Adjectives agree: μαύρος, μαύρη, μαύρο
A Greek adjective changes together with its noun — by gender, number and case. There are three patterns, and the first covers most words: -ος, -η, -ο (μαύρος, μαύρη, μαύρο). For example: “Θέλω ένα μαύρο παντελόνι” — I want black trousers. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A Greek adjective changes together with its noun — by gender, number and case. There are three patterns, and the first covers most words: -ος, -η (-i), -ο (μαύρος (mávros), μαύρη (mávri), μαύρο (mávro)).
The second is the same, but with -α (-a) instead of -η in the feminine, and it is switched on by a purely spelling signal: a vowel or an ρ right before the ending. ωραίος — ωραία (oréa), νέος (néos) — νέα (néa), κρύος (kríos) — κρύα (kría). Nothing to hear here — just look at the second letter from the end.
The third is a short set in -ύς, -ιά, -ύ: μακρύς (makrís), μακριά (makriá), μακρύ (makrí); φαρδύς (fardís), φαρδιά, φαρδύ (fardí); βαρύς (varís), βαριά (variá), βαρύ (varí). There are a couple of dozen such words, and nearly all are about size and weight — that is, they will meet you in this very unit.
And apart stand those that never change: the borrowed colors μπλε (ble), γκρι (gri), καφέ (kafé), ροζ, μοβ. το μπλε φόρεμα (to ble fórema), τα μπλε παπούτσια (ta ble papútsia) — one form for everything. This is not the language being lazy: a word that fits no Greek pattern simply stays put.
The adjective stands before the noun, and the article repeats with it in the definite construction: το κόκκινο φόρεμα (to kókino fórema). As a predicate there is no article: Το φόρεμα είναι κόκκινο (to fórema íne kókino).
Table
| pattern | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| in -ος, -η, -ο | μαύρος | μαύρη | μαύρο |
| after a vowel or ρ | ωραίος | ωραία | ωραίο |
| in -ύς, -ιά, -ύ | μακρύς | μακριά | μακρύ |
| a borrowed word | μπλε | μπλε | μπλε |
By example
- Θέλω ένα μαύρο παντελόνιthélo éna mávro pandelóniI want black trousers
- Η φούστα είναι πολύ στενήi fústa íne polí steníThe skirt is too tight
- Πήρε δύο μπλε πουκάμισαpíre dío ble pukámisaHe took two blue shirts
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Adjectives agree: how does it work in Greek?
A Greek adjective changes together with its noun — by gender, number and case. There are three patterns, and the first covers most words: -ος, -η, -ο (μαύρος, μαύρη, μαύρο).
What does it look like in an example sentence Greek?
“Θέλω ένα μαύρο παντελόνι” (thélo éna mávro pandelóni) — I want black trousers. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.