Weeks 9–10: Personal, Demonstrative, and Relative Pronouns

Introduction

So far, you’ve learned nouns, articles, adjectives, and verbs. Now it’s time to study pronouns—words that replace or point to nouns. Pronouns are essential in Greek because they allow sentences to flow more naturally without repeating the same noun again and again.

In this lesson, we’ll focus on three main types:

1. Personal pronouns → “I, you, he, she, we, they.”

2. Demonstrative pronouns → “this, that, these, those.”

3. Relative pronouns → “who, which, that.”

Step 1: Personal Pronouns

Function

Personal pronouns stand in for nouns already understood in context.

• ἐγώ (egō) → I

• σύ (sy) → you (singular)

• αὐτός (autos) → he, she, it

Key Notes

• Greek verbs already include the subject in their endings (λύω = “I loosen”).

• Pronouns are often used for emphasis.

Example:

• ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου (egō eimi to phōs tou kosmou) → “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).

👉 Jesus could have said simply “εἰμι τὸ φῶς” (“am the light”), but by adding ἐγώ, He emphasizes I myself.

Step 2: Demonstrative Pronouns

Function

Demonstratives point out something specific: “this,” “that,” “these,” “those.”

Two main forms:

• οὗτος (houtos) → this (near)

• ἐκεῖνος (ekeinos) → that (far)

Examples:

• οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος → “this man”

• ἐκεῖνοι οἱ μαθηταί → “those disciples”

In the NT

• οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου (houtos estin ho huios mou) → “This is my Son” (Matt. 3:17).

Step 3: Relative Pronouns

Function

Relative pronouns connect clauses, like “who,” “which,” or “that” in English.

• ὅς (hos) → who

• ἥ (hē) → who (feminine)

• ὅ (ho) → which, that (neuter)

These pronouns decline just like adjectives, agreeing with their antecedent (the noun they refer to) in gender and number, but their case depends on their function in the relative clause.

Example:

• ὁ ἀνθρωπος ὅς γράφει → “The man who writes.”

• λόγος ὅν ἀκούεις → “The word which you hear.”

In the NT

• ὅς ἐστιν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας (hos estin eulogētos eis tous aiōnas) → “who is blessed forever” (Rom. 9:5).

Step 4: Putting It All Together

Greek pronouns—personal, demonstrative, and relative—give sentences flow and variety. They prevent constant repetition, and they allow the writer to emphasize, clarify, or connect thoughts.

Practice Assignments

1. Personal Pronouns
Translate and identify the pronoun:

1. ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμήν.

2. σύ εἶ μαθητής.

3. αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ κύριος.

2. Demonstrative Pronouns
Translate into English:

1. οὗτος ὁ λόγος.

2. ἐκεῖνοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι.

3. οὗτοι οἱ μαθηταί πιστεύουσιν.

3. Relative Pronouns
Identify the relative pronoun and translate:

1. ὁ ἀνθρωπος ὅς βλέπει τὸν κύριον.

2. ἡ γραφὴ ἣν γράφεις.

3. τὸ δῶρον ὃ δίδωσιν.

4. Writing Practice
Create 3 original sentences using each type of pronoun:

• One with a personal pronoun.

• One with a demonstrative pronoun.

• One with a relative pronoun.

5. Daily Review
Spend 10 minutes reading short NT passages (John 1 or 1 John 1 are good starting points), circling every pronoun you find and identifying its type.

Encouragement

Pronouns may feel like a small detail, but they are essential for fluent reading. Once you begin spotting them, Greek sentences will feel more natural and less repetitive.

Take your time—practice recognizing them in context every day. Soon you’ll notice that phrases like “this,” “that,” “who,” and “he” jump out at you instantly.

You are now moving into the finer details of Greek, where real clarity and depth of meaning begin to shine. Keep going—you’re building toward full sentence translation!