Verb – Luo active subjunctive plural

ObjectivesLearning objectives

The rule for enclitics after οὐ
The morphology of the Luo active subjunctive (pl)
The semantics of the cohortative use of the subjunctive

VocabularyVocabulary

Greek	Gloss	Part of speech	Paradigm
δύσκολος, -ον	difficult	adjective	A.a.γ
ὥσπερ	as	conjunction
ἡ ἐλπίς, -ιδος	the hope	noun	B.a.γ.iv
ἀλλήλων	one another	pronoun	47.4.3
κατοικεῖ ἐν τόπῳ	(he) lives in a place (dat)	verb	C.a.β
νομίζω ὅτι	(I) think that	verb	C.a.θ

PhonologyPhonology: Enclitic rule 9 (enclitic after οὐ retains accent)

According to the rules we learned previously, proclitics or enclitics that precede an enclitic are accented with an acute on the ultima (see 5.4.3), e.g. ἔν μοι and τὸ τέκνον μού ἐστιν. In the former, the proclitic ἐν has an acute accent because it precedes the enclitic μοι, and in the latter, the enclitic μου has an acute accent because it precedes the enclitic ἐστιν. However, οὐ (in all its forms) forces the enclitic to retain its accent, e.g. ἄνθρωπε, οὐκ εἰμί ‘man, I am not’ (Luke 22:58). The enclitic εἰμί retains its accent after οὐ according to this rule, even though we would expect οὐ to be accented.

MorphologyMorphology: Verb – Luo active subjunctive plural

Remember: subj verbs are characterised by a lengthened theme vowel (see 28.1.4.1).
In the 3p, the diphthong ου in -ουσι(ν) lengthens to ω.

Morphology: Verb – Luo active subjunctive plural

	Singular	Plural
1st person	σαλεύ-ω	σαλεύ-ωμεν
2nd person	σαλεύ-ῃς	σαλεύ-ητε
3rd person	σαλεύ-ῃ	σαλεύ-ωσι(ν)

SemanticsSemantics: Verb – Subjunctive (2 – Cohortative)

Verb – Subjunctive: all 2 parts on one page →Also in Lesson 30.3

A sentence like Let’s eat this fig is called a cohortative. A cohortative is when the subject expresses their desire to do something and invites someone else to do it with them. This is a very common use of the subjunctive:

Example 271Cohortative

διέλθωμεν [let’s go across] to the other side of the lake (Luke 8:22)

The subjunctive is used here to express Jesus’s desire and to invite his disciples to join in what he desires to do. This kind of statement is usually followed by an indication of whether the hearers comply or not, and in this case, the whole group goes to the other side.

Although we have seen that subjunctives are often found in subordinate clauses, cohortatives show this is not a hard and fast rule. The cohortative use is found in independent main clauses, and this is one of the keys to identifying it. Because it reflects the intention of the speaker and is a call for the addressees to participate in the event, it is also always first person plural.

Become a fluent reader of the biblical languages

Biblingo is the only language-learning app (mobile and web) that provides everything you need to go from zero knowledge of Greek, Hebrew, and Latin to reading the Bible in its original and historic languages — all in one place.

Start Free Trial