Lesson 1 | Present Indicatives
Review: Greek Verbal System, pt.2
So, how was it?
For most folks, that was probably a difficult quiz. It is unlikely that you answered every question correctly. However, if you answered six or more questions incorrectly on the first attempt, I suggest that you go back and review the material that you missed before moving on. Here’s a list with links to specific content:
Even if you answered every question correctly, take some time to review the following material from Greek II, Lesson 1.
The Six Parts of Koine Greek Verbs
- Stem: The verb’s lexical core that communicates its meaning (λύω)
- Tense-form: How the speaker portrays the verb’s action (aspect - see next step)
- Present (λύω - I am untying)
- Imperfect (ἔλυον - I was untying)
- Aorist (ἔλυσα - I untied)
- Future (λύσω - I will untie)
- Perfect (λέλυκα - I have untied)
- Pluperfect (ἐλελύκειν - I had untied)
- Voice: The subject’s relationship to the verb’s action
- Active - The subject does the verb’s action (He hits the ball).*
- Middle - The subject is affected by the verb’s action (He hits himself).
- Passive - The subject receives the verb’s action (He was hit by the ball).
- Mood: How the speaker portrays the verb’s relationship to reality**
- Indicative - The speaker portrays the verb’s action as a reality (He did this).
- Subjunctive - The speaker portrays the verb’s action as a possibility (He might do this).
- Imperative - The speaker portrays the verb’s action as a command (Do this!).
- Optative***
- Person: The speaker’s relation to the verb’s subject
- First Person (ἔγω/ἡμεῖς - I/we)
- Second Person (σύ/ὑμεῖς - you/you all)
- Third Person (all other nouns and pronouns - he, she, it, they, them)
- Number: The number of the verb’s subject
- Singular (ἔγω/σύ/αὐτός - I/you/he, she, it)
- Plural (ἡμεῖς/ὑμεῖς/αὐτοί - we/you all/they, them)
Verbal Aspect in Koine Greek
Aspect is the central feature of Koine Greek verbs. Remember, aspect refers to how the speaker describes the verbal action.
