17.1 The majority of the verbs we have studied so far have VERB STEMS that end in a consonant, diphthong, or long vowel. Many verbs, however, have stems that end in one of three short vowels: –ε, –α, or –ο. For these verbs, the final vowel of the stem CONTRACTS with the THEMATIC VOWEL of –ω verbs. Verbs of this class are called έω, άω, and όω CONTRACT VERBS.
To inform readers that a verb is a contract verb, its lemma (i.e., its FIRST PRINCIPAL PART and dictionary entry) is usually listed in its uncontracted form in a lexicon or glossary. For example:
- αἱρέω grab
- ἐρωτάω ask
- δηλόω show
As we will see, this is not always how the forms will appear in a text. That said, contract verbs follow predictable rules for contractions and accents, and conjugate in a stable fashion.