General Translation of Prepositions in Greek

this page is a modified form of the examples listed in Mastronarde’s _Introduction to Attic Greek_, unit 6.

General Translation of Prepositions in Greek:

genitive: away (ablative of separation in Latin)

dative: on, with, at (locative, ablatives of place where, time when in Latin)

accusative: to/toward (accusative of motion towards in Latin)

?pñ + gen = from

¢k + gen = out of

¢n + dat = in, within, on, at, among

eÜû, ¢û + acc = into, to, toward

to be continued….

case	example	translation	physical	abstract
gen	?pò t°û gefæraû	away from the bridge	separation
gen	¢k t°û skhn°û	out from the tent	separation
gen	?pò taæthû t°û ²m¡raû	from this day onward		separation
gen	¢j ?rx°û	from the beginning		causal

case	example	translation	physical	abstract
dat	¢n t» xÅr&	(with)in the land	place where
dat	¢n Kerkær&	at Corcyra	locative
dat	¢n toÝû yeoÝû	among the gods		abstract position
dat	¢n dÛkú	in justice (= justly)		adverbial

case	example	translation	physical	abstract
acc	eÞû t¯n skhn®n	into/toward the tent	motion towards
acc	eÞû paideÛan	in terms of training		as a goal

gen	sçn toÝû strathgoÝû	with the generals	accompaniment
dat	sçn pñnÄ	with toil		manner
dat	sçn dÛkú	with justice (= justly)		adverbial

case	example	translation	physical	abstract
gen	met? tÇn kritÇn	with (in the midst of) the judges	place where
gen	met? toè paidÛou	with the child	accompaniment
gen	met? fyñnou	with envy		manner
acc	met? tòn pñlemon	after the war		time when

case	example	translation	physical		abstract
gen	di? t°û xÅraû	through the land		movement
gen	di? t°û xÅraû	throughout the land		location
gen	di? bÛou	throughout life			time when
gen	di' ?gg¡lvn	through the messengers		means
gen	di? glÅtthû	through (use of) the tongue		instrument
acc	di? toçû yeoæû	thanks to (because of) the gods			causal
acc	di? tòn fñbon	because of fear			causal

case	example	translation	physical		abstract
gen	¤pÜ t°û trap¡zhû	upon the table		place where
gen	¤pÜ KallÛou	in the time of Callias			time when
dat	¤pÜ t½ yal?ttú	by (near) the sea		place where
dat	¤pÜ toætoiû	in addition to (over and above) these things			????
acc	¤pÜ tòn potamñn	up to the river		spatial limit
acc	¤pÜ polçn xrñnon	up to (for) a long time			temporal limit
acc	¤pÜ toçû P¡rsaû	up against the Persians			opposition

case	example	translation	physical		abstract
gen	par? Kærou	from Cyrus’ presence		separation
dat	par? KærÄ	with Cyrus (at his side)		place where
dat	par? KærÄ	with Cyrus (on his side)			abstract position
acc	par? Kèron	to or into Cyrus’ presence		motion towards
acc	par? tòn potamñn	alongside the river		place where
acc	par? dñjan	contrary to expectation			opposition
¤pÜ + person (in acc) = against (enemy) ¤pÜ toçû P¡rsaû par? + person (in acc) = motion towards par? Kèron par? + concept (in acc) = contrariness “paradox” = par? dñjan, ”against expectation” par? + non-person/place (in acc) = alongside “parallel” = par? + ?ll®louw, "alongside each other”

case		example	translation		physical		abstract
gen	pròw tÇn politÇn			from the citizens		source from
dat	pròw tÒ potamÒ			near the river		place where
dat	pròw toætoiw			over and above (plus) these things				abstract addition
acc	pròw t¯n g¡furan			toward the bridge		motion towards
acc	pròw toçw stratiÅtaw			against the soldiers				opposition
acc	pròw toçw polÛtaw			(attitude/words addressed) toward the citizens				direction towards

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