Language/Modern-greek-1453/Grammar/Participles

Modern Greek (1453-) Grammar → Advanced Grammar → Participles

As a continuation of our advanced grammar lessons in Modern Greek (1453-), today I will be discussing participles and their use in the Greek language.

Participles are a form of a verb that can be used as an adjective or a noun. In Greek, participles are formed by adding certain suffixes to the verb stem. There are three types of participles in Greek: the present participle, the perfect participle, and the future participle.

Present Participle

The present participle in Greek is formed by adding the suffix -ων to the verb stem. This participle is used to show an ongoing action or a current state. Here are a few examples:

Modern Greek (1453-)	Greek transliteration	English
λέων	léon	lion
τρέχων	tréchon	running
καθίζων	kathízon	sitting
φωτίζων	fotízon	illuminating

As you can see from these examples, the present participle is used to describe a person or thing that is currently performing an action.

Perfect Participle

The perfect participle in Greek is formed by adding the suffix -υκώς to the verb stem. This participle is used to show a completed action in the past that continues to have an effect in the present. Here are a few examples:

Modern Greek (1453-)	Greek transliteration	English
γραμμένος	gramménos	written
δοθείς	dotheís	given
καταλαβείς	katalaveís	understood
τραγουδημένος	tragoudimenós	sung

As you can see from these examples, the perfect participle is used to describe a person or thing that has already completed an action but still has an effect in the present.

Future Participle

The future participle in Greek is formed by adding the suffix -ούμενος to the verb stem. This participle is used to show a future action. Here are a few examples:

Modern Greek (1453-)	Greek transliteration	English
θαυμαστός	thavmastós	admirable
προσεχόμενος	prosekhome̱nos	attentive
συναντηθούμενος	synantithoúmenos	to meet (in the future)
καρποφορούμενος	karpoforoúmenos	bearing fruit (in the future)

As you can see from these examples, the future participle is used to describe a person or thing that will perform an action in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, participles are an important part of the Greek language and can be used to add more depth and detail to your writing or speech. By using participles correctly, you can create more complex and nuanced sentences that better express your meaning.

Remember to practice using participles in your own speech and writing to improve your Greek language skills. And as always, stay curious and keep learning!

Sources

• Greek verbs
• Modern Greek grammar

Table of Contents - Modern Greek (1453-) Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Introduction to Greek Alphabet

• Greek Letters and Pronunciation
• Diphthongs and Special Combinations

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Basic Greetings and Phrases

• Greetings and Introductions
• Common Everyday Phrases

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Nouns and Articles

• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Noun Gender and Plurals

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Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
• Adverbs and Adverbial Phrases

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Food and Dining

• Common Foods and Drinks
• Ordering in a Restaurant

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Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

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Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Common Prepositions
• Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

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Greek Traditions and Customs

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Greek Cuisine

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Greek History and Geography

• Historical Overview
• Geographical Regions

Related Lessons

• Subject Verb Agreement
• The use of uppercase and lowercase
• Imperative Mood in Greek
• The spelling of the verbs (–λλ or –λ)
• Les numéraux ordinaux cardinaux
• Word Accentuation
• Nouns
• Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives
• Prepositions and conjunctions
• The comma