Ancient Attic Greek — Declensions & Conjugations

Colour Key

Cases

Nominative Genitive Dative Accusative Vocative

Persons

1st Person 2nd Person 3rd Person

Tenses

Present Imperfect Future Aorist Perfect

Declensions — Noun Endings

First Declension — ἡ βουλή, ῆς (plan, f.) & ὁ Ἀτρεΐδης, ου (son of Atreus, m.)

Feminine (-η / -ᾱ stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
Nom.	βουλή	βουλαί
Gen.	βουλῆς	βουλάων / βουλῶν
Dat.	βουλῇ	βουλῇσι / βουλαῖς
Acc.	βουλήν	βουλάς
Voc.	βουλή	βουλαί

Masculine (-ης / -ᾱς stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
Nom.	Ἀτρεΐδης	Ἀτρεΐδαι
Gen.	Ἀτρεΐδαο / -εω	Ἀτρεΐδάων / -ῶν
Dat.	Ἀτρεΐδῃ	Ἀτρεΐδῃσι / -αις
Acc.	Ἀτρεΐδην	Ἀτρεΐδᾱς
Voc.	Ἀτρεΐδᾱ	Ἀτρεΐδαι

Abstract Endings

Case	F. Sg.	F. Pl.	M. Sg.	M. Pl.
Nom.	-η / -ᾱ	-αι	-ης / -ᾱς	-αι
Gen.	-ης	-ᾱων / -ῶν	-αο / -εω / -ου	-ᾱων / -ῶν
Dat.	-ῃ	-ῃσι / -αις	-ῃ	-ῃσι / -αις
Acc.	-ην / -ᾱν	-ᾱς	-ην	-ᾱς
Voc.	-η / -ᾱ	-αι	-ᾱ	-αι

The ι-subscript in the dative singular is the telltale sign across all declensions.

Second Declension — ὁ θυμός, οῦ (spirit, m.) & τὸ ἔργον, ου (deed, n.)

Masculine / Feminine (-ο stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
Nom.	θυμός	θυμοί
Gen.	θυμοῦ	θυμῶν
Dat.	θυμῷ	θυμοῖσι / θυμοῖς
Acc.	θυμόν	θυμούς
Voc.	θυμέ	θυμοί

Neuter (-ο stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
Nom.	ἔργον	ἔργα
Gen.	ἔργου	ἔργων
Dat.	ἔργῳ	ἔργοισι / ἔργοις
Acc.	ἔργον	ἔργα
Voc.	ἔργον	ἔργα

Abstract Endings

Case	M./F. Sg.	M./F. Pl.	N. Sg.	N. Pl.
Nom.	-ος	-οι	-ον	-α
Gen.	-ου	-ων	-ου	-ων
Dat.	-ῳ	-οισι / -οις	-ῳ	-οισι / -οις
Acc.	-ον	-ους	-ον	-α
Voc.	-ε	-οι	-ον	-α

Neuter nouns always have identical nominative and accusative forms. The plural nom./acc. neuter always ends in -α.

Third Declension — ὁ ἄναξ (lord, m.) · ἡ νύξ (night, f.) · τὸ ἔπος (word, n.)

Masc. Consonant stem

Case	Sing.	Plur.
Nom.	ἄναξ	ἄνακτες
Gen.	ἄνακτος	ἀνάκτων
Dat.	ἄνακτι	ἀνάκτεσσι / ἄναξι
Acc.	ἄνακτα	ἄνακτας
Voc.	ἄναξ	ἄνακτες

Fem. Consonant stem

Case	Sing.	Plur.
Nom.	νύξ	νύκτες
Gen.	νυκτός	νυκτῶν
Dat.	νυκτί	νύκτεσσι / νυξί
Acc.	νύκτα	νύκτας
Voc.	νύξ	νύκτες

Neuter σ-stem

Case	Sing.	Plur.
Nom.	ἔπος	ἔπεα
Gen.	ἔπεος	ἐπέων
Dat.	ἔπεϊ	ἐπέεσσι / ἔπεσι
Acc.	ἔπος	ἔπεα
Voc.	ἔπος	ἔπεα

Abstract Endings

Case	M./F. Sg.	M./F. Pl.	N. Sg.	N. Pl.
Nom.	— (varies)	-ες	— (stem)	-α
Gen.	-ος	-ων	-ος	-ων
Dat.	-ι	-εσσι / -σι	-ι	-εσσι / -σι
Acc.	-α	-ας	— (= nom.)	-α
Voc.	— (= nom.)	-ες	— (= nom.)	-α

The nominative singular of 3rd-declension nouns is unpredictable; always learn the genitive to determine the stem. The dat. pl. Homeric forms in -εσσι are common; Attic prose prefers -σι.

Adjective Declension — καλός, καλή, καλόν (beautiful/good)

Case	M. Sg.	F. Sg.	N. Sg.	M. Pl.	F. Pl.	N. Pl.
Nom.	καλός	καλή	καλόν	καλοί	καλαί	καλά
Gen.	καλοῦ	καλῆς	καλοῦ	καλῶν	καλάων / καλῶν	καλῶν
Dat.	καλῷ	καλῇ	καλῷ	καλοῖς	καλῇσι / καλαῖς	καλοῖς
Acc.	καλόν	καλήν	καλόν	καλούς	καλάς	καλά
Voc.	καλέ	καλή	καλόν	καλοί	καλαί	καλά

Adjectives agree with their noun in gender, number, and case. The masculine and neuter follow the 2nd declension; the feminine follows the 1st declension.

Definite Article — ὁ / ἡ / τό (the)

Case	M. Sg.	F. Sg.	N. Sg.	M. Pl.	F. Pl.	N. Pl.
Nom.	ὁ	ἡ	τό	οἱ	αἱ	τά
Gen.	τοῦ	τῆς	τοῦ	τῶν	τῶν	τῶν
Dat.	τῷ	τῇ	τῷ	τοῖς	ταῖς	τοῖς
Acc.	τόν	τήν	τό	τούς	τάς	τά

Note: nom. sg. m. ὁ and nom. sg. f. ἡ have no τ- prefix. The definite article also serves as a demonstrative pronoun.

Verb Conjugations — Active Voice

Personal Endings — Active (Primary & Secondary)

Primary (Present / Future / Perfect)

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	-ω / -μι	-μεν
2nd	-εις / -ς	-τε
3rd	-ει / -τι / -σι	-ουσι / -ντι

Secondary (Imperfect / Aorist / Pluperfect)

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	-ον / -ν	-ομεν / -μεν
2nd	-ες / -ς	-ετε / -τε
3rd	-ε(ν)	-ον / -σαν

Model Verb: παύω — I stop (Active Voice, all tenses)

Person	Present	Imperfect	Future	1st Aorist	Perfect
1st Sg.	παύω	ἔπαυον	παύσω	ἔπαυσα	πέπαυκα
2nd Sg.	παύεις	ἔπαυες	παύσεις	ἔπαυσας	πέπαυκας
3rd Sg.	παύει	ἔπαυε(ν)	παύσει	ἔπαυσε(ν)	πέπαυκε(ν)
1st Pl.	παύομεν	ἐπαύομεν	παύσομεν	ἐπαύσαμεν	πεπαύκαμεν
2nd Pl.	παύετε	ἐπαύετε	παύσετε	ἐπαύσατε	πεπαύκατε
3rd Pl.	παύουσι(ν)	ἔπαυον	παύσουσι(ν)	ἔπαυσαν	πεπαύκᾱσι(ν)

Formation rules: Present = stem + primary endings · Imperfect = ἐ- + stem + secondary endings · Future = stem + σ + primary endings · 1st Aorist = ἐ- + stem + σ + -α/ας/ε/αμεν/ατε/αν · Perfect = reduplicated stem + κ + perfect endings

Verb Conjugations — Middle / Passive Voice

Primary M/P Endings

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	-ομαι	-όμεθα
2nd	-ῃ / -ει	-εσθε
3rd	-εται	-ονται

Secondary M/P Endings

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	-ομην	-όμεθα
2nd	-ου	-εσθε
3rd	-ετο	-οντο

παύω — Middle/Passive (selected tenses)

Person	Pres. M/P	Impf. M/P	Fut. Mid.	Aor. Mid.	Perf. M/P
1st Sg.	παύομαι	ἐπαυόμην	παύσομαι	ἐπαυσάμην	πέπαυμαι
2nd Sg.	παύῃ / παύει	ἐπαύου	παύσῃ	ἐπαύσω	πέπαυσαι
3rd Sg.	παύεται	ἐπαύετο	παύσεται	ἐπαύσατο	πέπαυται
1st Pl.	παυόμεθα	ἐπαυόμεθα	παυσόμεθα	ἐπαυσάμεθα	πεπαύμεθα
2nd Pl.	παύεσθε	ἐπαύεσθε	παύσεσθε	ἐπαύσασθε	πέπαυσθε
3rd Pl.	παύονται	ἐπαύοντο	παύσονται	ἐπαύσαντο	πεπαυμένοι εἰσί

Irregular Verb — εἰμί (to be)

Present Indicative

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	εἰμί (I am)	ἐσμέν
2nd	εἶ (εἶς)	ἐστέ
3rd	ἐστί(ν)	εἰσί(ν)

Imperfect Indicative (ἦν)

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	ἦν / ἔα	ἦμεν / ἔαμεν
2nd	ἦσθα	ἦτε / ἔατε
3rd	ἦν / ἔην	ἦσαν / ἔσαν

The present indicative forms of εἰμί are all enclitic except εἶ (2nd sg.) and εἰμί when it opens a clause. Future: ἔσομαι (middle).

2nd Aorist & Root Aorist — Strong Aorist Forms

2nd Aorist Active — λείπω (I leave)

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	ἔλιπον	ἐλίπομεν
2nd	ἔλιπες	ἐλίπετε
3rd	ἔλιπε(ν)	ἔλιπον

Root (Athematic) Aorist — βαίνω (I go)

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	ἔβην	ἔβημεν
2nd	ἔβης	ἔβητε
3rd	ἔβη	ἔβησαν

The 2nd aorist uses secondary active endings on a different (often shorter) stem. The root aorist adds secondary endings directly to the bare root, with no thematic vowel (ο/ε).

Infinitives & Participle Stems — Quick Reference

Infinitives — παύω

Tense / Voice	Form	Meaning
Pres. Act.	παύειν	to be stopping
Pres. M/P	παύεσθαι	to be stopping (mid.)
Aor. Act.	παῦσαι	to stop (single act)
Aor. Mid.	παύσασθαι	to stop for oneself
Perf. Act.	πεπαυκέναι	to have stopped
Perf. M/P	πεπαῦσθαι	to have been stopped

Active Participle Stems

Tense	M. Nom. Sg.	F. Nom. Sg.	N. Nom. Sg.
Present	παύων	παύουσα	παῦον
Aorist	παύσᾱς	παύσᾱσα	παῦσαν
Perfect	πεπαυκώς	πεπαυκυῖα	πεπαυκός

Active participles in M./N. decline like 3rd-declension consonant stems; the feminine declines like a 1st-declension noun in -α.

Sources: Greek 101: Learning an Ancient Language (Prof. H.-F. Mueller, The Great Courses, 2016) · Based on the Attic dialect; Homeric (Epic) variant forms (e.g. -αων, -ῇσι, -οισι) are noted where they differ from standard Attic. Accent marks follow the polytonic system. The ν-movable is shown in parentheses: -ε(ν), -ουσι(ν).