The following tables summarize the endings for the three Greek noun declensions for the dative and accusative cases, with an example noun illustrating each pattern in nominative, genitive, dative and accusative.
The case endings you are learning for dative and accusative cases will show up again in many other forms, including the adjectives we will study in this module. Taking the time to memorize them thoroughly will pay off repeatedly.
Look for patterns in these endings that can help you recognize the case endings:
Note that for a neuter noun or adjective in any declension, the accusative singular form will always be the same as the nominative singular form, and the accusative plural forms will always be the same as the nominative plural form.
Note that the dative plural ending of third declension nouns will have a “moveable nu” placed on the ending if the next word in the sentence starts with a vowel or if it is the last word in a sentence. In paradigms, therefore, you will see both options, without and with the nu on the end.
First declension
Endings for feminine first-declension nouns that end in -η / -ης. Example: γνώμη, γνώμης, ἡ “judgment, opinion”
Case
Singular
Plural
Dative
-ῃ
-αις
Accusative
-ην
-ας
Case
Singular
Plural
Nominative
γνώμη
γνῶμαι
Genitive
γνώμης
γνωμῶν
Dative
γνώμῃ
γνώμαις
Accusative
γνώμην
γνώμας
Endings for feminine first-declension nouns that end in -ᾱ / -ᾱς. Example: θύρα, θύρας, ἡ “door”
Case
Singular
Plural
Dative
-ᾳ
-αις
Accusative
-αν
-ας
Case
Singular
Plural
Nominative
θύρα
θύραι
Genitive
θύρας
θυρῶν
Dative
θύρᾳ
θύραις
Accusative
θύραν
θύρας
Endings for feminine first-declension nouns that end in -ᾰ / ης. Example: θεράπαινα, θεραπαίνης, ἡ “female slave, servant”
Case
Singular
Plural
Dative
-ῃ
-αις
Accusative
-ᾰν
-ᾱς
Case
Singular
Plural
Nominative
θεράπαινα
θεράπαιναι
Genitive
θεραπαίνης
θεραπαινῶν
Dative
θεραπαίνῃ
θεραπαίναις
Accusative
θεράπαιναν
θεραπαίνας
Endings for masculine first-declension nouns that end in -ης / -ου. Example: πολίτης, πολίτου, ὁ “citizen” (the iota is long).
Case
Singular
Plural
Dative
-ῃ
-αις
Accusative
-ην
-ᾱς
Case
Singular
Plural
Nominative
πολίτης
πολῖται
Genitive
πολίτου
πολιτῶν
Dative
πολίτῃ
πολίταις
Accusative
πολίτην
πολίτᾱς
Second declension
Endings for masculine or feminine second-declension nouns that end in -ος / -ου. Example: ἄνθρωπος, ἀνθρώπου, ὁ or ἡ “person, human being”
Case
Singular
Plural
Dative
-ῳ
-οις
Accusative
-ον
-ους
Case
Singular
Plural
Nominative
ἄνθρωπος
ἄνθρωποι
Genitive
ἀνθρώπου
ἀνθρώπων
Dative
ἀνθρώπῳ
ἀνθρώποις
Accusative
ἄνθρωπον
ἀνθρώπους
Endings for neuter second-declension nouns that end in -ον / -ου. Example: παιδίον, παιδίου, τό “young child” or “young enslaved person”
Case
Singular
Plural
Dative
-ῳ
-οις
Accusative
-ον
-α
Case
Singular
Plural
Nominative
παιδίον
παιδία
Genitive
παιδίου
παιδίων
Dative
παιδίῳ
παιδίοις
Accusative
παιδίον
παιδία
Third declension
As with the nominative and genitive cases, the underlying consonant stems of third-declension nouns can sometimes result in slight variations in the combined stem + ending. Notice for example for the noun μάρτυς that in the dative plural, the final rho of the stem has elided with the initial sigma of the ending.
Endings for masculine or feminine third-declension nouns. Example: μάρτυς, μάρτυρος, ὁ or ἡ, “witness”