Neuter Singular

---

Introduction

Neuter nouns and adjectives look just like the masculine except in the nominative and accusative singular (and plural). In the second declension, the nominative and accusative singular is marked by /ν:

δώρο/ν > δῶρον

gift

In the third declension, the nominative and accusative singular is marked by the addition of nothing:

πύρ/ > πῦρ

fire

The only way to know reliably that a noun is neuter is by memorizing its gender along with its meaning.

---

Intermediate

There are neuter nouns in the second declension (bases ending in -ο/) and third declension (bases ending in letters other than -α/ and -ο/). There are no neuter nouns in the first declension.

Neuter nouns and adjectives decline just like the masculine in the genitive and dative cases, singular and plural:

          δώρο/ο > δώρου, “of a gift” (gen. sing., second declension)

          πράγματ/ος > πράγματος, “of an act” (gen. sing., third declension)

          πύρ/ι > πυρί, “for fire” (dat. sing., third declension)*

* Monosyllabic bases receive the accent on the last syllable in the genitive and dative.

---

Neuter nouns and adjectives differ from the masculine only in the nominative and accusative cases. And note the following universal rule of neuter nouns and adjectives:

the accusative is the same as the nominative

of the same number

If the base ends in -ο/ (second declension), the neuter nominative singular is marked by /ν. Thus the accusative singular is also marked by /ν:

δώρο/ν > δῶρον ὅπλο/ν > ὅπλον

gift (nom. or acc. singular) tool, shield (nom. or acc. singular)

If the base ends in any other letter (third declension), the neuter nominative singular is marked by adding nothing. Thus the accusative singular is also marked by nothing:

ἄστυ/ > ἄστυ πύρ/ > πῦρ πράγματ/ > πρᾶγμα*

town (nom. or acc. singular) fire (nom. or acc. singular) thing, act (nom. or acc. singular)

* The letter τ cannot end a Greek letter, so it drops.

---

There is a subclass of third declension neuter nouns whose bases end in -εσ/, are usually disyllabic, and have the accent on their first syllable. For instance, γένεσ/, “family,” ὄρεσ/, “mountain,” and τείχεσ/, “wall.” These bases add nothing to mark the nominative (and accusative) singular, but they also switch the grade of the base from -εσ/ to -οσ/ as follows:

          γένεσ/ > γένος
          ὄρεσ/ > ὄρος
          τείχεσ/ > τεῖχος

This shift in vowel grade only occurs in the nominative (and accusative) singular. So the genitive and dative singular forms are expected:

          γένεσ/ος > γένεος (Ionic) and γένους (Attic), gen. singular

Expectedly, intervocalic σ drops. In Attic, εο regularly contracts to ου.

          ὄρεσ/ι > ὄρεï (Ionic) and ὄρει (Attic), dat. singular

In Ionic, ὄρεï remains three syllables. In Attic, this contracts to ὄρει—two syllables.

For a non-exhaustive list of neuter nouns of the -εσ/ type, see here.

Here is a paradigm of neuter nouns (and adjectives) in the singular:

	1st declension (-α/)	2nd declension (-ο/)	3rd declension	3rd declension -εσ/
Nominative singular	none	δώρο/v > δῶρον	πράγματ/ > πρᾶγμα	γένεσ/ > γένος
Genitive singular	none	δώρο/ο > δώρου	πράγματ/ος > πράγματος	γένεσ/ος > γένεος or γένους
Dative singular	none	δώρο/ι > δώρῳ	πράγματ/ι > πράγματι	γένεσ/ι > γένεï or γένει
Accusative singular	none	δώρο/v > δῶρον	πράγματ/ > πρᾶγμα	γένεσ/ > γένος

See here for the plural. And see here <link> for full paradigms.

---

Vocabulary for this lesson (see here for the full lexicon)

ὅπλο/, τό

ὄρεσ/, τό

πράγματ/, τό

πύρ/, τό

τείχεσ/, τό

For a non-exhaustive list of neuter nouns of the -εσ/ type, see here.