BBG Chapter 10 — Third Declension

Files

Exercises

Flashcards

Notebooks

Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar, Mounce, 4th Edition

1. Introduction to the Third Declension

The third declension covers nouns whose stems end in a consonant (or in -ι or -υ for i-stems and u-stems). Third-declension nouns can be masculine, feminine, or neuter. The key challenge is that third-declension nouns have irregular-looking nominative singular forms; the genitive singular reveals the true stem.

Rule for finding the stem: Take the genitive singular form and remove the ending -ος. What remains is the stem to which all other endings attach.

Example: σάρξ, σαρκός → stem = σαρκ-

2. Third-Declension Endings

Masculine / Feminine (non-neuter) Endings

Neuter Endings

Note: The neuter rule holds: nominative, accusative, and vocative are always identical within a number. The genitive and dative are the same for masculine/feminine and neuter in the 3rd declension.

3. Consonant Stem Types

The nominative singular of 3rd-declension nouns changes depending on how the stem-final consonant interacts with the nominative -ς ending:

4. Common 3rd-Declension Paradigms

σάρξ, σαρκός (f.) — flesh (velar stem σαρκ-)

αἰών, αἰῶνος (m.) — age, eternity (liquid stem αἰων-)

χάρις, χάριτος (f.) — grace (dental stem χαριτ-)

σῶμα, σώματος (n.) — body (dental stem σωματ-)

πνεῦμα, πνεύματος (n.) — spirit, wind (dental stem πνευματ-)

ὄνομα, ὀνόματος (n.) — name (dental stem ονοματ-)

Note: The neuter -α nominative/accusative singular looks like a 1st-declension ending but belongs to the 3rd declension. The genitive singular -ατος is the reliable diagnostic for neuter dental-stem nouns (body, spirit, name, etc.).

5. The Definite Article with 3rd-Declension Nouns

The definite article follows its own paradigm regardless of the noun's declension. For 3rd-declension nouns, the article is indispensable for identifying case:

6. Third-Declension I-Stem Nouns

Some 3rd-declension nouns have stems ending in -ι. The most important is πόλις, πόλεως (f., "city").

πόλις, πόλεως (f.) — city (i-stem)

Note: The genitive singular of i-stem nouns is -εως (not -ος). This is one reason i-stem nouns need to be memorized separately. Other common i-stem nouns: δύναμις (power), κρίσις (judgment), πίστις (faith).

7. The Adjective πᾶς (all, every) — 3rd/1st/3rd Declension

The adjective πᾶς uses 3rd-declension endings for masculine and neuter and 1st-declension for feminine.

Note: πᾶς in the predicate position means "all" (πᾶς ὁ λαός = "all the people"). In the attributive position it means "the whole" (ὁ πᾶς λαός = "the whole people"). Without an article it means "every" (πᾶς ἄνθρωπος = "every man").

8. Identifying 3rd-Declension Forms — Strategy

1. If the form ends in -ος (no accent circumflex), it is likely genitive singular.
2. If the form ends in -ι, it is likely dative singular.
3. If the form ends in -ες, it is likely nominative plural (m/f).
4. If the form ends in -α (short), it is likely accusative singular (m/f) or nominative/accusative neuter plural.
5. If the form ends in -σι(ν), it is likely dative plural.
6. Always check the article for disambiguation.