The accusative for direct objects, after prepositions and in time expressions, with the τον / τη(ν) spelling rule
Can put objects and nouns after σε, από, με and για in the accusative, e.g. order τον καφέ or go στην ταβέρνα
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Βλέπω τον φίλο μου.
I can see my friend.
Αγαπάω τη μουσική.
I love music.
Πάμε στην Ακρόπολη με τον Νίκο.
We're going to the Acropolis with Nikos.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Romanisation follows today's pronunciation, with the stressed vowel marked: th = θ as in "think", dh = δ as in "this", ch = χ as in Scottish "loch", gh = γ (y before e and i sounds).
The accusative is the case of the direct object and the case that follows nearly all everyday prepositions: σε (to, in, at), από (from), με (with), για (for), χωρίς (without). It also marks many time expressions. You will use it in almost every sentence.
| Type | Nominative | Accusative sg. | Accusative pl. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine -ος | ο φίλος | τον φίλο | τους φίλους |
| Masculine -ης | ο μαθητής | τον μαθητή | τους μαθητές |
| Masculine -ας | ο άντρας | τον άντρα | τους άντρες |
| Masculine -ές | ο καφές | τον καφέ | τους καφέδες |
| Feminine -α | η ταβέρνα | την ταβέρνα | τις ταβέρνες |
| Feminine -η | η μουσική | τη μουσική | τις μουσικές |
| Neuter -ο, -ι | το νερό, το παιδί | το νερό, το παιδί | τα νερά, τα παιδιά |
The pattern: masculine nouns drop their final -ς in the singular, and masculines in -ος take -ους in the plural. Feminine nouns in -α and -η and all neuter nouns look the same as the nominative; only the article shows the case. The few feminines in -ος do change: η οδός → την οδό.
Standard spelling writes the masculine τον in every position. The feminine article keeps -ν before a vowel and before κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ, and becomes τη before other consonants: την Ακρόπολη, την ταβέρνα, την μπίρα; τη Θεσσαλονίκη, τη σαλάτα, τη μουσική. The same goes for στη(ν).
English shows the object mainly in pronouns (he → him). Greek shows it in the article and, for masculine nouns, in the ending, and it uses the accusative after prepositions where English shows nothing at all.
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesEnglish shows no case on nouns, so English speakers leave the object in the nominative: *Θέλω ο καφές → Θέλω τον καφέ. The accusative also follows σε, από, με, για: *στο Πειραιάς → στον Πειραιά. Masculine nouns drop -ς in the singular and -ος nouns take -ους in the plural (*τους φίλοι → τους φίλους); feminines in -α/-η and neuters change only the article. Write την before vowels and κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ, τη before other consonants.
Leaving the object in the nominative (*Θέλω ο καφές)
The object is accusative: Θέλω τον καφέ.
Using the nominative after σε, από, με, για (*στο Πειραιάς)
These prepositions take the accusative: στον Πειραιά, με τον φίλο μου.
Keeping the nominative ending of a masculine noun (*τον φίλος, *τους φίλοι)
Masculines drop -ς in the singular (τον φίλο, τον καφέ) and -ος nouns take -ους in the plural (τους φίλους).
Βλέπω τον φίλο μου.
I can see my friend.
φίλος → φίλο and ο → τον: the masculine object changes both ending and article.
Αγαπάω τη μουσική.
I love music.
η μουσική → τη μουσική: a feminine noun in -η keeps its ending and changes the article; τη without -ν before μ.
Πάμε στην Ακρόπολη με τον Νίκο.
We're going to the Acropolis with Nikos.
σε and με take the accusative: στην Ακρόπολη (-ν kept before a vowel), με τον Νίκο (Νίκος → Νίκο).
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Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises