Lesson 5: 1st Declension Nouns

As we begin this lesson the student needs to be reminded that learning Greek is like washing an elephant. We have washed a little, and we have a lot more to go. But don't get discouraged! Stick with it and the rewards will far outweigh the trouble.

ASSIGNMENT: write and memorize this vocabulary list.

This lesson will help the student recognize and translate 1st declension nouns. The student is urged to review lesson 4 and its description of the various cases. They also apply here, as in 2nd declension nouns.

The following table must be memorized:

These endings are simply added to the stem of the feminine nouns of the 1st declension (masculine nouns of the 1st declension are different): for example:

Easy, right? Well it gets a little complicated now. For when the stem of a noun ends in ς, λλ or a double consonant ζ, ξ, σ, or ψ then the following table applies:

As before, these endings are simply added to the stem of the noun. And, as before, these endings must be memorized.

Now, when a 1st declension noun is masculine in gender, then it has the following endings:

ASSIGNMENT: Memorize the table above.

Now we can turn to our last item of business in this lesson; an examination of the definite article. Greek has no indefinite article (the english "a" or "an"). The definite article is declined like any other noun, in the following manner (in the masculine, feminine and neuter genders):

ASSIGNMENT: Memorize the table above, and translate the following sentences:

1. ὁ ἀποστολος διδασκει παραβολην τοις ἀνθρωποις
2. λεγομεν λογους ἀληθειας ὀχλοις ἀνθρωπων και μαθητων