Koine Greek: Participles

Synopsis: A participle is a word that has both the properties of a verb and a noun. In English, participles are typically formed by adding ing to the stem of a verb (for example: eating). In Koine Greek, participles are formed by adding to and changing the stem of verbs - there are dozens of forms for each word.

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Koine Greek: Participles (discussion) (For short comments and opinions)

Main article

A participle is a word that has both the properties of a verb and a noun. In English, participles are typically formed by adding ing to the stem of a verb (for example: eating).

For example, Matthew 21:22 the word πιστευοντες is translated as believing

• Template:Matthew 21:22 (Greek)

• Template:Matthew 21:22 (WEB)

Uses

A participle may be used in either an adjectival or an adverbial sense.

Adjectival Use

If the participle has an adjectival function in the sentence, it usually is preceded by a matching definite article (matching in gender, case and number). It may be used either attributively or substantively. When used attributively, it will have a matching noun (matching in gender, case and number).

Adverbial Use

If the participle has an adverbial function in the sentence, it will never have a definite article.

Forms

In Koine Greek, participles are formed by adding to and changing the stem of verbs - there are dozens of forms for each word.

A participle has the following features

• Tense
• Voice
• Gender
• Case
• Number

Deponent verbs are also deponent participles.

Present Active Participle

Using λεγω (I speak) as an example, the translation for its participle is speaking. Alternatively, if being used adjectivally, the translation may be who is speaking, and if being translated adverbially, the translation may be while speaking

A present tense partciple matches the tense of the main verb, that is, the participle is occurring at the same time as the main verb. So, if the main verb is aorist, then the participle λεγων would be translated as "while he was speaking" rather than "while he is speaking.

Masculine Paradigm

• λεγων (Nom, Sing)
• λεγοντος (Gen, Sing)
• λεγοντι (Dat, Sing)
• λεγοντα (Acc, Sing)
• λεγοντες (Nom, Plur)
• λεγοντων (Gen, Plur)
• λεγουσιν (Dat, Plur)
• λεγοντας (Acc, Plur)

Feminine Paradigm

• λεγουσα
• λεγουσνς
• λεγουση
• λεγουσαν
• λεγουσαι
• λεγουσων
• λεγουσαις
• λεγουσας

Neuter Paradigm

• λεγον
• λεγοντος
• λεγοντι
• λεγον
• λεγοντα
• λεγοντων
• λεγουσιν
• λεγοντα

Links

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