Quartz Hill School of Theology

Lesson 6: Adjectives

Vocabulary:

ἀγαθος - good   καινος - new
ἀγαπητος - beloved    κακος - bad
ἀλλον - another (of the same kind)    καλος - beautiful
βασιλικος - royal    μικρος - small
δικαιος - righteous    μονος - only, alone
ἐσχατος - last    νεκρος - dead
ἑτερος - another (of a different kind)    πιστος - faithful
πρωτος - first    πονηρος - evil

ASSIGNMENT: Memorize the vocabulary list above.

Like nouns, adjectives have gender, number, and case. An adjective is a word that modifies a noun- i.e., "a new house". the adjective is "new" and the noun is "house".

When an adjective is used in Greek it will agree (match) the noun in gender, case, and number. For example:

ἀνθρωπος ἀγαθος = a good man

ἀνθρωπων ἀγαθων = good men

and so on.

Thus, there is nothing new to memorize here, since the student has already memorized the 1st and 2nd declension nouns. What one MUST remember is that an adjective WILL agree with the noun it modifies in gender (masculine or feminine), case (nominative, genitive, etc), and number (singular or plural).

Of particular importance in translating Greek is whether or not the definite article is used IMMEDIATELY before the adjective. Note the following sentences very carefully, paying particular attention to the placement of the article and the translation given:

ὁ ἀγαθος λογος = the good word

ὁ λογος ὁ ἀγαθος = the good word

and

ὁ λογος ἀγαθος = the word IS good

ἀγαθος ὁ λογος = the word IS good

If you noticed, when the article immediately precedes the adjective then it is translated "the... (whatever the adjective is).

(Note: all of these rules are subject to fine tuning as we learn more of this tremendous language).

ASSIGNMENT: Translate the following sentences as accurately as possible:

1. ὁ ἀγαπητος μαθητης ἀκουει τους ἀγαθους λογους

2. ὁ βασιλικος νομος διδασκει την δοχαν ἀγαπης

3. ὁ ἀποσtολος γινωσκει τους δικαιους και τας δικαιας

4. ὁ δικαιος ἀνθρωπος γραφει παραβολην


Contact Details

Telephone: (661) 722-0891
Email: info@theology.edu
Website: www.theology.edu

Quartz Hill School of Theology
43543 51st Street West
Quartz Hill, CA 93536
USA

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