Τhe Present and Future Verbs in Koine Greek (聖經希臘文的動詞之現在與將來）

So now we come to verbs in Koine Greek.

The aspects of a verb in koine greek is a bit more complicated than that of English.  Instead of the clearcut present/past/future/perfect tense in English, in Koine Greek, more often one needs to check on the context, related adverbs, prepositional phrases, conjunctions and narrative sequencing to determine the tense during the translation.  

Now we first try to identify the verb aspects by looking at the forms. 

The word used as an example to illustrate the change in the forms in the referenced textbook is λύ.   The stem means “loose”.  The basic form most often quoted is λύω, meaning I loose.  

The verb shall be modified by adding a “pronominal ending” to form the present active indicative (PAI) in agreement with the person and number of the noun. 

Present Active Indicative	Stem + Pronomial Suffix
	Pronomial suffix for Singular	Examples	Pronomial suffix for Plural	Examples
First person	-ω	λύω	-ομεν	λύομεν
Second person	-εις	λύεις	-ετε	λύετε
Third person	-ει	λύει	-ουσι(ν)	λύουσι(ν)

To indicate a passive or middle voice, the primary endings differ from the active ones and can be summarized as below:

Present Middle/Passive Indicative	Stem + Pronomial Suffix
	Pronomial suffix for Singular	Examples	Pronomial suffix for Plural	Examples
First person	-ομαι	λύομαι	-όμεθα	λυόμεθα
Second person	-ῃ(σαι)	λύῃ	-εσθε	λύεσθε
Third person	-εται	λύεται	-ονται	λύονται

The middle voice is present in Koine Greek but not in English.  It is sometimes used often to emphasize the participation of the subject in respect of the verb, expresses self-interest, or used reflexively.  It may a stylistic preference of certain authors such as the Gospel according to Mark.  The middle voice is sometimes translated into active voice in English depending on the context.  If so, they are called deponent verbs as there is not a PAI form but only the middle form.  

If a verb is to indicate a future aspect, the format will require an additional future connective to the respective PAI and Present Middle/Passive Indicative as shown below: 

Future Verbs	Stem + future connective (σ) + Ending
	Future Active Indicative		Future Middle Indicative
	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
First person	λύσω	λύσομεν	λύσομαι	λυσόμεθα
Second person	λύσεις	λύσετε	λύσῃ	λύσεσθε
Third person	λύσει	λύσουσι(ν)	λύσεται	λύσονται

The pitfalls with future paradigms of verbs are when there is a final consonant in the verb stem.  There are also deponent futures and irregular futures which we should deal with later.

So now we come to imperfect verbs. 

Imperfect verbs may be associated with continuous, repeated or dwelt on action.  

Imperfect Active Indicative	Augment +  Stem + Connecting Vowel + Secondary Active Endings ε + [stem] + [ο before μ or ν and ε elsewhere] + [secondary active endings]
	secondary active endings for singular	Examples	secondary active endings for plural	Examples
First person	-v	ἔλυον	-μεν	ἐλύομεν
Second person	-ς	ἔλυες	-τε	ἐλύετε
Third person	-ε	ἔλυε(ν)	-ν	ἔλυο(ν)

Imperfect verbs in middle/passive indicative paradigm can be formed by changing the secondary active endings as below: 

Imperfect Middle/Paasive Indicative	Augment +  Stem + Connecting Vowel + Secondary Middle/Passive Endings ε + [stem] + [ο before μ or ν and ε elsewhere] + [secondary middle/passive endings]
	secondary middle/passive endings for singular	Examples	secondary middle/passive endings for plural	Examples
First person	-μην	ἐλυόμην	-μεθα	ἐλυόμεθα
Second person	-ου	ἐλύου	-σθε	ἐλύεσθε
Third person	-το	ἐλύετο	-ντο	ἐλύοντο

When dealing with these additional augment or connecting word or endings, some general rules are: 

• when the augment ε precede another vowel or diphthong, there will be contraction resulting in η, ω, ῃ, or ῳ.
• when the connective σ adjoins a labial, palatal, or dental consonant, there will be conversion of the consonant.  

A little statistics provided in the Hildebrant Greek Textbook, the frequency of use of these various tenses are: 

• present indicative : 5,534 times
• the aorist : 5,877 times
• imperfect: 1,682 times
• future: 1,608 times
• perfect following: 837 times and 
• pluperfect 83 times 

Ref: Ted Hildebrandt.  Mastering New Testament Greek Textbook.  Chapters 3, 9, 10, and 12 on present active verbs, present middle/passive verbs, future verbs and imperfect verbs.  In: Mastering New Testament Greek Textbook.  Downloaded at http://biblicalelearning.org/introductory-languages/mastering-new-testament-greek/.