Lesson 4
Second Declension
Masculine and neuter o-stem nouns; neuter case patterns and agreement.
Second-declension endings
The second declension uses the same cases you learned in lesson 3, with a different set of endings. Its two main patterns are masculine λόγος ('word') and neuter ἔργον ('work'). The stem stays recognizable while the ending changes to show case and number.
For masculine λόγος, the singular forms are λόγος (nominative), λόγου (genitive), λόγῳ (dative), λόγον (accusative), and λόγε (vocative). The plurals are λόγοι, λόγων, λόγοις, λόγους, and λόγοι. Compare genitive λόγου with προφήτου from lesson 3: both end in -ου, although the nouns belong to different declensions.
Most second-declension nouns in -ος are masculine, but some, such as ὁδός ('way'), are feminine and use the same endings. Neuter nouns like ἔργον follow the separate pattern below. Learn gender with each noun rather than guessing it from the ending alone.
- λόγον γράφω. — I write a word (accusative singular).
- λέγω ἀδελφῷ. — I speak to a brother (dative singular).
- ἔργα προφήτου — a prophet's works (neuter plural plus a first-declension genitive)
Neuter nouns
Neuter nouns have matching nominative and accusative forms, in both singular and plural. The form alone therefore cannot tell you whether a neuter noun is a subject or an object; read the whole sentence to decide.
A second quirk: a neuter plural subject usually takes a singular verb. Greek thinks of the plural as a collective whole. So τὰ ἔργα ἐστίν means 'the works are' — literally 'the works is'. Do not let the singular verb fool you into translating a singular subject.
For this reading example, τὰ means 'the' and ἐστίν means 'is'. You will learn their full patterns in lessons 5 and 6. Here, just notice that the English verb becomes 'are' because the subject is plural.
- τὰ ἔργα ἐστίν — the works are (plural subject, singular verb)
- τὸ τέκνον βλέπει τὰ τέκνα — the child sees the children (same form, nominative and accusative)
Accents when noun endings changeOptional reference
A noun usually tries to keep its accent on the same part of the word as in its dictionary form. This is called persistent accent: the accent 'stays put'. Learn the accent with the noun, then check whether a new ending forces it to move or change shape. Compare ἄνθρωπος with ἀνθρώπου: the long ου prevents the accent from staying three syllables from the end.
In first- and second-declension nouns accented on the final syllable, the genitive and dative use a circumflex in both numbers. Compare ἀρχή, ἀρχῆς, ἀρχῇ ('beginning, of a beginning, to a beginning') and θεός, θεοῦ, θεῷ ('God, of God, to God'). This is a pattern of these noun families, not a rule that every genitive or dative must have a circumflex.
First-declension nouns also have a circumflex in the genitive plural ending -ῶν, even when the dictionary form has an earlier accent: δόξα → δοξῶν ('glory → of glories'). Third-declension nouns have further patterns, introduced with their own forms later.
- λόγος, λόγου, λόγῳ — the accent stays on λο; these are not accented on the final syllable
- ἀρχαί, ἀρχῶν, ἀρχαῖς — beginnings, of beginnings, to beginnings
Paradigms
λόγος — 2nd Declension Masculine
Lesson 4
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | λόγος | λόγοι |
| Genitive | λόγου | λόγων |
| Dative | λόγῳ | λόγοις |
| Accusative | λόγον | λόγους |
| Vocative | λόγε | λόγοι |
ἔργον — 2nd Declension Neuter
Lesson 4
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ἔργον | ἔργα |
| Genitive | ἔργου | ἔργων |
| Dative | ἔργῳ | ἔργοις |
| Accusative | ἔργον | ἔργα |
| Vocative | ἔργον | ἔργα |
Vocabulary (15)
- ἄνθρωπος, ὁ
- human being, person, man
- ἀδελφός, ὁ
- brother
- ἀπόστολος, ὁ
- messenger, apostle
- δοῦλος, ὁ
- slave, bondservant
- θεός, ὁ
- God, god
- κύριος, ὁ
- lord, master; the Lord
- λόγος, ὁ
- word, utterance, message
- οἶκος, ὁ
- house, household
- οὐρανός, ὁ
- heaven, sky
- υἱός, ὁ
- son
- ἄγγελος, ὁ
- messenger, angel
- ἔργον, τό
- work, deed, action
- τέκνον, τό
- child
- βιβλίον, τό
- book, document
- ὁδός, ἡ
- road, way
Exercises
No constructed exercises for this lesson yet.
New Testament exercises (12)
Greek → English: translate each reading. Use the reading aids below each exercise for unfamiliar words and forms.
Ellipses mark omitted source words. There is no automatic grading.
Sign in to save answers and review marks across visits. Until then, they last for this visit.
0 / 12 reviewed · 0 to revisit
1. John 1:1 · verse
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.
Reading aids (5) for exercise 1
- Ἐν
- in
- ἦν
- was
- ὁ
- the
- πρὸς
- to/toward; with (+ accusative here)
- τὸν
- the
2. John 1:14 · excerpt
Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, …
Reading aids (9) for exercise 2
- ὁ
- the
- σὰρξ
- flesh (nominative singular)
- ἐγένετο
- became
- ἐσκήνωσεν
- he dwelt
- ἐν
- in
- ἡμῖν
- to/among us
- ἐθεασάμεθα
- we beheld / saw
- τὴν
- the
- αὐτοῦ
- his
3. John 1:6 · verse
Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης·
Reading aids (6) for exercise 3
- Ἐγένετο
- there came; appeared
- ἀπεσταλμένος
- sent (describes the preceding person)
- παρὰ
- from (+ genitive here)
- ὄνομα
- name (neuter singular)
- αὐτῷ
- him/it (dative)
- Ἰωάννης
- John
4. John 5:41–42 · verses
δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐ λαμβάνω, ἀλλὰ ἔγνωκα ὑμᾶς ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς.
Reading aids (9) for exercise 4
- παρὰ
- from (+ genitive here)
- λαμβάνω
- I receive
- ἀλλὰ
- but
- ἔγνωκα
- I know (perfect form)
- ὑμᾶς
- you (plural, object)
- τὴν
- the
- τοῦ
- the
- ἐν
- in
- ἑαυτοῖς
- yourselves (plural, dative)
5. Romans 8:16 · verse
αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐσμὲν τέκνα θεοῦ.
Reading aids (8) for exercise 5
- αὐτὸ
- it; itself
- τὸ
- the
- πνεῦμα
- spirit (neuter singular)
- συμμαρτυρεῖ
- bears witness with
- τῷ
- the
- πνεύματι
- spirit (dative singular)
- ἡμῶν
- our
- ἐσμὲν
- we are
6. Revelation 14:13 · excerpt
… τὰ γὰρ ἔργα αὐτῶν ἀκολουθεῖ μετʼ αὐτῶν.
Reading aids (6) for exercise 6
- τὰ
- the
- γὰρ
- for; introduces a reason
- αὐτῶν
- their (describes the works)
- ἀκολουθεῖ
- follows (singular verb)
- μετʼ
- with (+ genitive here)
- αὐτῶν
- them (after μετʼ)
7. Mark 4:38 · verse
καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἐν τῇ πρύμνῃ ἐπὶ τὸ προσκεφάλαιον καθεύδων· καὶ ἐγείρουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Διδάσκαλε, οὐ μέλει σοι ὅτι ἀπολλύμεθα;
Reading aids (16) for exercise 7
- αὐτὸς
- he, she, it; self; same
- ἦν
- was
- ἐν
- in
- τῇ
- the
- πρύμνῃ
- stern of a boat
- ἐπὶ
- (+gen) on; (+dat) at; (+acc) on, to
- τὸ
- the
- προσκεφάλαιον
- cushion, pillow
- καθεύδων
- asleep, sleeping
- ἐγείρουσιν
- they wake / rouse
- αὐτὸν
- him (object)
- αὐτῷ
- him/it (dative)
- Διδάσκαλε
- teacher
- μέλει
- it concerns, is a matter of concern to
- σοι
- to you (singular)
- ἀπολλύμεθα
- we are perishing
8. Mark 10:47 · excerpt
… ἤρξατο κράζειν καὶ λέγειν· Υἱὲ Δαυὶδ Ἰησοῦ, ἐλέησόν με.
Reading aids (6) for exercise 8
- ἤρξατο
- he began
- κράζειν
- to cry out
- Δαυὶδ
- David; here, of David (indeclinable)
- Ἰησοῦ
- Jesus (direct address)
- ἐλέησόν
- have mercy on!
- με
- me (object)
9. Ephesians 2:8 · verse
τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον·
Reading aids (11) for exercise 9
- τῇ
- the
- γὰρ
- for; introduces a reason
- χάριτί
- grace (dative singular)
- ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι
- you have been saved (plural; supplied perfect passive expression)
- διὰ
- through (+ genitive); because of (+ accusative)
- πίστεως
- faith (genitive singular)
- τοῦτο
- this
- ἐξ
- out of, from (+ genitive)
- ὑμῶν
- your (plural); of you
- τὸ
- the
- δῶρον
- gift
10. Matthew 19:7 · verse
λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Τί οὖν Μωϋσῆς ἐνετείλατο δοῦναι βιβλίον ἀποστασίου καὶ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν;
Reading aids (9) for exercise 10
- αὐτῷ
- him/it (dative)
- Τί
- why? (τί used adverbially here)
- οὖν
- therefore, then (postpositive)
- Μωϋσῆς
- Moses
- ἐνετείλατο
- he commanded
- δοῦναι
- to give
- ἀποστασίου
- of divorce (ἀποστασίου)
- ἀπολῦσαι
- to divorce / dismiss
- αὐτήν
- her (object)
11. Mark 1:3 · verse
φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ,
Reading aids (11) for exercise 11
- βοῶντος
- of someone calling out (qualifies φωνή; not an absolute construction)
- ἐν
- in
- τῇ
- the
- ἐρήμῳ
- desert, wilderness
- Ἑτοιμάσατε
- prepare! (plural)
- τὴν
- the
- εὐθείας
- straight (feminine plural object form)
- ποιεῖτε
- make! (plural; command here)
- τὰς
- the
- τρίβους
- paths (object plural)
- αὐτοῦ
- his
12. Matthew 6:24 · verse
Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν· ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ.
Reading aids (18) for exercise 12
- Οὐδεὶς
- no one, nothing
- δύναται
- can, is able
- δυσὶ
- two (dative form)
- δουλεύειν
- to serve
- ἢ
- either ... or; or
- γὰρ
- for; introduces a reason
- τὸν
- the
- ἕνα
- one (object form)
- μισήσει
- he will hate
- ἕτερον
- the other
- ἀγαπήσει
- he will love
- ἑνὸς
- one (genitive form)
- ἀνθέξεται
- he will be devoted to / cling to
- τοῦ
- the
- ἑτέρου
- the other
- καταφρονήσει
- he will despise
- δύνασθε
- you can (plural)
- μαμωνᾷ
- wealth, money (dative form)
No LXX exercises for this lesson yet.