Category Archives: Beginners

Vowel contraction in Greek is a subtle but powerful feature, especially visible in verbs and their participial forms. When two vowels meet—like α + ο or ε + ε—they often merge into a single long vowel or diphthong, producing forms like ποιέων → ποιῶν or τιμάων → τιμῶν. These patterns carry over into adjectives and participles, especially those derived from contract verbs (ἀγαπῶν, δηλοῦσα, φιλοῦντες), but in nouns, contraction is mostly lexicalized by the Koine period. Recognizing these forms isn’t just grammatical—it’s interpretive. It helps trace verbal roots, clarify syntax, and navigate older Attic or poetic texts where contraction plays a more active role.… Learn Koine Greek

Greek declensions shape how nouns express case and number, revealing their role in a sentence regardless of word order. First-declension nouns like ἡμέρα or προφήτης follow α/η-stem patterns, mostly feminine but with some masculine forms. Second-declension nouns such as λόγος and ἔργον use ο-stems, with masculine and neuter endings that are predictably regular—especially in neuter, where nominative, accusative, and vocative match. The third declension is more complex: nouns like πατήρ or σῶμα show stem shifts and irregular endings, often requiring memorization. These patterns aren’t just grammatical—they’re interpretive tools, helping readers track emphasis, relationships, and theological nuance across Greek texts.

Greek nouns are organized into three main declensions, each with characteristic stem types, endings, and patterns of accentuation.… Learn Koine Greek

Greek cases are the backbone of sentence structure, each one signaling a distinct role. The nominative marks the subject or equates it with something (ὁ θεός φῶς ἐστιν), while the genitive shows possession, origin, or relationship (τοῦ διδασκάλου, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ). The dative handles indirect objects, instruments, and locations (τῷ παιδίῳ, ἐν τῇ πόλει), and the accusative targets direct objects or measures of time and space (τὸν ἄνδρα, τρεῖς ἡμέρας). The vocative calls out directly—κύριε, ἄνθρωπε. These endings do more than mark grammar; they shape meaning, reveal emphasis, and unlock interpretive depth, especially in texts where theology and syntax intertwine.

Greek uses a system of morphological case endings to indicate the grammatical function of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and participles within a sentence.… Learn Koine Greek

Greek number—singular, plural, and the historical dual—shapes how meaning unfolds in a sentence. Singular forms like ὁ ἀνήρ or τὸ βιβλίον point to individual entities, while plurals such as οἱ ἄνδρες or τὰ βιβλία expand the scope to many. Though the dual once marked “exactly two,” as in τὼ ὀφθαλμώ, it faded by the Koine period, leaving δύο and plural forms to carry that meaning. Agreement in number across articles, adjectives, and verbs is essential for clarity, and in interpretation, it can signal whether a passage speaks to individuals, groups, or symbolic collectives—sometimes with theological weight.

Number in Greek is a grammatical category indicating whether a word refers to one, more than one, or—historically—two entities.… Learn Koine Greek

Greek expresses time, place, and possession with remarkable precision through its case system, prepositions, and modifiers. A phrase like ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ pinpoints a moment, while διὰ δύο ἡμέρας stretches across a span. Motion is mapped clearly: εἰς τὴν πόλιν moves toward, ἐκ τῆς πόλεως moves away, and ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ simply locates. Possession unfolds through genitive constructions (τὸ βιβλίον τοῦ διδασκάλου), pronouns (μου), and adjectives like ἐμός or ἡμέτερος, each adding nuance. These choices aren’t just grammatical—they shape meaning, emphasis, and theological depth, especially in texts where time, space, and relationship converge with spiritual significance.

Greek expresses temporal relationships through cases, prepositions, and adverbs.… Learn Koine Greek

Greek numbers weave together grammar, history, and symbolism in fascinating ways. Cardinal forms like εἷς (m.), μία (f.), and ἕν (n.) show gender agreement, but from πέντε onward, the forms stay fixed regardless of the noun. Ordinals—πρῶτος, δευτέρα, δέκατος—follow regular patterns and shift with gender and case. The Ionic numeral system uses Greek letters to represent values, with special signs like ϛ for 6, ϟ for 90, and ϡ for 900. So when Revelation 13:18 writes χξϛ, it’s literally 600 + 60 + 6 = 666. Numbers usually come before the noun and agree with it when needed: δύο μαθηταί (“two disciples”), πέντε ἄρτοι (“five loaves”).… Learn Koine Greek