Η δικαιοσύνη είναι σημαντική.

to be

Breakdown of Η δικαιοσύνη είναι σημαντική.

• σημαντικός: important
• η δικαιοσύνη: justice

Questions & Answers about Η δικαιοσύνη είναι σημαντική.

What does η mean at the beginning of the sentence?

Η is the feminine singular definite article, basically the.

So η δικαιοσύνη is literally the justice. In Greek, abstract nouns often appear with the definite article more naturally than they do in English, so the best English translation is usually just justice, not necessarily the justice.

Also, η shows that δικαιοσύνη is:

• feminine
• singular
• here, in the nominative case

Why is δικαιοσύνη feminine?

In Greek, every noun has a grammatical gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter. This is a grammar category, not always something logical from meaning.

Δικαιοσύνη happens to be a feminine noun, which is why it takes:

• the feminine article η
• the feminine adjective form σημαντική

A learner usually just has to memorize a noun together with its article, for example:

• η δικαιοσύνη
• η αγάπη
• η ελευθερία

Why is it σημαντική and not σημαντικός or σημαντικό?