Module 23 The Imperfect and Aorist Indicative of λέγω , ἔχω , ἐργάζομαι , δίδωμι , τίθημι The Verb

The course is built on three pillars: memory, analysis, and logic. Readers memorize the top 250 most frequently occurring ancient Greek words, the essen� al word endings, the eight parts of speech, and the gramma� cal concepts they will most frequently encounter when reading authen� c ancient texts. Analysis and logic exercises enable the transla� on and parsing of genuine ancient Greek sentences, with compelling reading selec� ons in English and in Greek off ering star� ng points for contempla� on, debate, and refl ec� on. A series of embedded Learning Tips help teachers and students to think in prac� cal and imagina� ve ways about how they learn.


The Verb
In Greek and in English verbs have the same definition and functions. Verbs are words that represent actions (throw) and states of being (be or exist). They differ in the same fundamental way that Greek nouns differ from their English counterparts: they use endings to create meaning in a way that English does not. The Greek verb (ῥῆμα) in its finite form has an ending that indicates what person and number the subject is. The Greek infinitive has an ending that indicates that it is unmarked for person and number.
μι-Verbs Contrasted with ω-Verbs μι-Verbs conjugate in the same way that ω-verbs do but employ different stems and endings in some tenses. With regard to the concepts of aspect and time, ω-verbs and μι-verbs are the same. They are also the same in how they form their augments. As is the case with ω-verbs, to conjugate μι-verbs with accuracy, you must add the correct ending to the correct tense stem.

The Past Indicative Augment
Past time is indicated in verbs that begin with a consonant by adding the prefix, ἐ-, called the past indicative augment. In verbs that begin with a vowel or diphthong the past indicative augment is created as outlined in the chart found below. The imperfect, aorist, and pluperfect indicative tenses have a past indicative augment. Consider the different ways that the English verb creates past tenses and compare and contrast them with how the Greek verb does. Also take note that when a verb has a prefix, the accent never moves beyond the past indicative augment, προεῖδον Ι or they forsaw.

Tense-Aspect
Time (tense) refers to the past, present, and future. Aspect refers to whether an action is incomplete (imperfective), complete (perfective), or in a state (stative). The present tense stem, which is used to form the present and imperfect tenses, communicates an incomplete action. The beginnings and ends of the action are undefined. Thus the tense-aspect for the present is present ongoing or repeated and the tense-aspect for the imperfect is past ongoing or repeated (imperfective). The aorist tense stem communicates a completed action as a single whole. The boundaries of the action's beginning and end define the action as complete (perfective). The future tense stems have a temporal value but no aspect, showing no distinction between the imperfective (incomplete) and perfective (complete) aspect .

The Gnomic Aorist
When it refers to actions that state a general truth or commonality, the aorist tense stresses the universality of the verb's action or state of being. Read the following sentences, τέχνη τύχην ἔστερξε καὶ τύχη τέχνην (Agathon, fragment 6 TrGF 39F6), Skill loves fortune and fortune loves skill; and ῥώμη δὲ μετὰ μὲν φρονήσεως ὠφέλησεν (Isokrates, To ,

Strength combined with intelligence creates;
and παθόντες ἐμάθομεν (Greek proverb), From suffering we learn.

The Aorist Contrasted with the Imperfect Tense
Both tenses typically refer to actions that have occurred in past time. The aorist and the imperfect differ in aspect in accordance with what you have just read.

The First Aorist and the Second Aorist
If the third principal part ends in -α or -αμην, it is called a first aorist and if it ends in -ον or -ομην, it is referred to as a second aorist. There is no difference in meaning. Consider the following verbs. Look at the third principal part and note whether it ends in -α, -αμην or -ον, -ομην.
noting that the forms marked by a single asterisk, ἔδωκα, ἔθηκα, and -ἧκα, are referred to as mixed aorists because they use a combination of endings from ω-verbs and μι-verbs. These third principal parts are indistinguishable from first aorist forms. For this reason, you must memorize which μι-verbs have a mixed aorist. The form marked by two asterisks, ἔστην, is called a root aorist because it uses a long-vowel grade in forming the singular and plural of the aorist active and middle. Unmarked forms ἔδειξα, ἔστησα, ἔφησα are first aorists and are conjugated just like first aorists of ω-verbs.

The Infinitive
Remember that in English and in Greek the infinitive is unmarked for person and for number. Ιt is classified as a verbal noun and is best understood by thinking of its function as completing or enhancing the meaning of adjectives, clauses, nouns, and verbs. This is why the infinitive is referred to as a complement. Sometimes classified as a mood, the infinitive is potential in meaning, ἐν δυνάμει, because its action may or may not be realized. There are two types of infinitives, the declarative and the dynamic. Both the declarative and the dynamic infinitives refer to actions which exist potentially or ἐν δυνάμει. The dynamic infinitive is negated by the abverb μή not and not οὐ not. οὐ not typically negates the declarative infinitive with some exceptions.

The Aorist Infinitive Contrasted with the Present Infinitive
Except in indirect statements, covered in detail in Module 25, where the infinitive stands for an original finite verb, the only difference in meaning between the aorist and present infinitives is aspectual: the aorist infinitive communicates a completed aspect as a single whole; the present infinitive has an incomplete action, whose beginnings and ends are undefined. Compare and contrast the forms and aspects of the two infinitives:

Stems for the Imperfect and Aorist Tenses of ω-Verbs
Imperfect Active, Middle, and Passive Tense Stem. To obtain the imperfect tense stem of ω-verbs, remove the ending from the first principal part. What remains is the present and imperfect active, middle, and passive tense stem. If the stem begins with a consonant, add the past indicative augment, ἐ-, to the stem's beginning. If the stem begins with a vowel or diphthong, augment it in accordance with the past indicative augment chart found above.
The Aorist Active, Middle, and Passive Tense Stem of ω-verbs. The aorist tense stems are formed from principal part III (active and middle) and principal part VI (passive). To obtain the aorist tense stem of ω-verbs, remove the ending from the third or sixth principal part. What remains is the aorist tense stem. In the lexical entries, these forms are already augmented. Consider the principal parts of λύω, λύω, λύσω, ἔλυσα (active and middle), λέλυκα, λέλυμαι, ἐλύθην (passive), noting that the third and sixth principal parts are already augmented and that the augmented aorist stems are ἔλυσ-and ἐλύθ-. 1. In the second person singular of secondary middle and passive and secondary middle endings, intervocalic sigma drops out and the vowels contract: epsilon and omicron, ε + ο, becomes the diphthong ου and alpha and omicron, α + ο, becomes omega, ω. In what follows you learn how to combine stems and endings and how to translate each form into its English equivalent.

Secondary Middle and Passive Endings
The following secondary middle and passive endings are used in forming many of the tenses you learn for the middle and passive voices.

Secondary Middle and Passive
It is a good idea to memorize them now.

Endings in Summary
The charts below restate the same information as is found above, but in a condensed form. Look over the chart and make sure that you understand how to read it.
These ending sets form two past tenses, the imperfect and the aorist, each differing from the other in terms of aspect not time.
Use these endings to form the aorist infinitive. Memorizing the endings now before reading on is recommended.
The chart below restates the same information as is found above, but in a condensed form. Look over the chart and make sure that you understand how to read it.
It is a good idea to memorize them now.
The chart below restates the same information as is found above, but in a condensed form. Look over the chart and make sure that you understand how to read it. Use these endings to form the aorist infinitive. Memorizing the endings now before reading on is recommended.

Imperfect Indicative Active of λέγω
To obtain the imperfect tense stem of λέγω, remove the ending -ω from the first principal part. What remains is the present and imperfect active, middle, and passive tense stem, λεγ-. To this stem, λεγ-, add the past indicative augment, ἐ-, and the imperfect and second aorist active endings.

Imperfect Indicative Middle of λέγω
Use the same augmented stem as you did for the active voice, ἐλεγ-. To this stem, add the imperfect and second aorist middle and passive endings.

First Aorist Indicative Active of λέγω
To obtain the aorist tense stem of λέγω, remove the ending -α from the third principal part. What remains is the augmented aorist active and middle tense stem, ἐλεξ-. To this stem, ἐλεξ-, add the first aorist active endings. 1. In the second person singular, intervocalic sigma drops out and the vowels contract: alpha and omicron, α + ο, to ω.

First Aorist Infinitive Middle of λέγω
To obtain the stem remove the past indicative augment from ἐλεξ-. What remains is the unaugmented stem, λεξ-. To this stem add the first aorist middle infinitive ending, -ασθαι.

Verb Form English Equivalent Person and Number
λέξασθαι to choose unmarked 1. Remember that final -αι and -οι count as short for purposes of accentuation except in the optative, a mood learned in Part II of the 21st-Century series.

Aorist Indicative Passive of λέγω
To obtain the aorist tense stem of λέγω, remove the ending -ην from the sixth principal part. What remains is the augmented aorist passive tense stem, ἐλέχθ-.
To this stem, ἐλέχθ-, add the aorist passive endings.

Aorist Infinitive Passive of λέγω
To obtain the stem remove the past indicative augment from ἐλέχθ-. What remains is the unaugmented stem, λέχθ-. To this stem, add the aorist passive infinitive ending, -ῆναι.

Verb Form English Equivalent Person and Number
λεχθῆναι to be said unmarked 1. Remember that the aorist infinitive passive is ALWAYS accented on the penult. Thus its accent is persistent. Remember that final -αι and -οι count as short for purposes of accentuation except in the optative, a mood learned in Part II of the 21st-Century series.

Imperfect Indicative Active of ἔχω
To obtain the imperfect tense stem of ἔχω, remove the ending -ω from the first principal part to obtain the stem ἔχ-. Augment the stem, noting that the augmented stem is not the expected eta η-, but rather the diphthong ει-. To this augmented stem, εἰχ-, add the imperfect active endings.

Imperfect Indicative Middle of ἔχω
Use the same augmented stem as you used for the active voice, εἰχ-. To this stem, add the imperfect middle and passive endings. 1. In the second person singular, intervocalic sigma drops out and the vowels contract: epsilon and omicron, ε + ο, to ου.

Imperfect Indicative Passive of ἔχω
Use the same stem as you used for the active and middle voices, εἰχ-. To this stem, add the imperfect middle and passive endings. 1. In the second person singular, intervocalic sigma drops out and the vowels contract: epsilon and omicron, ε + ο, to ου.

Second Aorist Indicative Active of ἔχω
To obtain the aorist tense stem of ἔχω, remove the ending -ον from the third principal part. What remains is the augmented aorist active and middle tense stem, ἐσχ-. To this stem, ἐσχ-, add the second aorist active endings. 1. In the second person singular, intervocalic sigma drops out and the vowels contract: epsilon and omicron, ε + ο, to ου.

Second Aorist Infinitive Middle of ἔχω
To obtain the stem, remove the past indicative augment from ἐσχ-. To this unaugmented stem, σχ-, add the second aorist middle infinitive ending, -έσθαι.

Verb Form English Equivalent Person and Number
σχέσθαι to cling unmarked 1. Note that the second aorist infinitive middle is ALWAYS accented on the penult. Thus its accent is persistent. Remember that final -αι and -οι count as short for purposes of accentuation except in the optative, a mood learned in Part II of the 21st-Century series.

Imperfect Indicative of ἐργάζομαι
To obtain the imperfect tense stem of ἐργάζομαι, remove the ending -ομαι from the first principal part to obtain the stem ἐργαζ-. Augment the stem to an eta, η-.
To this augmented stem, ἠργαζ-, add the imperfect middle and passive endings. Remember that deponent verbs are similar to ω-verbs, except that they have middle and passive forms but active meanings. Deponent ω-verbs conjugate just as ἐργάζομαι does. In the readings use your knowledge of ἐργάζομαι to recognize and translate the forms of other deponent ω-verbs. 1. In the second person singular, intervocalic sigma drops out and the vowels contract: epsilon and omicron, ε + ο, to ου.

Aorist Indicative of ἐργάζομαι
To obtain the aorist tense stem of ἐργάζομαι, remove the ending -αμην from the third principal part to obtain the augmented stem ἠργασ-. To this stem, ἠργασ-, add the aorist middle endings. 1. In the second person singular, intervocalic sigma drops out and the vowels contract: alpha and omicron, α + ο, to ω.

Aorist Infinitive of ἐργάζομαι
To obtain the stem of ἐργάζομαι, remove the augment from ἠργασ-. To this unaugmented stem, ἐργασ-, add the first aorist middle infinitive ending, -ασθαι.

Verb Form English Equivalent Person and Number
ἐργάσασθαι to do unmarked 1. Remember that final -αι and -οι count as short for purposes of accentuation except in the optative, a mood learned in Part II of the 21st-Century series.

Endings for the Imperfect and Aorist Tenses of δίδωμι
Add these endings and the past indicative augment to the correct tense stem.

Conjugation of δίδωμι
The principal parts are these: δίδωμι, δώσω, ἔδωκα, δέδωκα, δέδομαι, ἐδόθην Remember that to conjugate correctly, you need to combine the correct stem with the correct endings.

Endings for the Imperfect and Aorist Tenses of τίθημι
Add these endings to the correct tense stem.

Conjugation of τίθημι
The principal parts are these: τίθημι, θήσω, ἔθηκα, τέθηκα, τέθειμαι, ἐτέθην Remember that to conjugate correctly, you need to combine the correct stem with the correct endings.

Etymology Corner XXIII by Dr. E. Del Chrol
Technical Terms 19, Parts of Speech Verbs, cont. As with tense and tense being unrelated homonyms, grammatical mood comes from a different root than that of your emotional mood. Grammatical moods are not about how a verb is feeling, but which mode of expression it is in. In fact, mode shifted to mood in Middle English and is attested in grammatical texts around 1450 CE. Though identifying indicatives, optatives, and subjunctives may make you cranky some days, that's your problem, not Greek's. Those poor verbs are just trying to signify a quality of the verb. Each of the moods is aptly named as well.
• We already discussed infinitives a little bit earlier. Imperatives come from the Latin command (imperare) and are used for ordering people to do things. The Greek for imperative is προστακτικός, and you can see what gives us the English tactic at the root of it. Think of the English adjective imperative meaning something that you have to do as if you were commanded to do it.
• Indicative statements indicate something about reality, that is, they speak towards something (Latin in + dicare). Your pointer finger is also called your index finger, and comes from the same root. It makes sense because when you are pointing something out, speaking towards an object, you are probably pointing at it with your index finger. Indicatives point at what happens or happened for real (at least as the speaker asserts it is).
• Optatives and subjunctives feel similar in their ways of describing hypothetical or supposed situations, though be careful because sometimes it's for primarily grammatical reasons as you will see. The opt part of optative you recognize as meaning to choose, or desire, or wish for, hence its use in Greek grammar, the term deriving from Latin. Subjunctive is a little trickier. It comes from joined underneath (jungere, like in junction or conjunction which we met before + sub, like a submarine which goes under the water). Even though there are a few independent uses of the subjunctive, they are mostly found in subordinate clauses, so they are in a way attached under the main idea.
What to Study and Do 23. Before moving on to the next module, make sure that you have memorized the verb endings for the imperfect and the aorist and that you can decline these tenses from memory. Also make sure you know how to put augments on and take them off when forming the imperfect and aorist tenses. Finally, have a good understanding of the aspectual differences between the aorist and the imperfect tenses. Which is easier to remember, the number or the phrase? The phrase, of course. In this learning tip, you learn how to use word numbers in order to remember dates. Each number from 0-9 represents specific sounds. The vowel sounds, a, e, i, o, u and the letters w, h, y are not represented by a number. They are blanks. The word cave represents the number 78. The word lamely from stepping into Herakleitos' river represents the number 535. The words leaven from Anne of Green Gables' making bread as she reads Anakreon's lost corpus represents the number 582. For Mimnermos the word James of Jesse James' making fun of me because I'm nervous to eat a bun filled with snake eyes represents the number 630. Shims that I use to remove sap from my shoe for Sappho also represents the number 630. The television was invented in 1926. Punch represents the number 926. You can imagine yourself punching the TV to make it come to life. For the number 1926, we only represent the last three numbers. In 1942 the first computer was invented. Imagine a computer the shape and size of a barn being assembled in an even bigger barn by barn yard animals. The one is again omitted. Remember this number, 347 294 012 157 211 10?
For additional strategies in using numbers as a way to remember essential information, read Kevin Horsley's book Unlimited Memory (2014) and Tony Buzan's Use Your Perfect Memory (1990).