Modern Greek Grammar Konstantinos Athanasiou

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in digital form or any other form, by print, photoprint, microfilm or any other means without written permission from the author Konstantinos Athanasiou.

12.3.6 The present perfect / Παραθείκελος

The present perfect is the tense that connects the past with the present. The verb in the present perfect

expresses an action completed some time in the past with consequences that reach the present. The

speaker is not interested in time. The present perfect tense is used to describe:

- an action or event completed in the past, the result of which is detectable in the present

Έρσ γξάςεη ην γξάκκα θαη ζα ην ηαρπδξνκήζσ. I have written the letter and I am going to

post it.

- experiences the speaker has had or has never had in his life

Έρσ πάεη πνιιέο θνξέο ζηηο Ηλσκέλεο Πνιηηείεο ηεο Ακεξηθήο. I have been many times in the

United States of America.

Δελ έρσ πάεη πνηέ ζηελ Κίλα. I have never been in China.

The present perfect tense is formed by using the present tense of the auxiliary verb έρσ (have) (έρσ,

έρεηο, έρεη, έρνπκε, έρεηε, έρνπλ) and the infinitive of the past tense of the verb ending in -εη.

Έτεη πάεη πνιιέο θνξέο ζηελ Αζήλα. He/she has been many times in Athens.

Δελ έτφ θάεη ηίπνηα κέρξη ηώξα. I have not eaten anything untill now.

12.3.6.1 Formation of the present perfect of the active voice

Verbs of the 1st and the 2

nd conjugation

Characteristics The present perfect of the active voice can be formed by using the simple present of the auxiliary verb

έρσ (have) (έρσ, έρεηο, έρεη, έρνπκε, έρεηε, έρνπλ) and the infinitive of the past tense of the active

voice of the verb (in principle with the endings: -ζεη, -μεη, -ςεη).

Formation steps

The verbs δηαβάδσ (read), γξάθσ (write), αγαπώ (love) en ηειεθσλώ (telephone) are used as

examples:

1. Find the past stem of the active voice of the verb.

Group A, 1st conjugation Group B, 2

nd conjugation, B1, B2

δηαβάδσ - δηαβαδ- - δηαβαζ-

γξάθσ - γξαθ- - γραυ-

αγαπώ - αγαπ- - αγαπεζ-

ηειεθσλώ - ηειεθσλ- - ηειεθφλεζ-

2. Place after the stem the ending -εη and put the stress mark on the second-to-last syllable.

Group A, 1st conjugation Group B, 2

nd conjugation, B1, B2

δηαβάζ-εη

γξάς-εη

αγαπήζ-εη

ηειεθσλήζ-εη

3. Use the simple present of the auxiliary verb “έρσ” (έρσ, έρεηο, έρεη, έρνπκε, έρεηε, έρνπλ)

before the verb.

Group A, 1st conjugation Group B, 2

nd conjugation, B1, B2

έρσ δηαβάζεη, έρεηο δηαβάζεη, …

έρσ γξάςεη, έρεηο γξάςεη, …

έρσ αγαπήζεη, έρεηο αγαπήζεη, …

έρσ ηειεθσλήζεη, έρεηο ηειεθσλήζεη, …

In the table below one verb of each group is conjugated:

Group A, 1st conjugation Group B, 2

nd conjugation, B1, B2

έτφ I have written

έτεης …

έτεη

γράυεη

έτοσκε

έτεηε

έτοσλ

έτφ I have loved

έτεης …

έτεη

αγαπήζεη

έτοσκε

έτεηε

έτοσλ

Modern Greek Grammar Konstantinos Athanasiou

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in digital form or any other form, by print, photoprint, microfilm or any other means without written permission from the author Konstantinos Athanasiou.

12.3.6.2 Formation of the present perfect of the medio-passive voice

Verbs of the 1st and the 2

nd conjugation

Characterestics The present perfect of the medio-passive voice can be formed by using the simple present of the

auxiliary verb έρσ (have) (έρσ, έρεηο, έρεη, έρνπκε, έρεηε, έρνπλ) and the infinitive of the past tense of

the medio-passive voice of the verb (in principle ending in -ζεη, -ζηεη or (-θηεη, -ρηεη, -θζεη, -λζεη, -

(απ)ηεη, -(επ)ηεη)).

Formation steps

The verbs πιεξώλνκαη, αγνξάδνκαη, αγαπηέκαη, θνηκάκαη and δηεγνύκαη are used as examples:

1. Find the past stem of the medio-passive voice of the verb.

Group A, 1st conjugation Group B, 2

nd conjugation,

B1, B2, archaic conjugation

πιεξώλνκαη - πιεξσλ- - πιερφζ-

αγνξάδνκαη - αγνξαδ- - αγοραζη-

αγαπηέκαη - αγαπ- - αγαπεζ-

θνηκάκαη - θνηκ- - θοηκεζ-

δηεγνύκαη - δηεγ- - δηεγεζ-

2. Place after the past stem the ending -εη and put the stress mark on the last syllable.

Group A, 1st conjugation Group B, 2

nd conjugation,

B1, B2, archaic conjugation

πιεξσζ-εί

αγνξαζη-εί

αγαπεζ-εί

θνηκεζ-εί

δηεγεζ-εί

3. Use the simple present of the auxiliary verb “έρσ” (έρσ, έρεηο, έρεη, έρνπκε, έρεηε, έρνπλ)

before the verb.

Group A, 1st conjugation Group B, 2

nd conjugation,

B1, B2, archaic conjugation

έρσ πιεξσζεί, έρεηο πιεξσζεί, …

έρσ αγνξαζηεί, έρεηο αγνξαζηεί, …

έρσ αγαπεζεί, έρεηο αγαπεζεί, …

έρσ θνηκεζεί, έρεηο θνηκεζεί, …

έρσ δηεγεζεί, έρεηο δηεγεζεί, …

In the table below one verb of each group is conjugated:

Group A, 1st conjugation Group B, 2

nd conjugation,

B1, B2, archaic conjugation

έτφ I have been paid

έτεης

έτεη

πιερφζεί

έτοσκε

έτεηε

έτοσλ

έτφ I have been loved

έτεης

έτεη

αγαπεζεί

έτοσκε

έτεηε

έτοσλ