Glossary

Term

Explanation

aspect

property of verbs indicating that the action is completed (perfective) or in progress/repeated (imperfective)

conditional

tense describing actions which would occur given certain conditions (eg 'I would get wet if it rained').

deponent

a verb which does not have active forms (although the verb may in fact translate to an English verb which is active in meaning).

gerund

verb form with an adverbial function (eg 'Reading the sign, I saw that the shop was closed today').

imperative

verb form indicating a command (eg 'Write this down').

imperfective

aspect of a verb indicating that the action it describes is either incomplete or repeated. Can also be referred to as 'continuous'.

impersonal (verb)

verb which only has 3rd person singular forms, and no subject (eg 'it rains', 'it is necessary')

indicative

mood where a verb makes a statement of fact rather than a wish or intention.

mood

property indicating how the information represented by a verb should be treated - as a statement of fact (indicative), as a wish (subjunctive), or as a command (imperative).

participle

verb form with an adjectival function (eg 'I am tired')

perfective

aspect of a verb indicating that the action it describes is completed. Can also be referred to as 'simple'.

periphrastic

verb form consisting of more than one word (eg 'θα είμαι')

pluperfect

tense describing actions already completed at the time in question (eg 'They had cleaned the car by the time Dad came home').

reflexive (verb)

verb where the action is performed by the subject on itself (eg 'I sit down'). Often such verbs are followed in English by myself, yourself etc.

subjunctive

mood where a verb conveys a wish or plan. Such verb forms are usually introduced using να or ας. (This mood is almost non-existent in English, but survives in forms such as 'I wish that she be here soon')



Formation of Passive Perfect Participle

Index