the meaning of case, many of which came to be used in composition with verbs. When the word functions as an adverb it does not need an object; however, when serving as a preposition it required an object.

Some words can function as either prepositions or adverbs, depending on whether they have an object:

Preposition: “She walked across the bridge.” (“Across” is a preposition because it relates to “the bridge.”)

Adverb: “She walked across.” (“Across” functions as an adverb because it has no object and modifies the verb “walked.”)

The Greek preposition is used to better define the idea of case. They assist the cases by aiding in clarifying the meaning of the case. The case governs the meaning of the preposition. Therefore, the preposition does not give the meaning to the case, for they do not govern the case.

As an example for how the meaning of the preposition is governed by the case it is used with we can examine the different meanings of παρά (para) based upon what case the noun is expressing.  παρά (para) primarily means “beside,” “alongside,” or “near. The English word parallel is derived from παράλληλος (parallēlos), which is a compound of two parts: παρά (para): Meaning “beside” or “alongside.” ἀλληλος (allēlos): Meaning “one another.”

Ablative: from the side of.

Locative: by the side of.

Accusative: beside, beyond, against (contrary to).

By the nature of the Nominative and Vocative cases, they do not use prepositions. Therefore, the cases that use prepositions are the genitive, ablative, dative, locative, instrumental, and accusative.

When used in compound with the verbs the prepositions have two common uses.

The preposition is merely local. I throw out combines ἐκ […]

Class Notes

Present Indicative Passive Lesson 6

Presentation Slides

Present Indicative Passive

βάλλω (ballō) – I throw

διδάσκω (didaskō) – I teach

ἐγείρω (egeirō) – I raise up

ἀγγέλλω (angellō) – I announce

κηρύσσω (kēryssō) – I proclaim/announce

κρίνω (krinō) – I judge

πέμπω (pempō) – I send

ἀποστέλλω (apostellō) – I send (with a mission)

σώζω (sōzō) – I save

εἰς (eis) – into, because of

ὑπό (hypo) – Ablative, by; Accusative, under

The Present Indicative Passive in Greek is a verb form used to express that the subject is being acted upon in the present time. The Present aspect signifies that the action is ongoing or habitual, while the Indicative mood indicates a statement of fact. The Passive voice means the subject of the sentence is receiving the action rather than performing it. The Passive voice does not have a separate set of endings from the middle voice, except in the future and aorist.

Present Indicative Passive Endings:

Singular:

1. -ομαι (-omai) – First person singular (I am being loosed).
2. –ῃ (-ēi) or -ει (-ei) – Second person singular (You are being loosed).
3. -εται (-etai) – Third person singular (He/she/it is being loosed).

Plural:

1. -όμεθα (-ometha) – First person plural (We are being loosed).
2. -εσθε (-esthe) – Second person plural (You all are being loosed).
3. -ονται (-ontai) – Third person plural (They are being loosed).

Key Features of the Present Indicative Passive:

1. Voice: Passive voice means the subject is receiving the action. For example, “λύομαι” means “I am being loosed,” not “I loose.”
2. Aspect: The Present tense conveys continuous or ongoing action, implying the subject is currently or habitually being acted upon.
3. Mood: Indicative mood denotes a statement of fact. It indicates real actions or events happening in the present time.

The Present Indicative Passive forms:

Singular:

[…]

The Present Indicative Active

Vocabulary Training

Class Slides

Class Notes Download The Present Indicative Active

Present Indicative Active Endings:

Singular:

1st Person: -ω

2nd Person: -εις

3rd Person: -ει

Plural:

1st Person: -ομεν

2nd Person: -ετε

3rd Person: -ουσι(ν)

Infinitive λέγειν, to be saying, to say

The Present Indicative Active form in Greek is used to denote an action that is occurring in the present time from the writer’s perspective. It can indicate a continuous, habitual, or general truth.

The indicative is the only mode in which the tenses show absolute time. The main idea of tense is always the kind of action.; therefore, even in the indicative time is secondary. Duration or linear action in a continuous or progressive manner is the action expressed by the tense.

Present Tense: Indicates the time of the action as present.

It can denote a continuous action (e.g., “I am studying”).

It can represent a habitual action (e.g., “I study every day”).

It can also indicate a general truth (e.g., “The earth revolves around the sun”).

Indicative Mood: This mood is used for making factual statements or asking questions that are seen as actual.

Active Voice: In the active voice, the subject of the verb is the one performing the action (e.g., “He writes a letter” – the subject “he” is doing the action of writing).

Parsing a Present Indicative Active Verb

Parsing involves identifying five components of a verb: tense, mood, voice, person, and number.

1. Tense: Present.
2. Mood: Indicative.
3. Voice: Active.
4. Person: Indicates who is performing the action:
   1. 1st person: “I” or “we”
   2. 2nd person: “you” (singular or plural)
   3. 3rd person: “he/she/it” or “they”
5. Number: Singular or Plural.

Parsing Example: λέγω (I say)

λέγω (I say) – ω ending for 1st person singular.

λέγεις (You say) – εις ending for […]