Contract Verbs in -άω
**-άω contract verbs** have a present stem ending in **α**. When an ending beginning with a vowel is added, the **α** contracts with that vowel according to a fixed set of outcomes (29.4). The model verb is **ἀγαπάω** ('I love'), theologically central in the NT and morphologically representative of the whole -άω class.
**Morphology of ἀγαπάω (present active indicative + non-finite).** The underlying analysis (stem **ἀγαπ-** + contract vowel **α** + ending) produces the surface forms the reader encounters:
- **1 sg** ἀγαπά-ω → **ἀγαπῶ** (α + ω → ω).
- **2 sg** ἀγαπά-εις → **ἀγαπᾷς** (α + ει → ᾳ — note the **iota subscript**: the result is alpha with iota subscript, **not** plain alpha).
- **3 sg** ἀγαπά-ει → **ἀγαπᾷ** (α + ει → ᾳ).
- **1 pl** ἀγαπά-ομεν → **ἀγαπῶμεν** (α + ο → ω).
- **2 pl** ἀγαπά-ετε → **ἀγαπᾶτε** (α + ε → α, lengthened).
- **3 pl** ἀγαπά-ουσι(ν) → **ἀγαπῶσι(ν)** (α + ου → ω).
- **Infinitive** ἀγαπά-ειν → **ἀγαπᾶν** (α + ειν → ᾶν).
- **Participle (m.)** ἀγαπά-ων → **ἀγαπῶν** (α + ων → ων).
**A note on the iota.** The 2 sg and 3 sg surface as **ἀγαπᾷς / ἀγαπᾷ** with an iota subscript — this is a hallmark of -άω verbs and a reliable way to recognise the class. The 1 pl **ἀγαπῶμεν** is homophonous with the subjunctive 1 pl (the subjunctive uses the same present-stem morphology).
**Principal parts of ἀγαπάω** (present / future / aorist): **ἀγαπάω · ἀγαπήσω · ἠγάπησα** (aorist passive **ἠγαπήθην**). The future **ἀγαπήσω** shows the stem vowel **lengthening α → η before the tense formative σ** (ἀγαπα- → ἀγαπησ-): this is **stem-vowel lengthening, not present-system contraction.** The aorist **ἠγάπησα / ἠγάπησεν** involves **two distinct vowel changes** (see the full derivation under John 3:16 below): (A) the **stem-final contract vowel lengthens** α → η before the aorist σ (ἀγαπα- → ἀγαπησ-); (B) the **initial temporal augment** lengthens the initial ἀ- → ἠ- as characteristic **aorist-indicative / past-indicative morphology** (Ch. 25.9). So both the internal η (from the stem vowel) and the initial ἠ- (from the augment) are real. **Cross-reference:** temporal augment (Ch. 25.9); σ-future (Ch. 26.4); 1st aorist (Ch. 27.1–27.2).
**John 3:16 (PT1904/GOC)** — **Οὕτω γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον** ('For God so loved the world'). Target: **ἠγάπησεν**, lemma **ἀγαπάω**. Two distinct morphological processes must be kept separate: (1) the contract verb's aorist-system stem shows **α → η** before the aorist formation (**ἀγαπα- → ἀγαπησ-**); (2) the initial vowel undergoes **temporal augment** in the aorist indicative (**ἀ- → ἠ-**). The augment is characteristic past-indicative morphology, while the stem-vowel change belongs to tense-system formation.
Contract Verbs in -έω
**-έω contract verbs** have a present stem ending in **ε**. The model is **ποιέω** ('I do, make'), one of the most frequent verbs in the NT. Other important -έω verbs include **φιλέω** ('I love'), **καλέω** ('I call'), and **λαλέω** ('I speak').
**Morphology of ποιέω (present active indicative + non-finite):**
- **1 sg** ποιέ-ω → **ποιῶ** (ε + ω → ω).
- **2 sg** ποιέ-εις → **ποιεῖς** (ε + ει → ει).
- **3 sg** ποιέ-ει → **ποιεῖ** (ε + ει → ει).
- **1 pl** ποιέ-ομεν → **ποιοῦμεν** (ε + ο → ου).
- **2 pl** ποιέ-ετε → **ποιεῖτε** (ε + ε → ει).
- **3 pl** ποιέ-ουσι(ν) → **ποιοῦσι(ν)** (ε + ου → ου).
- **Infinitive** ποιέ-ειν → **ποιεῖν** (ε + ειν → ει).
- **Participle (m.)** ποιέ-ων → **ποιῶν** (ε + ων → ων).
**Principal parts of ποιέω:** **ποιέω · ποιήσω · ἐποίησα** (perfect **πεποίηκα** [not a contract form — reduplicated], aorist passive **ἐποιήθην**). The future **ποιήσω** shows the stem vowel lengthening ε → η before the tense formative σ (ποιε- → ποιησ-).
**The general σ-future pattern for contract verbs** is **stem-vowel lengthening** before the tense formative σ — the same kind of lengthening seen in πληρῶσαι (29.3), and **distinct from present-system contraction**. The general pattern is:
- **-άω → -ήσω** (α lengthens to η): ἀγαπάω → **ἀγαπήσω**
- **-έω → -ήσω** (ε lengthens to η): ποιέω → **ποιήσω**, λαλέω → **λαλήσω**, φιλέω → **φιλήσω**
- **-όω → -ώσω** (ο lengthens to ω): πληρόω → **πληρώσω**
**Important exception — καλέω.** One high-frequency -έω verb **does NOT lengthen** its stem vowel: **καλέω → καλέσω** (aorist **ἐκάλεσα**). Here the ε is **retained** before the σ. This is a lexical exception to the general -έω → -ήσω pattern; **it must not be generalized to other -έω verbs.** So ποιέω, λαλέω, φιλέω take **-ήσω** (ποιήσω, λαλήσω, φιλήσω), but **καλέω** keeps the ε in καλέσω. This example does not establish that καλέω is the only verb with an unlengthened stem vowel.
Note that **καλέω and λαλέω are contract verbs** (in the present system: καλῶ, καλεῖς; λαλῶ, λαλεῖς) — they are **not liquid verbs**, despite the sometimes-misleading stem. Their present stem ends in a **vowel** (ε), not a liquid consonant (see 29.6).
**Matthew 1:21** (PT1904 teaching text; excerpt checked against the BYZ04 digital witness) — …**καλέσεις** τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν…. ‘You shall call his name Jesus.’ καλέσεις is second-person singular future active indicative of καλέω. The stem καλεσ- retains ε before σ. This is a lexical exception to the frequent lengthening seen in ποιέω → ποιήσω and λαλέω → λαλήσω; learn the principal parts rather than treating that pattern as universal.
Contract Verbs in -όω
**-όω contract verbs** have a present stem ending in **ο**. The model is **πληρόω** ('I fill, fulfill'), central to the NT's language of fulfilment (especially in Matthew's formula-quotations, Ch. 73.3).
**Morphology of πληρόω (present active indicative + non-finite):**
- **1 sg** πληρό-ω → **πληρῶ** (ο + ω → ω).
- **2 sg** πληρό-εις → **πληροῖς** (ο + ει → οι).
- **3 sg** πληρό-ει → **πληροῖ** (ο + ει → οι).
- **1 pl** πληρό-ομεν → **πληροῦμεν** (ο + ο → ου).
- **2 pl** πληρό-ετε → **πληροῦτε** (ο + ε → ου).
- **3 pl** πληρό-ουσι(ν) → **πληροῦσι(ν)** (ο + ου → ου).
- **Infinitive** πληρό-ειν → **πληροῦν** (ο + ειν → ουν).
- **Participle (m.)** πληρό-ων → **πληρῶν** (ο + ων → ων).
**The aorist infinitive πληρῶσαι.** A particularly common NT form is the **aorist active infinitive** of πληρόω. **The ω here is NOT a present-system contraction** — it is **stem-vowel lengthening before the tense formative.** The lexical stem is **πληρο-**; in the aorist (and future) system the stem-final **ο lengthens to ω** before the σ of the tense formative, giving the aorist stem **πληρωσ-** (πληρο- → πληρω-). The aorist active infinitive ending is **-σαι**, so the form is **πληρωσ- + -αι → πληρῶσαι**. (Note: the σ belongs to the aorist stem **πληρωσ-**; the infinitive ending is **-αι**, not a second σ+αι.) The ω reflects stem-vowel lengthening. The circumflex follows a separate accent rule: the first-aorist active infinitive accents the penult, and a long accented penult takes a circumflex before final -αι, which counts as short for this rule. Compare πληρώσω: its ω is also long, but its accent is acute. These traditional quantity-based spelling rules do not prescribe vowel length in Modern Greek pronunciation.
**Critical distinction — keep these two processes separate:**
- **Present-system contraction** (29.1–29.5): the stem vowel **contracts with the ending vowel** (πληρό-ει → πληροῖ, πληρό-ουσι → πληροῦσι).
- **Stem-vowel lengthening before future/aorist tense formation**: the stem-final vowel **lengthens before the tense formative σ** (πληρο- → πληρωσ-; hence future **πληρώσω**, aorist infinitive **πληρῶσαι**). This is **lengthening, not contraction with an ending.**
**Principal parts of πληρόω:** **πληρόω · πληρώσω · ἐπλήρωσα** (perfect **πεπλήρωκα** [reduplicated], aorist passive **ἐπληρώθην**). In both **πληρώσω** and **πληρῶσαι** the ω comes from the stem-vowel lengthening ο → ω before σ. **Cross-reference:** Matthew's fulfilment formulae ἵνα πληρωθῇ (Ch. 51.3, 73.3) use the aorist passive subjunctive **πληρωθῇ** (3 sg).
**Matthew 5:17** (PT1904 teaching text; excerpt checked against the BYZ04 digital witness) — …οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι, ἀλλὰ **πληρῶσαι**. ‘I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.’ πληρῶσαι is the aorist active infinitive of πληρόω and expresses purpose with ἦλθον: what the coming is directed toward. Morphologically, πληρο- has lengthened ω in the aorist stem πληρωσ-, followed by -αι. This is not present-system contraction. Accent is a separate matter: the first-aorist active infinitive accents the penult; a long accented penult before final -αι, counted short for this accent rule, takes a circumflex. Lengthening supplies ω, but does not by itself explain the circumflex: compare future πληρώσω.
Contraction Rules
The contraction of contract verbs follows a small, fixed set of outcomes. The governing principle: **when two vowels contract, they merge into a long vowel or diphthong according to the Greek contraction rules; the accent of the contracted syllable follows the contraction/accent rules and is not automatically circumflex** (see 29.5). The table below gives the verified outcomes for each vowel combination, with the morphological environment noted. **Do not mechanically generate forms from this table** — only attested, morphologically valid forms appear in the paradigms.
**Three terms to keep distinct:** (1) **contraction** — the merging of two adjacent vowels into one (ἀγαπά-ω → ἀγαπῶ); (2) **coalescence** — a near-synonym for the same merging process; (3) **compensatory lengthening** — a *different* phenomenon (a vowel lengthens to compensate for a *lost consonant*, usually σ), treated in 29.9.
**Historical vs synchronic.** Contraction is a *historical* sound change: at some point in the development of Greek, adjacent vowels merged. By the Koine period, the contracted form (ἀγαπῶ) was simply the word a reader saw and learned. The underlying analysis (ἀγαπά- + -ω) is a pedagogical tool for *explaining* the form, not a process a Koine speaker consciously performed.
The contraction table (above, in the paradigm) is verified against the standard Koine/Attic outcomes for PRESENT-SYSTEM contraction. Key checks: α+ω→ω, ε+ω→ω, ο+ω→ω (all contract to ω); α+ει→ᾳ (with iota subscript); ε+ει→ει; ο+ει→οι; ε+ου→ου, ο+ου→ου; α+ου→ω. **Keep this separate from stem-vowel lengthening before the σ-future/aorist tense formative** (a different process): α→η (ἀγαπήσω, ἠγάπησα), ε→η (ποιήσω, λαλήσω), ο→ω (πληρώσω, πληρῶσαι). καλέω → καλέσω is the EXCEPTION (ε retained, not lengthened) — do NOT generalize it.
Contract Verb Accentuation
Contract accentuation follows the interaction of the **underlying accent** and the Greek rules for contraction; it is not true that every contracted syllable automatically bears a circumflex. When accented vowels contract, the resulting accent depends on the original accent position and on the quantity of the resulting penult/ultima. Forms such as **ἀγαπῶ, ἀγαπᾷς, ποιεῖς, ποιοῦσι(ν), πληροῖς, πληροῦν** illustrate common circumflex outcomes, but the learner rule is: **recover the underlying form, apply contraction, then apply the appropriate Greek accent rule**. These written accent rules are morphological/orthographic and remain distinct from GTM's Modern Greek pronunciation policy.
Verified accent patterns: **ἀγαπῶ** (1 sg, circumflex ω); **ἀγαπᾷς / ἀγαπᾷ** (2/3 sg, circumflex on ᾳ); **ποιεῖς / ποιεῖ** (circumflex ει); **ποιοῦσι(ν)** (circumflex ου); **πληροῖς / πληροῖ** (οι); **πληροῦν** (infinitive, circumflex ου). All follow the contraction-accent rule.
Liquid and Nasal Stems
**Liquid and nasal stems** end in **λ, μ, ν, or ρ**. Their interaction with future and aorist morphology must be described system by system rather than by an exceptionless rule that these consonants simply “cannot take σ.”
**Liquid future.** Many such stems form the characteristic liquid future historically with an **-εσ-** future element; intervocalic **σ** is lost and the remaining **ε** contracts with the following inflectional vowel. Thus a form such as **μένω → μενῶ** has a contracted future surface.
**Liquid/nasal first aorist.** Many liquid/nasal stems form a first aorist in which historical **σ** is lost and the preceding vowel undergoes **compensatory lengthening**, e.g. **μένω → ἔμεινα**. This is a first-aorist formation even though no sigma is visible on the surface.
These are important formation patterns, **not class-wide generation algorithms**. The actual future and aorist systems are lexeme-specific and must be learned from the principal parts. For example, **βάλλω → ἔβαλον** uses a thematic second aorist rather than a liquid first aorist.
**High-frequency liquid/nasal lexemes** include **μένω** (μεν-), **κρίνω** (κριν-), **αἴρω** (ἀρ-/αἰρ-), **σπείρω** (σπερ-/σπειρ-), and **βάλλω** (βαλ-).
**Critical distinction — liquid/nasal verbs are not contract verbs.** Contract verbs have vowel-final present stems and show present/imperfect-system vowel contraction. Liquid futures have a different historical formation involving **-εσ-**, sigma loss, and contraction. A contracted surface form or the absence of visible sigma is characteristic evidence, not by itself a unique parsing diagnostic.
Traditional grammar often groups nasals **ν, μ** with liquids **λ, ρ** under the label “liquid verbs.” This is a conventional morphological grouping, not a claim that liquids and nasals are phonetically identical.
**John 15:16** (PT1904 teaching text; excerpt checked against the BYZ04 digital witness) — …ἵνα…καρπὸν φέρητε, καὶ ὁ καρπὸς ὑμῶν **μένῃ**…. ‘So that … you may bear fruit, and your fruit may remain.’ μένῃ is third-person singular present active subjunctive of μένω, a nasal-stem verb. Its subjunctive occurs in the ἵνα construction. The distinctive liquid/nasal future and aorist patterns are illustrated by μενῶ and ἔμεινα, not by treating this present form as a contracted future.
Future of Liquid Verbs
Many verbs whose relevant stems end in a **liquid or nasal** (λ, μ, ν, ρ) show the characteristic **liquid future**. Historically the future formation used an **-εσ-** element; intervocalic **σ** was lost and the remaining **ε** contracted with the following inflectional vowel. Thus forms such as **μένω → μενῶ**, **κρίνω → κρινῶ**, **αἴρω → ἀρῶ**, and **σπείρω → σπερῶ** have a contract-like future surface even though these lexemes are not ordinary contract verbs.
This formation must be distinguished from lexical contract verbs: contract verbs have vowel-final present stems whose stem vowel contracts with present/imperfect inflection, whereas liquid futures reflect a separate future-system history involving sigma loss and contraction. A contracted form or absence of visible σ is **characteristic evidence, not a unique parsing diagnostic**. Identify the form from the **lexeme, principal parts, morphology, mood/syntax, and context**.
**Stem alternation.** Some liquid verbs also show tense-system stem alternation, e.g. **σπείρω → σπερῶ**. Such alternation is lexeme-specific and should be learned with the principal parts rather than generalized to every liquid/nasal verb.
**Philippians 1:25 (PT1904/GOC)** — **καὶ τοῦτο πεποιθὼς οἶδα ὅτι μενῶ καὶ συμπαραμενῶ πᾶσιν ὑμῖν εἰς τὴν ὑμῶν προκοπὴν καὶ χαρὰν τῆς πίστεως.** Target: **μενῶ**, 1st singular future active indicative of **μένω**; **συμπαραμενῶ** is a compound of the same μένω family and likewise future active indicative, 1st singular. Historically, the characteristic liquid-future formation involves an **-εσ-** element, loss of intervocalic sigma, and contraction (schematically **μεν-ε(σ)-ω → μενῶ**). The contracted surface and absence of visible sigma are characteristic of this paradigm but are not standalone parsing diagnostics; the lexeme, principal parts, morphology, syntax, and context establish the parse.
Aorist of Liquid Verbs
Liquid/nasal stems can form a characteristic **first-aorist** pattern in which historical aorist sigma is lost and compensatory lengthening may appear. Thus **μένω → ἔμεινα** belongs to the first-aorist system even though no sigma is visible; **κρίνω → ἔκρινα**, **αἴρω → ἦρα**, and **σπείρω → ἔσπειρα** illustrate related liquid/nasal formations with lexeme-specific stem behavior. A different lexeme may instead have a **second-aorist** system, e.g. **βάλλω → ἔβαλον**. First versus second aorist is determined by the **tense-system/stem architecture**, not merely by the final surface sequence -α versus -ον. Principal parts therefore remain the safest guide.
**Philippians 1:25** (PT1904 teaching text; excerpt checked against the BYZ04 digital witness) — …ὅτι **μενῶ καὶ συμπαραμενῶ** πᾶσιν ὑμῖν…. ‘That I will remain and continue with you all.’ μενῶ and συμπαραμενῶ are first-person singular future active indicatives in the μένω family, not aorists. The principal part ἔμεινα illustrates the first-aorist pattern with no surface σ and ε/ει alternation; it is a paradigm comparison, not a quotation from this verse. Contrast the thematic second aorist ἔβαλον of βάλλω.
Compensatory Lengthening
**Compensatory lengthening** is a historical process in which a vowel lengthens in connection with the loss of a neighboring consonant, especially sigma in many liquid/nasal aorist formations. For **μένω → ἔμεινα**, the historical first-aorist formation is conventionally explained through sigma loss with **ε → ει** compensatory lengthening. Other liquid/nasal verbs do not always display the same visible vowel outcome, so the process is an explanatory pattern rather than an exceptionless generation rule. Keep this separate from **augment**: in an indicative aorist the augment is past-indicative morphology, while compensatory lengthening belongs to the tense-system stem history.
**ἔμεινα** (aorist of **μένω**) is a standard illustration of liquid/nasal first-aorist compensatory lengthening: historical sigma is lost and **ε → ει** provides a visible lengthened outcome. Compare **κρίνω → ἔκρινα**: historically the first-aorist formation likewise involves loss of sigma and **ι → ῑ** compensatory lengthening (**ἐκρινσα → ἔκρῑνα**). Ordinary polytonic spelling does not distinguish short **ι** from long **ῑ**, so the lengthening is not visible in the usual written form **ἔκρινα**. This illustrates why compensatory lengthening is a historical/morphological explanation rather than a rule that must always produce an obvious spelling change.
Irregular Contract Forms
Some verbs whose present is a contract form have **irregular principal parts**, but irregularity must not be confused with **suppletion**. **ζάω / ζῶ** ('live') forms future **ζήσω** and aorist **ἔζησα** with related lexical/stem material; these forms are irregular or stem-alternating, not a paradigm built from unrelated suppletive roots. By contrast, paradigms such as **ὁράω → ὄψομαι → εἶδον** or **λέγω → ἐρῶ → εἶπον** use genuinely distinct historical stem material and are appropriate suppletive examples. Classify each irregularity explicitly: contraction, stem-vowel alternation, tense-system irregularity, or genuine suppletion.
**Matthew 5:8 (PT1904/GOC)** — μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν **Θεὸν ὄψονται** ('Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God'). **ὄψονται** is 3rd plural **future middle indicative** in the suppletive paradigm of **ὁράω**; English naturally translates the lexeme actively ('they will see'). This illustrates why Greek morphological voice and English translation voice must be kept distinct. It is also a genuine suppletive future using **ὀπ-** stem material rather than the present-system ὁρα-.
Paradigms
Contract Verb Types
-άω/-έω/-όω verbs contract the stem vowel with present/imperfect-system inflection. **Liquid/nasal stems (λ, μ, ν, ρ) are a separate class:** many show a characteristic **liquid future** with historical sigma loss and contraction, and many show a **liquid first aorist** with sigma loss and compensatory lengthening. The exact future/aorist system is lexeme-specific and must be established from the principal parts.
| Verb type | Stem vowel | Representative contractions | Example verb |
| -άω | α | α+ω→ω, α+ει→ᾳ, α+ου→ω | ἀγαπάω → ἀγαπῶ |
|---|---|---|---|
| -έω | ε | ε+ω→ω, ε+ει→ει, ε+ου→ου | ποιέω → ποιῶ |
| -όω | ο | ο+ω→ω, ο+ει→οι, ο+ου→ου | πληρόω → πληρῶ |
Contraction Outcomes (verified)
**PRESENT-SYSTEM CONTRACTION:** two adjacent vowels merge into a long vowel or diphthong; the resulting accent follows the Greek contraction/accent rules and is **not automatically circumflex**. **SEPARATE PROCESS — STEM-VOWEL LENGTHENING** before the σ-future/aorist tense formative: -άω → -ήσω (α→η), -έω → -ήσω (ε→η), -όω → -ώσω (ο→ω). **καλέω → καλέσω** is an important exception with retained ε. Do not conflate contraction with stem-vowel lengthening or generate forms mechanically without lexical evidence.
| Underlying vowels | Result | Example (uncontracted → surface) |
| ε + ω | ω (circumflex) | ποιέ-ω → ποιῶ; φιλέ-ω → φιλῶ |
|---|---|---|
| α + ω | ω (circumflex) | ἀγαπά-ω → ἀγαπῶ |
| ο + ω | ω (circumflex) | πληρό-ω → πληρῶ |
| ε + ει | ει (circumflex) | ποιέ-εις → ποιεῖς |
| α + ει | ᾳ (circumflex) | ἀγαπά-εις → ἀγαπᾷς |
| ο + ει | οι | πληρό-εις → πληροῖς |
| ε + ου | ου (circumflex) | ποιέ-ουσι(ν) → ποιοῦσι(ν) |
| α + ου | ω (circumflex) | ἀγαπά-ουσι(ν) → ἀγαπῶσι(ν) |
| ο + ου | ου (circumflex) | πληρό-ουσι(ν) → πληροῦσι(ν) |
| α → η (σ-future/aorist LENGTHENING) | η | ἀγαπα- → ἀγαπησ-: ἀγαπάω → ἀγαπήσω, ἠγάπησα |
| ε → η (σ-future/aorist LENGTHENING) | η | ποιε- → ποιησ-: ποιέω → ποιήσω; λαλέω → λαλήσω |
| ο → ω (σ-future/aorist LENGTHENING) | ω | πληρο- → πληρωσ-: πληρόω → πληρώσω; aor. inf. πληρῶσαι |
| ε RETAINED (EXCEPTION) | ε (no lengthening) | καλέω → καλέσω (ε retained) — important exception; NOT generalizable |
ἀγαπάω (contract -άω) — Present Active
Note the iota subscript in 2/3 sg (ἀγαπᾷς/ἀγαπᾷ): α + ει → ᾳ. The contracted vowel is circumflex. Principal parts: ἀγαπάω · ἀγαπήσω · ἠγάπησα (aor. pass. ἠγαπήθην).
| Person/number | Uncontracted | Surface form |
| 1 sg | ἀγαπά-ω | ἀγαπῶ |
|---|---|---|
| 2 sg | ἀγαπά-εις | ἀγαπᾷς |
| 3 sg | ἀγαπά-ει | ἀγαπᾷ |
| 1 pl | ἀγαπά-ομεν | ἀγαπῶμεν |
| 2 pl | ἀγαπά-ετε | ἀγαπᾶτε |
| 3 pl | ἀγαπά-ουσι(ν) | ἀγαπῶσι(ν) |
| infinitive | ἀγαπά-ειν | ἀγαπᾶν |
| participle (m.) | ἀγαπά-ων | ἀγαπῶν |
ποιέω (contract -έω) — Present Active
ε + ει → ει (2/3 sg); ε + ο/ου → ου. Principal parts: ποιέω · ποιήσω · ἐποίησα (perf. πεποίηκα, aor. pass. ἐποιήθην).
| Person/number | Uncontracted | Surface form |
| 1 sg | ποιέ-ω | ποιῶ |
|---|---|---|
| 2 sg | ποιέ-εις | ποιεῖς |
| 3 sg | ποιέ-ει | ποιεῖ |
| 1 pl | ποιέ-ομεν | ποιοῦμεν |
| 2 pl | ποιέ-ετε | ποιεῖτε |
| 3 pl | ποιέ-ουσι(ν) | ποιοῦσι(ν) |
| infinitive | ποιέ-ειν | ποιεῖν |
| participle (m.) | ποιέ-ων | ποιῶν |
πληρόω (contract -όω) — Present Active
ο + ει → οι (2/3 sg); ο + ο/ου → ου (present-system CONTRACTION). Aorist infinitive πληρῶσαι is NOT contraction — it is stem-vowel LENGTHENING (πληρο- → πληρωσ-, ο lengthens to ω before the aorist tense formative σ). Principal parts: πληρόω · πληρώσω · ἐπλήρωσα.
| Person/number | Uncontracted | Surface form |
| 1 sg | πληρό-ω | πληρῶ |
|---|---|---|
| 2 sg | πληρό-εις | πληροῖς |
| 3 sg | πληρό-ει | πληροῖ |
| 1 pl | πληρό-ομεν | πληροῦμεν |
| 2 pl | πληρό-ετε | πληροῦτε |
| 3 pl | πληρό-ουσι(ν) | πληροῦσι(ν) |
| infinitive | πληρό-ειν | πληροῦν |
| participle (m.) | πληρό-ων | πληρῶν |
Liquid/Nasal Verbs — Future and Aorist
Liquid/nasal futures characteristically reflect historical sigma loss and contraction. Many liquid/nasal **first aorists** likewise lose historical sigma and may show compensatory lengthening; other lexemes have a **second-aorist** stem instead. Classify the aorist from its **tense-system/stem formation**, using the surface ending as evidence rather than as the sole definition.
| Verb | Present stem | Liquid future | Aorist |
| μένω ('remain') | μεν- | μενῶ (μεν-ε-ω) | ἔμεινα (liquid/nasal first aorist; historical σ-loss, ε → ει compensatory lengthening) |
|---|---|---|---|
| κρίνω ('judge') | κριν- | κρινῶ (κριν-ε-ω) | ἔκρινα (liquid/nasal first aorist; no visible σ; lexeme-specific stem behavior) |
| αἴρω ('lift') | αἰρ- | ἀρῶ | ἦρα (liquid/nasal first aorist; no visible σ) |
| σπείρω ('sow') | σπειρ-/σπερ- | σπερῶ (σπερ-ε-ω) | ἔσπειρα (liquid/nasal first aorist; no visible σ) |
| βάλλω ('throw') | βαλ- | βαλῶ (βαλ-ε-ω) | ἔβαλον (thematic second aorist; distinct aorist stem) |
Chapter glossary
- ἀγαπάω — I love (contract -άω)
agapaō
verb
Contract verb; ἀγαπά-ω → ἀγαπῶ. Principal parts: ἀγαπάω · ἀγαπήσω · ἠγάπησα.- ἀγαπῶ — I love (contracted 1 sg)
agapō
verb
1 sg present active of ἀγαπάω (α+ω → ω, circumflex).- πληρόω — I fill, fulfill (contract -όω)
plēroō
verb
πληρό-ω → πληρῶ (present contraction). Matt 5:17 πληρῶσαι = aorist infinitive (stem-vowel lengthening: πληρο- → πληρωσ-).- ποιέω — I do, make (contract -έω)
poieō
verb
ποιέ-ω → ποιῶ. Principal parts: ποιέω · ποιήσω · ἐποίησα.- φιλέω — I love (contract -έω)
phileō
verb
φιλέ-ω → φιλῶ. John 21 uses both ἀγαπάω and φιλέω.- καλέω — I call, name (contract -έω)
kaleō
verb
καλέ-ω → καλῶ. Future καλέσω — the EXCEPTION to the -έω → -ήσω pattern (ε retained).- λαλέω — I speak, say (contract -έω)
laleō
verb
λαλέ-ω → λαλῶ. Future λαλήσω (normal -έω → -ήσω lengthening).- μένω — I remain, abide (liquid/nasal)
menō
verb
Stem μεν- (ends in ν). Liquid future μενῶ (no σ); aorist ἔμεινα (1st-aorist -α, no σ).- ἠγάπησεν — he loved (aorist of ἀγαπάω)
ēgapēsen
verb
Lexical stem ἀγαπα- → aorist stem ἀγαπησ- (stem-final α lengthens to η before σ) → ἠγαπησ- (temporal augment ἀ→ἠ) → ἠγάπησεν (3 sg). John 3:16.- — contract verb
verb
Contract verb: a vowel-stem verb traditionally in -άω, -έω, or -όω whose adjacent stem and inflectional vowels characteristically contract especially in the present and imperfect systems, e.g. ἀγαπάω → ἀγαπῶ.- — liquid (and nasal) verb
verb
Liquid/nasal verb: a verb whose relevant stem ends in λ, μ, ν, or ρ and may show characteristic liquid/nasal future or first-aorist morphophonology. Not every lexeme has every such formation, so principal parts remain decisive.- — liquid future
verb
Characteristic future formation of many liquid/nasal stems in which historical future sigma is lost and contraction produces forms such as μενῶ, κρινῶ; the contracted surface is not by itself a unique parsing diagnostic.- — compensatory lengthening
phonology
A vowel lengthens to compensate for a lost consonant (esp. σ): *μεν-σα → ἔμεινα (ε → ει).- — contraction
phonology
Contraction: morphological/phonological coalescence of adjacent vowels into a single long vowel or diphthong according to established Greek contraction and accent rules; the resulting syllable is not automatically circumflex in every environment.- — suppletion
verb
Suppletion: use of genuinely distinct lexical/historical stem material in different grammatical systems of one lexeme (e.g. λέγω/ἐρῶ/εἶπον, ὁράω/ὄψομαι/εἶδον). Mere unpredictability or ordinary stem alternation does not by itself establish suppletion.- — principal parts
verb
Principal parts: conventional citation forms representing the principal tense-system stems of a lexeme. They expose major irregularities and suppletion but do not guarantee mechanical derivation of every form; systems may be missing, middle-form, multiply formed, or defective.- — stem
verb
The base to which endings are added; for contract verbs it ends in α/ε/ο, for liquid verbs in λ/ρ/ν/μ.- — surface form
verb
The actual spelling the Koine reader saw (ἀγαπῶ), as opposed to the underlying analysis (ἀγαπά- + -ω).