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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
- They form their 2nd PERSON SINGULAR AORIST IMPERATIVES by adding an –ς ending to the short aorist stem vowel (S 466b):
- θὲς τὰ χρήματα. (< τίθημι)
- Deposit the money!
- δὸς μοι τὰ χρήματα. (< δίδωμι)
- Give me the money!
- ἓς τὰ χρήματα. (< ἵημι)
- Throw the money!
- θὲς τὰ χρήματα. (< τίθημι)
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 Active Indicative of δίδωμι (S 416; GPH p. 129)
|
ἔδωκα |
ἔδομεν |
|
ἔδωκας |
ἔδοτε |
|
ἔδωκε |
ἔδοσαν |
Aorist Active Infinitive: δοῦναι
Aorist Active Imperatives:
|
δός |
δότε |
|
δότω |
δόντων |
The Aorist Active Indicative of τίθημι (S 416; GPH p. 151)
|
ἔθηκα |
ἔθεμεν |
|
ἔθηκας |
ἔθετε |
|
ἔθηκε |
ἔθεσαν |
Aorist Active Infinitive: θεῖναι
Aorist Active Imperatives:
|
θές |
θέτε |
|
θέτω |
θέντων |
The Aorist Active Indicative of ἵημι (S 777)
|
ἧκα |
εἷμεν |
|
ἧκας |
εἷτε |
|
ἧκε |
εἷσαν |
Aorist Active Infinitive: εἷναι
Aorist Active Imperatives:
|
ἕς |
ἕτε |
|
ἕτω |
ἕντων |
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 Active Infinitive: στῆναι
Second Aorist Active Imperatives:
|
στῆθι |
στῆτε |
|
στήτω |
στάντων |
The First Aorist, Indicative, Active of ἵστημι
|
ἔστησα |
ἐστήσαμεν |
|
ἔστησας |
ἐστήσατε |
|
ἔστησε |
ἔστησαν |
First Aorist Active Infinitive: στῆσαι
First Aorist Active Imperatives:
|
στῆσον |
στήσατε |
|
στησάτω |
στησάντων |
Verbs with First and Second Aorist Forms
When a verb has both types of aorist, it is often the case that the FIRST A