Οι Χρόνοι των Ρημάτων
The Tenses of the Verbs (2)

Lesson 31 Part 2 - Greek Grammar

  Let's continue more analytically now with the tenses. The difficult part of the tenses is to make/know the Past simple tense.   If you know the Past simple you can create the other tenses following some simple rules. Remember, there are exceptions to the rules. Some easy to remember rules are:
   The consonant (τρέχω) before the ending of almost every verb in the first group changes for the Past Simple (έτρεξα) and is stays the same as the Present, in the Past Continuous (έτρεχα).

  Table 31.2.1 show all the simple rules that I can think of:

Table 31.2.1

1. The Present, Future Simple and Future Continuous have the same endings (-ω, -εις, -ει -ομε or -ουμε, -ετε, -ουν).
The Future Tenses take in front of them the word Θα (shall, will).

2. The Past Simple and Past Continuous, have the endings (-α, -ες, -ε, -αμε, -ατε, -αν).

3. The Consonants before the ending in the Past Simple (for the First Group) change. Usually change to -σ, ξ, or ψ- in the regular verbs.

4. The verbs of the second and third group make the past simple by ending -εσα, or -ησα as a new ending. Example:
αγαπ-ώ in the past simple becomes αγάπ-ησα.
μπορ-ώ in the past simple becomes μπόρ-εσα.

5. The verbs of the second and third group make the Past Continuous by ending -ουσα, as a new ending. Example:
αγαπ-ώ in the past continuous becomes αγαπ-ούσα.
μπορ-ώ in the past continuous becomes μπορ-ούσα.

6. The verbs that start with a consonant in the active voice (in Groups 1, 2 and 3), many times take an -έ- at the beginning in the Past Simple and Past Continuous. That -έ- disappears or is not used when it's not accented. Examples:
γράφω ( Present) - έ-γραψα (Past Simple) but γράψαμε ( Past Simple in the plural).
A few verbs take -ή- instead of -έ- in the past tenses. Example:
θέλω (Present) - ήθελα (Past).

7. The Perfect tenses are made with the help of the auxiliary verb έχω (have) and the infinite (we'll learn about that later).

There are no standards for the making of the past tenses of the Fourth Group. You will have to learn them as you meet the verbs. The only standard rule is that they will end in -α, -ες, -ε | -αμε, -ατε, -αν (-ουν).

Let's take two verbs, one of the First Group and one of the Fourth Group, and try to create their tenses.
The verbs are: τρέχω (run), and κάθομαι (sit).

Table 31.2.2

Tenses			Explanation
Present	τρέχω	κάθομαι	The verb itself.
Past Simple	έτρεξα	κάθισα	Notice the -ε- in the First Group, and the changing of the consonant.
Past Continuous	έτρεχα	καθόμουν	Notice the -ομουν ending in the fourth group. No change in the consonant. The second and third Groups get the ending -ουσα.
Future Simple	Θα τρέξω	Θα καθίσω	The Future simple is made from the Past Simple without the -ε- in the front, and the -Θα-. Also the endings turn back to the regular endings.
Future Continuous	Θα τρέχω	Θα κάθομαι	Its the -Θα- and the verb in the Present Tense.
Present Perfect	έχω τρέξει	έχω καθίσει	The -έχω- and the verb in the Past Simple without the -ε- that was in the front and with the ending turning to -ει-.
Past Perfect	είχα τρέξει	είχα καθίσει	Same as above but with -είχα- instead of -έχω-.
Future Perfect	Θα έχω τρέξει	Θα έχω καθίσει	The same as Present Perfect but we add -Θα-.

The best way to learn the tenses is to learn the Past Simple and Past Continuous of every verb that you come across. Then you can create the others as I did in table 31.2.2 .
In the next lesson I'll conjugate a few verbs in different tenses.

The Tenses of the Verbs (Part 1) Examples of Conjugation of the Tenses

Οι Χρόνοι των Ρημάτων
The Tenses of the Verbs (2)

Lesson 31 Part 2 - Greek Grammar

Copyright © 2002-2024 ILG. All Rights Reserved.

PROPERTY OF ILG. YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THIS MATERIAL
FOR ANYTHING ELSE BUT PERSONAL STUDY

Οι Χρόνοι των Ρημάτων The Tenses of the Verbs (2)

Lesson 31 Part 2 - Greek Grammar

Copyright © 2002-2024 ILG. All Rights Reserved.

PROPERTY OF ILG. YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THIS MATERIAL FOR ANYTHING ELSE BUT PERSONAL STUDY

Οι Χρόνοι των Ρημάτων
The Tenses of the Verbs (2)

PROPERTY OF ILG. YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THIS MATERIAL
FOR ANYTHING ELSE BUT PERSONAL STUDY