Module 28

εἰμί and εἶμι

© 2021 Philip S. Peek, CC BY 4.0 https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0264.34

The Verb

In Greek and in English verbs have the same definition and functions. Verbs are words that represent actions (throw) and states of being (be or exist). They differ in the same fundamental way that Greek nouns differ from their English counterparts: they use endings to create meaning in a way that English does not. The Greek verb (ῥῆμα) in its finite form has an ending that indicates what person and number the subject is. The Greek infinitive has an ending that indicates that it is unmarked for person and number.

The Verbs εἰμί and εἶμι

The verbs εἰμί and εἶμι are μι-verbs, occur frequently, and are irregular in all languages. Memorize the forms below. As you memorize them, note the similarities and differences between them.

Present Indicative Active of εἰμί

Verb Form

English Equivalent

Person and Number

εἰμί

I am

1st person singular

εἶ, εἶς

you are

2nd person singular

ἐστί (ν)

he, she, it is; there is

3rd person singular

ἐσμέν

we are

1st person plural

ἐστέ

you are

2nd person plural

εἰσί (ν)

they are; there are

3rd person plural

Imperfect Indicative Active of εἰμί

Verb Form

English Equivalent

Person and Number

ἦν,

I was

1st person singular

ἦσθα

you were

2nd person singular

ἦν

he, she, it was; there was

3rd person singular

ἦμεν

we were

1st person plural

ἦτε

you were

2nd person plural

ἦσαν

they were; there were

3rd person plural

  1. All forms of the present indicative active are enclitic except for εἶ you are and the infinitive, εἶναι to be.
  2. ἔστι (ν) with its accent on the penult is not enclitic; it often means it is possible, it is allowed with its meaning completed by a complementary infinitive; if it means is the accent on the penult stresses the existence of the subject.

Present Infinitive Active of εἰμί

εἶναι

to be

unmarked

Present Indicative Active of εἶμι

Verb Form

English Equivalent

Person and Number

εἶμι

I go

1st person singular

εἶ

you go

2nd person singular

εἶσι (ν)

he, she, it goes

3rd person singular

ἴμεν

we go

1st person plural

ἴτε

you go

2nd person plural

ἴᾱσι (ν)

they go

3rd person plural

Imperfect Indicative Active of εἶμι

Verb Form

English Equivalent

Person and Number

ᾖα, ᾔειν

I was going

1st person singular

ᾔεις, ᾔεισθα

you were going

2nd person singular

ᾔει, ᾔειν

he, she, it was going

3rd person singular

ᾖμεν

we were going

1st person plural

ᾖτε

you were going

2nd person plural

ᾖσαν, ᾔεσαν

they were going

3rd person plural

Present Infinitive Active of εἶμι

ἰέναι

to be

unmarked

Present Participles of εἰμί and εἶμι

ὤν, οὖσα, ὄν being

M

F

N

N

ὤν

οὖσα

ὄν

A

ὄντα

οὖσαν

ὄν

G

ὄντος

οὔσης

ὄντος

D

ὄντι

οὔσῃ

ὄντι

V

ὤν

οὖσα

ὄν

M

F

N

N

ὄντες

οὖσαι

ὄντα

A

ὄντας

οὔσᾱς

ὄντα

G

ὄντων

οὐσῶν

ὄντων

D

οὖσι (ν)

οὔσαις

οὖσι (ν)

V

ὄντες

οὖσαι

ὄντα

M

F

N

N

ὤν

οὖσα

ὄν

G

ὄντος

οὔσης

ὄντος

D

ὄντι

οὔσῃ

ὄντι

A

ὄντα

οὖσαν

ὄν

V

ὤν

οὖσα

ὄν

M

F

N

N

ὄντες

οὖσαι

ὄντα

G

ὄντων

οὐσῶν

ὄντων

D

οὖσι (ν)

οὔσαις

οὖσι (ν)

A

ὄντας

οὔσᾱς

ὄντα

V

ὄντες

οὖσαι

ὄντα

  1. Remember that the participle is an adjective and must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, case, and number. If no noun is present, supply one from the gender and number of the participle or from context.
  2. The participle is presented in full in part II of this 21st-Century series.

ἰών, ἰοῦσα, ἰόν coming, going

M

F

N

N

ἰών

ἰοῦσα

ἰόν

A

ἰόντα

ἰοῦσαν

ἰόν

G

ἰόντος

ἰούσης

ἰόντος

D

ἰόντι

ἰούσῃ

ἰόντι

V

ἰών

ἰοῦσα

ἰόν

M

F

N

N

ἰόντες

ἰοῦσαι

ἰόντα

A

ἰόντας

ἰούσᾱς

ἰόντα

G

ἰόντων

ἰουσῶν

ἰόντων

D

οῦσι (ν)

ἰούσαις

ἰοῦσι (ν)

V

ἰόντες

ἰοῦσαι

ἰόντα

M

F

N

N

ἰών

ἰοῦσα

ἰόν

G

ἰόντος

ἰούσης

ἰόντος

D

ἰόντι

ἰούσῃ

ἰόντι

A

ἰόντα

ἰοῦσαν

ἰόν

V

ἰών

ἰοῦσα

ἰόν

M

F

N

N

ἰόντες

ἰοῦσαι

ἰόντα

G

ἰόντων

ἰουσῶν

ἰόντων

D

ἰοῦσι (ν)

ἰούσαις

ἰοῦσι (ν)

A

ἰόντας

ἰούσᾱς

ἰόντα

V

ἰόντες

ἰοῦσαι

ἰόντα

  1. Remember that the participle is an adjective and must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, case, and number. If no noun is present, supply one from the gender and number of the participle or from context.
  2. The participle is presented in full in Part II of the 21st-Century series.

Practice Translating εἰμί and εἶμι. Translate the sentences below, which have been adapted from a variety of ancient Greek writers. Remember the meanings and functions of the cases presented in Module 7. Check your understanding with the translations in the Answer Key, making sure that you understand why each word translates as it does. Now go back and read each sentence two or three times, noticing with each rereading how much better your understanding of the sentence becomes. Make this a habit and you will improve quickly.

  1. ἔξεστι σῶσαί σε χρήμαθοἷς συνεξῇεις καὶ σοι ἔδωκα (Euripides, Hekabe);
  2. οὖν τι βούλῃ περὶ τῶν ἐκεῖ φράζειν ἐμοὶ ἄπειμι (Euripides, Hekabe);
  3. δὲ λέγει· Γιγνώσκεις οὖν Ἀθήνης ἵνα στέγαι εἰσίν (Euripides, Hekabe);
  4. δὲ λέγει· Μέλαινα πέτρα γῆς σοι σημανεῖ ἵνα στέγαι εἰσίν (Euripides, Hekabe).
  5. ὅτε ἦν καιρὸς τῷ στρατηγῷ, ἠθέλησε εἰρήνην ἄγειν καὶ μὴ λῦσαι.
  6. κατἐμὲ μὲν̣ γὰρ τοῦτο τὸ νίκημα ταῖς γυναιξὶν ἦν. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄνδρες ἡττάοντο.
  7. τότε δὲ Καμβύσης, ἐπεὶ ἦν οὐχ ὕδωρ αὐτῷ ἕτοιμον, ἀγγέλους παρὰ τὸν Ἀράβιον ἐπέμψε (Herodotos).
  8. πρόσεισι καὶ κηρύσσει Κρέων τούτῳ, ὃς τὸ τῆς Σφιγγὸς αἴνιγμα λύσει, καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ τὴν Λαΐου δώσειν γυναῖκα (Bibliotheca).
  9. τῆς σοφίας τοσαύτης ἐσμὲν ὥστε τρόποισιν οὐ τυραννικοῖς ἀλλὰ τρόπῳ φρενὸς αὐτοὺς ποιεῖν τὰ καλὰ πείθειν.
  10. γεωργὸς πρὸς τὴν παῖδα ἔφη τῇ Σφιγγὶ πρόσωπον μὲν γυναικός, στῆθος δὲ καὶ πόδας καὶ οὐρὰν λέοντος καὶ πτέρυγας ὄρνιθος εἶναι.

Vocabulary

γγελος, ἄγγελου messenger

λύω (), λύσω, ἔλῡσα loose, free, destroy; solve; (mid.) ransom

*ἄγω, ἄξω, ἤγαγον do, drive, lead; χάριν ἄγω I give thanks

μέλας, μέλαινα, μέλαν black, dark

Ἀθήνη, Ἀθήνης Athene, goddess of crafts and wisdom

νίκημα, νικήματος τό victory

αἴνιγμα, αἰνίγματος τό riddle

ὄρνις, ὄρνιθος , bird, bird of omen

*ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός man, husband

οὐρά, οὐρᾶς the hinder parts, after part; tail; κατοὐράν in rear, behind

ἄπειμι go away, depart

*παῖς, παιδός child

Ἀράβιος, Ἀραβία, Ἀράβιον Arabian

*πείθω, πείσω, ἔπεισα persuade + inf.; (mid. or pass.) listen to, obey + dat. or gen.

βασιλεία, βασιλείας kingdom, kingship, reign

πέτρα, πέτρας rock

*βούλομαι, βουλήσομαι want, prefer; wish, be willing want, wish, be willing

*ποιέω, ποιήσω, ἐποίησα do, make, cause; (mid.) consider

γεωργός, γεωργοῦ farmer (George)

πούς, ποδός foot; κατὰ πόδας on the heels

*γῆ, γῆς land, earth

πρόσειμι go in, enter, approach

*γιγνώσκω, γνώσομαι, ἔγνων, know, recognize; decide + inf.

πρόσωπον, προσώπου τό face

*γυνή, γυναικός woman, wife

πτέρυξ, πτέρυγος wing

*δίδωμι, δώσω, ἔδωκα give; allow ‘x’ in dat. or acc. + inf., ἐμὲ (έμοί) εὐτυχέειν δίδως you allow me to prosper

σημαίνω, σημανέω, ἐσήμηνα point out, show

*ἐθέλω (θέλω), ἐθελήσω (θελήσω), ἠθέλησα wish, be willing

σοφία, σοφίας wisdom

εἰρήνη, εἰρήνης peace

στέγη, στέγης roof

ἐκεῖ there

στῆθος, στήθους (-εος) τό chest, breast

ἑτοῖμος, ἑτοίμη, ἑτοῖμον at hand, ready, prepared, able + inf.

*στρατηγός, στρατηγοῦ general

*ἔφη he, she, it said

συνέξειμι go out with, depart with

ἡττάομαι be less or inferior; be defeated

Σφίγξ, Σφιγγός Sphinx

*καιρός, καιροῦ right moment, critical time, opportunity

σῴζω, σώσω, ἔσωσα save, keep

*καλός, καλή, καλόν beautiful, noble, good

*τοσοῦτος, τοσαύτη, τοσοῦτο so much, so many

Καμβύσης, Καμβύσου (-εω) Kambyses, son of Kyros the Great

*τρόπος, τρόπου way, manner, turn; (pl.) character

κηρύττω be a herald; make a proclamation

τυραννικός, τυραννική, τυραννικόν of a tyrant, despotic, imperious

κράτιστος, κρατίστη, κράτιστον strongest, best

ὕδωρ, ὕδατος τό water

Κρέων, Κρέοντος Kreon, king of Thebes

φράζω, φράσω, ἔφρασα tell, show; advise; suppose, believe

Λάϊος, Λαΐου Laïos, king of Thebes

φρήν, φρενός midriff, heart, mind; intellect, understanding, reason

*λέγω, λέξω or ἐρέω, ἔλεξα or εἶπον say, tell, speak

*χρῆμα, χρήματος τό thing; (pl.) goods, money, property

λέων, λέοντος lion

  1. The asterisk indicates the top 250 most frequently occurring vocabulary, which you are to memorize.

Practice Translating. Translate the below, adapted from Lucian’s The Lover of Lies (Φιλοψευδής). Remember the meanings and functions of the cases presented in Module 7. Use your memory to identify endings and their functions. If you forget an ending or a function, consult the Adjective, Adverb, Noun, and Pronoun Chart in Appendix VIII and the Case and Function Chart in Appendix I. Check your understanding with the translations in the Answer Key, making sure that you understand why each word translates as it does. Now go back and read each sentence two or three times, noticing with each rereading how much better your understanding of the sentence becomes. Make this a habit and you will improve quickly.

Εὐκράτης: ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ διῆγον ἔτι νέος ὤνὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐπὶ παιδείας προφάσει ἀπεστελλόμηντὸν Νεῖλον εἰς Κοπτὸν ἀναπλεύσας, ἐκεῖθεν ἐπὶ τὸν Μέμνονα ἦλθον. ἐπεθύμησα ἀκοῦσαι τὸ θαυμαστὸν αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖνο ἠχέον πρὸς ἀνέχοντα τὸν ἥλιον. ἐκείνου μὲν οὖν ἤκουσα οὐ κατὰ ἄσημον φωνήν, τὸ κοινὸν τοῖς πολλοῖς. λλά μοι καὶ ἔχρησεν Μέμνων αὐτὸς ἀνοίξας γε τὸ στόμα ἐν ἔπεσιν ἑπτά. καὶ δύναμαι, εἴ γε βούλομαι, ἐκβολὴν τοῦ λόγου ποιεῖσθαι καὶ εἰπεῖν αὐτὰ ὑμῖν τὰ πη. ἀλλὰ οὐκ ἐθέλω. κατὰ δὲ τὸν νάπλουν ἡμῖν συνέπλεε Μεμφίτης ἀνὴρ τῶν ἱερεῶν γραμματέων. δὲ θαυμάσιος τὴν σοφίαν καὶ τὴν παιδείαν, πᾶσαν εἰδὼς τὴν Αἰγύπτιον. ἐλέγετο δὲ τρία καὶ εἴκοσιν ἔτη ἐν τοῖς ἀδύτοις πόγειος οἰκέειν, μαγεύειν παιδευόμενος ὑπὸ τῆς Ἴσιδος.

Ἀρίγνωτος: Παγκράτην λέγεις, ἐμὸν διδάσκαλον, ἄνδρα ἱερόν, ἐξυρημένον, ἐν ὀθονίοις, ἀεὶ νοήμονα, ἐπιμήκη, σιμόν, πρόχειλον, ὑπόλεπτον τὰ σκέλη ἀλλὰ δὲ οὐ καθαρῶς ἑλληνίζει.

Εὐκράτης: αὐτόν, ἐκεῖνον τὸν Παγκράτην. καὶ τοῦτον τὰ μὲν πρῶτα ἠγνόεον ἀλλὰ ἐπεὶ ὁρμίζομεν τὸ πλοῖον, ἑώραον αὐτὸν πολλὰ τεράστια ἐργαζόμενον· καὶ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ κροκοδείλων ὀχέεται καὶ συννέει τοῖς θηρίοις. τὰ δὲ θηρία ὑποπτήσσει καὶ σαίνει ταῖς οὐραῖς. γιγνώσκω αὐτόν· δὲ γὰρ ἱερός τις ἄνθρωπος.

Adverbs and Verbs

ἀγνοέω not perceive, not recognize

*λέγω, λέξω or ἐρέω, ἔλεξα or εἶπον say, tell, speak

*ἀκούω, ἀκούσομαι, ἤκουσα hear, hear of or about, listen, heed + gen. or acc. of thing or gen. of person

μαγεύω be a Magus; bewitch

ἀποστέλλω, ἀποστελέω, ἀπέστειλα send off, dispatch; putt off, doff; (intrans.) retire, withdraw

οἰκέω, οἰκήσω, ᾤκησα inhabit, settle; manage, dwell, live

*βούλομαι, βουλήσομαι want, prefer; wish, be willing

*ὁράω (ἑώραον), ὄψομαι, εἶδον see

*γιγνώσκω, γνώσομαι, ἔγνων know, recognize; decide + inf.

ὁρμίζω moor, anchor

διάγω, -άξω, -ήγαγον carry over; (intrans.) cross over; pass; (intrans.) live

ὀχέω uphold, endure; carry; drive, ride

*δύναμαι, δυνήσομαι be able, be strong enough + inf.

*ποιέω, ποιήσω, ἐποίησα do, make, cause; (mid.) consider

*ἐθέλω (θέλω), ἐθελήσω (θελήσω), ἠθέλησα wish, be willing

σαίνω wag, fawn

*εἰπεῖν > λέγω

συμπλέω sail with

ἐκεῖθεν from that place, thence; on his part

συννέω swim together, swim with

ἑλληνίζω speak Greek

ὑποπτήσσω crouch, cower

ἐπιθυμέω set one’s heart upon, be eager for, desire + gen.

χράω, χρήσω, ἔχρησα proclaim, announce; furnish, lend

*ἔρχομαι, ἐλεύσομαι, ἦλθον come, go

Adjectives, Nouns, Pronouns

ἄδυτος ἄδυτον not to be entered; never setting; (subst.) sanctuary, shrine

καθαρῶς clearly, purely

Αἰγύπτιος, Αἰγυπτία, Αἰγύπτιον Egyptian

*κοινός, κοινή, κοινόν shared, common

Αἴγυπτος, Αἰγύπτου Egypt

Κοπτός, Κοπτοῦ Koptos, a city on the Nile 43 kilometers north of Luxor

ἀναπλεύσας, ἀναπλεύσαντος sailing

κροκόδειλος, κροκοδείλου crocodile, lizard

ἀνάπλοος (ἀνάπλους), ἀναπλόου (ἀναπλοῦ) sailing up

*λόγος, λόγου word, speech, story; reason, account

ἀνέχων, ἀνέχοντος holding up; rising up

Μέμνων, Μέμνονος Memnon, one of two colossi of Memnon, depicting Pharaoh Amenhotep III and located west of Luxor

*ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός man, husband

Μεμφίτης, Μεμφίτου from Memphis

*ἄνθρωπος, ἀνθρώπου human, person

Νεῖλος, Νείλου Nile

ἀνοίξᾱς, ἀνοίξαντος opening

*νέος, νέᾱ, νέον new, fresh, young; strange, unexpected

ἄσημος, ἄσημον without mark; unintelligible

νοήμων, νοήμον thoughtful, sensible

βλέπω, βλέψομαι look at, see

ὀθόνιον, ὀθονίου τό linen cloth, sail-cloth

γραμματεύς, γραμματέως secretary, clerk; recorder; scholar

οὐρά, οὐρᾶς the hinder parts, after part; tail; κατοὐράν in rear, behind

διδάσκαλος, διδασκάλου teacher, master, trainer

Παγκράτης, Παγκράτου Pankrates

εἰδώς, εἰδότος knowing

παιδεία, παιδείας education, training, culture

εἴκοσιν twenty

παιδευόμενος, παιδευομένου being taught

ἐκβολή, ἐκβολῆς thowing out; expulsion; by-way; digression

*πατήρ, πατρός father

*ἐμός, ἐμή, ἐμόν my

πλοῖον, πλοίου τό ship

ἐξυρημένος, ἐξυρημένη, ἐξυρημένον shaved

πρόφασις, προφάσεως (-ιος) pretext, excuse, cause, reason

ἐπιμήκες, ἐπιμήκης long, oblong

πρόχειλος, πρόχειλον with prominent lips

ἔπος, ἔπεος (-ους) τό word, speech; song; saying; verse

*πρῶτος, πρώτη, πρῶτον first, for the present, just now

ἑπτά seven

σιμός, σιμή, σιμόν snub-nosed, flat-nosed

ἐργαζόμενος, ἐργαζομένου doing, accomplishing

σκέλος, -ους (-εος) τό the leg

*ἔτος, ἔτεος (ἔτους) τό year

σοφία, σοφίας wisdom, skill; cleverness

ἥλιος, ἡλίου sun

στόμα, στόματος τό mouth

ἠχέον, ἠχέοντος τό sounding, ringing

τεράστιος, τεράστιον monstrous, prodigious

θαυμάσιος, θαυμασίᾱ, θαυμάσιον wonderful, marvelous, admirable

*τρεῖς, οἱ or αἱ; τρία τά three

θαυμαστός, θαυμαστή, θαυμαστόν wonderful, marvelous, admirable

ὑπόγειος, ὑπόγειον under the earth, underground, subterraneous

θηρίον, θηρίου τό wild animal, beast

ὑπόλεπτος, ὑπόλεπτον thinnish

ἱερεύς, ἱερέως priest, sacrifice, diviner

φωνή, φωνῆς sound; voice; tone

*ἱερός, ἱερά, ἱερόν holy; (n. in sg.) temple; (n. in pl.) sacrifices

*ὤν, ὄντος being

Ἶσις, Ἴσιδος or Ἴσιος Egyptian deity similar in function to Demeter

  1. The asterisk indicates the top 250 most frequently occurring vocabulary, which you are to memorize.

Practice Parsing Greek Sentences. Parse each word of the sentences found below. For nouns and pronouns, give their case and function. For verbs, give their person, number, tense, mood, and voice. For adverbs and conjunctions, identify them. For prepositional phrases, give the preposition and the preposition’s object. For adjectives, tell what noun they agree with in gender, number, and case.

πόλεμος καὶ δυστυχία τὰς ὀργὰς τῶν βροτῶν τὰς αὐτὰς ταῖς συντυχίαις καθιστᾶσιν.

τὸν Νεῖλον εἰς Κοπτὸν ἀναπλεύσας κεῖθεν ἐπὶ τὸν Μέμνονα ἦλθον.

Check your answers with those in the Answer Key.

Diogenes the Cynic of Sinope (Διογένης ὁ Κυνικός, Σινώπη c. 412–323 BCE). Diogenes was born in Sinope, an Ionian Greek colony on the shores of the Black Sea. The adjective κυνικός means dog-like. Greek philosophers tended to separate the world into nature (φύσις) and custom (νόμος). Customs vary from society to society. Α look to nature is done as a means for determining primordial absolutes which can serve as a guide to understanding humankind, the universe, and the proper way to live. This quest for the primordial continues today as we look to DNA and quantum physics to understand who we are and how to live. Diogenes looked at the dog. He saw humans in pursuit of the artificial in their quest for empire, glory, honor, status, and wealth. Rather he thought we should study the dog who defecates and fornicates openly and without shame. Dogs live in the moment and are able to detect friend from foe. When Alexander the Great approached Diogenes and asked him if there was a request he could fulfill for him, Diogenes asked if he could please move because he was blocking the sun’s light and warmth from him. In his quest for the primordial Diogenes is one of a long list of thinkers who have pursued a life dedicated to the art of living well.

Module 28 Top 250 Vocabulary to be Memorized. Like learning the alphabet and endings, memorizing vocabulary is essential to acquiring language. The better you memorize the top 250 most frequently occurring vocabulary words the greater mastery of the language you will have.

Adjectives

ἐναντίος, ἐναντίᾱ, ἐναντίον opposite + gen. or dat.

ὀρθός, ὀρθή, ὀρθόν straight, correct, proper

τοσοῦτος, τοσαύτη, τοσοῦτο so much, so many

ὕστερος, ὑστέρᾱ, ὕστερον after, later

Verbs

παρέχω (ἔχω, ἕξω or σχήσω, ἔσχον, ἔσχηκα, -ἔσχημαι, ------) furnish, hand over; supply; cause; allow, grant; be allowed, παρέχει it is allowed

σκοπέω, σκοπήσω, ἐσκόπησα, ------, ἐσκόπημαι or ἔσκεμμαι, ------ look at; examine; consider, contemplate

συμβαίνω (βαίνω, βήσομαι, ἔβην, βέβηκα, βέβαμαι, ἐβάθην) stand with feet together; come together; come to an agreement, come to terms; meet + dat.; (impers.) come to pass, happen

τίθημι, θήσω, ἔθηκα, τέθηκα, τέθειμαι, ἐτέθην put, place; make, cause

ὑπάρχω (ἄρχω, ἄρξω, ἦρξα, ἦρχα, ἦργμαι, ἤρχθην) be; be sufficient; begin + gen.; (impers.) be allowed, be possible

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