The -μένος Participle (γραμμένος)
Because the participle is an adjective, it AGREES with its noun in gender, number and case - and it takes the very endings of καλός: γραμμένος (masc), γραμμένη (fem), γραμμένο (neut); plural γραμμένοι / γραμμένες / γραμμένα; accusative γραμμένο(ν) / γραμμένη / γραμμένο; genitive γραμμένου / γραμμένης / γραμμένου. «ένας γραμμένος αριθμός», «μια γραμμένη λέξη», «τα γραμμένα γράμματα». One thing differs from καλός: the stress is FIXED on the penult -μέ- through the WHOLE table, so the genitive plural is γραμμένων (stress on -μέ-), NOT *γραμμ-ένων. καλός is not a counter-example either: it is oxytone, so its accent sits on the ending in every cell it has (καλού, καλών, καλοί), and it never had the accent anywhere else. The participle is the opposite kind of word: its accent lives on -μέ- and stays there. Match the participle to its noun exactly as you match any adjective, and keep the accent on -μέ-.
The rule
The -μένος participle (η μετοχή) is a passive action turned into an adjective: γράφτηκε (“it was written”) → γραμμένος (“written”). It is built on the perfective non-active stem + -μένος, with a regular consonant change: labials double (γράφω → γραμμένος), -ζω gives -σμένος (κουράζω → κουρασμένος), -γω gives -γμένος (ανοίγω → ανοιγμένος), and -νω is mostly plain (δένω → δεμένος, with a few inserting -σ-: κλείνω → κλεισμένος). A couple are irregular - παντρεύομαι → παντρεμένος (the -υ- drops), χάνω → χαμένος. It then declines and agrees exactly like the adjective καλός (-ος/-η/-ο), with one difference: the stress stays fixed on -μέ- through the whole table, so the genitive plural is γραμμένων, never γραμμ-ένων. The contrast with καλός is not a movement at all: καλός is oxytone, so its accent sits on the ending in every cell it has (καλού, καλών, καλοί). The two words simply keep their accent in different places, and each keeps it everywhere. Unlike the invariable gerund (-οντας, Module 12), the participle is fully declinable. And keep it apart from the perfect passive (έχει γραφτεί, Module 19): είναι + participle is the resulting state, έχει + -εί the completed event.
Paradigm
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | γραμμένος† | γραμμένοι† |
| Accusative | γραμμένο† | γραμμένους† |
| Genitive | γραμμένου† | γραμμένων† |
| Vocative | γραμμένε† | γραμμένοι† |
- The -μένος participle of γράφω: the labial φ + μ assimilates to -μμ- (γραφ- → γραμμ-), then -μένος. It declines like the adjective καλός, but the stress stays FIXED on the penult -μέ- throughout. ("written")
- Masculine nominative plural -οι, like καλοί.
- Masculine accusative singular -ο (also γραμμένον before a vowel), like καλό.
- Masculine accusative plural -ους, like καλούς.
- Genitive singular -ου, like καλού.
- Genitive plural -ων - but note the stress STAYS on -μέ- (γραμμένων), never *γραμμ-ένων. The adjective καλός is oxytone and carries its accent on the ending throughout (καλών); it is a different resting place, not a movement. This fixed penult is the participle's signature.
- Masculine vocative singular -ε, like καλέ. Morphologically regular though pragmatically rare for a resultative participle.
- Vocative plural equals the nominative plural.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | γραμμένη† | γραμμένες |
| Accusative | γραμμένη | γραμμένες |
| Genitive | γραμμένης | γραμμένων† |
| Vocative | γραμμένη† | γραμμένες† |
- Feminine -η, like καλή; stress fixed on -μέ-.
- Genitive plural -ων; stress stays on -μέ- (not the ending).
- Vocative equals the nominative.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | γραμμένο† | γραμμένα† |
| Accusative | γραμμένο | γραμμένα |
| Genitive | γραμμένου | γραμμένων† |
| Vocative | γραμμένο† | γραμμένα† |
- Neuter -ο, like καλό; stress fixed on -μέ-.
- Neuter plural -α, like καλά.
- Genitive plural -ων; stress stays on -μέ-.
- Vocative equals the nominative.