The Ω-Conjugation Present System: Vowel Verbs, Not Contracting

255. The present system includes the indicative present and imperfect, with the subjunctive, optative, imperative, infinitive, and participle, active and middle (passive). All regular ω-verbs are conjugated in the present system like παύω (§§ 252 – 254).

256. The present stem (indicative) is made from the verb stem in several ways, and verbs are classed (in the present system) accordingly.

For convenience in later use (since all ω-presents are inflected alike), the modes of forming the present stem in all classes of ω-presents are here described together (§§ 257 – 262, below).

257. (1) Formative-Vowel Class. The suffix -ο:ε- (§ 25), called the formative vowel, is added. Verbs that have a stronger and weaker form of the root take in this system the stronger:

a. In γίγνομαι (becοme), for γι-γεν-ο-μαι, the verb stem is reduplicated. This present reduplication consists in prefixing the initial consonant with ι.

πῑ́πτω (fall), for πι-πετ-ο

ἴσχω (hold) for σι-σεχ-ω (§ 54)

τίκτω (bring forth) for τι-τεκ-ω

b. Verb stems in -υ-, -ευ- lose υ between vowels (§ 27).

πλέω (sail) for πλευ-ω [πλυ-, πλευ-]

ῥέω (flow) for ῥευ-ω [ῥυ-, ῥευ-]

πνέω (blow) for πνευ-ω [πνυ-, πνευ-]

258. (2) Tau Class. The suffix -το:ε- is added. The verb stem always ends in a labial mute, which becomes π before τ (§§ 38.b, 43.a).

259. (3) Iota Class. The suffix -ιο:ε- is added; for sound changes see § 56.

a.

But ὀφείλω (ὀφελ-, owe) is like those under § 259.b.

b.

c.

d.

e.The verb stems καυ- (burn) and κλαυ- (weep) give καίω and κλαίω, with loss of -υ- (§ 27), farther shortened in prose to κᾱ́ω and κλᾱ́ω.

260. (4) Inceptive Class. The suffix -σκο:ε- or ισκο:ε- is added.

a. The class is so named because some verbs in it imply beginning or becoming.

γηρᾱ́σκω grow old (γηρᾱ-)

γιγνώσκω come to know, perceive (γνο:ω-, § 28.a)

b. Several presents take a reduplication (§ 257.a, above).

γι-γνώ-σκω recognize (γνο:ω-)

πάσχω (παθ-, pres. stem πασχο:ε-, suffer) is irregular for παθ-σκω; διδάσκω (διδαχ-, teach) is for διδαχ-κω.

261. (5) Nasal Class. A suffix containing ν is added.

a. The suffix -νο:ν- is added.

b. The suffix -ανο:ε- is added.

c. The suffix -ανο:ε- is added, wih an inserted nasal in the verb stem.

d. The suffix -υνο:ε- is added.

e. The suffix -νεο:ε- is added.

262. Sometimes a verb stem is in the present tense system (or in some other) longer by an added ε:η or ο:ω.

263. The personal endings of the indicative are partially different in the primary and secondary tenses; they also distinguish the active and middle (passive) voices.

a. The formative vowel is ο before μ or ν of the ending, elsewhere ε. But in combination with the primary active endings we have the following.

The endings -ᾱσι and -σαν never go with the formative vowel (see § 355).

b. In the middle (passive)

-ε-σαι becomes -ῃ (§ 55.a and § 28.d), later -ει

-ε-σο becomes -ου (§ 55.a and § 29.c)

c. Poets often use the ending -μεσθα for -μεθα. For -αται and -ατο in place of -νται and
-ντο see 270.a (below) and 345.c. For -ς a few verbs have -σθα (§§ 381, 384 – 386).

264. The imperfect (also the other secondary tenses in the indicative) takes the augment, the sign of past time.

a. In poetry the augment is sometimes omitted.

265. The augment has two forms.

a. The syllabic augment is ε-, prefixed to a stem beginning with a consonant.

Initial ρ- is doubled (§ 48)

ῥῑ́πτω throw, impf. ἔρρῑπτον

b. The temporal augment is the lengthening of an initial vowel: α-, ᾱ-, and ε- become η-, ου- is unchanged; in later Greek ευ- and ει- are unchanged.

266. βούλομαι (wish), δύναμαι (can), and μέλλω (intend) take either ε- or η- as augment.

ἠβουλόμην, ἠδυνάμην, ἤμελλον, ἐβουλόμην, etc.

267. Some verbs that have lost an initial consonant still take the syllabic augment; εε- then becomes ει-. Among the most frequent are the following.

a. ἑώρων and some others have a double augment, syllabic and temporal.

268. A verb compounded with a preposition augments the simple form; a preposition ending in a consonant then recovers its original form.

For elision see §§ 32 and 33.

a. The accent never stands before the augment syllable.

εἰσῆγον (not εἴσηγον)

b. Verbs derived from words that begin with a preposition generally take the augment as if the verb itself were a compound; but there are exceptions.

But

c. A few compounds put the augment before the preposition.

d. A double augment is found in ἠμφεγνόουν from ἀμφιγνοέω, and ἠνειχόμην from ἀν-έχομαι. (So in the aorist ἠνεσχόμην.)

269. The subjunctive takes the primary endings; -ο:ε- becomes ω before μ or ν, elsewhere η. Thus -ω:η- is the mode-suffix, appearing throughout the subjunctive, which is otherwise like the indicative.

270. The optative takes the secondary endings, but with -μι instead of -ν. The formative vowel is ο, which makes a diphthong with the mode-suffix -ι- (or -ιε- in the third plural active).

In the middle -σο loses σ (§ 55.a).

a. Poets not infrequently use the ending -ατο for -ντο in the present and aorist optative (cp. § 344.c).

271. The imperative endings are as follows.

272. The formative vowel is ο before -ντων, elsewhere ε. -θι and -ς are omitted in -ω presents; -τωσαν and -σθωσαν are rare or late.

In the middle -ε-σο loses σ and contracts.

273. The infinitive endings are as follows.

274. In -ω presents the formative vowel and endings combined are -ε-εν, contracted to -ειν, and -ε-σθαι.

275. The participial endings are:

before which the formative vowel is ο.

276. Active participles are declined like ᾱ̓́κων (§§ 166 and 167); middle participles are regular in the vowel declension (§ 76).