Declensions

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<here’s probably where we introduce case, number, and gender, making this an introduction to nouns generally>

<insert: what most books do…>

A declension is a pattern of inflection that nouns share. For instance, English “bike” may be said to belong to the same declension as other nouns that add /s to mark the plural: “bike” > “bikes,” “boat” > “boats,” and “car” > “cars.” However, “foot” and “tooth” belong to a different declension, because “foot” > “feet” and “tooth” > “teeth” (and once upon a time “book” > “beek”).

In Greek, bases ending in -α/ belong to the 1st declension. These nouns are usually feminine, though we have seen a subcategory of -α/ bases that are masculine.

Bases ending in -ο/ belong to the 2nd declension. Most of these nouns are either masculine or neuter, though there are some important feminine nouns that belong to the 2nd declension, including ὁδό/ (“road, way”), νούσο/ (“disease”), and νήσο/ (“island”).

Lastly, bases ending in letters other than -α/ or -ο/ belong to the 3rd declension. These nouns may be feminine, masculine, or neuter.

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Exercise

Divide the following noun bases into declensions

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