Patterns for Neuter Modern Greek Nouns

Note: this page belongs to a set of pages on Modern Greek noun patterns

All existent patterns for neuter-gender nouns in Modern Greek are listed below. Each pattern includes as examples one noun stressed on the ultima (last syllable), one stressed on the penult (second syllable from the end), and one stressed on the antepenult (third syllable from the end). If one or more of these three cases is missing, then there is no such example of stressing within that pattern in the language.

Pattern for nouns ending in -ο:
 

Pattern for nouns ending in -ι:
 

Pattern for nouns ending in -α:
 

Pattern for nouns ending in -ος / -ους:
 

(1) Note: due to the location of Greece, not all open seas are called  "oceans" (ωκεανός) in Greek. For example, the Aegean, Adriatic, Ionian seas, etc., are πέλαγος, not ωκεανός. The latter word is reserved for the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, oceans, etc. Seas such as the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Baltic, etc., are called θάλασσα (sea).

Pattern for nouns ending in -ός / -ότος:⁽²⁾
 

(2) Note: This pattern includes only nouns stressed on the ultima. It is very rare (though the word γεγονός is very common), and derives from the neuter gender of the ancient participle of the active perfect tense.

Pattern for nouns ending in -υ / -ιου:
 

(3) Note: an alternative spelling for this word is βράδι, following the pattern for nouns ending in -ι. This note generalizes to every noun ending in -υ: by changing υ to ι we get the mentioned pattern.
 

Pattern for nouns ending in -υ / -ατος:
 

Pattern for nouns ending in -ας:
 

Pattern for nouns ending in -ως:
 

Pattern for nouns ending in -ον / -ου:⁽⁴⁾
 

(4) Note: this pattern is actually the old form of what nowadays is the pattern -ο. The latter is derived from this one by eliminating the final -ν in the singular. Still, this pattern remains in a few words which are too esoteric in some fields (such as the above) or rarely used by the general public.

(5) Note: Besides meaning a class of elementary particles in physics, the word μέσον (in this old form) also means "intermediary" (either a substance, or somebody who intervenes to do something). The more modern form μέσο means "middle".
 

Pattern for nouns ending in -ον / -οντος:
 

Pattern for nouns ending in -εν / -εντος:

Pattern for nouns ending in -αν / -αντος:

Pattern for nouns ending in -α / -ακτος:
 

(6) Note: This word and its declension reveal the etymology of the word “galactic”, and even “galaxy” (from γαλαξίας < γαλακ-σίας).

(7) Note: In Greek it is fine to use plural for uncountable nouns such as milk, water, sugar, butter, etc. For example: σκούπισα τα γάλατα από το τραπέζι : I wiped up the milk (lit.: “milks”) from the table. The plural is particularly useful to refer to such substances (uncountable nouns) that are spilled over some surface.

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