Greek Verb Endings in the New Testament: A Comprehensive Guide
In New Testament Greek, verb endings help us determine the grammatical person (first, second, third) and number (singular, plural), as well as the tense (e.g., present, future, aorist) and voice (active, middle, passive). This guide provides a comprehensive overview of verb endings in the main indicative tenses, organized by tense and voice. These tables will help you recognize verb forms in the Greek New Testament.
Present Tense Endings
Active Voice
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | -ω | -ομεν |
| 2nd Person | -εις | -ετε |
| 3rd Person | -ει | -ουσι(ν) |
Middle/Passive Voice
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | -ομαι | -όμεθα |
| 2nd Person | -ῃ / -ει | -εσθε |
| 3rd Person | -εται | -ονται |
Future Tense Endings
Active Voice
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | -σω | -σομεν |
| 2nd Person | -σεις | -σετε |
| 3rd Person | -σει | -σουσι(ν) |
Middle Voice
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | -σομαι | -σόμεθα |
| 2nd Person | -σῃ / -σει | -σεσθε |
| 3rd Person | -σεται | -σονται |
Passive Voice
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | -θησομαι | -θησόμεθα |
| 2nd Person | -θησῃ / -θησει | -θησεσθε |
| 3rd Person | -θησεται | -θησονται |
Imperfect Tense Endings
Active Voice
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | -ον | -ομεν |
| 2nd Person | -ες | -ετε |
| 3rd Person | -ε(ν) | -ον |
Middle/Passive Voice
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | -ομην | -όμεθα |
| 2nd Person | -ου | -εσθε |
| 3rd Person | -ετο | -οντο |
Aorist Tense Endings
Active Voice
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | -α | -αμεν |
| 2nd Person | -ας | -ατε |
| 3rd Person | -ε(ν) | -αν |
Middle Voice
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | -άμην | -άμεθα |
| 2nd Person | -ω | -ασθε |
| 3rd Person | -ατο | -αντο |
Passive Voice
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | -θην | -θημεν |
| 2nd Person | -θης | -θητε |
| 3rd Person | -θη | -θησαν |
In New Testament Greek, understanding how to identify the different grammatical persons (first, second, and third) and numbers (singular and plural) is key for reading and interpretation. Here’s a guide to recognizing these forms along with examples from the Greek New Testament.
1. First Person Singular (I)
Verbs: Verbs in the first person singular typically end in -ω or -μαι for the present tense (e.g., λέγω – “I say,” πορεύομαι – “I go”).
Pronoun: The personal pronoun ἐγώ (I) is often omitted since the verb ending indicates the subject.
Example:
λέγω (Matthew 5:18) – “I say”
πορεύομαι (Matthew 26:18) – “I am going”
2. First Person Plural (we)
Verbs: Verbs in the first person plural typically end in -μεν in the present tense.
Pronoun: ἡμεῖς (we) can be used for emphasis but is often omitted.
Example:
πιστεύομεν (John 6:69) – “we believe”
ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν (John 15:5) – “we are”
3. Second Person Singular (you – informal, singular)
Verbs: Second person singular verbs often end in -εις or -ῃ.
Pronoun: σύ (you) may be included for emphasis or clarity but is often omitted.
Example:
ἀγαπᾷς (John 21:15) – “you love”
λέγεις (Matthew 16:16) – “you say”
4. Second Person Plural (you all – plural or formal singular)
Verbs: Second person plural verbs usually end in -ετε in the present tense.
Pronoun: ὑμεῖς (you all) can be included for emphasis.
Example:
πιστεύετε (John 14:1) – “you believe”
λέγετε (Matthew 16:15) – “you say”
5. Third Person Singular (he, she, it)
Verbs: Third person singular verbs typically end in -ει or -ται.
Pronouns: αὐτός (he), αὐτή (she), αὐτό (it) can be used for emphasis or clarity, but are often omitted.
Example:
λέγει (Matthew 4:7) – “he says” or “she says”
ἐστιν (John 1:1) – “he/she/it is”
6. Third Person Plural (they)
Verbs: Third person plural verbs usually end in -ουσι(ν) or -νται.
Pronouns: αὐτοί (they – masculine), αὐταί (they – feminine), αὐτά (they – neuter) can be used for clarity.
Example:
λέγουσιν (Matthew 21:16) – “they say”
πιστεύουσιν (John 6:64) – “they believe”
