The following parts of speech are declined in Modern Greek:

  • Articles
  • Nouns
  • Adjectives
  • Personal pronouns
  • Numerals

The following parts of speech are not declined in Modern Greek:

  • Adverbs
  • Possessive pronouns
  • Conjunctions
  • Prepositions

In Modern Greek we have to deal with the following cases:

  • the nominative [1st case] - η ονομαστική
  • the genitive [2nd case] - η γενική
  • the dative [ 3rd case (only occurs in some ancient expressions)] - η δοτική
  • the accusative [4th case] - η αιτιατική
  • the vocative [5th case] - η κλητική

The verbs are conjugated in Modern Greek:

  • The active Greek verb is always indicated in the first person singular, e.g. «γράφω» - I write.
  • The personal pronoun is generally not used.
  • The ending indicates the finite verb (person) and there are six finite verb forms.
  • Most verbs have three voices viz. the active, the mid-passive and the passive voice.
  • The ending «-μαι», e.g. «γράφομαι» - I register, indicates the mid-passive and the passive voice in the first person singular.
In Greek you may greet each other in different ways

On entry, for example, you can say the following:

  • καλημέρα!
  • καλησπέρα!
  • γεια χαρά!
  • γεια!
  • χαίρετε!
  • good morning!
  • good evening!
  • hi!
  • hello!
  • goodday!

When leaving you can, for example:

  • καλημέρα!
  • καληνύχτα!
  • αντιό
  • γεια χαρά!
  • γεια!
  • χαίρετε!
  • good day!
  • good night!
  • good-bye!, so long!, See you!
  • bye bye!
  • bye bye!
  • bye bye!
Grammar

The weak personal pronouns are one syllable words without stress and used when nothing has to be emphasized. The second case is the basis for the possessive pronouns.

The weak form of the personal pronouns

Singular - Ενικός Αριθμός

cases 1st person 2nd person 3rd pers.masculine 3rd pers.feminine 3rd pers.neuter
1st case -- -- τος τη το
2nd case μου σου του της του
4th case με σε τον τη(ν) το

Plural - Πληθυντικός Αριθμός

cases 1st person 2nd person 3rd pers.masculine 3rd pers.feminine 3rd pers.neuter
1st case -- -- τοι τες τα
2nd case μας σας τους τους τους
4th case μας σας τους τις/τες τα

The use of the nominative (1st case) of the weak pronouns is limited to exclamations and interrogative constructions using the particle «να» and the adverb «πουν'» («να πουν'» - to say)

The weak personal pronouns are used in close context with verbs, nouns and adverbs and some other words with which they are linked. They cannot be separated from the verb, in fact, they are inextricably linked to the verb that they precede or follow.

When the imperative or the gerund is used the weak personal pronoun immediately follows the verb.

Examples of the weak personal pronoun as a direct object or indirect object of the verb:
ελληνικά
  • 1. Ο πατέρας τον ξέρει.
  • 2. Του ανοίγει την πόρτα.
  • 3. Γιατί δεν τους ξέρει;
  • 4. Δεν το ξέρουν.
  • 5. Της δίνεις τα βιβλία.
  • 6. Γιατί της τα δίνεις;
  • 7. Γιατί δεν μου τα δίνεις;
  • 8. Γράψε τού το.
  • 9. Άνοιξτε μου το.
  • 10. Κάν' το τώρα!
  • 11. Αγοράζοντας της το, γελάει
  • 12. Γελώντας της το δίνει.
ολλανδικά
  • The father knows him.
  • He opens the door for him.
  • Why does not he/she know them?
  • They don't know it.
  • You give her the books.
  • Why do you give them to her?
  • Why don't you give them to me?
  • Schrijf het hem.
  • Open it for me.
  • Do it now!
  • While buying it for her, he smiles.
  • He gives it to her, smiling
 

When a weak personal pronoun is used as a direct object, the case appears in the accusative (4th case, sent. 1, 3, 4). When a weak personal pronoun is used as a indirect object, the case appears in the genitive (2nd case, sent. 2 and 5). When both objects are used the first one should be a person-form and the second one a third person-form. In such an occasion the indirect object precedes the direct object, (sent 6 and 7).

The same occurs when a weak personal pronoun is used with an imperative, (sent. 8, 9 en 10) or the gerund, the indirect object may precede the direct object, (sent. 11 and 12).

The emphasized form of the possessive pronoun is a combination of a weak personal pronoun in the genitive (2nd case) preceded by the adjective «δικός, -ή, -ό» - own:

The emphasized form of the possessive pronoun:
cases masculine singular - αρσενικό ενικός
one owner more owners one owner more owners one owner more owners
1st δικός μου δικός μας δικός σου δικός σας δικός του δικός τους
2nd δικού μου
(μουδικό)
δικού μας δικού σου
(σουδικό)
δικού σας δικού του δικού τους
4th δικό μας δικό σας δικό του δικό τους
cases masculine plural - αρσενικό πληθυντικός
one owner more owners one owner more owners one owner more owners
1st δικοί μου δικοί μας δικοί σου δικοί σας δικοί του δικοί τους
2nd δικών μου δικών μας δικών σου δικών σας δικών του δικών τους
4th δικοί μου δικοί μας δικοί σου δικοί σας δικοί του δικοί τους
cases feminine singular - θηλυκό ενικός
one owner more owners one owner more owners one owner more owners
1st δική μου δική μας δική σου δική σας δική του δική τους
2nd δικής μου δική μας δικής σου δική σας δικής του δική τους
4th δική μου δική μας δική σου δική σας δική του δική τους
cases feminine plural - θηλυκό πληθυντικός
one owner more owners one owner more owners one owner more owners
1st δικές μου δικές μας δικές σου δικές σας δικές του δικές τους
2nd δικών μου δικών μας δικών σου δικών σας δικών του δικών τους
4th δικές μου δικές μας δικές σου δικές σας δικές του δικές τους
cases neuter singular - ουδέτερο ενικός
one owner more owners one owner more owners one owner more owners
1st δικό μου δικό μας δικό σου δικό σας δικό του δικό τους
2nd δικού μου δικού μας δικού σου δικού σας δικού του δικού τους
4th δικό μου δικό μας δικό σου δικό σας δικό του δικό τους
cases neuter plural - ουδέτερο πληθυντικός
one owner more owners one owner more owners one owner more owners
1st δικά μου δικά μας δικά σου δικά σας δικά του δικά τους
2nd δικών μου δικών μας δικών σου δικών σας δικών του δικών τους
4th δικά μου δικά μας δικά σου δικά σας δικά του δικά τους

Some examples with his form are:

ελληνικά
  • Αυτό το μεγάλο σπίτι είναι δικό μας.
  • Το κόκκινο ποδήλατο είναι δικό της.
  • Ο δικός μου αδερφός το κάνει λάθος.
  • Η δική μας οικογένεια είναι πολύ πλούσια.
  • Θέλει τa δικά μας βιβλία, όχι τα δικά του.
ολλανδικά
  • That big house is ours.
  • The red bicycle is hers.
  • My (own) brother is doing it wrong.
  • Our (own) family is very rich.
  • Do you want our books, no (I want) his.

As shown in above schedules the forms are declined according to the type adjective with «-ός, -ή, -ό» - endings, in the masculine, feminine and neuter forms viz: «δικός μου», «δική μου», «δικό μου» in compliance with the noun, defining the gender, the case and the singular and plural, whereas the combination can also occur independently qualifying a noun:

  • η δική μου μητέρα
  • η δική μου
  • το δικό μου βιβλίο
  • το δικό μου
  • οι δικοί μου φίλοι
  • οι δικοί μου
  • my (own) mother
  • mine
  • my (own) book
  • mine
  • my (own) friends
  • mine
In this lesson the following verbs, nouns, prepositions, articles, adverbs and adjectives, personal and possessive pronouns are used in sentences, including above-mentioned notes:
Greek English
meaning part of speech
ανοίγω to open regular verb with an active and passive voice
γελάω, γελώ to smile, laugh, giggle regular verb with an active and passive voice
γράφω to write regular verb with an active voice and an irregular passive voice
δίνω to give irregular verb with an active and passive voice
θέλω to want, will irregular verb with an active voice
κάνω to do, make irregular verb with an active voice
ξέρω to know irregular verb with an active voice
η πόρτα door, gate feminine noun
το βιβλίο the book neuter noun
το λάθος * the error neuter noun
το ποδήλατο the bicycle neuter noun
η στιγμή the moment feminine noun
λάθος * wrongly adverb
τώρα now adverb
γιατί why conjunction
λάθος * bad, incorrect adjective
κόκκινος, -η, -ο red adjective
πλούσιος, -α, -ο rich adjective
με with preposition

* «το λάθος» is an irregular noun of which the declension is a.f.:

cases singular plural
nominative λάθος λάθη
genitive λάθους λαθών
accusative λάθος λάθη
vocative λάθος λάθη

It is used in the indeclinable form as an adjective, e.g. « λάθος στιγμή» - wrong moment and as an adverb e.g. «κατά λάθος» - by mistake

Some sentences formed with the words of lesson 1 and 2:

Greek English
01. Τώρα κάνεις λάθος. Now you make a mistake.
02. Ο πατέρας μου ανοίγει την πόρτα. My father opens the door.
03. Πηγαίνει στο σχολείο με το ποδήλατο. He goes to school by bike.
04. Της δίνει ένα βιβλίο. He gives her a book.
05. Η δική της οικογένεια είναι πολύ πλούσια. Her own family is very rich.
06. Ο δικός μας δάσκαλος γράφει κάτι λάθος. Our own teacher writes something incorect.
07. Γελάει σε λάθος στιγμή. She/he laughs at the wrong moment.
08. Ο δικός της αδελφός ανοίγει την πόρτα, γελώντας. Her own brother opens the door, laughing.
09. Γιατί είναι δύσκολο το μάθημα; Why is the lesson difficult?
10. Δεν ξέρουν γιατί. They don't know why.
11. Το σπίτι έχει κόκκινη πόρτα. The house has a red door.
12. Θέλουν να πάνε στο σπίτι με το ποδήλατο. They want to go home by bicycle.
13. Αγοράζουν το βιβλίο στο μαγαζί του. The buy the book in his shop.
14. Δίνουν το βιβλίο στη μητέρα τους. They give the book to their mother.

The sentences 3, 5, 9, 11 en 13 of the verbs of lesson 1, new nouns, adjectives, adverbs and possessive pronouns. In the sentences 5 and 6 the emphasized form of the possissive pronouns are used.

Verbs

The present tense in the indicative mood of the active voice of the verb «ανοίγω».

ελληνικά
  • ανοίγω
  • ανοίγεις
  • ανοίγει
  • ανοίγουμε, ανοίγομε
  • ανοίγετε
  • ανοίγουν(ε)
αγγλικά
  • I open
  • you open
  • he/she/it opens
  • we open
  • you open
  • they open
  • In the second sentence «ανοίγω» is used in the third person masculine (because of «ο πατέρας»). It is a regular verb and also has a passive voice, viz «ανοίγομαι». It has several other meanings, among which, to bloom, to open fire, to undo, to turn on, to switch on and many others.
  • «ανοίγει» in sentence 2 and 8 are in de 3rd person singular.

The present tense in the indicative mood of the active voice of the verb «γελάω, γελώ».

ελληνικά
  • γελάω, γελώ
  • γελάς
  • γελάει, γελά
  • γελάμε, γελούμε
  • γελάτε
  • γελάν(ε), γελούν(ε)
αγγλικά
  • I smile
  • you smile
  • he/she/it smiles
  • we smile
  • you smile
  • they smile
  • «γελάω, γελώ» is a regular verb with an active and passive voice. This verb fits in category 2 of the second conjugation. See the stem for the second conjugation.
  • «γελάει» in sentence 7 is de 3rd person singular.
  • «γελώντας» is the present tense participle, (the english ing-form) of the verb

The present tense of the active voice in of the indicative mood of the verb «γράφω».

ελληνικά
  • γράφω
  • γράφεις
  • γράφει
  • γράφουμε, γράφομε
  • γράφετε
  • γράφουν(ε)
αγγλικά
  • I write
  • you write
  • he/she/it writes
  • we write
  • you write
  • they write
  • The active voice of the verb «γράφω» is regular. It is conjugated as the verbs in category 3 of the first conjugation. However the passive voice «γράφομαι» is irregular, partly due to the formation of the past participle, which is formed with the stem «γραφ-», but by adjusting the two vowels «-φμ-», where the «φ» precedes the «μ» (of «-μένος») in Greek the combination «-μμ-» is used.
  • In sentence 6 «γράφει» is used in the 3rd person singular
  • See the stem for the first conjugation.

The present tense in the indicative mood of the active voice of the verb «δίνω».

ελληνικά
  • δίνω
  • δίνεις
  • δίνει
  • δίνουμε, δίνομε
  • δίνετε
  • δίνουν(ε)
αγγλικά
  • I give
  • you give
  • he/she/it gives
  • we give
  • you give
  • they give
  • Both the active and the passive voices of the verb «δίνω» are irregular. In particular the aorist, the perfect tenses and the second (simple) future tense deviate from the normal pattern.
  • In above sentence 4 «δίνει» is used, which means the 3rd person singular and «δίνουν» in sentence 14 the 3rd person plural.

The present tense in the indicative mood of the active voice of the verb «θέλω».

ελληνικά
  • θέλω
  • θέλεις, θες
  • θέλει
  • θέλουμε, θέλομε
  • θέλετε
  • θέλουν(ε)
αγγλικά
  • I want
  • you want
  • he/she/it wants
  • want
  • you want
  • they want
  • The verb «θέλω» has only an active voice and it is irregular.
  • «θέλουν» in sentence 12 is de 3rd person plural, followed by the particle «να», the marker of the subjunctive, plus the 3rd person plural of the verb's subjunctive form in the aorist tense of «θέλω».

The present tense in the indicative mood of the active voice of the verb «κάνω».

ελληνικά
  • κάνω
  • κάνεις
  • κάνει
  • κάνουμε, κάνομε
  • κάνετε
  • κάνουν(ε)
αγγλικά
  • I do/make
  • you do/make
  • he/she/it does/makes
  • we do/make
  • you do/make
  • we do/make
  • The verb ««κάνω» has only an active voice.
  • In sentence 1 «κάνεις» is used which means the 2nd person singular.
  • The verb «κάνω» is used in standard sentences, but also in a variety of expressions with different meanings. Look at above link for the conjugation of the entire verb.

The present tense in the indicative mood of the active voice of the verb «ξέρω».

ελληνικά
  • ξέρω
  • ξέρεις
  • ξέρει
  • ξέρουμε, ξέρομε
  • ξέρετε
  • ξέρουν(ε)
αγγλικά
  • I know
  • you know
  • he/she/it knows
  • we know
  • you know
  • they know
  • The verb «ξέρω» is irregular, with only the active voice. Just a few tenses are used, viz, The present tense, the imperfect and the contiuous future tense of the indicative mood, the present tense of the subjunctive mood, the present tense of the imperative and the participle in the present tense.
  • For «ξέρουν» in sentence 10 the 3rd person plural is used.