====== οὗτος / αὕτη /τοῦτο ====== {{tag>greek}} ~~NOTOC~~ Meaning: * These or this * This one, this person, this thing * They or he or she or it Demonstrative pronoun. οὗτος usually refers to something close to the speaker — "this" as opposed to ἐκεῖνος ("that"). * οὗτος → "this one right here" * ἐκεῖνος → "that one over there" It can refer to: * What is near physically: οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος — "this man" (john_9:16|John 9:16) * What was just mentioned: καὶ τοῦτο ἐστίν... — "and this is…" (1_john_5:11|1 John 5:11) * What is about to be mentioned: τοῦτο λέγω... — "this I say…" (1_corinthians_15:50|1 Corinthians 15:50) There are a number of idiomatic expressions that involve οὗτος: * ἐν τούτῳ — "in this / by this" (very common in John’s letters), e.g. ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν… — "By this we know…" (1_john_4:9|1 John 4:9) * διὰ τοῦτο — "because of this / therefore" * μετὰ ταῦτα — "after these things", e.g. μετὰ ταῦτα ἦν ἑορτὴ τῶν Ἰουδαίων — "After these things there was a feast of the Jews" (john_5:1|John 5:1) ===== Forms ===== | **Form** | **Gender** | **Case** | **Meaning** | | οὗτος | Masculine | Nominative Singular | this (man/thing) | | αὕτη | Feminine | Nominative Singular | this (woman/thing) | | τοῦτο | Neuter | Nominative/Accusative Singular | this (thing) | ==== Singular Declension ==== | **Case** | **Masculine** | **Feminine** | **Neuter** | | Nominative Singular | οὗτος | αὕτη | τοῦτο | | Genitive Singular | τούτου | ταύτης | τούτου | | Dative Singular | τούτῳ | ταύτῃ | τούτῳ | | Accusative Singular | τοῦτον | ταύτην | τοῦτο | ==== Plural Declension ==== | **Case** | **Masculine** | **Feminine** | **Neuter** | | Nominative Plural | οὗτοι | αὗται | ταῦτα | | Genitive Plural | τούτων | τούτων | τούτων | | Dative Plural | τούτοις | ταύταις | τούτοις | | Accusative Plural | τούτους | ταύτας | ταῦτα | ===== Theological Highlights ===== The word οὗτος often appears in Christological declarations: * οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου — "This is my Son." (matthew_3:17|Matthew 3:17) * οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός — "This is the Christ." (john_7:26|John 7:26) * τοῦτο ἐστιν τὸ σῶμά μου — "This is my body." (luke_22:19|Luke 22:19) These are some of the most powerful theological uses of the word, introducing divine revelation, identity, and covenantal meaning.