5.1 Nouns

Tsakonian nouns are classified by gender, number, and case, though the system has undergone significant simplification and reduction compared to its Ancient Greek roots. While many patterns align with Modern Greek, Tsakonian preserves distinctive archaic forms and unique developments, particularly in its declension classes and the progressive loss of the genitive case.

Grammar glossary:

• Case: a grammatical category that marks the role of a noun in a sentence (subject, possessor, object, etc.).
• Nominative: the case marking the subject (‘the cat sees’).
• Genitive: the case marking possession or relationship (‘the cat’s tail’).
• Accusative: the case marking the direct object (‘I see the cat’).
• Vocative: the case used for direct address (calling or addressing someone).
• Declension: a pattern of endings that a noun follows.
• Gender: a grammatical property of every noun — masculine, feminine, or neuter — not necessarily related to biological sex, which affects the article and adjective endings the noun takes.

For the Doric historical origin of noun forms, see 1.3 Doric heritage. For how the loss of the genitive affects syntax, see 5.8 Syntax and 5.7 Prepositions and Postpositions.

Cases

The Tsakonian case system primarily consists of three functional cases: nominative, genitive, and accusative, plus a vocative of direct address. The ancient dative has been entirely lost; see Additional information for how its functions are now expressed.

Case	Primary Function	Status
Nominative	Subject of the sentence	Fully functional
Genitive	Possession, relationship	Weakening; near-total loss in plural
Accusative	Direct object, object of prepositions	Fully functional; often replacing genitive
Vocative	Direct address	Not distinctly marked

Nominative case

The nominative marks the subject of a sentence — the person or thing performing the action. It is also the citation form: the form under which a noun is listed in dictionaries and word lists.

Its main usages are:

• Subject of a verb — the agent or topic the sentence is about:

Ο άθρωπο
O ázropo
‘The man’

• Predicate noun — the complement of the copula ‘to be’, which also stands in the nominative.

Genitive case

The genitive marks possession and relationship (‘the cat’s tail’, ‘the door of the house’). It is the most reduced of the functional cases. The genitive plural has almost entirely disappeared from spoken Tsakonian. (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018)

In singular, it is still productive in the singular for many nouns:

Ταρ αγάκη
Tar agáki
‘Of love’

Του βράχου
Tou vráchou
‘Of the rock’

The genitive is undergoing progressive reduction and replacement. While functional in the singular for many nouns, it has nearly vanished in the plural.

Its decline is uneven across noun types:

• Neuter nouns in -άτου (-átou) and -ίου (-íou): Modern speakers have almost entirely lost these forms (e.g., σωμάτου (somátou), μαλίου (malíou) are rarely used).
• Feminine nouns in -έ (-é): Distinct forms like κ̔αρέ (kharé, ‘fire’) often coexist with uninflected variants (κ̔άρα, khára) or have disappeared entirely.
• Variation: Some nouns show regularization toward the -ου (-ou) pattern or outright loss of endings (e.g., πέτσ̌ε (pétshe) → gen. πέτσ̌ε (pétshe)).

Plural genitive

The plural genitive is restricted to a few fixed expressions of age, quantity, or value listed below (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018). Everywhere else, possession is expressed through alternative constructions.

Δέκα χρονού καμπζί
Déka chronoú kampzzí
‘A ten-year-old child’

Δύ’ μηνού καμπζί
Dý’ minoú kampzzí
‘A two-month-old child’

Nominative	Gen. Plural	Transliteration	Translation
αμέρα	αμερού	améra, ameroú	’day’
γίδα	γιδού	gída, gidoú	’goat’
δραχουμή	δραχουμού	drachoumí, drachoumoú	’drachma’
εριφό	εριφού	erifó, erifoú	’kid’
μήνα	μηνού	mína, minoú	’month’
χρόνε	χρονού	chróne, chronoú	’year’
ψαλία	ψαλιδού	psalía, psalidoú	’scissors’

Periphrastic alternatives

Where the genitive is no longer used, possession is increasingly expressed via two main strategies (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018):

1. Accusative replacement: οι πούε τα κότ̔α (oi poúe ta kótha, ‘the feet of the hen’).
2. Prepositional phrases:
   • With σε (‘to/in’): οι ψιλοί σ’ έταν̇η τα γουναίκα (oi psiloí s’ étan’i ta gounaíka, ‘the eyes of this woman’). Coalescence occurs before the article: οι ψιλοί τ̒ουρ αθρίποι (oi psiloí tiour azrípoi, ‘the eyes of the people’).
   • With από (‘from’): οι πούε από τα καμπζία (oi poúe apó ta kampzzía, ‘the feet of the children’).

Accusative case

The accusative marks the direct object of a verb and the object of most prepositions. As the genitive recedes, the accusative increasingly takes over its functions as well. The lost dative (indirect object) is now expressed with the preposition σε (‘to’) followed by the accusative.

Its main usages are:

• Direct object — the entity directly affected by the action:

Ένι δίου το βιβλίε
Éni díou to vivlíe
‘I give the book’

• Indirect object — expressed by σε + accusative, replacing the old dative:

Τ̔αν κοπέα
Than kopéa
‘To the girl’

• Object of a preposition:

Από τα καμπζία
Apó ta kampzzía
‘From the children’

• Replacing the genitive — the accusative is commonly used in place of a genitive of possession: οι πούε τα κότ̔α (oi poúe ta kótha, ‘the feet of the hen’).

Gender

Tsakonian has three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Gender is not necessarily tied to biological sex; it is a grammatical property of every noun, marked by the definite article, the noun ending, and agreement with adjectives (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018).

Definite article by gender

The clearest marker of a noun’s gender is the article that accompanies it:

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ο (o)	α (a)	το (to)
Genitive	του (tou)	ταρ (tar) (vowels) / τα (ta) (cons.)	του (tou)
Accusative	τον (ton)	ταν (tan) (vowels) / τα (ta) (cons.)	το (to)

The feminine article variants result from rhotacism (the sound change /s/ → /r/; see 2. Phonology). The behaviour depends on the following sound (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018):

• Before vowels: τας (tas) → ταρ (tar) (e.g., ταρ αγάκη (tar agáki) ‘of love’). This preserves a phonological distinction between genitive and accusative.
• Before consonants: the final /s/ of the genitive article and the final /n/ of the accusative article both assimilate or are lost, causing the cases to collapse into syncretism — the merging of two formerly distinct forms into one (e.g., α νύ[ι]θη (a ný[i]zi) → gen./acc. τα νύ[ι]θη (ta ný[i]zi)).

Masculine nouns

Masculine nouns take the article ο / του / τον and end chiefly in -α (ancient 1st declension) or in -ε / -ο / -έ / -ό (ancient 2nd declension). Their declension classes are labelled A1–A5 by (García Chaparro, 2023), according mainly to the plural ending.

Masculine plurals draw a key animacy distinction — whether the referent is living or not (Liosis, 2017):

• Animate nouns take -οι (-oi): αθρίποι (azrípoi, ‘people’), υζοί (yzzoí, ‘sons’).
• Inanimate nouns take -ου (-ou): τόπου (tópou, ‘places’), ακ̔ού (akhoú, ‘vessels’).

Paradigm A1 — Ending in -α, plural in -οι

Animate nouns ending in -α, with a genitive also in -α (distinguished mainly by the article), and a plural in -οι. Genitives in -ου (marked with an asterisk) likely result from Standard Modern Greek influence.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
ο κ̔αβουρα	του κ̔αβουρα	κ̔αβουροι	o khávoura, tou khávoura, khávouroi	crab
ο σ̌ίνα	του σ̌ίνου*	σ̌ίν̇οι	o shína, tou shínou, shín’oi	mountain
ο Σπαρτιάτα	του Σπαρτιατού*	Σπαρτιάτοι	o Spartiáta, tou Spartiatoú, Spartiátoi	Spartan

Paradigm A2 — ο/ε-type (ancient 2nd declension)

The most productive masculine pattern: nominatives in -ο / -ό / -ε / -έ with a genitive in -ου / -ού (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018). The plural is -οι for animates and -ου for inanimates. One representative of each subtype:

Subtype	Nominative	Genitive	Transliteration	Translation
-ο (disyll.)	ο βράχο	του βράχου	o vrácho, tou vráchou	rock
-ό (disyll.)	ο αγό	του αγού	o agó, tou agoú	hare
-ο (trisyll.)	ο άθρωπο	του αθρούπου	o ázropo, tou azroúpou	man
-ε	ο ξένε	του ξένου	o xéne, tou xénou	stranger
-έ	ο υζέ	του υζού	o yzzé, tou yzzoú	son

Paradigm A3 — Ending in -α, plural in -ου

Inanimate nouns of the same α-type, whose plural ends in -ου rather than the animate -οι.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
ο όντα	του όντα	όντου	o ónta, tou ónta, óntou	tooth

Paradigm A4 — ε-type with -ούνε plural

A small group of nouns ending in -ε whose plural is formed by adding -νε to the genitive stem in -ου, yielding a plural in -ούνε. Unlike A2, this plural is not conditioned by animacy — it is lexically specific.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
ο άγιε	του αγίου	αγίουνε	o ágie, tou agíou, agíoune	church

Paradigm A5 — uninflected genitive, -δε plural

A set of nouns whose genitive is identical to the nominative (no dedicated genitive ending) and whose plural is formed by appending -δε directly to the nominative form. (García Chaparro, 2023):

Ending	Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
-ά	ο ψαρά	ψαρά	ψαράδε	o psará, psará, psaráde	fisherman
-ία	ο βορία	βορία	βοριάδε	o voría, voría, voriáde	north wind
-η	ο αφέγκη	αφέγκη	αφέγκηδε	o afégki, afégki, afégkide	father
-έ	ο καφέ	καφέ	καφέδε	o kafé, kafé, kaféde	coffee
-ού	ο παππού	παππού	παππούδε	o pappoú, pappoú, pappoúde	grandfather

Irregular masculine nouns

A small group continues the ancient 3rd declension or otherwise departs from the regular paradigms. Their genitives are built on a different stem from the nominative, which is what makes them irregular (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018).

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation	Why irregular
ο κούε	του κουνέ	κούν̇οι (koún’oi)	o koúe, tou kouné	dog	Genitive on the stem κουν- < ancient κύων → κυνός
ο ούθι	του ουθίου	ουθίουνε (ouzíoúne)	o oúzi, tou ouzíou	snake	Adds -ίου on a 3rd-declension stem < ὄφις → ὄφεος
ο μήνα	του μηνέ	μην̇οι (mín’oi)	o mína, tou miné	month	Genitive on the stem μην-; ancient 3rd declension
ο ψιλέ	του ψιού	ψιλ̣οί (psil’oí)	o psilé, tou psioú	eye	Stem-final /l/ lost in the genitive
ο αθή	του αθή	αθήνε (azíne)	o azí, tou azí	brother	Adds the distinctively Tsakonian -νε plural
ο γέρου	του γέρου	γέροι (géroi)	o gérou, tou gérou	old man	Invariable nominative/genitive in -ου

Note: γούνα (goúna, ‘knee’) shows gender mobility: it may be used as either masculine or neuter. As a masculine noun it takes the animate plural γούν̇οι (goún’oi); as a neuter it takes the ancient consonant-stem plural γούνατα (goúnata) (Kostakis, 1986b). See also the Irregular neuter nouns section.

Feminine nouns

Feminine nouns take the article α / ταρ ~ τα / ταν ~ τα and end chiefly in -α (some in -η or -ού). Their declension classes are labelled Θ1–Θ5 by (García Chaparro, 2023), distinguished primarily by the plural ending. Before consonants the genitive and accusative collapse (syncretism); before vowels, rhotacism keeps them distinct (ταρ vs. ταν).

Paradigm Θ1 — Ending in -α or -η, plural in -ε

The most productive feminine class. The genitive is marked by the article alone unless a secondary form in -έ or -ή is also present (see Secondary genitive patterns).

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
α πούα	τα πούα	πούε	a poúa, ta poúa, poúe	foot

Paradigm Θ2 — Ending in -α, plural in -λε

The plural replaces the final vowel with -λε.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
α τσ̑έα	τα τσ̑ελή	τσ̑έλε	a tsséa, ta tsselí, tsséle	house

Paradigm Θ3 — Ending in -ά, plural in -άε

Nouns with a stressed -ά nominative. The plural appends -ε to the nominative form.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
α μελισσά	τα μελισσά	μελισσάε	a melissá, ta melissá, melissáe	bee

Paradigm Θ4 — Ending in -ά or -α, plural in -αδε

The plural adds -δε to the nominative stem.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
α γιορτά	τα γιορτά	γιορτάδε	a giortá, ta giortá, giortáde	party

Paradigm Θ5 — Ending in -ου, plural in -ουδε

Nouns ending in -ου, with a genitive identical to the nominative.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
α αλεπού	τα αλεπού	αλεπούδε	a alepoú, ta alepoú, alepoúde	female fox

Secondary genitive patterns

Across all paradigms, some nouns form a distinct genitive with a dedicated ending rather than relying on the article alone. Two endings are productive: -έ and -ή.

Genitive in -έ (-é) — the most common feminine secondary genitive, possibly deriving from the Ancient Greek locative (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018):

Nominative	Genitive	Transliteration	Translation
α θάσσα	τα θασσέ	a zássa, ta zassé	sea
α κ̔άρα	τα κ̔αρέ	a khára, ta kharé	fire
α κότ̔α	τα κοτ̔έ	a kótia, ta kotié	hen
α γίδα	τα γιδέ	a gída, ta gidé	goat
α νιούτ̔α	τα νιουτ̔έ	a nioútia, ta nioutié	night
α μοίρα	τα μοιρέ	a moíra, ta moiré	fate
α χούρα	τα χουρέ	a choúra, ta chouré	field
α σκούπα	τα σκουπέ	a skoúpa, ta skoupé	broom
α καμάρα	τα καμαρέ	a kamára, ta kamaré	arch/vault
α κράκα	τα κρατσ̑έ	a kráka, ta kratsé	key
α κατσούα	τα κατσουλέ	a katsoúa, ta katsoulé	cat
α κούλικα	τα κουλιτσ̑έ	a koúlika, ta koulitssé	cow
α φούκ̔α	τα φουτσ̑έ	a foúkha, ta foutsé	belly
α αβουτάνα	τα αβουτανέ	a avoutána, ta avoutané	ear
α κολιούρα	τα κολιουρέ	a kolioúra, ta koliouré	round bread
α στέρνα	τα στερνέ	a stérna, ta sterné	cistern
α τσ̂οίτα	τα τσ̂οιτέ	a tssoíta, ta tssoité	bed
α σβάρνα	τα σβαρνέ	a svárna, ta svarné	harrow
α προβάτα	τα προβατέ	a prováta, ta provaté	ewe

Genitive in -ή (-í) — a smaller group originating from the ancient 3rd declension (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018):

Nominative	Genitive	Transliteration	Translation
α [α]μέρα	τα [α]μερή	a [a]méra, ta [a]merí	day
α γουναίκα	τα γουναιτσ̑έ	a gounaíka, ta gounaitssí	woman
α μάτη	τα ματερή	a máti, ta materí	mother
α σάτη	τα σατερή	a sáti, ta saterí	daughter
α χέρα	τα χερή	a chéra, ta cherí	hand
α άμπελε	τα αμπελ̣ή	a ámpele, ta ampel’í	vineyard
α κοπέα	τα κοπελ̣ή	a kopéa, ta kopel’í	girl
α τσ̌ίχα	τα τσ̌ιχή	a tshícha, ta tshichí	hair
α τσουφά	τα τσουφαλ̣ή	a tsoufá, ta tsoufal’í	head

Irregular feminine nouns

A few feminine nouns build their genitive or plural on an extended or altered stem (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018):

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation	Why irregular
α μάτη	μάτη / ματερί	ματέρε (matére)	máti, máti / materí	mother	Genitive and plural on the extended stem ματερ-
α σάτη	σάτη / σατερί	σατέρε (satére)	sáti, sáti / saterí	daughter	Genitive and plural on the extended stem σατερ-
α άμπελε	άμπελε / άμπελ̣ή	άμπελ̣ή (ampel’í)	ámpele, ámpele / ampel’í	vineyard	Genitive in -ή alongside an uninflected form
α κρόπο	κρόπου	κρόπε (krópe)	krópo, krópou	manure	Feminine with a masculine-looking -ου genitive

Neuter nouns

Neuter nouns take the article το / του / το (nominative and accusative are always identical). Their declension classes are labelled Υ1–Υ5 by (García Chaparro, 2023), distinguished primarily by the plural ending.

Paradigm Υ1 — plural in -α

The largest group, with genitive in -ου. The nominative may end in -ε, -ο, or -ι (in the -ι subtype the genitive stress stays on the stem rather than shifting to the ending).

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
το μόκ̔ο	του μόκ̔ου	τα μόκ̔α	to mókho, tou mókhou, ta mókha	calf
το σούκο	του σούκου	τα σούκα	to soúko, tou soúkou, ta soúka	fig
το πεύκο	του πεύκου	τα πεύκα	to peúko, tou peúkou, ta peúka	pine
το γάστενε	του γαστένου	τα γάστενα	to gástene, tou gasténou, ta gástena	chestnut
το σίδερε	του σιδέρου	τα σίδερα	to sídere, tou sidérou, ta sídera	iron
το χόντι	του χόντου	τα χόντα	to chónti, tou chóntou, ta chónta	grass
το σκούνδι	του σκούντου	τα σκούντα	to skoúndi, tou skoúntou, ta skoúnta	garlic
το χωζ̌ύγι	του χωζ̌ύγου	τα χωζ̌ύγα	to chozhýgi, tou chozhýgou, ta chozhýga	lime/limestone
το άσ̌ι	—	τα άσ̌α	to áshi, ta ásha	star

Paradigm Υ2 — plural in -ματα or -ιματα

Derived from ancient 3rd-declension -ματος stems: the genitive ends in -μάτου or -ιμάτου and the plural in -ματα or -ιματα.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
το σώμα	του σωμάτου	τα σώματα	to sóma, tou somátou, ta sómata	body
το χώμα	του χωμάτου	τα χώματα	to chóma, tou chomátou, ta chómata	earth/soil
το πούμα	του πουμάτου	τα πούματα	to poúma, tou poumátou, ta poúmata	lid/cover
το γράψιμο	του γραψιμάτου	τα γραψίματα	to grápsimo, tou grapsimátou, ta grapsímata	writing
το σ̌άψιμο	του σ̌αψιμάτου	τα σ̌αψίματα	to shápsimo, tou shapsimátou, ta shapsímata	sewing

One further archaic neuter preserves an ancient consonant stem with the same -άτου genitive: το γούνα / του γουνάτου (to goúna, tou gounátou, ‘knee’) < γόνατος.

Paradigm Υ3 — plural in -ια

The genitive ends in -ίου; the plural adds -α to give -ια.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
το καμπζί	του καμπζίου	τα καμπζία	to kampzzí, tou kampzzíou, ta kampzzía	child
το δάκρυ	του δακρύου	τα δάκρυα	to dákry, tou dakrýou, ta dákrya	teardrop
το ψάζ̌ι	του ψαζ̌ίου	τα ψάζ̌ια	to psázhi, tou psazhíou, ta psázhia	fish
το πουλί	του πουλίου	τα πουλία	to poul̃í, tou poul̃íou, ta poul̃ía	bird
το λεοντάρι	του λεονταρίου	τα λεοντάρια	to leontári, tou leontaríou, ta leontária	lion

Paradigm Υ4 — plural in -ητα

A small set of abstract nouns; they generally lack a distinct genitive.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
το θάρρι	∅	τα θάρρητα	to zárri, ta zárrita	courage

Paradigm Υ5 — plural in -ατα

A rare type. The genitive, when present, is built on an extended stem in -άτου.

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation
το κρίε	του κριάτου	τα κρίατα	to kríe, tou kriátou, ta kríata	meat
το είιδε	—	τα είιδατα	to eíide, ta eíidata	clothes

Irregular neuter nouns

Several neuters form an unpredictable plural on an altered stem (García Chaparro, 2023):

Nominative	Genitive	Plural	Transliteration	Translation	Why irregular
το κόκαλε	κόκαλε	κόκα (kóka)	kókale	bone	Plural drops the -αλε segment
το τσ̌έρβουλε	τσ̌έρβουλε	τσ̌έρβα (tshérva)	tshérvoule	sandal	Plural drops the -ουλε segment
το π̔ιτόκαλε	π̔ιτόκαλε	π̔ιτόκα (phitóka)	phitókale	rolling pin	Plural drops the -αλε segment
το κάλ̣ι	κάλ̣ι	κάβα (káva)	kál’i	wood	Plural built on a -β- stem
το μάλ̣ι	μάλ̣ι	μάβα (máva)	mál’i	apple	Plural built on a -β- stem
το άι	άι	άζα (ázza)	ái	oil	Plural built on a -ζ- stem
το γα	γάτου	γάτα (gáta)	to ga, tou gátou	milk	Genitive and plural on an ancient -τ- stem < γάλακτος
το υο	υβάτου	ύβατα (ývata)	to yo, tou yvátou	water	Genitive and plural on an ancient -τ- stem < ὕδατος

Annex: complete noun paradigm table

The table below compiles every regular declension class and irregular noun in one place, as categorized by (García Chaparro, 2023). To use it, find a noun’s gender, then match its nominative and genitive endings to a row; the Plural column gives the corresponding plural ending. The class labels (A = masculine, Θ = feminine, Υ = neuter) are keyed to the section tables above.

Gender	Type	Nominative	Genitive	Plural
Masculine	A1	-α (-a)	-α (-a)	-οι (-oi)
	A2	-α (-a)	-α (-a)	-ε (-e)
	A3	-α (-a)	-α (-a)	-ου (-ou)
	A1	-ε / -ο (-e / -o)	-ου (-ou)	-οι (-oi)
	A3	-ε / -ο (-e / -o)	΄-ου (‘-ou)	-ου (-ou)
	A4	-ε / -ο (-e / -o)	-ου (-ou)	-ουνε (-oune)
	A5	-α / -η (-a / -i) -ε / -ου (-e / -ou)	-α / -η (-a / -i) -ε / -ου (-e / -ou)	-αδε / -ηδε (-ade / -ide) -εδε / -ουδε (-ede / -oude)
	Irreg.	γέρου (gérou)	γέρου (gérou)	γέροι (géroi)
		αθή (azí)	αθή (azí)	αθήνε (azíne)
		ούθι (oúzi)	ουθίου (ouzíou)	ουθίουνε (ouzíoúne)
		ψιλέ (psilé)	ψιού (psioú)	ψιλ̣οί (psil’oí)
		κούε (koúe)	κουνέ (kouné)	κούν̇οι (koún’oi)
		μήνα (mína)	μηνέ (miné)	μην̇οι (mín’oi)
Feminine	Θ1	-α (-a)	-α / -έ (-a / -é)	-ε (-e)
	Θ2	-α (-a)	-α / -έ (-a / -é)	-λε (-le)
	Θ4	-α (-a)	-α / -έ (-a / -é)	-αδε (-ade)
	Θ3	-ά (-á)	-α / -έ (-a / -é)	-άε (-áe)
	Θ1	-η (-i)	-η / -έ (-i / -é)	-ε (-e)
	Θ5	-ου (-ου)	-ου (-ou)	-ουδε (-oude)
	Irreg.	μάτη (máti)	μάτη / ματερί (máti / materí)	ματέρε (matére)
		σάτη (sáti)	σάτη / σατερί (sáti / saterí)	σατέρε (satére)
		άμπελε (ámpele)	άμπελε / άμπελ̣ή (ámpele / ampel’í)	άμπελ̣ή (ampel’í)
		κρόπο (krópo)	κρόπου (krópou)	κρόπε (krópe)
Neuter	Υ5	-ε (-e)	∅	-ατα (-ata)
	Υ1	-ο / -υ (-o / -y)	-ου (-ou)	-α (-a)
	Υ3	-ι (-i)	-ίου (-íou)	-ια (-ia)
	Υ4	-η (-i)	∅	-ητα (-ita)
	Υ1	-ου (-ou)	-ου (-ou)	-α (-a)
	Υ2	-μα / -ιμο (-ma / -imo)	-μάτου / -ιμάτου (-mátou / -imátou)	-ματα / -ιματα (-mata / -imata)
	Irreg.	κόκαλε (kókale)	κόκαλε (kókale)	κόκα (kóka)
		τσ̌έρβουλε (tshérvoule)	τσ̌έρβουλε (tshérvoule)	τσ̌έρβα (tshérva)
		π̔ιτόκαλε (phitókale)	π̔ιτόκαλε (phitókale)	π̔ιτόκα (phitóka)
		κάλ̣ι (kál’i)	κάλ̣ι (kál’i)	κάβα (káva)
		μάλ̣ι (mál’i)	μάλ̣ι (mál’i)	μάβα (máva)
		άι (ái)	άι (ái)	άζα (ázza)
		γα (ga)	γάτου (gátou)	γάτα (gáta)
		υο (yo)	υβάτου (yvátou)	ύβατα (ývata)

Additional information

The lost dative case

The dative case (marking indirect objects, e.g. ‘to the cat’) has been entirely lost. Instead, the indirect object is expressed using a preposition (usually σε, ‘to’) followed by the accusative case. For example, to say ‘I give the book to the girl’, you say ένι δίου το βιβλίε τ̔αν κοπέα (éni díou to vivlíe than kopéa). Early records (e.g., Oikonomos, 1870) listed dative forms, but these were either accusatives with a preposition or errors influenced by Katharevousa — the archaic formal register of Greek used in official contexts until the 1970s, which artificially preserved ancient forms not present in spoken language (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018).

Number and case in the plural

Tsakonian plural formation is largely uninflected for case in Peloponnesian dialects: a single plural form generally serves all syntactic roles (Liosis, 2017).

One exception appears among semi-speakers of the northern subdialect, who sometimes restore -ου (-ou) as an accusative plural marker (e.g., nom. pl. οι ελάφοι (oi eláfoi) vs. acc. pl. τιρ ελάφου (tir eláfou)), reintroducing a case distinction into an otherwise syncretic paradigm (Liosis, 2017).

Modern Greek influence on the genitive

Several α-type masculine nouns show a genitive in -ου (e.g., του σ̌ίνου, του Σπαρτιατού) where the inherited form would end in -α. These -ου genitives likely result from Standard Modern Greek influence rather than native Tsakonian development (Kisilier & Mertyris, 2018).