Back
Intermediate

The Genitive Case

Possession and indirect object

Genitive shows possession

Often equivalent to English s or of.

📊 Genitive articles
Gender Definite Indefinite
masculine του ενός
feminine της μιας
neuter του ενός
plural των —
💬 Examples
το αυτοκίνητο του άνδρα
to af-to-KEE-nee-to tu AN-dra
the man's car
📝 του = masculine genitive
το χρώμα της θάλασσας
to HRO-ma tis THA-la-sas
the colour of the sea
📝 της = feminine genitive
Genitive replaces the dative for indirect objects

Modern Greek has no dative; the genitive serves this function.

💬 Examples
Δίνω της Μαρίας το βιβλίο.
THEE-no tis ma-REE-as to veev-LEE-o
I give Maria the book.
📝 genitive as indirect object
Μιλώ του Νίκου.
mee-LO tu NEE-ku
I speak to Nikos.
📝 genitive used with certain verbs
Clitic pronouns also express the indirect object

Weak pronouns (μου, σου, του, της…) precede the verb.

💬 Examples
Της δίνω το βιβλίο.
tis THEE-no to veev-LEE-o
I give her the book.
📝 της (clitic) placed before verb
Μου λέει την αλήθεια.
mu LEH-ee tin a-LEE-thya
He/She tells me the truth.
📝 μου = indirect object clitic