Note: this page belongs to a set of pages on Modern Greek grammar
| Modern Greek has four cases for nouns, adjectives, participles, and pronouns: nominative, genitive, accusative, and vocative, having dropped, or abandoned as obsolete a 5th case, the dative. However, there still remain some fossils of the dative case that are in use in the language. Such fossils have a very wide range of “level” of use: sometimes they are used only in learned, scholarly, erudite, or even affected language; yet other times they are parts of very common words or expressions. A list of dative fossils is given below — not an exhaustive but a fairly full one — arranged alphabetically, with their meanings supplied next to them. The words that are actually in dative are marked in magenta. (This applies to parts of words, too, as in: εντωμεταξύ, εντάξει, πασίγνωστο, etc.) If you can’t find the dative you’re interested in in this list, perhaps you can find it in this text (pdf, in Greek only). |
| Word, Phrase, or Expression | Translation | Example | Example translated |
| άλμα επί κοντώ | [see: επί κοντώ] | ||
| βάσει [+genitive] | according to, based on | βάσει του νόμου | according to the law |
| γνωστό τοις πάσι | known to all | ||
| δόξα τω Θεώ | thank God | [expression] | |
| δυνάμει | potential | δυνάμει πελάτης | potential client |
| ελλείψει | lacking | ελλείψει στοιχείων | lacking evidence |
| εν [+ place in dative] | in [place] | εν Αθήναις, εν Ελλάδι | in Athens, in Greece |
| εν αγνοία [+ genitive] | in ignorance, not knowing | εν αγνοία του προέδρου | in the president’s ignorance |
| εν αμφιβόλω | in doubt | θέτει την ισχύ του εν αμφιβόλω | makes his power doubtful |
| εν αναμονή [+ genitive] | while waiting | εν αναμονή των εξελίξεων | waiting for the developments |
| εν αντιθέσει | in contrast | ||
| εν αποστρατεία | retired from military service | στρατηγός εν αποστρατεία | retired general |
| εν αφθονία | in abundance | αγαθό εν αφθονία | good in abundance |
| εν γένει | in general, generally | ||
| εν γνώσει [+ genitive] | in one’s knowledge/awareness | έγινε εν γνώσει του | it happened in his awareness |
| εν διαστάσει | [couple] living separately | σύζυγοι εν διαστάσει | spouses living separately |
| εν δράσει | in action, taking initiative | μαθητές εν δράσει | students taking an initiative |
| εν δυνάμει | potential | εν δυνάμει πελάτης | potential client |
| εν είδει [+ genitive] | in the form/shape of | εν είδει περιστεράς | in the form of a dove |
| εν ειρήνη | in peace | ήρθαμε εν ειρήνη | we came in peace |
| εν ενεργεία | active (not retired) | στρατηγός εν ενεργεία | active general |
| εν έτει | in the year | εν έτει 1958 | in the year 1958 |
| εν ζωή | living, being still alive | όσοι είναι εν ζωή | those who are still alive |
| εν θερμώ | hotheadedly | αποφάσισαν εν θερμώ | they decided hotheadedly |
| εν ισχύι | valid, acting, in effect | ο νόμος δεν είναι εν ισχύι | the law is not in effect |
| εν καιρώ | some time later | θα συζητήσουμε εν καιρώ | we’ll discuss at a later time |
| εν κατακλείδι | in conclusion | ||
| εν κινήσει | [while] in motion | το πυροβόλησε εν κινήσει | shot it in motion |
| εν κρυπτώ | secretly, covertly | αποφάσισαν εν κρυπτώ | they decided secretly |
| εν λευκώ | carte blanche | σε εξουσιοδοτώ εν λευκώ | I give you carte blanche |
| εν λόγω | said, mentioned | η εν λόγω πωλήτρια | the said saleswoman |
| εν μέρει | in part, partly, partially | θα αντικατασταθεί εν μέρει | it will be replaced partially |
| εν μέσω [+ genitive] | in the midst of, while smth. happens | εν μέσω επευφημιών | while applauding |
| εν μιά νυκτί | overnight, surreptitiously, furtively | ψήφισαν εν μιά νυκτί | they voted surreptitiously |
| τα εν οίκω μη εν δήμω | don’t make home affairs public | [expression] | |
| εν ολίγοις | in brief, in short | ||
| εν ονόματι [+ genitive] | in the name | εν ονόματι του νόμου! | in the name of the law! |
| ενόσω | while | ενόσω διαρκεί ο αγώνας | while the game is going on |
| εν όψει / ενόψει | [expected] ahead, in sight | βροχές εν όψει! | rains are expected! |
| ειρήσθω εν παρόδω | let it be mentioned in passing | ||
| εν πάση περιπτώσει | in any case | ||
| εν περιλήψει | in summary, summarizing | ||
| εν πλήρει συνειδήσει | in full awareness, fully consciously | το είπε εν πλήρει συνειδήσει | said it fully consciously |
| εν πλω | while sailing, underway | θα γευματίσουμε εν πλω | we’ll dine while underway |
| εν πολλοίς | much, to a great extent | είναι εν πολλοίς γνωστό | it is known to a great extent |
| εν προκειμένω | issue at hand | εν προκειμένω, τί πιστεύεις; | on this issue, what do you think? |
| εν πρώτοις | firstly, first of all | εν πρώτοις, ας καθήσουμε | first of all, let’s have a seat |
| εν πτήσει | while flying, in flight, airborne | ο πύραυλος είναι εν πτήσει | the missile is airborne |
| εν ριπή οφθαλμού | in the blink of an eye | ||
| εν στάσει | while not in motion, without moving | χτυπήθηκε εν στάσει | was hit while not in motion |
| εν συγκρίσει | in comparison | ωχριά εν συγκρίσει | pales in comparison |
| εν συγχύσει | confused, in disorder, in disarray | η άμυνα τελεί εν συγχύσει | the defense is in disarray |
| εν συνεχεία | in continuation, subsequently | ||
| εν συνόλω | in total | οκτώ πλανήτες εν συνόλω | eight planets in total |
| εν συντομία | in brief, in short | θα σου τα πω εν συντομία | I’ll update you in brief |
| εν σχέσει με | in relation to, regarding | ||
| εν τη γενέσει | in the bud | σταμάτα το εν τη γενέσει | nip it in the bud |
| εντάξει | OK, all right | εντάξει, αυτό είναι δοτική | all right, this is dative |
| εν τάχει | quickly | περίγραψέ το εν τάχει | describe it quickly |
| εντέλει | in the end, finally | τί έγινε εν τέλει; | what happened, finally? |
| εν τοιαύτη περιπτώσει | in such a case, in this case | εν τοιαύτη περιπτώσει, φύγε! | in such a case, leave! |
| εντούτοις | however | εντούτοις, άλλαξα γνώμη | however, I changed my mind |
| εν τούτω νίκα | in this you win | [expression, of Byzantine origin] | |
| εντωμεταξύ | meanwhile | ||
| εν υπνώσει | while sleeping, w. lowered reflexes | ||
| εν χορδαίς και οργάνοις | wholeheartedly | [expression] | |
| εν χορώ | in unison | απάντησαν όλοι εν χορώ | they answered all in unison |
| εν ψυχρώ | in cold blood | δολοφονήθηκε εν ψυχρώ | murdered in cold blood |
| εν ώρα [+ genitive] | during the time | επιτρέπεται εν ώρα εργασίας; | is it allowed at work time? |
| ενώπιος ενωπίω | face to face | μίλησαν ενώπιος ενωπίω | they talked face to face |
| επ’ αυτοφώρω | red-handed | συνελήφθη επ’ αυτοφώρω | was caught red-handed |
| επί αποδείξει | with receipt | συστημένο και επί αποδείξει | [mailed] registered and w/receipt |
| επ’ ευκαιρία | on the occasion | επ’ ευκαιρία των εορτασμών | on the occasion of the festivities |
| επί θύραις | imminent, impending | η σύρραξη είναι επί θύραις | the war is imminent |
| επί ίσοις όροις | on equal terms, as equals | παίξαμε επί ίσοις όροις | we played as equals |
| επί κοντώ | pole vault | άλμα επί κοντώ | pole vault |
| επί λέξει | verbatim, word-for-word | αυτά είπαν, επί λέξει | that’s what they said, verbatim |
| επ’ ουδενί λόγω | in no way | δεν θα πας επ’ ουδενί λόγω | no way will you go |
| επί πιστώσει | credited, on credit | πληρωμή επί πιστώσει | credited payment |
| επί πτυχίω | senior [student] | φοιτητής επί πτυχίω | senior student |
| επί τη ευκαιρία | by the way | ||
| ιδίοις όμμασι | with one’s own eyes | το έλεγξε ιδίοις όμμασι | verified it with one’s own eyes |
| καλή τη πίστει | in good faith | σου το δίνω καλή τη πίστει | I give it to you in good faith |
| κοινή συναινέσει | mutually agreed | διαζύγιο κοινή συναινέσει | mutually agreed divorce |
| κράτος εν κράτει | clique controlling an organization | ||
| λόγω [+ genitive] | because of, due to | διακόπηκε λόγω βροχής | was interrupted due to rain |
| παρά τω Πρωθυπουργώ | reporting to the Prime Minister | υπουργός παρά τω Πρωθυπουργώ | minister reporting to the Prime Minister |
| παρουσία [+ genitive] | in the presence of | παρουσία της προέδρου | in the president’s presence |
| πάση θυσία | no matter what, at all costs | να νικήσουμε πάση θυσία | we must win no matter what |
| πασίγνωστος, -η, -ο | known to all, famous to everyone | αυτή είναι πασίγνωστη | she is famous to everyone |
| πεζή | on foot | μετέβησαν εκεί πεζή | they went there on foot |
| ποιητική αδεία | by poetic license | ||
| πόσω μάλλον | let alone | πόσω μάλλον που απέτυχες | let alone that you failed |
| πράγματι | indeed, actually | πράγματι, έγινε όπως είπαν | indeed, it happened as they said |
| συν Θεώ | with God’s help | συν Θεώ, θα επικρατήσουμε | with God’s help, we’ll prevail |
| συν τοις άλλοις | additionally, in addition | συν τοις άλλοις είναι βλάκας | in addition he is stupid |
| συν τω χρόνω | given time, with enough time | συν τω χρόνω θα ξεθωριάσει | given time it will fade out |
| [ordinal number] τη τάξει | [ordinal number] in order | πρώτος τη τάξει | first in order |
| τοις εκατό | percent (%) | τρία τοις εκατό | three percent |
| τοις μετρητοίς | in cash | πληρώθηκε τοις μετρητοίς | was paid in cash |
| τοις πάσι | to all | γνωστό τοις πάσι | known to all |
| τοις χιλίοις | per thousand (‰) | πέντε τοις χιλίοις | five per thousand (5‰ = 0.5%) |
| τύποις | formally, nominally | είναι αρχηγός τύποις μόνο | he’s a chief in name only |
| φύσει αδύνατο[ν] | hopeless by nature, an impossibility | φύσει αδύνατο να πετάξω | that I fly is an impossibility |
| ψυχή τε και σώματι | wholeheartedly, with all one’s self | δόθηκαν ψυχή τε και σώματι | they gave their full selves |