THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

The Greek Definite Article
In Greek there is no indefinite article (such as "a" or "an" in English). There is only the definite article (like the English "the").

The definite article is fully declined in all three genders (as in the three paradigms below) so that it can agree with whatever substantive it is modifying.

Observe that although the definite article will agree with the word it is modifying in gender, number, and case, the ending on the word it is modifying will not always resemble the definite article. For example:

tw/n maqhtw/n

 both def. art. and noun are masc pl gen, and resemble each other

oi` maqhtai,

 both def. art. and noun are masc pl nom, but do not resemble each other
Masculine
The masculine definite article is declined on the pattern of second declension masculine nouns:
  singular plural
Nom o` oi`
Gen tou/ tw/n
Dat tw/| toi/j
Acc to,n tou,j

You can construct the masc def. art. from the masculine second declension endings (oj  ou  w|  on  oi  wn  oij  ouj) by simply adding t to the endings, except in the nominative case, where...

  • in the singular there is no j (as in oj), hence o`, and there is rough breathing instead of t.
  • in the plural there is rough breathing instead of t.
Feminine
The feminine definite article is declined on the pattern of the feminine first declension "other stems" (or fwnh, type).
  singular plural
Nom h` ai`
Gen th/j tw/n
Dat th/| tai/j
Acc th,n ta,j

Simply take the fwnh, type endings (h  hj  h|  hn  ai  wn  aij  aj) and add t, except in the nominative case, where there is rough breathing instead of t.

Neuter
The neuter definite article is patterned after the second declension neuter endings.
  singular plural
Nom to, ta,
Gen tou/ tw/n
Dat tw/| toi/j
Acc to, ta,

Take the neuter second declension endings (on  ou  w|  on  a  wn  oij  a) and prefix a t, but in the singular nominative and accusative drop the n.

Learning the Definite Article...and More!
There is really no substitute for sitting down with pen and paper and spending fifteen or twenty minutes writing out the entire declension of the definite article (using the above observations on how it may be constructed) until it settles in your memory. Saying each word aloud also helps.

This method, not incidentally, is one that may be useful to reinforce your remembrance of all of the forms you have encountered so far. Brainstorm on paper, asking yourself, What is the present active indicative? What is the masculine second declension? etc. Then write out the endings as best as you can recall. Look up what you cannot recall and try again until you can remember every set of endings we have covered so far.

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