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VERB  -  INDICATIVE:       Indicative is used to express fact / reality

I.                      BASIC VERB STRUCTURE     (Used for indicative and all verb forms)

 II.                    PERSONAL ENDINGS

III.       THEME VOWEL                                - ο /  ε

The theme vowel functions primarily as a syllable "connector" or "link" to join endings to the stem and/or tense code when present.  When the stem or tense code already contains a vowel (e.g. as in μι verbs or in the tense code σα) the theme vowel usually is missing.  It varies regularly between an -ο- or -ε- sound, sometimes as a diphthong (e.g. -ου-).  Lengthening of the theme vowel ( ω / η ) is also used as the sign of subjunctive mood.

IV.       TENSE CODES                      (If no tense code, go to "V. STEM" below)

V.        STEM              When a tense code is present, the particular STEM is important only for vocabulary.

                                                            When a tense code is not present, the following tense  information can be noted:

                                    1. Same stem as first principal part (dictionary stem)                                          Linear stem (Present / Imperfect)

                                    2. Different (modified) stem                                                                                                                                           Aorist tense ("2nd aorist")

VI.    AUGMENT      A lengthening of the verb stem in Secondary (i.e. Past) tenses & thus only in  Indicative mood forms

                        For verbs beginning with:                                              a. Consonant                            =                                  ε-

                                                                                    b.            Vowel                                      =                                  lengthened initial vowel

                                                                                                                                    [           Examples:         πέμπω                               ἔπεμψα

                                                                                                ἔρχομαι                                   ἠρχόμην

VII.     REDUPLICATION                 Prefix sign for Perfect and PluPerfect forms

Its Form varies: initial consonant doubled with ε;  initial vowel lengthened; doubling within stem, etc.

πιστεύω                     πεπίστευκα        λαμβάνω                 εἴληφα                ἀκούω             ἀκήκοα

(One might say, reduplication is whatever prefix is on the front of a perfect verb)

VIII.    PRINCIPAL PARTS

IX.       ANALYSIS     of Verb Forms (Parsing)

X.                    SCHEMATIC OF TENSES                (prefix : STEM : tense : theme : ending   as appropriate)

XI. VOICE      Refers to relationship of the Subject to the Verbal Action

XII.         TENSE ASPECT                 Tense calls attention to the "type of action" being described in the context The primary sense of the Tense of the Greek verb is of the type, quality, or character of the action rather than the particular time when it occurs. Time reference, though present in the  Indicative, is secondary and essentially absent in other moods.  There are three basic types of action:

Examples below illustrate these aspects appropriate to specific contexts:

   A.  Present     1. repeated action:

                     • ἕκαστος τὸ ἴδιον δεῖπνον προλαμβάνει

                              Each person keeps taking their own supper first. (1 Cor. 11.21)

            2. continuing action:

                     • μὴ φοβοῦ μόνον πίστευε

                              Do not continue to fear, only keep on believing. (Mk 5.36)

            3. action in progress:

                     • Κύριε σῶσον ἀπολλύμεθα                    

                              Lord, save (us), we are perishing. (Mt 8.25)

                     • αἱ λαμπάδες ἡμῶν σβέννυνται         

                              Our lamps are going out. (Mt 25.8)

            4. customary or general truth (maxims/proverbs):

                     • πᾶν δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ

                              Every good tree produces good fruit.            (Mt 7.17)

                     • τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ

                              The wind blows where it wishes       (J 3.8)

            5. attempted action:

                     • διὰ ποῖον αὐτῶν ἔργον ἐμὲ λιθάζετε;

               Because of which deed are you trying to stone me?  (J 10.32)

            6. futuristic:

                     • ἔρχεται ὁ ἰσχυρότερός μου ὀπίσω μου

               After me is coming one who is stronger than I  (Mk 1.7)

                     • ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται

                              The son of man will be handed over (Mk 9.31, cf. Mk 10.33)

            7. historical present (narrative past):

                     • καὶ ὀψίας γενομένης ἔρχεται μετὰ τῶν δώδεκα

               And when it was evening he came with the twelve (Mk 14.17)

            8. action beginning in past and continuing into the present:

                     • ἀπ ᾿ ἀρχῆς μετ ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἐστε

               From the beginning you have been with me  (J 15.27)

      B.  Imperfect  1. repeated action:

                     • τὰς πρωτοκλισίας ἐξελέγοντο

               They kept choosing (one after one) the first couches (Lk 14.7)

                     • καὶ ἤρχοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλεγον, χαῖρε

               And they kept coming up to him and saying, hail        (J 19.3)

            2. continuing action:

                     • καὶ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν εἶπαν· ἐφοβοῦντο γάρ.             (Mk 16.8)

               And they said nothing to anybody, for they continued in fear

                     • καὶ ἠπίστουν αὐταῖς

               And they continued to disbelieve them          (Lk 24.11)

            3. action in progress:

                     • πολλοὶ πλούσιοι ἔβαλλον πολλά

               Many rich people were putting in a lot  (Mk 12.41)

            4. customary action:

                     • κατὰ δὲ ἑορτὴν ἀπέλυεν αὐτοῖς ἕνα δέσμον          (Mk 15.6)

               According to the feast he used to release to them one prisoner

            5. beginning of  an action that continues:

                     • καθίσας ἐδίδασκεν τοὺς ὄχλους

               He sat down and began to teach the crowds             (Lk 5.3)

                     • παραχρῆμα δὲ ἀναστᾶσα διηκόνει αὐτοῖς      (Lk 4.39)                       And immediately she arose and began to minister to them      

 

            6. action intended or attempted:

                     • καὶ ἐδίδουν αὐτῷ ἐσμυρνισμένον οἶνον

               And they tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh     (Mk 15.23)

                     • καὶ ἐκάλουν αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ πατρός

               And they were intending to name him after his father            (Lk 1.59)

                     • ὁ δὲ διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων

               But he tried to prevent him, saying....            (Mt 3.14)

            7. expression of wishes:

                     • ἤθελον δὲ παρεῖναι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἄρτι

               I could wish to be with you right now....        (Gal 4.20)

                     • ηὐχόμην γὰρ ἀνάθεμα εἶναι αὐτὸς ἐγώ

               For I could pray that I myself be accursed    (Rom 9.3)

   C.  Aorist              (ἀόριστος, i.e. "unlimited") expresses occurrence without noting repetition or progress. It conceives the action as a simple or complete unit or event. This event may be imagined in at least four different ways:

            1.      simple or direct statement of an action or event:    

                              • καὶ ἐβαπτίσθη εἰς τὸν ᾿Ιορδάνην

                  And he was baptized in the Jordan river (Mk 1.9)

                              • καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς

                  And immediately he called them...  (Mk 1.20)

            2.      complete action/event viewed from beginning/inception (change of state):

                              • δι ᾿ ὑμᾶς ἐπτώχευσεν For your sake he became poor(2 Cor 8.9)

                              • ὁ υἱός μου νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησεν

                  My son was dead, but has come back to life        (Lk 15.24)

            3.      complete action/event viewed from its end or result:

                              • ἐγὼ γὰρ ἔμαθον αὐτάρκης εἶναι

                  For I have learned to be content...          (Philip 4.11)

            4.      a lengthy action/event considered as a unit or whole:

                              • τεσσεράκοντα καὶ ἓξ ἔτεσιν οἰκοδομήθη ὁ ναὸς οὗτος

                  This temple was built in fourty-six years  (J 2.20)

      D.  Perfect      emphasizes an action as completed/finished, but focuses attention on the state resulting from that action that continues as a present reality:

                     • ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι μεταβεβήκαμεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν

               We know that we have already passed out of death to life (1 J 3.14)

                     • ὁ δὲ μὴ πιστεύων ἤδη κέκριται

               The one who does not believe is already judged         (J 3.18)

                     • πεπληρώκατε τὴν ᾿Ιερουσαλὴμ τῆς διδαχῆς ὑμῶν      (Acts 5.28)

               You have filled Jerusalem (and it is full) with your teaching   

      E.   Future       expresses action continuing or in progress in future time (see Present tense)

      F.   PluPerfect expresses state in past time resulting from a completed action (rare; see Perfect tense)