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Verb · Grammar concept

Verb: Verb - μ, ν endings

Verb - μ, ν endings is a verb topic in Koine (biblical) Greek. This page gathers its forms, paradigms, and function, drawn from the lessons of Reading Greek Deeply.

Verb1 lesson4 paradigms

MorphologyVerb - μ, ν endings

  • Just like liquid verbs (42.2.3.1), nasal verbs do not like σ, so in Luso and Elusa the σ drops out, e.g. κρίνω → ἔκρινα, and in Luso the theme vowel also lengthens, e.g. κρίνομεν → κρινοῦμεν
  • In the Elusa, the stem occasionally lengthens when the σ drops out, e.g. μένω ‘stay’ becomes ἔμεινα
  • Unlike liquid verbs, the nasal consonant drops out before the κ of the Leluka and before the θ of the psv Elusa and Luso
Morphology: Verb - μ, ν endings
SingularPlural
1stκρινῶκρινοῦμεν
2ndκρινεῖςκρινεῖτε
3rdκρινεῖκρινοῦσι(ν)
Morphology: Verb - μ, ν endings
SingularPlural
1stἔκριναἐκρίναμεν
2ndἔκριναςἐκρίνατε
3rdἔκρινε(ν)ἔκριναν
Morphology: Verb - μ, ν endings
1s Form
Lelukaκέκρικα
Passive Elusaἐκρίθην
Passive Lusoκριθήσομαι

fromLesson 43.2

SemanticsVerb – Luo (9 – Iterative)

Generics like Foxes have holes or habituals like Jesus eats with sinners involve multiple events or states. These sentences would not be true if only one fox had a hole or if Jesus only ate with sinners one time. Rather, these sentences describe characteristics of foxes and Jesus. We can also refer to multiple events that are not characteristics of an individual or group of individuals with the Luo form. This is called the iterative use of the present. We see it with a special class of events called semelfactives that have no duration or natural endpoint, such as the verb κρούω ‘knock’:

  • (430) Iterative use of Luo
  • ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἐπέμενεν κρούων (Acts 12:16)
  • But Peter continued knocking

fromLesson 43.2

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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).