The Verb “To Be”
and Further Uses of the Article
Copyright 2005-2008, Scott Gray
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Introduction to “To Be”
 The most common way to express
existence in almost all languages
 Usually the most irregular too!
 I am, you are, He is
 The object is not accusative, but a
noun or pronoun in the predicate
position: predicate nominative
 Only 3 Greek tenses are used:
present, imperfect, future
Copyright 2005-2008, Scott Gray
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PAI “To Be” Paradigm
Singular
Plural
1st Person
ei0mi/
e0sme/n
2nd Person
ei]
e0ste/
3rd Person
e0sti/ (n)
ei0si/ (n)
Copyright 2005-2008, Scott Gray
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IAI “To Be” Paradigm
Singular
Plural
1st Person
h1mhn
h]men
2nd Person
h]j
h]te
3rd Person
h]n
h]san
Copyright 2005-2008, Scott Gray
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FMI “To Be” Paradigm
Singular
Plural
1st Person
e1somai
e0so/meqa
2nd Person
e1sh|
e1sesqe
3rd Person
e1stai
e1sontai
Copyright 2005-2008, Scott Gray
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“To Be” Verb Notes
 Normally, present forms are enclitic:
the previous word carries the accent
 Imperfect forms are irregular (some
secondary, some deponent)
 Future forms are deponent, some
irregularity
Copyright 2005-2008, Scott Gray
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Examples
o9 apostolo/j e0sti dou=loj
 The apostle is a slave
dida/skalo/j ei0mi
 I am a teacher
h9 parqe/noj e0sti\ kalh/
 The maiden is beautiful
Copyright 2005-2008, Scott Gray
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Examples cont.
h9 parqe/noj kalh
 The maiden is beautiful
 Greek does not need to have an
explicit “to be” verb.
Copyright 2005-2008, Scott Gray
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Further Uses of the Article
 Make a noun out of an adjective:
oi9 nekroi\ e0n toi=j mnamei/oij ei0si/n
 The dead (people) are in the tombs
a0po/stoloi pra/ssousi ta\ kala/
 Apostles do the (things) that are noble
 The adjective is put in the attributive
position and the noun is assumed
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Further Uses of the Article, cont.
 Relates a prepositional phrase to a noun,
not a verb: it functions adjectivally
o9 i3ppoj o9 e0n th=| kw&mh| e0sti\ mikro/j
 The horse (that is) in the village is small
 Treats prepositional phrase as an adjective
and puts it into the attributive position.
Copyright 2005-2008, Scott Gray
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Further Uses of the Article, cont.
 Turns a prepositional phrase into a
noun
oi9 e0n th=| kw&mh| ei]don me
 The (people) in the village saw me
Copyright 2005-2008, Scott Gray
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