Greek nouns are classified into three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. The gender of a noun affects how articles, adjectives, and pronouns are used with it. In this lesson, you will learn how to identify noun genders and use them correctly in sentences.

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1. The Three Genders of Greek Nouns

Gender	Definite Article	Indefinite Article	Example	Meaning
Masculine	ο (o)	ένας (énas)	ο άντρας	the man
Feminine	η (i)	μία/μια (mía/mia)	η γυναίκα	the woman
Neuter	το (to)	ένα (éna)	το παιδί	the child

Examples in Sentences:

• Ο σκύλος είναι μεγάλος. (O skílos íne megálos.) – The dog is big. (Masculine)
• Η πόρτα είναι ανοιχτή. (I pórta íne anichtí.) – The door is open. (Feminine)
• Το βιβλίο είναι ενδιαφέρον. (To vivlío íne endiaféron.) – The book is interesting. (Neuter)

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2. How to Identify the Gender of Greek Nouns

Greek noun genders are not always predictable, but many words follow common patterns based on their endings.

Masculine Nouns Usually End In:

• -ος (ο φίλος – the friend)
• -ας (ο άντρας – the man)
• -ης (ο μαθητής – the student)

Feminine Nouns Usually End In:

• -α (η ώρα – the hour)
• -η (η ζωή – the life)
• -ος (η οδός – the street, exception to the rule)

Neuter Nouns Usually End In:

• -ο (το παιδί – the child)
• -ι (το σπίτι – the house)
• -μα (το πρόβλημα – the problem)

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3. Plural Forms of Greek Nouns

Singular	Plural	English Meaning
ο φίλος	οι φίλοι	the friend(s) (Masculine)
η γυναίκα	οι γυναίκες	the woman/women (Feminine)
το βιβλίο	τα βιβλία	the book(s) (Neuter)

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4. Using Articles with Nouns

Masculine:

• Ο άντρας είναι καλός. (O ándras íne kalós.) – The man is good.
• Ένας φίλος μου μίλησε. (Énas fílos mou mílise.) – A friend spoke to me.

Feminine:

• Η γάτα κοιμάται. (I gáta kimáte.) – The cat is sleeping.
• Μια καρέκλα είναι σπασμένη. (Mia karékla íne spasméni.) – A chair is broken.

Neuter:

• Το τραπέζι είναι μεγάλο. (To trapézi íne megálo.) – The table is big.
• Ένα παιδί παίζει έξω. (Éna paidí pézi éxo.) – A child is playing outside.

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5. Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Identify the Gender

Determine whether each noun is masculine (M), feminine (F), or neuter (N):

1. Πόρτα (Door) – ___
2. Δάσκαλος (Teacher) – ___
3. Σπίτι (House) – ___
4. Κήπος (Garden) – ___
5. Γάτα (Cat) – ___

Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences

Fill in the blanks with the correct definite article (ο, η, το):

1. ___ δάσκαλος διδάσκει. (The teacher is teaching.)
2. ___ τσάντα είναι κόκκινη. (The bag is red.)
3. ___ καφέ είναι ζεστός. (The coffee is hot.)
4. ___ παράθυρο είναι ανοιχτό. (The window is open.)
5. ___ βιβλίο είναι ενδιαφέρον. (The book is interesting.)

Exercise 3: Translate to Greek

Translate these sentences using the correct noun and article:

1. The dog is big.
2. A woman is talking.
3. The books are new.
4. The child is happy.
5. A teacher is writing.

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6. Common Mistakes and Tips

1. Confusing the Gender of Words

   • Some words don’t follow the usual patterns, so they must be memorized. Example: το δώρο (to dóro – the gift) is neuter, not masculine.

2. Plural Form Mistakes

   • Be careful with plural endings:
     • Masculine: ο φίλος → οι φίλοι (o fílos → i fíli)
     • Feminine: η γυναίκα → οι γυναίκες (i yinéka → i yinékes)
     • Neuter: το παιδί → τα παιδιά (to paidí → ta pediá)

3. Incorrect Article Use

   • Always match the gender of the noun with the correct article. Example:
     • ❌ Το άντρας (incorrect)
     • ✅ Ο άντρας (correct)

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7. Cultural Note

In Greek, gender plays a vital role in daily conversation. Even words for professions and family members change depending on gender (e.g., ο γιατρός – the male doctor vs. η γιατρός – the female doctor). Learning noun genders early will help you form correct sentences more easily.

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8. Summary of Key Points

✅ Greek nouns have three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
✅ Masculine nouns often end in -ος, -ας, -ης.
✅ Feminine nouns often end in -α, -η, -ος.
✅ Neuter nouns often end in -ο, -ι, -μα.
✅ The definite articles are ο, η, το, and the indefinite articles are ένας, μία/μια, ένα.
✅ Noun plural forms follow specific patterns depending on gender.