For the purposes of this course, we will assume that there are only two large groups of verbs:
– the ones ending in -ω (active voice)
– the ones ending in -μαι (passive and middle voice)
For the -ω verbs, pay attention to the letters before -ω. Are they vowels (ά, έ, ύ, ώ, ού)? If not, the verb is conjugated like “έχω”. The verbs in -εύω are conjugated like “έχω”, because the sound of εύ is ev and the υ counts as a consonant.
We don’t need the pronouns to conjugate a verb. We rely on the verb endings to know who is the subject of the verb.
The endings -ω, -εις, -ει for the singular and -ουμε, -ετε, -ουν for the plural apply to most of the active voice verbs that end in consοnant + ω, like “έχω”.
You can use the verb “έχω” as a conjugation model. You take the 1st person singular, you drop the -ω and you add the endings to the stem (the remaining part of the verb):
For example:
Note:
Although you don’t need the personal pronouns to conjugate a verb, you have to learn them in order to reply to questions etc.
– Εγώ!
(Me!)
The verbs in -άω are conjugated like “μιλάω”:
The verbs in -έω are conjugated like “λέω”:
The verbs in -ώω are conjugated like “τρώω”:
The verbs in -ούω are conjugated like “ακούω”:
Verbs in this group can and in -αμαι/άμαι, -εμαι/έμαι, -ομαι/ώμαι, -ούμαι.
We make negative sentences by adding “δεν” in front of the verb.
If the next word starts with β, δ, γ, φ, θ, χ, μ, ν, λ, ρ, σ or ζ, we use “δε” instead of “δεν”.
Examples:
