Nouns and Case Endings
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Understanding Different Moods
Those Pesky Participles and Irritating Infinitives
Nouns and Case Endings
 Eight cases in the Greek grammar system:
 Nominative



The case of designation
Typically the subject of the sentence
oJ a[nqrwpoV ginwvskei (“The man knows.”)
 Genitive (“of”)



The case of description (often describing a possessor)
Attributes quality to the word it modifies
oJ oi\koV tou: ajnqrwvpou (“the house of the man” or “the man’s
house”)
Nouns and Case Endings
 Ablative (“from”)
 Often combined with the Genitive case
 Uses the same form as the Genitive case
 The case of separation
 oJ a[vnqrwpoV pevmpei tou;V douvlouV tou: oi[kou (“the man sends the
slaves from the house”)
 Dative (“to”)
 Case of interest
 Used often to express the indirect object of a verb
 oJ ajpovstoloV levgei lovgouV toi:V ajnqrwvpoiV (“The apostle says words to
the men.”)
Nouns and Case Endings
 Locative (“in”)
 Often combined with the Dative case
 Uses the same form as the Dative case
 The case of location or position
 oJ a[nqrwpoV didavskei tw/: oi[kw/ (“The man teaches in the house.”)
 Instrumental (“with” or “by”)
 Often combined with the Dative case
 Uses the same form as the Dative case
 The case of means
 oJ a[nqrwpoV didavskei lovgoiV (“The man teaches with words.”)
Nouns and Case Endings
 Accusative




The case of limitation
It marks the limit or end of an action
Mainly used as the direct object of a verb
oJ a[nqrwpoV levgei lovgouV (“The man says words.”)
 Vocative


The case of address
ajdelfev, blevpw oi\kon (“Brother, I see a house.”)
Nouns and Case Endings
 There are three declensions in the Greek language:
 1st Declension - a sound predominates
 2nd Declension - o sound predominates
 3rd Declension – consonant stems predominate
 A Greek noun is identified in three ways:
 Case
 Gender (masculine, feminine, neuter)
 Number (singular or plural)
 Ex. – Nominative masculine singular (NMS)
Nouns and Case Endings
 1st Declension Nouns
Singular
Feminine Nouns
“day”
“glory”
“voice”
Masculine Nouns
“disciple”
Nom. hJmevra dovxa fwnhv maqhthvV neanivaV
Gen.
hJmevraV dovxhV fwnh:V maqhtou: neanivou
Dat.
hJmevra/ dovxh/ fwnh:/ maqhth:/ neaniva/
Acc.
hJmevran dovxan fwnhvn maqhthvn neanivan
Voc. hJmevra dovxa fwnhv maqhtav neaniva
“young man”
Nouns and Case Endings
 1st Declension
Plural
Feminine Nouns
“days”
“glories”
“voices”
Masculine Nouns
“disciples”
N & V hJmevrai dovxai fwnaiv maqhtaiv neanivai
Gen.
hJmerw:n doxw:n fwnw:n maqhtw:n neaniw:n
Dat.
hJmevraiV dovxaiV fwnai:V maqhtai:V neanivaiV
Acc. hJmevraV dovxaV fwnavV maqhtavV neanivaV
“young men”
Nouns and Case Ending
 The Definite Article
Singular
Masc.
Nom.
Gen.
Dat.
Acc.
Fem.
Plural
Neut.
oJ hJ
tov
oiJ aiJ tav
tou: th:V tou: tw:n tw:n tw:n
tw:/ th:/ tw:/ toi:V tai:V toi:V
tovn thvn tov
tou:V tavV tav
Masc.
Fem.
Neut.
Nouns and Case Endings
 2nd Declension
Masculine
Singular
Nom.
Gen.
Dat.
Acc.
Voc.
oJ a[nqrwpoV (on)
tou: ajnqrwvpou
tw/: ajnqrwvpw/
to;n a[nqrwpon (on)
a[nqrwpe
Plural
oiJ a[nqrwpoi (a)
tw:n ajnqrwvpwn
toi:V ajnqrwvpoiV
tou;V ajnqrwvpouV (a)
a[nqrwpoi
*Neuter endings are in brackets (def art. – to [sing.] and ta [pl.])
* Feminine nouns take the feminine definite article, but take the same noun
endings as the masculine nouns (hJ oJdovV – “the way”).
Noun and Case Endings
 3rd Declension
 Most difficult of the declensions to master.
 It contains over thirty paradigms.
 Characteristics of the 3rd declension:





Gen. sing. ends in -V (-oV most frequently]
Dat. sing. ends in –i
Nom., Voc., Acc. pl. end in -V (-eV and -oV most frequently]
Gen. pl. ends in –wn
Dat. pl. ends in –si(n)
Noun and Case Endings
 3rd Declension
Singular
Nom.
Gen.
Dat.
Acc.
Masc./Fem.
Neuter
-V, none
-oV
-i
-a or -n
none
-oV
-i
none
Noun and Case Endings
 3rd Declension
Plural
Nom.
Gen.
Dat.
Acc.
Masc./Fem.
Neuter
-eV
-wn
-si
-aV
-a
-wn
-si
-a
Noun and Case Endings
 3rd Declension (paradigm examples)
 oJ a[rcwn (stem is ajrcont-) (Masculine)
Nom.
Gen.
Dat.
Acc.
Singular
Plural
a[rcwn
a[rcontoV
a[rconti
a[rconta
a[rconteV
ajrcovntwn
a[rcousi(n)
a[rcontaV
Noun and Case Endings
 3rd Declension (paradigm examples)
 hJ savrx (stem is sark-) (Feminine)
Nom.
Gen.
Dat.
Acc.
Singular
Plural
savrx
sarkovV
sarkiv
savrka
savrkeV
sarkw:n
sarxiv(n)
savrkaV
Noun and Case Endings
 3rd Declension (paradigm examples)
 to; sw:ma (stem is swmat-) (Neuter)
Nom.
Gen.
Dat.
Acc.
Singular
Plural
sw:ma
swvmatoV
swvmati
swvma
swvmata
swmavtwn
swvmasi(n)
swvmata
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
 Identifying Verbs (Parsing)
 Tense



Tense is the quality of a verb that deals with action.
Verbs have time of action (past, present, future).
Verbs have kind of action (linear or punctiliar).
 Voice


Voice is the indicator of relationship between verb and subject
Three types of voice: active, passive, middle
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
 Identifying verbs (cont.)
 Mood


Mood helps to discover the relations of action to reality.
Action is either actually taking place or is potential.
 Person (first, second, third)
 Number (singular or plural)
* 1st person singular Aorist active indicative (1sAAI)
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
 Present Indicative
 The present tense indicates progressive action at the
present time.
 The indicative mood relates the reality of action from
the viewpoint of the speaker.
Present Active Indicative of luvw
Singular
Plural
luvw – “I loose/am loosing”
luovmen – “We loose”
luveiV – “you loose”
luvete – “you loose”
luvei – “he, she, it looses”
luvousi – “they loose”
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Present Middle/Passive Indicative of luvw
Singular
Plural
luvomai – “I loose myself”
“I am being loosed”
luovmeqa – “We loose ourselves”
“We are being loosed”
luvh/ - “you loose yourself”
“you are being loosed”
luvesqe – “you loose yourself”
“you are being loosed”
luvetai – “he looses himself”
“he is being loosed”
luvontai – “they loose themselves”
“they are being loosed”


Notice the middle and passive forms are the same.
Function will be determined by context.
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
 Future Indicative
 Formation of the future indicative:

Future active indicative:
primary stem + s + primary endings = Future
lu + s +
w = luvsw

Future passive indicative:
primary aorist stem + s + pass. personal endings = FPI
luqh
+ s +
omai = luqhvsomai
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Future Active Indicative
Singular
Plural
luvsw – “I will loose”
luvsomen – “we will loose
luvseiV – “you will loose”
luvsete – “you will loose”
luvsei – “he, she, it will loose”
luvsousi – “they will loose”
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Future Middle Indicative
Singular
Plural
luvsomai – “I will loose myself”
lusovmeqa – “we will loose ourselves”
luvsh/ - “you will loose yourself”
luvsesqe – “you will loose yourselves”
luvsetai – “he will loose himself”
luvsontai – “they will loose themselves”
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Future Passive Indicative
Singular
Plural
luqhvsomai – “I will be loosed”
luqhsovmeqa – “we will be loosed”
luqhvsh/ - “you will be loosed”
luqhvsesqe – “you will be loosed”
luqhvsetai – “he will be loosed”
luqhvsontai – “they will be loosed”
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
 Imperfect Indicative
 The imperfect is continuous action in past time.
 It is best illustrated by a single line (
).
 The imperfect is signified by the syllabic augment - e
 If the verb begins with a vowel, the word take the
temporal augment, where the original vowel is
lengthened:



e lengthens to h (ejgeivrw – h[geiron)
o lengthens to w (ojfeivlw – w[feivlon)
a lengthens to h (ajkouvw – h[kouon)
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Imperfect Active Indicative
Singular
Plural
e[luon – “I was loosing”
ejluvomen – “we were loosing”
e[lueV – “you were loosing”
ejluvete – “you were loosing”
e[lue(n) – “he, she, it was loosing”
e[luon – “they were loosing”
augment + present stem + secondary active endings
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Imperfect Middle & Passive Indicative
Singular
Plural
ejluovmhn – “I was loosing myself” /
“I was being loosed”
ejluovmeqa – “we were loosing ourselves”
“we were being loosed”
ejluvou – “you were loosing yourself” /
“you were being loosed”
ejluvesqe – “you were loosing yourselves”
“you were being loosed”
ejluveto – “he was loosing himself” /
“he was being loosed”
ejluvonto – “they were loosing themselves”
“they were being loosed”
augment + primary stem + secondary mid/pass. end.
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
 The function of the imperfect tense:
 Progressive past action (Descriptive)
“he was speaking”
 Attempted past action (Conative)
“he tried to speak”
 Repeated past action (Iterative)
“he kept on speaking”
 Beginning past action (Inceptive)
“he began to speak”
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
 Aorist Active Indicative (First & Second)
 This is a tense that speaks of past time.
 The kind of action is punctiliar (“snapshot”).
 The aorist is written in the simple past tense.
 Like the imperfect, it takes the augment (the augment
rules apply just as in the imperfect).
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
First Aorist Active Indicative
Singular
Plural
e[lusa – “I loosed”
ejluvsamen – “we loosed”
ejluvsaV – “you loosed”
ejluvsate – “you loosed”
e[luvse – “he, she, it loosed”
e[lusan – “they loosed”
Augment + present stem + sa + secondary endings
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
First Aorist Middle Indicative
Singular
Plural
ejlusavmhn – “I loosed myself”
ejlusavmeqa – “we loosed ourselves”
ejluvsw – “you loosed yourself”
ejluvsasqe – “you loosed yourselves”
ejluvsato – “he loosed himself”
ejluvsanto – “they loosed themselves”
Augment + first aorist active stem + secondary mid./pass. end
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
First Aorist Passive Indicative
Singular
Plural
ejluvqhn – “I was loosed”
ejluvqhmen – “we were loosed”
ejluvqhV – “you were loosed”
ejluvqhte – “you were loosed”
ejluvqh – “he was loosed”
ejluvqhsan - “they were loosed”
Augment + present stem + passive voice morpheme + secondary active
endings
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
 Second Aorist Indicative
 Second Aorist functions the same as first aorist.
 The second aorist does not take the s past tense
morpheme.
 The stem changes in the second aorist.
 This happens in the English past tense:
 preach becomes preached
 teach becomes taught
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Second Aorist Active Indicative of leivpw (“I leave”)
Singular
Plural
e[lipon – “I left”
ejlivpomen – “we left”
e[lipeV – “you left”
ejlivpete – “you left”
e[lipe(n) – “he left”
e[lipon – “they left”
Augment + Aorist stem + secondary endings
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Second Aorist Middle Indicative
Singular
Plural
ejlipovmhn – “I left for myself”
ejlipovmeqa – “we left for ourselves”
ejlivpou – “you left for yourself”
ejlivpesqe – “you left for yourselves”
ejlivpeto – “he left for himself”
ejlivponto – “they left for themselves”
Augment + aorist stem + secondary middle ending
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Second Aorist Passive Indicative
of ajpostevllw
Singular
Plural
ajpestavlhn – “I was sent”
ajpestavlhmen – “we were sent”
ajpestavlhV – “you were sent”
ajpestavlhte – “you were sent”
ajpestavlh – “he was sent” (she, it)
ajpestavlhsan – “they were sent”
Augment + Aorist stem + secondary active endings
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
 Perfect Indicative
 This is the Greek tense of completed action with a
resulting state of being (
).
 The primary emphasis is the resulting state of being.
 The perfect is easy to spot because of the reduplicated
stem.
 Also, the perfect tense sign is k.
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Perfect Active Indicative
Singular
Plural
levluka – “I have loosed”
leluvkamen – “we have loosed”
levlukaV – “you have loosed”
leluvkate – “you have loosed”
levluke(n) – “he has loosed”
luluvkasi – “they have loosed”
reduplicated stem + ka + secondary active endings
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
Perfect Middle/Passive Indicative
Singular
Plural
levlumai – “I have loosed myself”
“I have been loosed”
leluvmeqa – “we have loosed ourselves”
“we have been loosed”
levlusai – “you have loosed yourself”
“you have been loosed”
levlusqe – “you have loosed yourselves”
“you have been loosed”
levlutai – “he has loosed himself”
“he has been loosed”
levluntai – “they have loosed themselves”
“they have been loosed”
reduplicated stem + primary middle/passive personal endings
Making Sense of Verb Tenses
 The Pluperfect Indicative
 It represents the past tense of the perfect.
 Because it is past, it takes an augment.
 The pluperfect is seldom used in the NT (John 9:22).
Pluperfect Active Indicative
Singular
Plural
ejleluvkein – “I had loosed”
ejleluvkeimen – “we had loosed”
ejleluvkeiV – “you had loosed”
ejleluvkeite – “you had loosed”
ejleluvkei – “he had loosed”
ejleluvkeisan – “they had loosed”
Understanding Different Moods
 Summary of the Various Moods
 Indicative – “The child runs”
 Subjunctive – “If the child should run”



Expresses action not really taking place, but is objectively possible.
The child has the ability to run.
Of the three potential moods, this one is nearest to reality.
 Optative – “Oh, that the child would run”
 Expresses action not really taking place, but is subjectively possible.
 This is the mood furthest removed from reality.
Understanding Different Moods
 Imperative – “Run, child!”


Expresses action that is not really taking place, but is
volitionally possible.
It is two steps from real action of the indicative mood.
 Indicative is the only mood which speaks of real action.
 The other three moods are those of potential action.
Understanding Different Moods
 The Subjunctive Mood
 Forms of the Subjunctive

This mood occurs rarely in the perfect tense.

Besides the rare cases in the perfect tense, this mood occurs
only in the present and aorist tenses.

Good News!! – The subjunctive mood is the most regular of all
the moods. This means that the endings are the same
throughout each conjugation.
Understanding Different Moods
Present Active Subjunctive of luvw
Singular
Plural
luvw – “I should loose”
luvwmen – “we should loose”
luvh/V – “you should loose”
luvhte – “you should loose”
luvh/ - “he, she, it should loose”
luvwsi(n) – “they should loose”
present stem + lengthened connecting vowel + primary endings
Understanding Different Moods
Present Middle/Passive Subjunctive of luvw
Singular
Plural
luvwmai – “I should loose myself”
“I should be loosed”
luwvmeqa – “we should loose ourselves”
“we should be loosed”
luvh/ - “you should loose yourself”
“you should be loosed”
luvhsqe – “you should loose yourselves”
“you should be loosed”
luvhtai – “he should loose himself”
“he should be loosed”
luvwntai – “they should loose themselves”
“they should be loosed”
present stem + lengthened connecting vowel + primary mid/pass
endings
Understanding Different Moods
 Further notes on the subjunctive
 The first aorist active and middle subjunctive is based on the
same endings with the added s after the primary stem (luvsw,
luvsh/V, luvsh/, etc.)

The first aorist passive subjunctive is formed by adding the q
to the present stem plus the primary endings with the
circumflex accent (luqw:, luqh:/V, luqh/:, etc.).

The second aorist is built on the stem change of the second
aorist with no s plus the primary and middle endings.

There is no augment in the subjunctive mood.
Understanding Different Moods
 Various expressions of the subjunctive:

Hortatory Subjunctive – used in first person plural
 e[lqwmen eijV to;n oi\kon (1pAAS)
 “Let us go into the house.”

Prohibitive Subjunctive – used in the aorist second person;
forbids the beginning of an act
 eijV peirasmo;n mh; eijsenevgkh/V hJma:V (2sAAS)
 “Lead us not into temptation.”
 “Don’t ever lead us into temptation.”
Understanding Different Moods

Deliberative Subjunctive – used to express a question whether
rhetorical or real
 tiv ei[pw uJmi:n (1sAAS)
 “What shall I say to you?”

Emphatic Negation Subjunctive – employs double negative
 ouj mh; ejkquvgwsin (3pAAS)
 “They shall be no means escape.”

Final Subjunctive – use of subordinate clause to express
purpose
 e[rcomai i{na ei[pw aujtw:/
 “I come in order that I may speak to him.”
Understanding Different Moods

Probable Future Condition Subjunctive
 This is used in conjunction with eja;n.
 Expresses action that is not really taking place but which
probably will take place in the future.
 jEa;n ei[pwmen
 “If we say.”
Understanding Different Moods
 The Imperative Mood
 Introduction

Appears in the present and aorist tenses only

There is no first person in the imperative mood

The third person in the imperative must be translated with a
permissive idea in mind – “let him . . .”
Understanding Different Moods
 Forms of the Imperative
Present Active Imperative
Singular
Plural
lu:e – “you continue loosing”
luvete – “you continue loosing”
luevsqw – “let him continue loosing”
luevswsan – “let them continue loosing”
Present Middle / Passive Imperative
Singular
Plural
luvon – “you loose yourself”
“you be loosed”
luvesqe – “you loose yourself”
“you be loosed”
luevsqw – “let him loose himself”
“let him be loosed”
luevsqwsan – “let them loose themselves”
“let them be loosed”
Understanding Different Moods
First Aorist Active Imperative
Singular
Plural
lu:son – “you loose”
luvsate – “you loose”
lusavtw – “let him loose”
lusavtwsan – “let them loose”
First Aorist Middle Imperative
Singular
Plural
lu:sai – “you loose yourself”
luvsasqe – “you loose yourselves”
lusavsqw – “let him loose himself”
lusavsqwsan – “let them loose themselves”
Understanding Different Moods
First Aorist Passive Imperative
Singular
Plural
luvqhti – “you be loosed”
luvqhte – “you be loosed”
luqhvtw – “let him be loosed”
luqhvtwsan – “let them be loosed”
Second Aorist Active Imperative
Singular
Plural
livpe – “you loose”
livpete – “you loose”
lipevtw – “let him loose”
lipevtwsan – “let them loose”
Understanding Different Moods
Second Aorist Middle Imperative
Singular
Plural
lipou: - “you leave yourself”
livpesqe – “you leave yourself”
lipevsqw – “let him leave himself”
lipevsqwsan – “let them leave themselves”
Second Aorist Passive Imperative
Singular
Plural
ajpostavlhqi – “you be sent”
ajpostavlhte – “you be sent”
ajpostalhvtw – “let him be sent”
ajpostalhvtwsan – “let them be sent”
Understanding Different Moods
 Functions of the Imperative
 The imperative is the mood which expresses action which is to be
realized by the exercise of the will of one person upon that of
another.

Like the subjunctive, the time of action is lost in the imperative
mood.

The present imperative is action which is in progress
 lu:e aujtovn – “continue loosing him”

The aorist imperative is action which is not yet started
 lu:son aujtovn – “loose him”
Understanding Different Moods

Various expressions of the imperative mood
 Cohortative – a positive command

Prohibitive – a negative command (only in the present)
 mh; lu:e aujtovn – “stop loosing him”
 mh; levgete tau:ta – “stop saying these things”

Entreaty – expression of a request as opposed to a command
 pavter a{gie, thvrhson aujtou;V ejn tw/: ojnovmativ sou.
 “Holy Father, keep them in thy name.”

Permissive – third person imperative
 luevtw to;n a[nqrwpon – “let him continue loosing the man”
 lusavtw to;n a[nqrwpon – “let him loose (start loosing) the man”
Understanding Different Moods
 The Optative Mood
 Formation of the Optative Mood

There are only 67 instances of the optative mood in the Greek
NT.

This is our third mood of potential.

The letter combinations of oi, ai, and ei are frequent in the
optative mood.

Like the other moods of potential, the augment is not present
in the aorist.
Understanding Different Moods
 Function of the Optative Mood

This is the mood which is the furthest removed from reality.
 The indicative mood declares something to be.
 The subjunctive mood expresses a feasible action.
 The imperative mood expresses a command and is contingent
upon the volition of the one receiving the command.

Hewett stated in his grammar, “ . . . the optative expresses a
polite request without any connotation of anticipated
realization; it has an air of perplexity or possibility; it always
has a remoteness with regard to whether or not the action
might come into being” (p. 194).
Understanding Different Moods

The optative can be translated into English using various
words that convey the idea of remoteness: (may, can, might,
should, could, would)

The optative of wishing:
 plhrwvsai uJma:V pavshV cara:V kai; eijrhvnhV

“may he fill you with all joy and peace” (Rom. 15:13)

oJ qeo;V th:V eijrhvnhV aJgiavsai uJma:V oJlotelei:V

“may the God of peace sanctify you entirely” (1 Thess. 5:23)

mh gevnoito – “may it never be” (Rom. 6:2, 15; 7:7) (“God forbid”)
Understanding Different Moods

The potential optative
 Potential of perplexity - mhvpote aujto;V ei[h oJ CristovV (PAopt.)
“whether he should be the Christ.”
(Luke 3:15)


Potential of possibility - tiv a]n poihvsaien tw:/ jIhsou: (AAopt.)
“what they might do to Jesus”
(Luke 6:11)
The fourth class condition optative: 1 Peter 3:14
 ajll j eij kai; pavscoite (PAopt.)
 “but if you should suffer”