Simplified Coptic Grammar
Introduction
The name Coptic encompasses several closely related dialects. Here we deal mostly with the Sahidic dialect, as it is the one in which most of the originally Coptic literature is written.
Alphabet & Pronunciation
Coptic is written in an adapted form of the Greek alphabet, with the addition of a few signs of Demotic origin, to represent one specific syllable and some consonant sounds not present in Greek.
| Uppercase | Lowercase | Numeric value | Letter Name | Transliteration | Sahidic Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ⲁ | ⲁ | 1 | Alpha | a | [a] |
| Ⲃ | ⲃ | 2 | Beta | b | [β] |
| Ⲅ | ⲅ | 3 | Gamma | g | [k] |
| Ⲇ | ⲇ | 4 | Delta | d | [t] |
| Ⲉ | ⲉ | 5 | Eey | ə | [ɛ, ə] |
| Ⲋ | ⲋ | 6 | Soou | s͡t | — |
| Ⲍ | ⲍ | 7 | Zeta | z | [s] |
| Ⲏ | ⲏ | 8 | Eta | aa, ê | [eː] |
| Ⲑ | ⲑ | 9 | Theta | th | [t.h] |
| Ⲓ | ⲓ | 10 | Iota | i | [iː, j] |
| Ⲕ | ⲕ | 20 | Kappa | k | [k] |
| Ⲗ | ⲗ | 30 | Lola | l | [l] |
| Ⲙ | ⲙ | 40 | Mey | m | [m] |
| Ⲛ | ⲛ | 50 | Ney | n | [n] |
| Ⲝ | ⲝ | 60 | Exi | ks | [ks] |
| Ⲟ | ⲟ | 70 | O | o | [ɔ] |
| Ⲡ | ⲡ | 80 | Pi | p | [p] |
| Ⲣ | ⲣ | 100 | Roo | r | [ɾ], [r] |
| Ⲥ | ⲥ | 200 | Seema | s | [s] |
| Ⲧ | ⲧ | 300 | Tav | t | [t] |
| Ⲩ | ⲩ | 400 | Upsilon | u | [w] |
| Ⲫ | ⲫ | 500 | Phi | ph | [p.h] |
| Ⲭ | ⲭ | 600 | Chi | kh | [k.h] |
| Ⲯ | ⲯ | 700 | Epsi | ps | [ps] |
| Ⲱ | ⲱ | 800 | Oou | ô | [oː] |
| Ϣ | ϣ | — | Shai | š | [ʃ] |
| Ϥ | ϥ | 90 | Fai | f | [f] |
| Ϧ (Ⳉ) | ϧ (ⳉ) | — | Khai | x | — |
| Ϩ | ϩ | — | Hori | h | [h] |
| Ϫ | ϫ | — | Janja | j | [t͡ʃ] |
| Ϭ | ϭ | — | Cheema | c | [kʲ] |
| Ϯ | ϯ | — | Ti | ti | [tiː] |
| Ⳁ | ⳁ | 900 | Sampi | — | — |
| ⲈⲒ | ⲉⲓ | — | — | ei | [iː], [j] |
| ⲞⲨ | ⲟⲩ | — | — | ou | [uː], [w] |
- a macron over a consonant indicates a schwa or a syllabic consonant; ex.: Template:cop [ən], [n̩].
- a line over several letters indicates an abbreviation; ex.: Template:cop stands for Template:cop "spirit".
- the letter Template:cop/Template:cop is not used in the Sahidic dialect.
- note that the letters Template:cop, Template:cop and Template:cop represent aspirated stops, or rather, a stop followed by [h]: [ph], [th], [kh]; sometimes they can be found instead of the regular spellings Template:cop, Template:cop, Template:cop.
Coptic texts don't always indicate word division; sometimes a dot is used between words; but a space may be used, especially in modern editions or transcriptions.
Morphology
Gender
Coptic nouns are divided in two genders: masculine and feminine.
While simple, primitive nouns may have no indication of gender, suffixes or affixes are usually linked to a specific gender.
Greek nouns usually keep their original gender, if it is masculine or feminine, while greek neuter nouns are become masculine in Coptic.
Greek adjectives are incorporated in Coptic in their masculine form, which is used even with feminine nouns. The neuter form of Greek adjectives is used in Coptic to indicate non-human, mainly abstract, entities -in which case it behaves as a masculine noun.
In the plural, determiners (articles) don't distinguish gender.
Number
Coptic has a singular and a plural. While some old Egyptian nouns have specific plural forms, the vast majority of nouns are invariable.
In any case, the plural is usually clearly indicated in articles, pronouns and verb endings.
Nouns
Coptic nouns are mostly invariable, with the exception of some old Egyptian nouns that have a form specific for the plural.
An interesting characteristic of Coptic is that all nouns can become adjectives, by means of the particle Template:cop. On the other hand, the vast majority of adjectives are, ultimately, nouns used in that manner.
Gender
Coptic nouns are either masculine or feminine. Greek feminine nouns are usually treated as feminine in Coptic, while both masculine and neuter Greek nouns are treated as masculine.
Number
Most Coptic nouns don't inflect for number. There is, however, a group of nouns, mostly from Egyptian, that have a plural form, often irregular.
You can find some Coptic nouns with irregular plural here.
However, even nouns with an irregular plural form are usually invariable, i.e., on can indicate plural merely by means of articles and other determiners.
Adjectives
Coptic has only a few (about twenty) "real" adjectives. They descend from the old Egyptian language, and some of them inflect for gender and/or number.
These are:
| Template:cop | old |
| Template:cop | new |
| Template:cop | wretched |
| Template:cop | small |
| Template:cop | black |
| Template:cop, pl. Template:cop | beloved |
| Template:cop | big |
| Template:cop, f. Template:cop, pl. Template:cop | prudent, wise |
| Template:cop | beautiful |
| Template:cop | excellent |
| Template:cop, f. Template:cop | small |
| Template:cop, f. Template:cop | foreign |
| Template:cop, f. Template:cop | first |
| Template:cop, f. Template:cop, pl. Template:cop | last |
| Template:cop | sober, prudent |
| Template:cop | poor |
| Template:cop, f. Template:cop, pl. Template:cop | old |
| Template:cop, f. Template:cop, pl. Template:cop | first, original |
| Template:cop | strong |
| Template:cop, pl. Template:cop, Template:cop | hostile |
Besides these, virtually any noun can be turned into an adjective by means of the particle Template:cop. Ex.: Template:cop "man", "human being" ⇒ Template:cop "human".
Also, any Greek adjective or noun can become an adjective in Coptic. When used attributively, they use the same particle Template:cop; when used predicatively, they receive the definite or indefinite articles. Ex.: Template:cop "a righteous man"; Template:cop "he is righteous".
Articles
Indefinite Article
The indefinite article is Template:cop in the singular ("a/an"), and Template:cop in the plural ("some"). Besides being used more or less like the corresponding indefinite article or pronoun in English, the definite articles are also used to indicate an indefinite predicative element, be it an adjetive or noun. I.e., for something like "I am young", Coptic has "I am a young"; for "They are students", Coptic will say "They are some students".
Adjectives may be turned to nouns by being prefixed with the articles.
Even though some nouns and adjectives have a plural form, usually the article itself is enough to indicate number, i.e., the singular form of nouns and adjectives is used even in the plural. Ex.:
- Template:cop "a man", "a person"; Template:cop "(some) men", "(some) people"
- Template:cop "a righteous person"; Template:cop "(some) righteous people"
Definite Article
The definite article in Coptic is Template:cop for masculine nouns, Template:cop for feminine nouns and Template:cop for nouns in the plural. Before words beginning with more than one consonant, an Template:cop is added to the basic consonant of the article. Ex.:
- Template:cop "the man", "the person"; Template:cop "the men", "the people"
- Template:cop "the righteous man"; Template:cop "the righteous men/people"
- Template:cop "the righteous womanman"; Template:cop "the righteous women/people"
- Template:cop "temple", Template:cop "the temple", Template:cop "the temples"