Ancient Greek #2: Verbs- Introduction
Greek verbs consists of a stem and an inflection (a suffix or prefix that denotes the properties of the verb). Each verb has up to six stems. In Greek, verbs have the following properties:
Person
| First | the subject is the speaker |
| Second | the subject is the listener |
| Third | the subject is someone other than the speaker or listener |
Number
| Singular | One subject |
| Dual | A pair of subjects |
| Plural | Multiple subjects |
Voice
| Active | The subject performs the action |
| Passive | Action is performed on the subject |
| Middle | The subject performs the action for itself |
Mood
| Indicative | Indicates an occurrence |
| Imperative | Gives a command |
| Subjunctive | Presents a hypothetical situation |
| Optative | Presents a hypothetical situation |
Tense
| Present | occurring at the moment |
| Imperfect | occurs continuously in the past |
| Future | will occur in the future |
| Aorist | occurred in the past |
| Perfect | occurred recently and is relevant to the present |
| Pluperfect | occurred in the past and was relevant to a recent event |
| Future perfect | will occur in the future as a result of a finished action |
Aspect
| Imperfective | perceived as a continuous process |
| Aoristic | perceived as a one-time occurrence |
| Perfective | perceived as a completed occurrence |
Time
| Present |
| Past |
| Future |