Ancient Greek for Everyone:
A New Digital Resource for
Beginning Greek
Unit 7 part 4:
contract verbs
2013 edition
Wilfred E. Major
wmajor@lsu.edu
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This class
AGE Unit 7 part 4: contract verbs
• This final part of Unit 7 introduces Greek verbs that
have contractions between their stems and their
personal endings.
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from Unit 1:
Saying two vowels in a row
• Speakers of Classical Greek did not like to say two vowel
sounds in a row.
• Consequently, if two vowels came together, they tended to
– merge them into one
(called a “diphthong,” Greek for “double sound”)
– or contract them.
• Specifically:
– A vowel + ι or υ forms a diphthong.
– α, ε and ο contract with each other.
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α, ε and ο + α contract:
• α+α=ᾱ
• ε+α=η
• ο+α=ω
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α, ε and ο + ε contract:
• α+ε=ᾱ
• ε + ε = ει
• ο + ε = ου
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α, ε and ο + ο contract:
• α+ο=ω
• ε + ο = ου
• ο + ο = ου
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Contract Verbs
• The rules of vowel contraction operate in verbs
when the stem ends in one of the vowels α, ε or ο.
• In these cases, this final vowel of the stem contracts
with the thematic vowel of “-ω verbs.”
• Since “-μι verbs” do not have this thematic vowel,
they do not need to contract.
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Contract Verbs
• The most common type of contraction in verbs involves
-ε, where the contractions are:
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–
–
–
–
ε+ωω
ε + ει  ει
ε + ο  ου
ε + ε  ει
ε + ου  ου
• Notice that when -ε contracts with a long vowel sound,
the long sound simply swallows the -ε.
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from Unit 7 part 1:
Building a Greek verb
• To indicate person and number, -ω verbs need distinct
endings, which are as follows:
• -ω = I (1st person singular)
-ομεν = we (1st person plural)
• -εις = you (2nd person singular) -ετε = y’all (2nd person plural)
• -ει = (s)he, it (3rd person sing) -ουσι = they (3rd person plural)
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• (λαλέω ) λαλῶ
– I talk.
• (λαλέομεν ) λαλοῦμεν
– We talk.
• (λαλέεις ) λαλεῖς
– You talk.
• (λαλέετε ) λαλεῖτε
– Y’all talk.
• (λαλέει ) λαλεῖ
– (S)he/it talks.
• (λαλέουσι ) λαλοῦσι
– They talk.
Building a Greek Verb
The Present Indicative Active of λαλέω
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• The ending –ειν signals that an -ω verb is in the infinitive.
• (λαλέειν ) λαλεῖν
– “talk” in the infinitive mood (mode)
• This form is the present, infinitive, active.
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• From Unit 2: Placing the accent:
– On most Greek words, the “recessive” rule determines the
placement of the accent. This means:
– If the last syllable of the word contains a single short
vowel, the accent “recedes” two syllables:
– δίδοτε
– It can recede only to the last short vowel sound of this
syllable (never to the first part), so the accent appears as an
acute (“/”):
– ἄνθρωπος, δώσετε (= δοόσετε)
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• From Unit 2: Placing the accent:
– On most Greek words, the “recessive” rule determines the
placement of the accent. This means:
– If the word has only two syllables and the last syllable of
the word contains a single short vowel, the accent
“recedes” to the first syllable:
– δότε
– or the first part of a long vowel sound:
– δῶρον (= δόορον)
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• From Unit 2: Placing the accent:
– On most Greek words, the “recessive” rule determines the
placement of the accent. This means:
– If the last syllable of the word contains a long vowel sound,
the accent “recedes” only one syllable:
– διδότω.
– It can recede only to the second part of this syllable, so the
accent always appears as an acute (“/”):
– παραδώσω (= παραδοόσω = παραδοόσοο)
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VOCABULARY
• Α contract verb will be listed in its uncontracted form.
For example: λαλέω talk
ἐρωτάω ask
δηλόω show
As the principal parts indicate in the following slides,
in a contract verb, normally the vowel lengthens
(α and ε  η, ο  ω) in the future tense.
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: Classical
• ἀδικέω -ήσω commit injustice
• αἱρέω, -ήσω take, grasp
– ἀναιρέω raise up; kill, destroy
– ἀφαιρέω take from, take away
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αἰτέω -ήσω beg, ask
βοηθέω -ήσω help
δοκέω, δόξω seem
ἐθέλω, ἐθελήσω want
εὑρίσκω, εὑρήσω find
ζητέω -ήσω seek
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: Classical
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κατηγορέω -ήσω accuse
κινέω -ήσω move
κρατέω -ήσω rule over
λαλέω -ήσω talk, babble
μέλλω, μελλήσω intend, be about to
μιμνήσκω, μνήσω remind
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: Classical
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οἰκέω -ήσω dwell
ὁμολογέω -ήσω agree
ποιέω -ήσω do, make
πολεμέω -ήσω make war
φοβέω -ήσω frighten
φρονέω -ήσω think
χαίρω, χαιρήσω be happy, say hello
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: NT (New Testament)
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αἰτέω -ήσω beg, ask
ἀκολουθέω -ήσω follow
ἀσθενέω -ήσω be sick, be weak
βλασφημέω -ήσω blaspheme
δέω, δήσω bind
διακονέω -ήσω serve
δοκέω, δόξω seem
εὐλογέω -ήσω bless, praise
εὑρίσκω, εὑρήσω find
εὐχαριστέω -ήσω give thanks
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: NT (New Testament)
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ζητέω -ήσω seek
θέλω, θελήσω want
θεωρέω -ήσω watch, observe
κατοικέω -ήσω inhabit, settle
κρατέω -ήσω rule over
λαλέω -ήσω talk
μαρτυρέω -ήσω witness
μέλλω, μελλήσω intend, be about to
μετανοέω -ήσω repent
μισέω -ήσω hate
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: NT (New Testament)
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οἰκοδομέω -ήσω build
περιπατέω -ήσω walk, live
ποιέω -ήσω do, make
προσκυνέω -ήσω worship
τηρέω -ήσω guard
φωνέω -ήσω call out, summon
χαίρω, χαιρήσω rejoice
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Contract Verbs
• The next most common type of contraction in verbs involves -α,
where the contractions are:
–
–
–
–
–
α+ωω
α + ει  ᾳ
α+οω
α+εᾱ
α + ου  ω
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• (ἐρωτάω ) ἐρωτῶ
– I ask.
• (ἐρωτάομεν ) ἐρωτῶμεν
– We ask.
• (ἐρωτάεις ) ἐρωτᾷς
– You ask.
• (ἐρωτάετε ) ἐρωτᾶτε
– Y’all ask.
• (ἐρωτάει ) ἐρωτᾷ
– (S)he/it asks.
• (ἐρωτάουσι ) ἐρωτῶσι
– They ask.
Building a Greek Verb
The Present Indicative Active of ἐρωτάω
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• The ending –ειν signals that an -ω verb is in the infinitive.
• (ἐρωτάειν ) ἐρωτᾶν
– “ask” in the infinitive mood (mode)
• This form is the present, infinitive, active.
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: Classical
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δράω, δράσω do
ἐάω, ἐάσω allow
ἐρωτάω -ήσω ask
ζάω, ζήσω live
νικάω -ήσω conquer, defeat
ὁρμάω -ήσω urge, hurry
πειράω, πειράσω try, attempt
τελευτάω -άσω finish, die
τιμάω -ήσω honor
τολμάω -ήσω dare
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: NT (New Testament)
• ἀγαπάω -ήσω love
• γεννάω -ήσω give birth to
• ἐρωτάω -ήσω ask
• ἐπερωτάω ask for
• ζάω, ζήσω live
• πλανάω -ήσω mislead
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Contract Verbs
• The least common type of contraction in verbs involves -ο,
where the contractions are:
–
–
–
–
–
ο+ωω
ο + ει  οι
ο + ο  ου
ο + ε  ου
ο + ου  ου
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• (δηλόω ) δηλῶ
– I show.
• (δηλόεις ) δηλοῖς
– You show.
• (δηλόει ) δηλοῖ
– (S)he/it shows.
• (δηλόομεν ) δηλοῦμεν
– We show.
• (δηλόετε ) δηλοῦτε
– Y’all show.
• (δηλόουσι ) δηλοῦσι
– They show.
Building a Greek Verb
The Present Indicative Active of δηλόω
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• The ending –ειν signals that an -ω verb is in the infinitive.
• (δηλόειν ) δηλοῦν
– “show” in the infinitive mood (mode)
• This form is the present, infinitive, active.
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: Classical
• ἀξιόω -ώσω consider worthy, valuable
• δηλόω -ώσω show
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: NT (New Testament)
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δηλόω -ώσω show
δικαιόω -ώσω justify
πληρόω -ώσω show, fulfill
σταυρόω -ώσω crucify
φανερόω -ώσω reveal
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Contract Futures
• Recall that Greek verbs add –σ to their stems to form the
future tense.
• Some verbs have stems that end in a liquid (-λ, -ν, -ρ)
and Greek does not allow a liquid + –σ.
• In these cases, the –σ degrades to an -ε, which contracts
just as it does in present contract verbs.
• In a vocabulary entry, the future is listed in its contracted
form.
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: Classical
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ἀγγέλλω, ἀγγελῶ report, tell
αἴρω, ἀρῶ raise
ἀποκτείνω, -κτενῶ kill
ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπολῶ kill, destroy
βάλλω, βαλῶ throw
διαφθείρω, -φθερῶ destroy
κρίνω, κρινῶ judge, decide, determine
μένω, μενῶ remain, stay
τέμνω, τεμῶ cut
φαίνω, φανῶ make appear
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: Classical
A few other verbs also have contract futures.
• ἐλαύνω, ἐλῶ march
– This future is an -α contract.
• καλέω, καλῶ call
• κομίζω, κομιῶ provide for
• λέγω, ἐρῶ say, tell
– Classical Greek uses both ἐρῶ and λέξω (see Unit 7.3) as the future of
λέγω.
• νομίζω, νομιῶ believe
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: NT (New Testament)
• αἴρω, ἀρῶ raise
• ἀπαγγέλλω -αγγελῶ report, tell
– παραγγέλλω command, order
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ἀποκτείνω, -κτενῶ kill
ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπολῶ kill, destroy
ἀποστέλλω, -στελῶ send away
βάλλω, βαλῶ throw
– ἐκβάλλω throw
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: NT (New Testament)
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ἐγείρω, ἐγερῶ raise up
κρίνω, κρινῶ judge, decide, determine
μένω, μενῶ remain, stay
σπείρω, σπερῶ sow
φαίνω, φανῶ make appear
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Unit 7 Vocabulary: NT (New Testament)
A few other verbs also have contract futures.
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ἐγγίζω, ἐγγιῶ come near
ἐλπίζω, ἐλπιῶ hope for
ἐυαγγελίζω, ἐυαγγελιῶ bring good news, preach
καθαρίζω, καθαριῶ cleanse
καλέω καλῶ call
– παρακαλέω beg, encourage
• λέγω, ἐρῶ say, tell
– Biblical Greek uses only ἐρῶ (never λέξω) as the future of λέγω.
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Unit 7 part 4 Vocabulary: Core
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ἀγγέλλω, ἀγγελῶ report, tell
αἴρω, ἀρῶ raise
αἰτέω -ήσω beg, ask
ἀποκτείνω, -κτενῶ kill
ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπολῶ kill, destroy
βάλλω, βαλῶ throw
δηλόω -ώσω show
δοκέω, δόξω seem
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Unit 7 part 4 Vocabulary: Core
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(ἐ)θέλω, ἐθελήσω want
ἐρωτάω -ήσω ask
εὑρίσκω, εὑρήσω find
ζάω, ζήσω live
ζητέω -ήσω seek
καλέω καλῶ call
κρατέω -ήσω rule over
κρίνω, κρινῶ judge, decide, determine
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Unit 7 part 4 Vocabulary: Core
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λαλέω -ήσω talk, babble
λέγω, ἐρῶ say, tell
μέλλω, μελλήσω intend, be about to
μένω, μενῶ remain, stay
ποιέω -ήσω do, make
φαίνω, φανῶ make appear
χαίρω, χαιρήσω be happy, say hello