τίς

See also: τις and -τις

Ancient Greek

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /tís/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈtis/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈtis/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈtis/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈtis/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Indo-European *kʷís. Cognates include Latin quis and Hittite [script needed] (kuiš). Compare its indefinite form τις (tis, “anyone, anything”).^[1]

In Attic, the labiovelar *kʷ- becomes τ- before the front vowel ι and by analogy also before ου, ῳ in the genitive and dative singular, but π- before the rounded back vowel ο in most of the related interrogatives listed below.

Gen. sg. τοῦ < τέο < *kʷésyo (then basis for dat. sg. τῷ and gen. pl. τέων) and the paradigm change to n-stem must have started with *τίν < *kʷím elaborated with consonant stem ending, -ᾰ.^[2]

Alternative forms

τέος (téos) — Ionic, Laconian
σίς (sís) — Arcadocypriot
τίρ (tír) — Elean, rhotic

Pronoun

τῐ́ς • (tĭ́s) m or f (neuter τῐ́) (interrogative)

(masculine, feminine) who?
(neuter) what?
(substantive)

Usage notes

The neuter nominative/accusative singular τῐ́ (tĭ́) is never elided, but a hiatus is allowed in Attic.

Declension

Third declension of τῐ́ς; τῐ́ (Attic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	τῐ́ς tĭ́s		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νες tĭ́nes		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Genitive	τῐ́νος τοῦ tĭ́nos toû		τῐ́νος τοῦ tĭ́nos toû	τῐ́νοιν tĭ́noin		τῐ́νοιν tĭ́noin	τῐ́νων tĭ́nōn		τῐ́νων tĭ́nōn
Dative	τῐ́νῐ τῷ tĭ́nĭ tōî		τῐ́νῐ τῷ tĭ́nĭ tōî	τῐ́νοιν tĭ́noin		τῐ́νοιν tĭ́noin	τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν tĭ́sĭ(n)		τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν tĭ́sĭ(n)
Accusative	τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νᾰς tĭ́năs		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Vocative	—		—	—		—	—		—
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	τῐ́ tĭ́			—			—
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Third declension of τῐ́ς; τῐ́ (Epic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	τῐ́ς tĭ́s		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νες tĭ́nes		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Genitive	τέο τέου τεῦ téo téou teû		τέο τέου τεῦ téo téou teû	τέοιῐ̈ν τῐ́νοιῐ̈ν téoiĭ̈n tĭ́noiĭ̈n		τέοιῐ̈ν τῐ́νοιῐ̈ν téoiĭ̈n tĭ́noiĭ̈n	τέων τῐ́νων téōn tĭ́nōn		τέων τῐ́νων téōn tĭ́nōn
Dative	τέῳ τῷ τῐ́νῐ téōi tōî tĭ́nĭ		τέῳ τῷ τῐ́νῐ téōi tōî tĭ́nĭ	τέοιῐ̈ν τῐ́νοιῐ̈ν téoiĭ̈n tĭ́noiĭ̈n		τέοιῐ̈ν τῐ́νοιῐ̈ν téoiĭ̈n tĭ́noiĭ̈n	τέοισῐ τέοισῐν τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν téoisĭ(n) tĭ́sĭ(n)		τέοισῐ τέοισῐν τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν téoisĭ(n) tĭ́sĭ(n)
Accusative	τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νᾰς tĭ́năs		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Vocative	—		—	—		—	—		—
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	τῐ́ tĭ́			—			—
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Third declension of τῐ́ς; τῐ́ (Ionic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	τῐ́ς tĭ́s		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νες tĭ́nes		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Genitive	τῐ́νος τέο τεῦ tĭ́nos téo teû		τῐ́νος τέο τεῦ tĭ́nos téo teû	τῐ́νοιν τέοιν tĭ́noin téoin		τῐ́νοιν τέοιν tĭ́noin téoin	τῐ́νων τέων τῶν tĭ́nōn téōn tôn		τῐ́νων τέων τῶν tĭ́nōn téōn tôn
Dative	τῐ́νῐ τέῳ τῷ tĭ́nĭ téōi tōî		τῐ́νῐ τέῳ τῷ tĭ́nĭ téōi tōî	τῐ́νοιν τέοιν tĭ́noin téoin		τῐ́νοιν τέοιν tĭ́noin téoin	τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν τέοισῐ τέοισῐν τοῖσῐ τοῖσῐν tĭ́sĭ(n) téoisĭ(n) toîsĭ(n)		τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν τέοισῐ τέοισῐν τοῖσῐ τοῖσῐν tĭ́sĭ(n) téoisĭ(n) toîsĭ(n)
Accusative	τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νᾰς tĭ́năs		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Vocative	—		—	—		—	—		—
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	τῐ́ tĭ́			—			—
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Derived terms

τῐ́ (tĭ́)

Related terms

τῐς (tĭs)

Ancient Greek correlatives ^(edit)

type	interrogative	indefinite	demonstrative			relative	indefinite relative	identity	other
type	interrogative	indefinite	(medial)	proximal	distal	relative	indefinite relative	identity	other
basic	τίς	τις, ἔνιοι	†ὁ, οὗτος	ὅδε	ἐκεῖνος	ὅς	ὅστις	ὁ αὐτός (αὑτός), ὁμός	ἕτερος, ἄλλος
dual	πότερος	πότερος, ποτερός				ὁπότερος
quality	ποῖος	ποιός	†τοῖος, τοιοῦτος	τοιόσδε		οἷος	ὁποῖος	ὅμοιος	ἑτεροῖος, ἀλλοῖος
quantity	πόσος	ποσός	†τόσος, τοσοῦτος	τοσόσδε		ὅσος	ὁπόσος
manner	πῶς	πως	†τώς, †ὥς, οὕτως	ὧδε		ὡς	ὅπως	ὁμῶς	ἑτέρως, ἄλλως
method, path, place	πῇ	πῃ	τῇ, ταύτῃ	τῇδε	ἐκείνῃ	ᾗ	ὅπῃ		ἄλλῃ
place	ποῦ, †πόθι	που, †ποθι	ἐνταῦθα	ἐνθάδε	ἐκεῖ, ἔνθα, †ἐκεῖθι	οὗ, ἔνθα, †ὅθι	ὅπου, †ὁπόθι	αὐτόθι, ὁμοῦ	ἄλλοθι
source	πόθεν	ποθεν, ἁμόθεν	†τόθεν, ἔνθεν, ἐντεῦθεν	ἐνθένδε	ἐκεῖθεν	ὅθεν	ὁπόθεν	†ὁμόθεν	ἄλλοθεν
destination	ποῖ, †πόσε	ποι	ἔνθα, ἐνταῦθα	ἐνθάδε, δεῦρο	ἐκεῖσε	οἷ	ὅποι, †ὁπόσε	αὐτόσε, ὁμόσε	ἄλλοσε
time	πότε, πῆμος	ποτέ, ποτε, τοτέ, ἐνίοτε	τότε, τῆμος	τημόσδε		ὅτε, ἦμος	ὁπότε, †ὁππῆμος	ἅμα	ἄλλοτε
exact time	πηνίκα		†τηνίκα, τηνικαῦτα	τηνικάδε		ἡνίκα	ὁπηνίκα	αὐτίκα
duration of time			τέως			ἕως
size, age	πηλίκος	πηλίκος	†τηλίκος, τηλικοῦτος	τηλικόσδε		ἡλίκος	ὁπηλίκος	ὁμῆλιξ
repetition	ποσάκις, ποσίνδα	ποσάκις	τουτάκις, τοσάκις			†ὁσάκις ὁποσάκις	ὁποσάκις
multiplication	ποσαπλάσιος					ὁσαπλάσιος, ὁσαπλασίων
order	πόστος	ποστός					ὁπόστος
† Forms rarely or never used in Classical Attic prose Relative also used in exclamations; either relative or indefinite relative used in indirect questions.

Descendants

Greek: τις (tis), τι (ti)
Mariupol Greek: тыс (tys), ты (ty)

Determiner

τῐ́ς • (tĭ́s) m or f (neuter τῐ́) (interrogative)

what? which? what kind?
Synonym: ποῖος (poîos)

Declension

Third declension of τῐ́ς; τῐ́ (Attic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	τῐ́ς tĭ́s		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νες tĭ́nes		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Genitive	τῐ́νος τοῦ tĭ́nos toû		τῐ́νος τοῦ tĭ́nos toû	τῐ́νοιν tĭ́noin		τῐ́νοιν tĭ́noin	τῐ́νων tĭ́nōn		τῐ́νων tĭ́nōn
Dative	τῐ́νῐ τῷ tĭ́nĭ tōî		τῐ́νῐ τῷ tĭ́nĭ tōî	τῐ́νοιν tĭ́noin		τῐ́νοιν tĭ́noin	τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν tĭ́sĭ(n)		τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν tĭ́sĭ(n)
Accusative	τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νᾰς tĭ́năs		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Vocative	—		—	—		—	—		—
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	τῐ́ tĭ́			—			—
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Third declension of τῐ́ς; τῐ́ (Epic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	τῐ́ς tĭ́s		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νες tĭ́nes		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Genitive	τέο τέου τεῦ téo téou teû		τέο τέου τεῦ téo téou teû	τέοιῐ̈ν τῐ́νοιῐ̈ν téoiĭ̈n tĭ́noiĭ̈n		τέοιῐ̈ν τῐ́νοιῐ̈ν téoiĭ̈n tĭ́noiĭ̈n	τέων τῐ́νων téōn tĭ́nōn		τέων τῐ́νων téōn tĭ́nōn
Dative	τέῳ τῷ τῐ́νῐ téōi tōî tĭ́nĭ		τέῳ τῷ τῐ́νῐ téōi tōî tĭ́nĭ	τέοιῐ̈ν τῐ́νοιῐ̈ν téoiĭ̈n tĭ́noiĭ̈n		τέοιῐ̈ν τῐ́νοιῐ̈ν téoiĭ̈n tĭ́noiĭ̈n	τέοισῐ τέοισῐν τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν téoisĭ(n) tĭ́sĭ(n)		τέοισῐ τέοισῐν τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν téoisĭ(n) tĭ́sĭ(n)
Accusative	τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νᾰς tĭ́năs		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Vocative	—		—	—		—	—		—
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	τῐ́ tĭ́			—			—
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Third declension of τῐ́ς; τῐ́ (Ionic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	τῐ́ς tĭ́s		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νες tĭ́nes		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Genitive	τῐ́νος τέο τεῦ tĭ́nos téo teû		τῐ́νος τέο τεῦ tĭ́nos téo teû	τῐ́νοιν τέοιν tĭ́noin téoin		τῐ́νοιν τέοιν tĭ́noin téoin	τῐ́νων τέων τῶν tĭ́nōn téōn tôn		τῐ́νων τέων τῶν tĭ́nōn téōn tôn
Dative	τῐ́νῐ τέῳ τῷ tĭ́nĭ téōi tōî		τῐ́νῐ τέῳ τῷ tĭ́nĭ téōi tōî	τῐ́νοιν τέοιν tĭ́noin téoin		τῐ́νοιν τέοιν tĭ́noin téoin	τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν τέοισῐ τέοισῐν τοῖσῐ τοῖσῐν tĭ́sĭ(n) téoisĭ(n) toîsĭ(n)		τῐ́σῐ τῐ́σῐν τέοισῐ τέοισῐν τοῖσῐ τοῖσῐν tĭ́sĭ(n) téoisĭ(n) toîsĭ(n)
Accusative	τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐ́νε tĭ́ne		τῐ́νε tĭ́ne	τῐ́νᾰς tĭ́năs		τῐ́νᾰ tĭ́nă
Vocative	—		—	—		—	—		—
Derived forms	Adverb			Comparative			Superlative
Derived forms	τῐ́ tĭ́			—			—
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Etymology 2

Pronoun

τῐ́ς • (tĭ́s) m or f (neuter τῐ́)

oxytone form of τῐς (tĭs, “someone; anyone”)
- c. 385 BCE, Plato, Meno 70b:
  καὶ δὴ καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἔθος [Γοργίας] ῡ̔μᾶς εἴθικεν, ἀφόβως τε καὶ μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἀποκρῑ́νεσθαι ἐᾱ́ν τίς τι ἔρηται.
  kaì dḕ kaì toûto tò éthos [Gorgías] hūmâs eíthiken, aphóbōs te kaì megaloprepôs apokrī́nesthai eā́n tís ti érētai.
  And furthermore, [Gorgias] has also accustomed you to the habit of answering fearlessly and magnificently if someone asks you something.

Usage notes

Used before another enclitic.

Declension

Third declension of τῐ́ς; τῐ́ (Attic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	τῐ́ς tĭ́s		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐνέ tĭné		τῐνέ tĭné	τῐνές tĭnés		τῐνᾰ́ tĭnắ
Genitive	τῐνός τού tĭnós toú		τῐνός τού tĭnós toú	τῐνοίν tĭnoín		τῐνοίν tĭnoín	τῐνών tĭnṓn		τῐνών tĭnṓn
Dative	τῐνῐ́ τῴ tĭnĭ́ tōí		τῐνῐ́ τῴ tĭnĭ́ tōí	τῐνοίν tĭnoín		τῐνοίν tĭnoín	τῐσῐ́ τῐσῐ́ν tĭsĭ́(n)		τῐσῐ́ τῐσῐ́ν tĭsĭ́(n)
Accusative	τῐνᾰ́ tĭnắ		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐνέ tĭné		τῐνέ tĭné	τῐνᾰ́ς tĭnắs		τῐνᾰ́ tĭnắ
Vocative	—		—	—		—	—		—
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Third declension of τῐ́ς; τῐ́ (Epic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	τῐ́ς tĭ́s		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐνέ tĭné		τῐνέ tĭné	τῐνές tĭnés		τῐνᾰ́ tĭnắ
Genitive	τεό τεύ teó teú		τεό τεύ teó teú	τεοιῐ̈́ν τῐνοιῐ̈́ν teoiĭ̈́n tĭnoiĭ̈́n		τεοιῐ̈́ν τῐνοιῐ̈́ν teoiĭ̈́n tĭnoiĭ̈́n	τεών τῐνών teṓn tĭnṓn		τεών τῐνών teṓn tĭnṓn
Dative	τεῴ τῴ τῐνῐ́ teōí tōí tĭnĭ́		τεῴ τῴ τῐνῐ́ teōí tōí tĭnĭ́	τεοιῐ̈́ν τῐνοιῐ̈́ν teoiĭ̈́n tĭnoiĭ̈́n		τεοιῐ̈́ν τῐνοιῐ̈́ν teoiĭ̈́n tĭnoiĭ̈́n	τεοισῐ́ τεοισῐ́ν τῐσῐ́ τῐσῐ́ν teoisĭ́(n) tĭsĭ́(n)		τεοισῐ́ τεοισῐ́ν τῐσῐ́ τῐσῐ́ν teoisĭ́(n) tĭsĭ́(n)
Accusative	τῐνᾰ́ tĭnắ		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐνέ tĭné		τῐνέ tĭné	τῐνᾰ́ς tĭnắs		τῐνᾰ́ tĭnắ
Vocative	—		—	—		—	—		—
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

Third declension of τῐ́ς; τῐ́ (Ionic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	τῐ́ς tĭ́s		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐνέ tĭné		τῐνέ tĭné	τῐνές tĭnés		τῐνές tĭnés
Genitive	τῐνός τεό τεύ tĭnós teó teú		τῐνός τεό τεύ tĭnós teó teú	τῐνοίν τεοίν tĭnoín teoín		τῐνοίν τεοίν tĭnoín teoín	τῐνών τεών τών tĭnṓn teṓn tṓn		τῐνών τεών τών tĭnṓn teṓn tṓn
Dative	τῐνῐ́ τεῴ τῴ tĭnĭ́ teōí tōí		τῐνῐ́ τεῴ τῴ tĭnĭ́ teōí tōí	τῐνοίν τεοίν tĭnoín teoín		τῐνοίν τεοίν tĭnoín teoín	τῐσῐ́ τῐσῐ́ν τεοισῐ́ τεοισῐ́ν tĭsĭ́(n) teoisĭ́(n)		τῐσῐ́ τῐσῐ́ν τεοισῐ́ τεοισῐ́ν tĭsĭ́(n) teoisĭ́(n)
Accusative	τῐνᾰ́ tĭnắ		τῐ́ tĭ́	τῐνέ tĭné		τῐνέ tĭné	τῐνᾰ́ς tĭnắs		τῐνές tĭnés
Vocative	—		—	—		—	—		—
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

References

^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), “τίς”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1487
^ Sihler, Andrew L. (1995), New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, § 382

Greek

Pronoun

τίς • (tís)

Older polytonic spelling of τις (tis) interrogative in old set phrases like
τίς πταίει; ― tís ptaíei? ― who is at fault?

τίς εἶ; (military, recognition) ― tís eí? ― who are you?

τίνι τρόπῳ; ― tíni trópo? ― in what way?

[1] Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), “τίς”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1487

[2] Sihler, Andrew L. (1995), New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, § 382

[1]

[2]

Ancient Greek

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

Pronoun

Usage notes

Declension

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

Determiner

Declension

Etymology 2

Pronoun

Usage notes

Declension

References

Further reading

Greek

Pronoun