Like some –μι verbs, adding a –ν– to the VERB STEM often marks a verb as PRESENT TENSE (S 523, G 355-357). To make a verb easier to pronounce, the stem may add –αν– rather than –ν– by itself. For example, this stem looks (and sounds) like this:
- λαβ = take (verb stem)
- λαμβαν = take (present tense stem)
- Note that μ is added before the β to make the verb easier to say.
Unlike –μι verbs, –ω verbs have yet another specific marker to indicate the verb is in the present tense: –σκ– (S 526). Like some –μι verbs – e.g. δίδωμι – some (not all!) –σκω verbs duplicate the initial sound of the stem in the present tense. For example: γνω = know (verb stem) becomes γιγνωσκ = know (present stem).
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