Mastering the Nominative and Accusative Cases in Greek: A Simple Guide 


Learning Greek is an exciting adventure, and understanding how the language works will make you feel more confident as you speak. Today, let’s break down two of the most important cases in Greek: the Nominative and Accusative. By understanding when and how to use them, you’ll be able to create sentences more naturally. Here’s how to tell them apart!


1. Nominative Case (Η Ονομαστική)


The Nominative case is used for the subject of the sentence—the one who does the action.

 Example:
Η Μαρία διαβάζει το βιβλίο.
(Η Μαρία is in the nominative case because she is the one doing the action—reading the book.)
Translation: Maria is reading the book.

Important Verb:
The verb είμαι (to be) always uses the nominative case.
Example:
Εγώ είμαι δάσκαλος.
(Εγώ & δάσκαλος are in the nominative case.)
Translation: I am a teacher.


2. Accusative Case (Η Αιτιατική)


The Accusative case is used for the object of the sentence—the one who receives the action.

Example:
Βλέπω την Μαρία.
(Την Μαρία is in the accusative case because she is the one being seen.)
Translation: I see Maria.


Verbs That Need the Accusative Case:


Some common Greek verbs require the object to be in the accusative case. These include:

  • Βλέπω (I see)

  • Κάνω (I do/make)

  • Καταλαβαίνω (I understand)

  • Διαβάζω (I read)

  • Περιμένω (I wait)


Examples:
Βλέπω τον φίλο μου. (I see my friend.)
Καταλαβαίνω την ερώτηση. (I understand the question.)


3. Prepositions That Need the Accusative Case:


In Greek, certain prepositions are followed by the accusative case. These include:

  • Με (with)

  • Σε (to, in)

  • Για (for)

  • Από (from)

Examples:

Πηγαίνω με τον φίλο μου. (I’m going with my friend.)
Μιλάω στον δάσκαλο. (I’m talking to the teacher.)
Έχω ένα δώρο για εσένα. (I have a gift for you.)
Μένω στην Αθήνα. (I live in Athens) --> στην is σε + την (την: definite article,feminine, accusative case)


How to Identify:

  • Nominative = Subject (Who or what is doing the action?)

  • Accusative = Object (Who or what is affected by the action?)


Quick Tip:


In Greek, articles and pronouns change depending on the case. For example:

  • Ο (the) becomes Τον (accusative) for masculine nouns.

  • Η (the) becomes Την (accusative) for feminine nouns.


Understanding these cases and how they affect verbs and prepositions will help you build solid, correct sentences in Greek. Keep practicing these rules, and they’ll soon feel like second nature!

Want to practice more? Try creating sentences using the nominative and accusative cases with verbs and prepositions, and share them with us in the comments below!