Language/Modern-greek-1453/Grammar/Present-Tense
As a modern Greek (1453-) language teacher, I have been teaching the Greek language for 20 years. Welcome to this lesson that will teach you how to form and use the present tense of verbs in Modern Greek. This lesson belongs to a larger course titled "Complete 0 to A1 Modern Greek (1453-) Course". Students are complete beginners and this course will take them to the A1 level.
Introduction
The present tense is used to describe actions that are happening now or are currently in progress. For example, "I am studying Greek grammar." In Modern Greek, the present tense is broadly categorized into two forms: the simple present tense and the present continuous tense.
In this lesson, we will be focusing on the formation and usage of the simple present tense. You will learn how to conjugate regular verbs, irregular verbs, and stem-changing verbs in the present tense.
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Diphthongs and Special Combinations & Common Mistakes in Learning Greek.
Formation of the Simple Present Tense
In Modern Greek, the simple present tense is a combination of a verb root or stem and a series of endings that help indicate the person, number, and gender of the subject. The endings are the same for regular and irregular verbs. However, in the case of irregular verbs, the stem will differ from the standard verb forms.
Here are some examples of regular verb endings:
| Pronoun | Ending | Example verb form |
|---|---|---|
| Εγώ | -ω | μιλάω (miláo) - I speak |
| Εσύ | -εις | μιλάς (milás) - You speak |
| Αυτός/Αυτή/Αυτό | -ει | μιλάει (milái) - He/She/It speaks |
| Εμείς | -ουμε | μιλάμε (miláme) - We speak |
| Εσείς | -ετε | μιλάτε (miláte) - You all speak |
| Αυτοί/Αυτές/Αυτά | -ουν | μιλούν (miloun) - They speak |
As mentioned earlier, irregular verbs have different stem forms that do not follow the usual verb patterns. Here is an example table of irregular verbs:
| Verb | Stem | Example verb form |
|---|---|---|
| Έχω (ého) | Ε | έχω (écho) - I have |
| Πηγαίνω (peyéno) | Πηγαίν- | πηγαίνω (peyéno) - I go |
| Είμαι (íme) | Εισ- | είμαι (íme) - I am |
Now that you know how to form the present tense, let's look at when to use it.
Usage of the Simple Present Tense
Use the simple present tense when talking about:
- Actions happening now: "Βλέπω τηλεόραση" (Vlépo tileórasi) - I am watching television.
- Habits/Regular occurrences: "Καθόμαι στο γραφείο κάθε πρωί" (Kathómé sto grafió káthe proí) - I sit in the office every morning.
- General truths: "Η Γη περιστρέφεται γύρω από τον Ήλιο" (I Gi peristréfetai gýro apó ton Ílio) - The Earth orbits around the Sun.
- Events that will happen in the future: "Αναχωρώ αύριο το πρωί" (Anachoró ávrio to proí) - I leave early tomorrow morning.
Examples
Here are some examples of verbs in the present tense:
| Greek | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Μιλάω (Miláo) | miˈla.o | I speak |
| Φτιάχνω (Ftiáhno) | ftiˈa.no | I make |
| Τρώω (Tróo) | trɔ.ɔ | I eat |
| Σηκώνω (Sikóno) | siˈko.no | I lift |
Tips for Learning the Present Tense
Here are some tips that will help you master the present tense:
1. Practice forming regular and irregular verbs in the present tense daily. 2. Pay attention to the gender of the subject, especially with irregular verbs. 3. Try and build vocabulary around regular verbs and the present tense. This will help you remember the pronunciation of the verbs and the forms quickly. 4. Listen to Greek speakers and analyze the verb forms they are using.
Conclusion
In this lesson, you have learned how to form and use the simple present tense in Modern Greek. Remember that practice is key to mastering this tense. We hope this lesson has been helpful to you in your journey to learn Modern Greek.
Impressive work on finishing this lesson! Explore these additional pages to enhance your understanding: Greek Letters and Pronunciation & Present perfect and past perfect tense.
Other Lessons
- Questions
- Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
- The predicate
- Personal Pronouns
- Writing and spelling
- Paronyms and Homonyms
- Definite and Indefinite Articles
- Give your Opinion
- Direct and indirect speech
- The Greek sentence types