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Chapter 9 · Lesson 9.4 · Verb
Verb – μι singular
ObjectivesLearning objectives
- The morphology of sg -μι verbs
- The use of the present to refer to events that culminate
VocabularyVocabulary
| Greek | Gloss | Part of speech | Paradigm |
|---|---|---|---|
| τίθημι τὴν ἐπὶ τήν | (I) put the (acc) on the (acc) | verb | C.a.ε |
| ἀφίημι τήν | (I) leave the (acc) | verb | C.a.ε |
| δείκνυμί σοι τήν | (I) show you (dat) the (acc) | verb | C.a.ε |
| ἵστημι τήν | (I) stand the (acc) | verb | C.a.ε |
| δίδωμί σοι τήν | (I) give you (dat) the (acc) | verb | C.a.ε |
| τὸ ἅλας, -ατος | the salt | noun | B.a.γ.i(b) |
GrammarGrammar Topic: Verb – μι singular
Verbs in the regular pattern we have already learned are sometimes called thematic verbs, while μι verbs are called athematic verbs. Unsurprisingly, μι verbs lack the theme vowel found in normal present tense verbs like ἐσθίω. Although there are far fewer μι verbs than thematic verbs, many of the μι verbs are extremely common, making them essential to master.
MorphologyMorphology: Verb – μι singular
- The 1st person has the characteristic μ of 1st person, e.g. με.
- The 2nd person has the characteristic ς on the end.
- Classical form = -ς; alternative form = -ῖς
- The 3rd person has the moveable ν as in ἐστί(ν), which is itself an irregular μι verb.
| Singular | |
|---|---|
| 1st Person | δίδω-μι |
| 2nd Person | δίδω-ς/διδο-ῖς |
| 3rd Person | δίδω-σι(ν) |
SemanticsSemantics: Verb – Present (4 – Culminating Interpretation)
Verb – Present: all 5 parts on one page →Also in Lesson 1.4, Lesson 2.1, Lesson 6.3, Lesson 10.4
We characterized the present progressive use of the present as referring to that part of an event that did not include its endpoint, i.e. the event is in the midst of occurring. The culminating interpretation is essentially the opposite of the progressive use, since it specifies that the endpoint has been reached:
ἔρχεται Ἰησοῦς καὶ λαμβάνει τὸν ἄρτον καὶ δίδωσιν αὐτοῖς
Jesus comes and takes the bread and gives to them (John 21:13)
All the verbs in this verse are in the present, and they happen in a sequence, i.e. one after the other. Jesus comes, and then he takes the bread, and then he gives it to his disciples. We know that each event ends because they must be interpreted in a sequence. First, Jesus must come to where the bread is. Once he arrives at the bread, this event has ended–he has reached the endpoint of coming. Next, he takes the bread. Again, once he has the bread in his possession, the endpoint of the taking event has been reached. And finally, he gives it to his disciples, and this event’s endpoint is also reached, since the context makes clear that the disciples are then in possession of the bread.
How is it possible that the present can refer to both an event in progress and a completed event? The interpretation of the present in these examples depends on the nature of the verb. For example, λαμβάνω is a verb with a natural endpoint and no duration. It ends when you are in possession of something, and as soon as you grasp that thing, you are in possession of it. These kinds of events, ones that have an endpoint and no duration, are referred to as achievements (see Semantics A for more discussion). When achievements are used with the present, we often get the culminating interpretation where the endpoint has been reached.
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New Testament text shown on hover: Greek from the SBLGNT, © 2010 Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0; English from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain).