The Definite Article
The definite article (English “the”) is ο / η / το for masculine / feminine / neuter in the nominative singular, and it agrees with its noun in gender, case, and number - so it changes shape as the noun does (e.g. ο δάσκαλος → τον δάσκαλο when the teacher becomes the object).
The rule
The definite article (“the”) is ο / η / το (masculine / feminine / neuter) in the nominative singular and agrees with its noun in gender, case, and number. As the noun's job changes, the article changes with it: subject ο δάσκαλος → object τον δάσκαλο. In the plural the masculine and feminine share οι (nominative) and τους / τις (accusative); the neuter is τα. The genitive plural is των across all three genders.
Paradigm
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ο | οι |
| Accusative | τον | τους |
| Genitive | του | των |
| Vocative | — | — |
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | η | οι |
| Accusative | την | τις |
| Genitive | της | των |
| Vocative | — | — |
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | το | τα |
| Accusative | το | τα |
| Genitive | του | των |
| Vocative | — | — |