6.1 The four verbs in this lesson are among the most common in Greek:
- δίδωμι give
- τίθημι put, make
- ἵστημι stand
- ἵημι throw
Each follows a similar pattern in formation and spelling (i.e., pronunciation) changes for the Present Indicative:
To mark the present tense, these verbs double the initial consonant sound of their stem, a process called REDUPLICATION. This process is not found in verbs like δείκνυμι and μίγνυμι that mark the present tense with –νυ-.
Their stems all end in a long vowel, which shortens in the plural forms and the infinitive. This is the same pattern we encounter with φημί!
6.2 The verb give has the stem δω-. The present tense REDUPLICATES the initial consonant sound of the stem and adds an –ι– for ease of pronunciation.
- δω– → διδω–
The long stem vowel shortens in the plural forms.
- διδω– for the present tense singular forms
- διδο– for the present tense plural forms and the infinitive
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Note that for the 3rd Person Plural, the vowel contraction rules that govern Greek do not to apply. In other words, you might expect that for διδόασι, the ο and α would contract into an ω. The α in –ασι, however, is long, which may be one of the reaons that the contraction does not occur. Note that the same practice occurs in our next verb, τίθημι.