Uses of Adjectives

There are three ways to use an adjective in a sentence.  

The first one is called attributive. An attributive adjective simply modifies a noun, i.e. serves as its attribute. 

In English, the attributive use is expressed, for example, as follows: the good son. 

In Greek, there are two positions (called attributive positions) that an adjective can have with respect to the noun, to serve as its attribute: it can either go between the article and the noun or the article can be repeated after the noun, followed by the adjective. If there is no article, the adjective has to either directly precede or directly follow the noun. 

The adjective has to have the same Case, Number, and Gender as the noun it modifies. 

Here are the examples of both positions:

The second use is called predicative. That means that the adjective functions as a predicate in a declarative sentence. 

In English, this use is expressed as follows: the son is good. 

In Greek, there are two positions (called predicate positions) that an adjective can have with respect to the noun, to serve as a predicate: it can either go before the article and the noun or follow both the article and the noun (the article is not repeated). If there is no article, it can precede or follow the noun, not necessarily directly. 

The predicative adjective is Nominative in Case and has to match the noun in Number and Gender. 

In Greek, you don't have to have any verb for the sentence to function as a declarative. I.e. both examples below translate as "the son is good".

The third use is substantive. Here, the adjective takes on a function of a noun. 

In English, the meaning of such adjectives is usually restricted to general abstract categories, for example: the good. 

In Greek, the adjective is used as a substantive, if it has an article and doesn't modify any noun. Sometimes an adjective without an article can also be used as a substantive. 

The meaning of the substantive adjective depends on the Gender and Number of the adjective. Substantive Masculine adjectives refer to one masculine-gendered being having the property given by the adjective, or a group of such, or also a group of such beings of mixed gender (the good man, the good men, the good ones). Substantive Feminine adjective is similar, but for feminine-gendered being (the good woman, the good women). Substantive Neuter adjective refers to an object having the property given by the adjective, or a group of such (the good things, the good things). Substantive Neuter Singular adjective can also refer to the abstract category (the good). 

Here are some examples: