Predicate nominative

There is one more thing we need to cover about the nominative. It has to do with the verb eijmiv.

In a regular sentence, the direct object of the verb is in the accusative. "Peter hears the teacher" is translated,

No problem; you have that down.

But when you use the verb eijmiv, things change. It has to do with the meaning of the verb. Basically, eijmiv draws an equals sign. If I were to say, "Peter is the teacher," the action of the verb is not going to "teacher." "Teacher" would not be the direct object. eijmiv is equating "Peter" and "teacher." "Peter is the teacher." "The teacher is Peter."

Here's how that affects us. eijmiv is not followed by a direct object in the accusative. eijmiv is followed by a word in the nominative.

• Since the subject of eijmiv is in the nominative,
• and since eijmiv draws an equal sign between the subject and the word that follows,
• therefore, that word is in the nominative.

And so we would say,

Let me say this another way on the next page.