# Genitive and accusative case



## LoraLanguage

I have a question about the use of the genitive and accusative case together. The way in which is formed one combination of words which contains the both cases is weird to me. For example, if I want to say "in the world of magic" which of these is correct:
<<Στον κόσμο της μαγείας>> or <<Στης μαγείας τον κόσμο>>
Or may be the both are correct... I don't know anymore. I have seen so many times such an inverted word order but I am not sure if I understand it. If I do, this means that literally translated the second opportunity means "in the magic's world". Am I right?


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## bearded

Hello
I think you are right. In the second phrase, 'stis' is composed by 'se' + 'tis'.  'Se' refers to 'ton kosmo'(accusative), 'tis' refers to 'maghias' (genitive). The word order  ''se /tis maghias/ ton kosmo'' is equivalent to ''se ton kosmo tis maghias'', and both are correct.
I hope that native speakers will confirm this.


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## aggelikimixelaki

We use them both, another example:

Θα βρεθούμε στο σπιτι του Πέτρου.
Θα βρεθούμε στου Πέτρου (το σπιτι: is implied here) 

σε + (το σπιτι του Πετρου)
σε + (του Πετρου το σπιτι)

They mean the same thing. If you have any doubts, prefer to use the order: σε + αιτιατικη + γενικη


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## LoraLanguage

Thank you very much! I wanted to ask this question for a long time! I am so glad to here that I understand it correctly! I have only one more question. Could you explain to me this, please: *20 μανικιούρ μαύρου χρώματος 
*
I don't understand why it's  "μαύρου"... And does "χρώματος/ο/η" mean "colored"? I looked up this word in two dictionaries and I couldn not find it.
*


*


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## Perseas

LoraLanguage said:


> I don't understand why it's  "μαύρου"... And does "χρώματος/ο/η" mean "colored"? I looked up this word in two dictionaries and I couldn not find it.
> *
> 
> *


_χρώματος _is genitive of the noun το _χρώμα._
_μαύρου _is adjective in genitive.
_μαύρου_ _χρώματος _means_ of black color._


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## LoraLanguage

Perseas said:


> _χρώματος _is genitive of the noun το _χρώμα._
> _μαύρου _is adjective in genitive.
> _μαύρου_ _χρώματος _means_ of black color._


Hm I didn't suppose that "χρώματος" is genitive form.
After your comment I realized that I am not very sure if I know how to form genitive case when before the noun there is an adjective.
For example:
"The voice of the happy child"
or "The leaf of the red flower"...
Should the adjectives be in genitive, too?
I have one more question. Very often "του/του/της" are omitted in combination of words which are in genitive case but it's also correct if they are written. Right? I'm sorry if I have too many questions but I want all my doubts about this grammatical case to disappear!


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## Perseas

LoraLanguage said:


> For example:
> "The voice of the happy child"
> or "The leaf of the red flower"...
> Should the adjectives be in genitive, too?


Adjectives have also numbers and cases like nouns. An adjective agrees with the noun in number, case and gender.
Η φωνή του χαρούμενου παιδιού
Το φύλλο του κόκκινου λουλουδιού



LoraLanguage said:


> I have one more question. Very often "του/του/της" are omitted in combination of words which are in genitive case but it's also correct if they are written. Right?


We use the article when the noun is specific. In the example of _20 μανικιούρ μαύρου χρώματος, _we don't need the article_ του _because we refer to the black colour in general. If we said _του μαύρου χρώματος, _it would imply that this black colour has something special or it is a specific black colour.


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## LoraLanguage

Perseas said:


> Adjectives have also numbers and cases like nouns. An adjective agrees with the noun in number, case and gender.
> Η φωνή του χαρούμενου παιδιού
> Το φύλλο του κόκκινου λουλουδιού
> 
> 
> We use the article when the noun is specific. In the example of _20 μανικιούρ μαύρου χρώματος, _we don't need the article_ του _because we refer to the black colour in general. If we said _του μαύρου χρώματος, _it would imply that this black colour has something special or it is a specific black colour.



I supposed that adjectives are in genitive, too. But to be honest I didn't know when to use "του/του/της". Fortunately, I understood what these articles express. Actually it is logical but I didn't realize it until know.  Thank you very much!


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## sotos

LoraLanguage said:


> which of these is correct:
> <<Στον κόσμο της μαγείας>> or <<Στης μαγείας τον κόσμο>>


Both are correct and have the same meaning. The second sounds more poetical or gives some emphasis on the μαγεία. Don't bother with these details.


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## LoraLanguage

Thanks for the help! I don't think that these are details because I was wondering about them for a long time!


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