Appendix:Greek verbs

Modern Greek verbs

Verb formation
Modern Greek verbs are inflected with respect to mood, voice, aspect, tense, number, and person. Most inflected forms may be created using the four stems shown in green below:


 * active present stem — πληρών - ω  ("I pay"), same for passive present  πληρών - ομαι  ("I am paid")
 * active past stem — πλήρωσ - α  ("I paid")
 * passive past stem — πληρώθ - ηκα  ("I was paid")
 * passive perfect participle stem — πληρω - μένος * ("paid")
 * Added to the root πληρω- are phonemes indicating tense. The pattern of such phonemes for this verb is [n-s-θ-&empty;] (in International Phonetic Alphabet)

The change in ending allows personal pronouns to be omitted. However, they will be used when emphasis is required. Compare  with the general statement.

The change of the stem endings is characteristic of their pattern of conjugation.


 * The presence or absence of the passive perfect participle is often related to semasiological factors (of sense). Dictionaries may or may not mention it.

Conjugations
The Modern Greek conjugations are derived from the Ancient 1st Conjugation (the 2nd "-μι, -μαι" no longer exists) and, apart from irregular verbs, these are two in number:
 * 1st Conjugation: barytone verbs ending in -ω, -…μαι
 * — like, . Present endings: -ω, -εις, -ει, -ουμε, -ετε, -ουν(ε)
 * 2nd Conjugation: oxytone verbs ending in -άω/-ώ, or -ώ -…μαι and falling into two classes:
 * Class 1: — αγαπάω/αγαπώ, αγαπιέμαι. Present endings: -άω/-ώ, -άς, -άει/-ά, -άμε/-ούμε, -άτε, -άν(ε)/-ούν(ε)
 * Class 2: — θεωρώ, θεωρούμαι. Present endings: -ώ, -είς, -εί, -ούμε, -είτε, -ούν(ε)

Voices
Two morphological voice-sets: -ω or -ώ, and -μαι. By convention they are called active and passive although their meaning (disposition, or diathesis) may not be such. E.g. εργάζομαι (I work) has only passive forms, but active meaning.
 * Active forms: λύνω, αγαπάω/αγαπώ, θεωρώ
 * Passive forms: λύνομαι, αγαπιέμαι, θεωρούμαι

For more, see on Wikipedia Modern Greek Grammar § Verbs and sources: Greek Grammars

Groups of verbs
Verbs are categorized by their Conjugation, the ending of their stem and the pattern of their main tenses.
 * The 1st Conjugation in -ω, by the ending of their stem and the pattern of the 4 main stems for their conjugation.
 * The 2nd Conjugation in -άω/-ώ, by their Class and by the infix used for the formation of the past stem

Other groups of interest:
 * the number of syllables: bisyllabic (or disyllabic) verbs beginning with a consonant receive an  έ for their tenses of past (imperfect and simple past): (λύνω, έλυνα, έλυσα)
 * Groups of compounds (, επιλύω): When the second combining form receives an augment, the first combining form (usually a ) is affected if it ends with a vowel:
 * Present: επι-λύω > επιλύω. Past: επι-έλυσα > επ-έλυσα > επέλυσα Internal augment: έ. The last vowel of the preposition is deleted, with few exceptions, as with προ-, περι-. e.g
 * Present: προ-βλέπω > . Past: προ-έβλεψα > προέβλεψα Internal augment: έ. The last vowel of the preposition may not be deleted.
 * or Past: προ-έβλεψα > πρόβλεψα The augment itself is deleted.
 * Present: συν-δέω > συνδέω. Past: συν-έδεσα > συνέδεσα Internal augment: έ retained.
 * or Past: συν-έδεσα > σύνδεσα The augment deleted.
 * Ancient verbs which survive in Modern Greek have old, plus more modern forms. Such verbs are usually labelled as 'learned'. The etymological history of each verb affects the variety of its inflectional forms.
 * Example: εκλέγω with multiple passive past forms.

For more, see Category:Greek verbs

Conjugation tables
Terms used as headings: Notes are added for specific forms and indications
 * in English, and in Greek on mousover.
 * contemporary nomenclature, plus reference to traditional terminology (e.g.  is  imperative)
 * for colloquial or optional forms in parenthesis (...)
 * for rare forms, in square brackets [...]
 * for learned forms which come from the ancient conjugation in braces {...}

Omitted
The modern Greek verb system has a striking variety of alternative forms. General omissions from the tables are:
 * verb forms of previous centuries (Late Mediaeval or Early Modern up to 17th, 18th century)
 * dialectal elements διαλεκτικά στοιχεία regional or other
 * ultra-archaic forms can be found at the conjugation table of the corresponding ancient verb (as indicated at Etymology sections). But archaic forms used in stereotyped set phrases are included: λύσατε, εθεωρείτο, είμαι πεπεισμένος, άκουσον, διαίρει, etc.
 * explanations on the variety of meanings for each form (they are discussed at each form's separate page)

Specifically, omitted are:
 * the να or ας + indicative mood is presented with a brief note (να λύνω – to keep untying, να λύσω – to untie, να έχω λύσει – to have untied).
 * The
 * να/ας/θα + imperfect active (θα έλυνα – Ι would untie/solve)
 * θα + pluperfect (θα είχα λύσει – I would have untied/solved)
 * and with passive imperfect (θα λυνόμουνα – I would be untied/solved)
 * with passive pluperfect (θα είχα λυθεί – Ι would have been untied/solved)
 * the active perfect imperative
 * singular έχε + accusative of passive perfect participle (έχε λυμέν... – have him/her/it untied/solved)
 * plural έχετε + accusative of passive perfect participle (έχετε λυμέν... – have him/her/it untied/solved)
 * ε- unstressed syllabic augment άτονη συλλαβική αύξηση at imperfect & simple past. It is ancient, and has been in use in texts up to the 20th century, rarely in the 21st century.


 * δηλώνω / δήλωνα (standard) – εδήλωνα (dated or colloquial) / δήλωνες – εδήλωνες / δήλωνε – εδήλωνε / δηλώναμε / δηλώνατε / δήλωναν – εδήλωναν δηλώναν(ε)
 * δήλωσα – εδήλωσα / δήλωσες – εδήλωσες / δήλωσε – εδήλωσε / δηλώσαμε / δηλώσατε / δήλωσαν – εδήλωσαν δηλώσαν(ε)
 * δηλώθηκα – εδηλώθηκα, ... etc
 * -ουμαι -ουνται (vernacular) 1st singular & 3rd plural passive present (λύνουμαι, λύνουνται instead of λύνομαι, λύνονται)
 * -όντανε (vernacular) 3rd plural passive imperfect (λυνόντανε instead of λύνονταν or λυνόντουσαν)
 * -όσαντε (dialectal/regional) 3rd plural passive imperfect (λυνόσαντε instead of λύνονταν or λυνόντουσαν)
 * -ονταν as 3rd singular passive imperfect, coinciding with 3rd plural (λύνονταν instead of λυνόταν)
 * -ουνταν (idiomatic) as 3rd singular and plural passive imperfect (λύνουνταν instead of λυνόταν and of λύνονταν)
 * -ουσι as 3rd plural active present (λύουσι instead of λύνουν). It is ancient, but also modern-dialectal. It occurs in many older texts of the New Times.
 * -ετε plural imperative active perfective (aorist) for verbs with Active-Aorist-Stem ending in λ, ρ, σ, ξ, ψ (λύσετε, παίξετε instead of λύστε, παίξτε) Of course, they can be used when subjunctive is used in the place of imperative: να λύσετε, να παίξετε.
 * -ατε plural imperative active perfective (aorist) in ancient fashion: (λύσατε, modern: λύστε)
 * -ου the rare archaic passive imperfective imperative (passive present imperative) (λύνου – ancient λύου).
 * the alternative active perfect participle: έχοντας +accusative of perfect participle (έχοντας λυμένο).
 * all verb forms variated with deletion of their first vowel: it occurs optionally after articles, vowel-ending weak pronouns, after θα (in future tense), after να (in subjunctive), after πού. An apostrophe takes the place of the deleted vowel. The stress, invisible, moves to the preceding word:
 * το 'δα /ˈtoða/ (το είδα /to ˈiða/) – I saw it
 * μου 'ρχεται /ˈmurçete/ (μου έρχεται /mu ˈerçete/) – it's coming to me
 * θα 'χω /ˈθaxo/ (θα έχω /θa ˈexo/) – I will have
 * να 'μαστε /ˈnamaste/ (να είμαστε /na ˈimaste/) – for us to be, here we are
 * πού 'σουνα; /ˈpusuna/? (πού ήσουνα; /ˈpu ˈisuna/?) – where were you? Here, 'πού' had a stress on its own right.
 * The vowels' strengths from strong to weak are: [a] – [o] – [u] – [e] – [i]. If the vowel of the verb is stronger, it remains:
 * τ' άλλαξα /ˈtalaksa/ (το άλλαξα /to ˈalaksa/ – I changed it)

1st Conjugation

 * See Category:Greek 1st conjugation verbs by inflection type

Barytone verbs ending in active -ω, passive -...μαι like λύνω, λύνομαι They are grouped by
 * the last sound of the stem may be a vowel &rarr; Vowel ending stems
 * the last sound of the stem may be a consonant &rarr; Consonant ending stems

The characteristic consonant(s) of the stems are presented phonetically in square brackets [...] as in the Appendix:Greek pronunciation
 * Especially difficult sounds: [ð] (<δ> like this), [θ] (<θ> like thorn), [x] (<χ> like Scottish Lokh), [ɣ] (<γ> like Arabic ɣain غين ). Also see Greek alphabet

Example of pattern [z-s-st-s] of last consonant(s) of the stem:
 * active present stem — ορίζ - ω  – consonant ζ [z] (same for passive present  ορίζ - ομαι )
 * active past stem — όρισ - α      – consonant σ [s]
 * passive past stem — ορίστ - ηκα  – consonants στ [st]
 * passive perfect participle stem — ορισ - μένος  – consonant σ [s]

Vowel ending stems

 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'λύω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'κλείω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'πνέω'
 * The -ύω from ancient -υμι Category:Greek verbs conjugating like 'αποδεικνύω'
 * Category:Greek irregular contracted verbs

p v f
Labials: characteristic consonant at the ending: [p v f] as [p & pt v  f & ft] (-πω & -πτω, -βω (& &#8209;αύω, &#8209;εύω) &#8209;φω & &#8209;φτω)

The [ p ] verbs -πω, -πομαι The [ pt ] verbs -πτω, -πτομαι The [ v ]1 with beta, verbs -βω, -βομαι The [ v ]2 with upsilon, verbs -εύω, -εύομαι (& -αύω, -αύομαι) The [ f ] verbs -φω, -φομαι The [ ft ] verbs -φτω, -φτομαι
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'λείπω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'τρέπω' with 2 stem-grades τρεπ-, τραπ-
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'καλύπτω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'σκάπτω' with [f] in passive past
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'κόπτω' with [p] in passive past
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'κλέπτω' with [p] and 2 stem-grades κλεπτ-, κλαπ-
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'σκάβω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'κόβω' with [p] in passive past
 * irregular with 2 stem-grades: κλέβω passive past κλεφτ-, κλαπ-
 * irregular with 2 stems θάβω passive past θαφτ- ταφ-
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'τρίβω' plus [v] in the passive past
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'μαζεύω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'δημοσιεύω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group '-εύω combinations'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'αλείφω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'γράφω' with [f] in passive past
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'στρέφω' with [f] and 2 stem-grades στρεφ-, στραφ-
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'βλάφτω'

k γ x
Velars [k γ x & ng, nx] (-κω, -γω, -χω & &#8209;γγω, &#8209;γχω)

The [ k ] verbs -κω, -κομαι
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'πλέκω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'περιπλέκω' with 2 stem-grades: πλεκ-, πλακ- (plek-, plak-)
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group '-σκω' (variety of verbs ending -σκω)

The [ ɣ ] verbs -γω, -γομαι & -ɣγω, -γγομαι
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'τυλίγω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'πνίγω'
 * & irregulars like
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'φεύγω'

l r
Liquids [l r] -λω,  -ρω

The [ r ] verbs -ρω, -ρομαι
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'πακετάρω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'μαρκάρω' with double imperfect & past
 * & irregulars αίρω, ξέρω, εξεγείρω σύρω, φέρω, φθείρω

m n
Nasals [m n] -μω,  -νω

The [ n ] verbs -vω, -vομαι
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group '-νω' with -ώνω verbs and bisyllabics like λύνω
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group '-αίνω' like θερμαίνω, ζεσταίνω
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'κλείνω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'κρίνω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'τείνω'
 * ... under construction, mno, xno

s z
Sibilants [s z] &#8209;σω, &#8209;ζω, (&#8209;σσω alternates with &#8209; ττω )

The [ z ] verbs -ζω, -ζομαι
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group '-άζω, -ίζω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'αλλάζω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'αγγίζω'
 * Category:Greek verb conjugation group 'πρήζω'
 * and
 * Category:Greek verbs conjugating like 'κερδίζω'
 * Category:Greek verbs conjugating like 'φωτογραφίζω'

2nd Conjugation

 * See Category:Greek 2nd conjugation verbs by inflection type

Oxytone verbs ending in (older polytonic script with  -ῶ)
 * 1) Class A: ending in active ' / ' and in passive -ιέμαι
 * inflected as -άω/-ώ, -άς, -άει/-ά, ... like αγαπάω/αγαπώ
 * 1) Class B:  ending in active  and in passive -ούμαι
 * inflected as -ώ, -είς, -εί, ... like