Adjectives & Adverbs Flashcards
How do adjectives decline?
Adjectives have to agree with their nouns in terms of:
- gender
- case
- number
How do feminine singular adjectives decline whose stems ends in a vowel or a -ρ?
Good
What is the comparative adjective form and what does it mean?
What is the adverb form and what does it mean?
ἀγαθος
Origin of the female name ‘Agatha’. Memory tip: think of the witch in Marvel -> her name is Agatha so think of the opposite meaning (ie, ‘good’)
Comparative adjective:
- κρεισσων
- ‘better’
Adverb:
- εὐ
- ‘well’
Beloved
ἀγαπητος
Think about the feminine noun ‘ἀγαπη’
Holy
ἁγιος
Hagiography is a biography of a saint or holy person
Feminine singular forms will have ‘-α’ endings
Upright, just
δικαιος
Feminine singular forms will have ‘-α’ endings
Each
ἑκαστος
Another, different
ἑτερος
Feminine singular forms will have ‘-α’ endings
Think ‘hetero-sexual’ or ‘hetero-geneous’
one’s own
ἰδιος
Feminine singular forms will have ‘-α’ endings
Origin of the words ‘idiot’ and ‘idiosyncratic’
Jewish, a Jew
Ἰουδαιος
Feminine singular forms will have ‘-α’ endings
Bad
What is the comparative adjective form and what does it mean?
κακος
Think ‘kaka’ is poo in Italian
Comparative adjective:
- χειρων
- ‘worse’
Beautiful, good
καλος
Think about calligraphy - calligraphy is beautiful!
New
καινος
Sounds similar to καιρος which means time or season, but it is ‘new’ so the ‘ρ’ is replaced with ‘ν’.
Blessed, happy
μακαριος
Feminine singular forms will have ‘-α’ endings
Think ‘macarena’ dance -> people who do the mararena dance are happy and blessed!
only, alone
μονος
Think ‘mono-poly’ ‘mono-theism’
Dead
νεκρος
Feminine singular forms will have ‘-α’ endings
Think ‘necro-mancer’ ‘necro-polis’
as/how great as, as/how much as
ὁσος
faithful, believing
πιστος
Think back to the word ‘believe’ - πιστευω
evil, wicked
πονηρος
Feminine singular forms will have ‘-α’ endings
Think of ‘porn’ -> sounds similar to πονηρος
blind
τυφλος
Much, many
How does it decline?
What is the comparative adjective form and what does it mean?
What is the adverb form and what does it mean?
πολυς
(think actually πολλος with abbreviated/shortened nom/acc masc/neut. singular)
Think ‘poly-theism’ remembering that ‘υ’ in Greek can represent ‘y’ in English
Comparative adjective (already learnt):
- πλειων
- ‘more’
Adverb:
- πολλα
- ‘greatly’
Remember that:
- comparative adverb: μαλλον
- superlative adverb: μαλιστα
Large, great
How does it decline?
What is the comparative adjective form and what does it mean?
μεγας
(think actually μεγαλος with abbreviated/shortened nom/acc masc/neut. singular)
Think ‘mega-phone’
Comparative adjective:
- μειζων
- ‘greater’
Eternal
αἰωνιος
Sounds similar to ‘eon’
Does not have feminine declensions. Uses masculine forms when used to describe feminine nouns eg, ἡ αἰωνιος ζωη.
unable to speak/mute, deaf
κωφος
Memory tip: the first two letters are like K.O. -> if you are knocked out you can’t speak or hear. The ‘phi’ can be remembered as this might happen during a f(phi)ight!
lame
χωλος
Memory tip: the ‘chi’ (x) looks like cutting something, the ‘omega’ (w) looks like two legs, so you cut the the legs so it is describing someone who is lame
Whole
ὁλος
However, this adjective is special as for it to be used attributively, it needs to be put in a predicative word order before the article or after the noun (with the ‘to be’ verb omitted), not in the standard attributive word order.
Eg, the whole crowd = ὁλος ὁ ὀχλος or ὁ ὀχλος ὁλος (but not ὁ ὁλος ὀχλος)
of such a kind, such
τοιουτος
Note ‘τοιουτος’ declines like ‘οὑτος’ (for ‘this’), but need to get rid of the ‘τ’. So for example, rather than ‘τοιταυταις’, it is ‘τοιαυταις’.
true, genuine, real
ἀληθινος
Same root as ‘truth’ - ἀληθεια
similar, like
ὁμοιος
Remember from church history the word ‘homoiousios’ when describing the ‘same substance’ of the Trinity.
The adverb version is ὁμοιως meaning ‘likewise’
larger, greater
μειζων (masc/fem), μειζον (neuter), μειζονος (gen. sing.)
Follows 3rd declension endings.
Irregular comparative adjective form of μεγας
more
πλειων (masc/fem), πλειον (neuter), πλειονος (gen. sing.)
Follows 3rd declension endings.
Irregular comparative adjective form of πολυς
all/every/whole
- how does it decline?
- meaning?
- how is it used?
πας/πασα/παν/παντος
Declension
It follows a 3-1-3 hybrid declension (combining 3rd declension for masculine & neuter, and 1st declension for feminine). For hybrid declensions you need to know 4 things:
- Masculine nominative singular (because of unique ending)
- Feminine nominative singular (to generate the feminine declension)
- Neuter nominative singular (because of unique ending)
- Genitive singular for masculine/neuter (to obtain stem for remainder of masculine/neuter declension)
See attached image for full declension. Note how the feminine declension is alpha-impure.
Meaning: on it’s own it means ‘all’. But in English it is best translated as ‘every’ or ‘whole’ when used with singular nouns, or ‘all’ if used with a plural noun. Eg, ‘every tree’ vs. ‘all trees’
Usage:
- Can be used on it’s own as a pronoun. Gender reveals what it implies.
Eg, παντα δι’ αὐτου ἐγενετο = all things came to be through him
- As an adjective. If used with with an article, it must be in the predicative position for the attributive use (similar to οὑτος/ἐκεινος). Same thing applies to articles being used to turn participles into nouns.
Eg, παν δενδρον ἀγαθον καρπους καλους ποιει = Every good tree good fruit
Eg, συνερχονται παντες οἱ ἀρχιερεις = All the high priests gather
Eg, πας ὁ πιστευων ὁτι Ἰησους ἐστιν ὁ Χριστος = Everyone who believes that the Messiah is Jesus
One
-how does it decline?
It follows a hybrid 3-1-3 declension.
εἱς/μια/ἑν/ἑνος
The 4 things that you need to know for the hybrid 3-1-3 declension:
- Masculine nominative singular = εἱς
- Feminine nominative singular = μια
- Neuter nominative singular = ἑν
- Masc/neuter genitive singular = ἑνος
See attached image for full declension.
Note how the feminine declension is alpha-pure.
Note the rough breathing marks.
true, truthful, genuine
What is the adverb form and what does it mean?
ἀληθης (masc/fem nom. sing.), ἀληθες (neuter nom. sing.), ἀληθους (masc/fem gen. sing.)
Follows 3rd declension endings.
-ε ending stem (ἀληθε-)
Very similar meaning to adjective ἀληθινος
Positive adverb:
- ἀληθως
- ‘truly’
weak, sick
ἀσθενης (masc/fem nom. sing.), ἀσθενες (neuter nom. sing.), ἀσθενους (masc/fem gen. sing.)
Follows 3rd declension endings.
-ε ending stem (ἀσθενε-)
Think: ‘as thin as’ (which is what a sick or weak person would look like)
ἁπας
all, every
Exactly the same meaning as πας/πασα/παν/παντ-
Moses
How does it decline?
Masculine, has irregular endings (like combination of 1st and 3rd declension endings)
Nominative singular: Μωϋσης
Accusative singular: Μωϋσην
Genitive singular: Μωϋσεως
Dative singular: Μωϋσει/Μωϋσῃ
poor
Does this adjective usually function as an adjective?
πτωχος
This adjective often functions as a noun
worthy
ἀξιος
right-hand/right-handed
δεξιος
Think: ‘dexterity’
powerful, capable, able
δυνατος
Think: δυναμαι = am able (verb), δυναμις = power/miracle (noun)
free
ἐλευθερος
last, least
ἐσχατος
Think: ‘eschatology’
sufficient
ἱκανος
strong
ἰσχυρος
Think: ἰσχυω (‘am strong’ - verb)
white, bright
λευκος
Think: ‘leukocyte’ ‘leukaemia’
remaining
λοιπος
middle/midst/in the middle of/in the midst of
μεσος
new, young
νεος
Think: ‘neologism’ ‘neolithic’
small, little (plural = few)
ὀλιγος
Think: ‘oligomenorrhoea’ ‘oligohydramnios’
rich
πλουσιος
spiritual
πνευματικος
Similar to noun το/πνευμα/πνευματος
loved, friendly, friend
φιλος
Similar to verb φιλεω
clean, pure
καθαρος
Similar to καθαριζω - make clean/declare clean/cleanse (verb)
Opposite of ἀκαθαρτος - impure/unclean (adjective - α-prefix/alpha privitive makes meaning negative)
impure, unclean
ἀκαθαρτος
This is one of those words where the α-prefix/alpha privative makes the word negative. These compound adjectives only occur with the masculine endings (for describing masculine and feminine nouns), or the neuter endings with describing a neuter noun.
- This does not apply to adjectives that normally start with alpha like ἀγαθος as this is not a compound adjective/alpha privitive but the alpha is normally just part of the word.
Similar to καθαριζω - make clean/declare clean/cleanse (verb)
Opposite of καθαρος - pure/clean (adjective)
unbelieving, faithless
ἀπιστος
This is one of those words where the α-prefix/alpha privative makes the word negative. These compound adjectives only occur with the masculine endings (for describing masculine and feminine nouns), or the neuter endings with describing a neuter noun.
- This does not apply to adjectives that normally start with alpha like ἀγαθος as this is not a compound adjective/alpha privitive but the alpha is normally just part of the word.
Opposite of πιστος
Near
ἐγγυς
Can be an adverb or preposition
Don’t forget to pronounce the ‘n’ ἐ(ν)γγυς given that it has the double γ
appropriately, well (adverb)
καλως
The root is the same as ‘kalos’ for ‘beautiful’, so as an adverb it means ‘good-ly’ but the more appropriate English translation would be ‘well’ ‘appropriately’, so that you do something ‘well’ ‘good-ly’ ‘appropriately’.
likewise
ὁμοιως
Adverb form of the adjective ὁμοιος
Do the rules for changing adjectives to comparative/superlative adjectives/adverbs always apply?
No there are exceptions. Thus, there are irregular forms just like the second aorists.
Small
What does the neuter nom/acc form mean?
What is the comparative adjective and what does it mean?
What is the superlative adjective and what does it mean?
μικρος
Think: ‘microbiology’
Neuter nom/acc:
- μικρον
- means: ‘a little, a short time’ → functions as a time phrase
Comparative adjective:
- μικροτερος
- ‘smaller’
Superlative adjective:
- ἐλαχιστος
- ‘smallest’
More/rather (comparative adverb)
Most/Most of all (superlative adverb)
Is there a root adjective?
μαλλον (more)
μαλιστα (most)
The adjective root is unused.
The equivalent positive adverb is: πολλα, which means ‘greatly’. But different root of πολυς/πολυν/πολυ/πολλ-.
μαλλον vs. πλειων
μαλλον is the adverb ‘more’ (qualifying a verb), while πλειων is the adjective ‘more’ (qualifying a noun)
What are the following adverbs?
- ἀξιως
- παντως
- ὀντως
- πρωτως
- ἀξιως: in a worthy manner
- παντως: by all means
- ὀντως: really
- πρωτως: for the first time
