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Four Common Greek Verbs
1. Give, Put, Throw
Most –μι verbs have a FIRST AORIST. For example, the verb to say is φημί, φήσω, ἔφησα. Some of the most common –μι verbs, however, are not formed in the first aorist. The verb εἰμί has no aorist at all!
Other –μι verbs have their own peculiarities. The verbs δίδωμι, τίθημι, and ἵημι, for example, share the following characteristics:
- They are FIRST AORISTS in the singular, with –κα replacing –σα.
- They are SECOND AORISTS in the plural and infinitive; the long stem vowel becomes short, as in the present and imperfect tense.
- They form their INFINITIVES by adding –εναι, which contracts with the short stem vowel (S 760). For example:
- δό-εναι → δοῦναι
- θέ-εναι → θεῖναι
- ἕ-εναι → εἷναι
The principal parts, as a result, now look like this:
- δίδωμι, δώσω, ἔδωκα (stem: δω/δο-)
- τίθημι, θήσω, ἔθηκα (stem: θη/θε-)
- ἵημι, ἥσω, ἧκα (stem: ἡ/ἑ-)
The Aorist, Indicative, Active of δίδωμι (S 416; GPH p. 129)
|
ἔδωκα |
ἔδομεν |
|
ἔδωκας |
ἔδοτε |
|
ἔδωκε |
ἔδοσαν |
Aorist Indicative Active Infinitive: δοῦναι
The Aorist, Indicative, Active of τίθημι (S 416; GPH p. 151)
|
ἔθηκα |
ἔθεμεν |
|
ἔθηκας |
ἔθετε |
|
ἔθηκε |
ἔθεσαν |
Aorist Indicative Active Infinitive: θεῖναι
The Aorist, Indicative, Active of ἵημι (S 777)
|
ἧκα |
εἷμεν |
|
ἧκας |
εἷτε |
|
ἧκε |
εἷσαν |
Aorist Indicative Active Infinitive: εἷναι
Notice that, in the singular, ἵημι uses ἡ-, as it does in the present tense, and also adds a –κα– marker. In the plural and infinitive, ἵημι uses εἱ– (for ἔ–ἑμεν, κτλ.; S 756).
In general, and particularly in the plural, the aorist forms of ἵημι are more commonly found with prefixes than as stand-alone verbs.
2. Stand
Note the principal parts of another common Greek –μι verb, stand. This verb has both a FIRST and ATHEMATIC SECOND AORIST form! Note also that, unlike the previous three verbs, this verb keeps its long stem vowel throughout the singular and plural.
- ἵστημι, στήσω, ἔστησα/ἔστην (stem: στη/στα-)
The Second Aorist, Indicative, Active of ἵστημι (S 416; GPH p. 140)
|
ἔστην |
ἔστημεν |
|
ἔστης |
ἔστητε |
|
ἔστη |
ἔστησαν |
Second Aorist Indicative Active Infinitive: στῆναι
The First Aorist, Indicative, Active of ἵστημι
|
ἔστησα |
ἐστήσαμεν |
|
ἔστησας |
ἐστήσατε |
|
ἔστησε |
ἔστησαν |
First Aorist Indicative Active Infinitive: στῆσαι
Verbs with First and Second Aorist Forms
When a verb has both types of aorist, it is often the case that the FIRST AORIST is TRANSITIVE, and the SECOND AORIST is INTRANSITIVE. For example:
- ἵστημι, στήσω, ἔστησα/ἔστην stand
- ἔστησα I stood (something) up.
- ἔστην I stood up
- φύω, φύσω, ἔφυσα/ἔφυν produce, grow
- ἔφυσα I grew (something).
- ἔφυν I grew.
Aorist Passive
1. Formation
As we discussed earlier, in early Greek there were no distinct PASSIVE forms in the PRESENT tense. Instead, the MIDDLE endings were used also for the PASSIVE when the need arose. The AORIST, however, is one of the few tenses for which distinct PASSIVE endings developed. These forms always conj