Author: Steve Amato
Keywords: Biblical Greek, grammar, prepositions

Greek Prepositions

# Prepositions

Ana Anti Apo Dia | EiV Ek En Epi | Kata Meta Para Peri | Pro ProV Sun Uper Upo

Ana (Accusative)

1. Distributive: in the midst of; each, apiece (with numbers)
2. Spatial (in composition with verbs): up, motion upwards

Anti (Genitive)

1. Substitution: instead of, in place of
2. Exchange/Equivalence: for, as, in the place of

The notions of exchange and substitution are quite similar, often blending into each other.

3. Cause (debatable): because of

Apo (Genitive): separation from, from, of

1. Separation (from place or person): away from
2. Source: from, out of
3. Cause: because of
4. Partitive (i.e., substituting for a partitive gen.): of
5. Agency (rare): by, from

Dia (Genitive, Accusative)

1. With Genitive

a. Agency: by, through
b. Means: through
c. Spatial: through
d. Temporal: through(out), during

2. With Accusative

a. Cause: because of, on account of, for the sake of
b. Spatial (rare): through

EiV (Accusative)

1. Spatial: into, toward, in
2. Temporal: for, throughout
3. Purpose: for, in order to, to
4. Result: so that, with the result that
5. Reference/Respect: with respect to, with reference to
6. Advantage: for
7. Disadvantage: against
8. in the place of en (with its various nuances)

Ek (Genitive): from, out of, away from, of

1. Source: out of, from
2. Separation: away from, from
3. Temporal: from, from [this point]...on
4. Cause: because of
5. Partitive (i.e., substituting for a partitive gen.): of
6. Means: by, from

En (Dative)

1. Spatial/Sphere: in (and various other translations)
2. Temporal: in, within, when, while, during
3. Association (often close personal relationship): with
4. Cause: because of
5. Instrumental: by, with
6. Reference/Respect: with respect to/with reference to
7. Manner: with
8. Thing Possessed: with (in the sense of which possesses)
9. Standard (=Dative of Rule): according to the standard of
10. As an equivalent for eis (with verbs of notion)

Epi (Genitive, Dative, Accusative)

1. With Genitive

a. Spatial: on, upon, at near
b. Temporal: in the time of, during
c. Cause: on the basis of

2. With Dative

a. Spatial: on, upon, against, at, near
b. Temporal: at, at the time of, during
c. Cause: on the basis of

3. With Accusative

a. Spatial: on, upon, to, up to, against
b. Temporal: for, over a period of

Kata (Genitive, Accusative)

1. With Genitive

a. Spatial: down from, throughout
b. Opposition: against
c. Source: from

2. With Accusative

a. Standard: in accordance with, corresponding to
b. Spatial: along, through (extension); toward, up to (direction)
c. Temporal: at, during
d. Distributive: "indicating the division of a greater whole into individual parts"
e. Purpose: for the purpose of
f. Reference/Respect: with respect to, with reference to

Meta (Genitive, Accusative)

1. With Genitive

a. Association/Accompaniment: with, in company with
b. Spatial: with, among
c. Manner (Attendant Circumstance): with

2. With Accusative

a. Temporal: after, behind
b. Spatial (rare): after, behind

Para (Genitive, Dative, Accusative)

1. With Genitive: in general, from (the side of) (with a personal object)

a. Source/Spatial: from
b. Agency: from, by

2. With Dative: in general, proximit or nearness

a. Spatial: near, beside
b. Sphere: in the sight of, before (someone)
c. Association: with (someone/something)
d. Virtually equivalent to simple dative

3. With Accusative

a. Spatial: by, alongside of, near, on
b. Comparison: in comparison to, more than
c. Opposition: against, contrary to

Peri (Genitive, Accusative)

1. With Genitive

a. Reference: concerning
b. Advantange/Representation: on behalf of, for (= uper)

2. With Accusative

a. Spatial: around, near
b. Temporal: about, near
c. Reference/Respect: with regard/reference to

Pro (Genitive)

1. Spatial: before, in front of, at
2. Temporal: before
3. Rank/Priority: before

ProV (Accusative almost exclusively)

1. Purpose: for, for the purpose of
2. Spatial: toward
3. Temporal: toward, for (duration)
4. Result: so that, with the result that
5. Opposition: against
6. Association: with, in company with (with stative verbs)

Suv (Dative)

Expresses accompaniment/association: with, in association (company) with

Uper (Genitive, Dative)

1. With Genitive

a. Representation/Advantage: on behalf of, for the sake of
b. Reference/Respect: concerning, with reference to (= peri)
c. Substitution: in the place of, instead of (= anti)
(such instances also invole representation)

2. With Accusative

a. Spatial: over, above
b. Comparison: more than, beyond

Upo (Genitive, Accusative)

1. With Genitive

a. (Ultimate) Agency: by
b. Intermediate Agency (with active verbs): through
c. Means: by (rare)

2. With Accusative

a. Spatial: under, below
b. Subordination: under (the rule of)

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