#id1#

Inflection of Greek numerals


This chapter tells you about the inflection of Greek numerals.
Greek inflects some (but by far not all) cardinal numbers.
Here you will learn which numerals to inflect and how to do that.


Facts to know about the Greek "zero":

The numeral of zero in Greek is of neuter gender.
Here you have to remember an additional form for the Genitive singular: μηδευός.
Please take a close look at the following examples for the use of the zero in Greek:

Examples the the usage of "zero" in Greek:
Ο κωδικός για την Ελλάδα είναι:
μηδέν μηδέν τρία μηδέν
The area code for Greece is:
zero zero three zero
Ο Ολυμπιακός κέρδισε ένα - μηδέν. Olympiakos won one to zero.
Για να με καλέσεις πάρε πρώτα το μηδέν. To call me on the phone, firstly press "zero".

The numeral "one" inflects like the undefined article:

The numeral "one" inflects like the undefined article.
Please take a look at the following table:

Inflection of the numeral "one" in Greek:

(m) (f) (n)
Nom. ένας μια, μία ένα
Gen. ενός μιας, μίας ενός
Acc. έναν μια, μία ένα

The inflected Greek numerals behave like the Greek adjectives:
They adopt to the noun that they refer to in case (Nom., Gen., etc.), number (singular or plural) and gender (male, female or neuter).


Which Greek numerals inflect?

The numerals "three" and "four" in Greek also inflect.
Please, learn the following forms by heart:

Inflection of the Greek numeral 3

(m) (f) (n)
Nom. τρεις τρεις τρία
Gen. τριών τριών τριών
Acc. τρεις τρεις τρία

 
Inflection of the Greek numeral 4

(m) (f) (n)
Nom. τέσσερις τέσσερις τέσσερα
Gen. τεσσάρων τεσσάρων τεσσάρων
Acc. τέσσερις τέσσερις τέσσερα

It might be interesting to read through some examples for the use of those numerals:

Examples for the use of the numerals three and four:
Έχω έναν γιό. I have one son.
Έχω τρεις κόρες. I have three daughters.
Θα ήθελα τέσσερις μπανάνες. I would like four bananas.
Χθες κοιμήθηκα μόνο τέσσερις ώρες. Yesterday I only slept four hours.

Please note that all numerals containing one, three or four, also inflect.


Exception: The numeral eleven does not inflect!

Please, be aware that the upon mentioned rule has one exception:
The numeral eleven does not inflect.
The same is true for all numbers that contain eleven (e.g. 111, 211 etc.).

Examples Usage of inflected numerals from ten onwards:
Στο ψυγείο είναι έντεκα μπύρες. There are eleven beers in the fridge.
Στο ψυγείο είναι δεκατρείς μπύρες. There are thirteen beers in the fridge.
Στο ψυγείο είναι δεκατέσσερις μπύρες. There are fourteen beers in the fridge.

Moreover all numerals under thousand and based on hundred inflect.
Please, look at the following example:

Example: the inflection of the numeral 300

(m) (f) (n)
Nom. τριακόσιοι τριακόσιες τριακόσια
Gen. τριακοσίων τριακοσίων τριακοσίων
Acc. τριακόσιους τριακόσιες τριακόσια

But - please note:
The numeral 100 itself does not inflect.

The next numeral that inflects is the million.
Here you only have to learn neuter forms:

(Neuter! only) inflection of the numeral "million"
Nom. εκατομμύριο
Gen. εκατομμυρίου
Acc. εκατομμύριο