First Aorist Verbs

You will be able to—
      1.   recognize and write the first aorist paradigm,
      2.   write the first aorist stems of the verbs learned in previous lessons,
      3.   translate the first aorist indicative form,
      4.   gain more practice in translating and working with Greek,
      5.   master ten more high-frequency vocabulary words, and
      6.   memorize Mat. 6:11 in Greek.

Introduction

In English we have two ways of forming the past tense:

      1.   Add the “ed” suffix to the word:
           I laugh at Elliott’s jokes (present).
           I laughed at Elliott’s jokes (past).

      2.   Change the form of the verb:
           Zach runs down the court (present).
           Zach ran down the court (past).

Comparison with Greek

Like the English, Greek forms the Aorist in two ways. The first aorist is formed off the present stem, with an augment and a suffixed σα. The second aorist is built from a different aorist stem that adds endings identical to the imperfect.

The aorist is used for when the action is viewed as a whole and  complete (e.g., “he loosed”). The aorist is the most frequent tense form and is used as a background tense by writers as opposed to the present tense form which is used to foreground material.  The imperfect is used to portray action in progress or “dwelled upon” (aspect), and can be used of action that is continuous/durative/iterative (Aktionsart). The actual time or tense of the action is triggered more by temporal pointers like adverbs, prepositional phrases and conjunctions than the aorist tense form itself.  The aorist can be used for actions which are past, present, omnitemporal or timeless.  Thus the aorist is extremely flexible.Both the first and second aorists are usually translated as a simple past (e.g., “he came”). However, they may sometimes be translated by the English perfect (e.g., “has spoken” or “he speaks”). The imperfect is used to portary action as developing, unfolding or “dwelled upon” (e.g. “he was loosing”).

First Aorist Form

The first aorist is built from the first aorist verb stem. It is preceded by an ε augment and followed by secondary endings like the imperfect. The future was constructed by inserting a σ between the stem and ending. So the first aorist is formed by inserting a σα between the stem and secondary pronominal endings.

Augment

Verb stem

Tense formative

Secondary endings

You loosed

ε +

λυ +

σα +

ς =

ἔλυσας

Aug

Stem

Tense connective

Ending

 

Aorist Active Indicative of λύω

 

Singular

Plural

1.

ἔλυσα

I loosed

ἐλύσαμεν

We loosed

2.

ἔλυσας

You loosed

ἐλύσατε

You loosed

3.

ἔλυσε(ν)

He/she/it loosed

ἔλυσαν

They loosed

Note: The -, σ, ε, μεν, τε, ν endings are the same as the imperfects except that in the first person singular the ν is dropped.

Aorist Middle Indicative of λύω

 

Singular

Plural

1.

ἐλυσάμην

I loosed (for myself)

ἐλυσάμεθα

We loosed (for ourselves)

2.

ἐλύσω

You loosed (for yourself)

ἐλύσασθε

You loosed (for yourselves)

3.

ἐλύσατο

He/she/it loosed (for himself/herself/itself)

ἐλύσαντο

They loosed (for themselves)

Note: The μην, ω, το, μεθα, σθε, ντο endings are the same as the imperfects except in the second person singular, where the ου shifts to ω.

Augments

By now you know how the augment is added (see chaps. 12 and 14). Sorry for the repetition, but just to refresh your memory. The augment is added in four ways:

1.   before consonants it is “ε.”

2.   before vowels the augment contracts with the vowel according to the following rules:

Vowels

Diphthongs

ε + α = η

ε + αι = ῃ

ε + ε = η

ε + ει = ῃ

ε + η = η

ε + οι = ῳ

ε  +  ι = ι

ε + αυ = ηυ

ε + ο = ω

ε + ευ = ηυ

ε + υ = υ

 

Four patterns:

     (1)   α and ε lengthen to η.

     (2)   ο lengthens to ω.

     (3)   ι ending becomes a diphthong subscript.

     (4)   υ ending of a diphthong stays strong.

3.   Compound verbs with prepositions ending in a consonant: Insert the augment between the prepositional prefix and the verb stem. ἐνδύω becomes ἐνέδυσα (I clothed)

4.   Compound verbs with prepositions ending in a vowel: The final vowel of the preposition is dropped and the ε augment is inserted in its place. ἀπολύω becomes ἀπέλυσα (I released).

Ending Transformations—Sigma Addition

The sigma ending is added in basically the same way as the sigma was added for future tense verbs with the similar transformations (see chap. 10).

Velars: (κ, γ, or χ) + σ becomes ξ.

        διδάσκω + σα = ἐδίδαξα (I taught)

Labials: (π, β, or φ) + σ becomes ψ.

        βλέπω + σα = ἔβλεψα (I saw)

Dentals: (τ, δ, or θ) + σ drops the dental.

        πείθω + σα = ἔπεισα (I persuaded)

With liquids (λ and ρ) and nasals (μ and ν), “lemoners,” often the sigma is dropped and the preceding vowel in the stem is changed.

μένω + σα = ἔμεινα

ἀποστέλλω + σα = ἀπέστειλα

If the stem ends in a sibilant (σ, ζ), the sibilant is dropped and the sigma of the ending is kept.

σῴζω + σα = ἔσωσα

These transformations are not always predictable. Thus it is necessary to be able to recognize the aorist for each verb.

Aorist Stems of Verbs

Here is a list of first aorist active indicative forms of verbs already learned.

Present

First Aorist

 

ἀκούω

ἤκουσα

I heard

ἀποστέλλω

ἀπέστειλα

I sent

βλέπω

ἔβλεψα

I saw

γράφω

ἔγραψα

I wrote

διδάσκω

ἐδίδαξα

I taught

πιστεύω

ἐπίστευσα

I believed

θέλω

ἠθέλησα

I wished

μένω

ἔμεινα

I remained

κρίνω

ἔκρινα

I judged

σῴζω

ἔσωσα

I saved

Chant:  First Aorist

      ἔλυσα   (I loosed)      (-- pronounce noise sound “aahh”)                  

                --,  -ς,  -ε,            -μεν, -τε, -ν

      ἐλυσάμην  (I loosed myself)                    

               -μην,   -ω, -το,       -μεθα, -ασθε, -αντο

Translation Examples

καὶ ἤκουσαν φωνῆς μεγάλης ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.
And they heard a loud voice from heaven (Rev. 11:12).

ἐγὼ πάντοτε ἐδίδαξα ἐν συναγωγῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ.
I always taught in synagogue and in the temple (Jn. 18:20).

Ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ.
I wrote to you in the letter (1 Cor. 5:9).

Vocabulary

ἄλλος, -η, -ο

other (155)

ἄρτος, -ου, ὁ

bread (97)

δεῖ

it is necessary (101)

ἐξουσία, -ας, ἡ

authority (100)

ἕτερος, -α, -ον

different (98)

ἔτι

yet, still (93)

ὀφθαλμός, -οῦ, ὁ

eye (100)

τέκνον, -ου, τό

child (99)

τόπος, -ου, ὁ

place (94)

φῶς, φωτός, τό

light (73)

Review

Mat. 6:9:

Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς·

 

ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου·

Mat. 6:10

ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου·

 

γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου,

 

ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς·

Memory Verse: Mat. 6:11

τὸν

ἄρτον

ἡμῶν

τὸν

ἐπιούσιον

the

bread

our

the

daily portion

δὸς

ἡμῖν

σήμερον·

 

Give

us

today;

 

Modifié le: mercredi 8 août 2018, 13:10