Lesson 7 | Greek Verbs and Present (Imperfective) Participles
Grammar Point 3: Present Middle or Passive Participles
Present Middle or Passive Participles
Present middle participles and present passive participles take the same form. So, we will refer to them as present middle or passive participles here. When you parse a present middle or passive participle in context, you should specify whether it is middle or passive. Context and the verb’s lexical meaning will help you do this.
Now, learn the three key features for present middle or passive participles. Then, study the chart to help you see how they work.
You should notice two things about this paradigm. First, the masculine and neuter forms follow the second noun pattern, and the feminine forms follow the first noun pattern.
Second, the tense former (ομεν) is the same in every present middle or passive participle form. Thus, if you know the noun patterns and remember the ομεν tense former, then you do not need to memorize this chart.
Use this quizlet to practice parsing λύω as a present middle or passive participle.
Example
λυομένην
Present, middle or passive, participle, accusative, feminine, singular from λύω
Examples from the Greek NT
εἰσερχόμενοι δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν ἀσπάσασθε αὐτήν. (NA28) Now, as you are entering the house, greet it. —Matthew 10:12
Can you parse εἰσερχόμενοι? Note the present stem, the ομεν tense former, and the second pattern noun ending. εἰσερχόμενοι is a present, middle, participle, nominative, masculine, plural from εἰσερχόμαι. Remember, present middle and passive participles have the same form. Only context and the verb’s lexical form help us determine which voice this participle is. Since this verb normally occurs in the middle voice and only makes sense as a middle voice verb, we should parse it as a middle voice participle. It is an adverbial participle that provides us with more context for the main command: "Greet the house as you are entering it."
...τὸν λόγον λαλούμενον… (NA28) ...the speech being spoken... —Mark 5:36
Can you parse λαλούμενον? We see the present stem, the ομεν tense former, and the second pattern noun ending. Therefore, λαλούμενον is a present, passive, participle, accusative, masculine, singular from λαλέω. The ομεν tense former changed to ουμεν because λαλε + ομενον = λαλούμενον.
This is an adjectival participle. It matches τὸν λόγον in case, gender, and number. The author used the imperfective aspect to describe the speech as it is being spoken.
καὶ οὗτος μὴν ἕκτος ἐστὶν αὐτῇ τῇ καλουμένῃ στείρᾳ· (NA28) and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. —Luke 1:36
Can you parse τῇ καλουμένῃ? We see the present stem, the ομεν tense former, and the first pattern noun ending. Therefore, τῇ καλουμένῃ is a present, passive, participle, dative, feminine, singular from καλέω. Again, the ομεν tense former changed to ουμεν because καλε + ομενῃ = καλουμένῃ.
This is an adjectival participle that describes αὐτῇ.
πορευόμενοι δὲ κηρύσσετε... (NA28) Now, as you are going, preach... —Matthew 10:7
Can you parse πορευόμενοι? We see the present stem, the ομεν tense former, and the second pattern noun ending. Therefore, πορευόμενοι is a present, middle, participle, nominative, masculine, plural from πορευόμαι.
It is an adverbial participle that describes the main verb. The participle's imperfective aspect describes the participle as occurring during the main verb: Preach as you are going.
