Lesson 9 | Μι Indicatives
[2] Four Rules for Recognizing Μι Verbs
Even though μι verbs vary considerably, we can still use δίδωμι as a basic guide. The chart below shows the active voice, first-person, singular form of δίδωμι in each tense. As you will see, each of the four rules comes into play in these forms.¹
Remember, the root for δίδωμι is {δο}. All the other elements in these forms are related to the four key features.
Present
δίδωμι
Imperfect
ἐδίδουν
Aorist
ἔδωκα
Future
δώσω
Perfect
δέδωκα
Pluperfect
ἐδεδώκειν
Rule #1
¹ Μι verbs use reduplication (with an iota) in the present and imperfect.
This is just like the reduplication you are already familiar with for perfect tense verbs—with one critical difference: μι verbs use an iota rather than an epsilon between the doubled consonant. So, you will always be able to distinguish between the present and perfect tenses.
| δίδωμι in the Active indicative | ||||||
| Present | Perfect | |||||
| Singular | First | δίδωμι | δέδωκα | |||
| Second | δίδως | δέδωκας | ||||
| Third | δίδωσι(ν) | δέδωκε(ν) | ||||
| Plural | First | δίδομεν | δεδώκαμεν | |||
| Second | δίδοτε | δεδώκατε | ||||
| Third | διδόασι(ν) | δεδώκασι(ν) | ||||
Rule #2
² Μι verbs use three new endings in the present active: 1s –μι, 3s –σι, 3p –ασι.
The good news is there are only three new endings to learn for μι verbs—and you already know one of them from the name, -μι! The other good news is that the new endings occur only in the present active. All the other tenses use the same endings as ω-themed verbs in the active, middle, and passive voice.
Let’s compare the differences by putting λύω and δίδωμι side-by-side.
| λύω and δίδωμι in the Present indicative | ||||||||||
| Active | Middle-Passive | Active | Middle-Passive | |||||||
| Singular | First | λύω | λύομαι | δίδωμι | δίδομαι | |||||
| Second | λύεις | λύῃ¹ | δίδως | δίδοσαι | ||||||
| Third | λύει | λύεται | δίδωσι(ν) | δίδοται | ||||||
| Plural | First | λύομεν | λυόμεθα | δίδομεν | δίδομεθα | |||||
| Second | λύετε | λύεσθε | δίδοτε | δίδοσθε | ||||||
| Third | λύουσι(ν) | λύονται | διδόασι(ν) | δίδονται | ||||||
| ¹ Remember that the ending here is actually σαι. Scheming σ drops out, the α lengthens to η, and the ι subscripts. | ||||||||||
Note that μι verbs do not use a connecting vowel.
You may have already observed from the charts above that δίδωμι uses the stem {δω} in some forms and {δο} in others. Rather than memorize which forms use the lengthened vowel and which use the shortened vowel, it is much simpler to know the following rule:
Rule #3
³ The stem vowel of μι verbs can lengthen, shorten, or drop out.
In the Greek NT, you will see the long vowel in δίδωμι and δώσῃ, and the short vowel in δίδομεν and ἔδοτο.
The root, {στα}, can appear as ἵστημι and ἔστησεν, or σταθήσεται and ἐστάθη. In the perfect participle, ἑστὼς, the vowel has dropped out altogether and the only thing left of the root is στ! This further highlights the need to know the roots for μι verbs.
The root {θε} can have a long vowel: τίθημι and θήσω, or a short vowel: ἐτίθεσαν and ἔθετο. The aorist, active subjunctive, first, singular form is θῶ. Only the θ remains from the root!
The lengthening or shortening of the stem vowels does follow defined patterns with each verb. However, if you know the verbal roots and simply remember that the vowels can lengthen, shorten, or even drop out, you will be well-equipped to recognize the various forms of μι verbs in the Greek NT.
Rule 4
⁴ Most μι verbs use κα as their tense former in the aorist active.
At first, this might seem to add confusion since you learned back in lesson 7 that κα is the tense former for perfect active indicative verbs. If both the aorist and perfect forms of μι verbs use the κα tense former, how can you distinguish them? But remember, aorist indicatives have an augment, while perfect verbs will have reduplication.
Aorist Active
ἔδωκα
Perfect Active
δέδωκα
But note that the rule says, "most μι verbs use κα..." —which is to say not all μι verbs do so. But if they do not, then they will use σα as the tense former like other aorists. For example, ἵστημι forms the aorist as follows:
| ἵστημι in the active indicative | |||||||
| Aorist | |||||||
| Singular | First | ἐστησα | |||||
| Second | ἐστησας | ||||||
| Third | ἐστησε(ν) | ||||||
| Plural | First | ἐστήσαμεν | |||||
| Second | ἐστήσατε | ||||||
| Third | ἔστησαν | ||||||
Summary
As with all verbs, parsing μι verbs is a matter of recognizing the four key features (guided by the four rules above), then putting the pieces together:
- Identify the stem (verbal root)
- Is there reduplication with an ι? (present and imperfect)
- Is there reduplication with an ε? (perfect and pluperfect)
- Is there an augment? (imperfect, aorist, and pluperfect)
- Is there a tense former?
- Identify the ending pattern
The quizlet below provides practice with the basic forms of δίδωμι (1st singular, active and middle-passive).
Examples from the Greek NT
ταῦτά σοι πάντα δώσω, ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι. “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” –Matthew 4:9
There is one μι verb in this sentence: δώσω. Let's discern the four key features:
δω+σ+ω
[Augment]
[Stem]
[Tense-Former]
[Ending]
As soon as you see δω, you should think "that's the root {δο} for δίδωμι." There is no augment, and no reduplication, which can only be future tense. The σ tense former further confirms it is a future verb. ω is the first person singular ending (remember, μι verbs only use -μι in the present tense). δώσω is the future, active, indicative, first person, singular, from δίδωμι.
καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος παιδίον, ἔστησεν αὐτὸ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν. And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them. –Matthew 18:2
Let's consider the four key features of the main verb, ἔστησεν:
ε+στη+σα+ε(ν)
[Augment]
[Stem]
[Tense-Former]
[Ending]
First, even with the lengthened vowel, we can recognize the verbal root, {στα}. That means the initial ε is an augment. Then we can identify the regular σα aorist tense former, which in the third person singular drops the α for the ε(ν) ending. ἔστησεν is the aorist, active, indicative, third person, singular, from ἵστημι.
Parsing Practice: Μι Verb Indicatives
With the four rules for μι verbs + all the ending patterns you have learned in the previous lessons, you are equipped to parse nearly any indicative μι verb. The quizlet below will help you practice.