Imperfect & Aorist Active Imperfect & Aorist Active IndicativeIndicative

“Past Tense”“Past Tense”

Chapter 7Chapter 7

The Greek Past TenseThe Greek Past Tense

• There are three tenses in Greek that are used for the English past tense.

–Imperfect

–Aorist

–Pluperfect (rare; only 28 verbs in the NT appear 86 times as a pluperfect [Mounce, 237])

Greek Tense (Aspect)Greek Tense (Aspect)

Time of Action

Kind of Action PastPast PresentPresent FutureFuture

ImperfectiveImperfective Imperfect

I was loving

Present

I am loving

Future

I will be loving

AoristicAoristic Aorist

I loved

Present

I love

Future

I will love

PerfectivePerfective Pluperfect

I had loved

Perfect

I have loved

Future Perfect

I will have loved

Remember: Kind of action, rather than time of action, is Remember: Kind of action, rather than time of action, is more important in Greek verb translation.more important in Greek verb translation.

Primary TensesPrimary TensesTime of Action

Kind of Action PastPast PresentPresent FutureFuture

ImperfectiveImperfective Imperfect

I was loving

Present

I am loving

Future

I will be loving

AoristicAoristic Aorist

I loved

Present

I love

Future

I will love

PerfectivePerfective Pluperfect

I had loved

Perfect

I have loved

Future Perfect

I will have loved

Secondary TensesSecondary TensesTime of Action

Kind of Action PastPast PresentPresent FutureFuture

ImperfectiveImperfective Imperfect

I was loving

Present

I am loving

Future

I will be loving

AoristicAoristic Aorist

I loved

Present

I love

Future

I will love

PerfectivePerfective Pluperfect

I had loved

Perfect

I have loved

Future Perfect

I will have loved

The Imperfect, Aorist, and Pluperfect are The Imperfect, Aorist, and Pluperfect are considered to be considered to be Secondary TensesSecondary Tenses. . So, to distinguish between the primary So, to distinguish between the primary

active indicative tenses and the secondary active indicative tenses and the secondary active indicative tenses, Greek uses a set active indicative tenses, Greek uses a set

of of secondary suffixessecondary suffixes..

1s -w2s -eiV3s -ei1p -omen2p -ete3p -ousi(n)

Primary Active Primary Active Indicative SuffixesIndicative Suffixes

Secondary Active Secondary Active Indicative SuffixesIndicative Suffixes

1s -on2s -eV3s -e(n)1p -omen2p -ete3p -on

Note: the initial vowels are for connecting purposes only. They are not considered part of the suffix.

Not only do the secondary active Not only do the secondary active indicative tenses require a suffix, indicative tenses require a suffix,

they also require a prefix they also require a prefix (augment), usually appearing as (augment), usually appearing as

ejej..

But wait my pistoiv maqetaiv !

ejej + + lu lu ++ oo ++ nn

Imperfect Act. Indicative of luvw

1.augment the present stem

2.add connecting vowel

3.add secondary active suffix

Present

lu,wlu,eijlu,ei

Sg

lu,omenlu,etelu,ousin

Pl

Act. Ind.

e;luone;lueje;lue (n)e;luomene;luetee;luon

ImperfectAct. Ind.

What if the verb begins with a What if the verb begins with a short vowel?short vowel?

The vowel lengthens

a becomes he becomes ho becomes w

Augments can do strange things to Augments can do strange things to verbs, sometimes. (cf. 47)verbs, sometimes. (cf. 47)

• additive morpheme – an augment added to a word that begins with a consonant– luvw becomes e[luon

• process morpheme – an augment added to a word that begins with a short vowel– ajkouvw becomes h[kouon

• zero morpheme – an augment added to a word that begins with a long vowel or dipthong (sometimes, the 1st vowel of the dipthong is lengthened)

– eijrhneuvw becomes eijrhvneuon

Translating the ImperfectTranslating the Imperfect• Generally, the imperfect tense describes

continuing past action “I was loosing”– continuing past action, stated more

emphatically “I kept loosing” (progressive

imperfect) – describes habitual past action “I used to

loose” (customary imperfect)

– describes attempted past action “I tried to loose” (conative imperfect)

– desribes initiated past action “I began to loose” (inceptive imperfect)

Forming the Aorist “Tenses”Forming the Aorist “Tenses”Time of Action

Kind of Action PastPast PresentPresent FutureFuture

ImperfectiveImperfective Imperfect

I was loving

Present

I am loving

Future

I will be loving

AoristicAoristic Aorist

I loved

Present

I love

Future

I will love

PerfectivePerfective Pluperfect

I had loved

Perfect

I have loved

Future Perfect

I will have loved

Aoristic Aspect Aoristic Aspect MorphemeMorpheme

sasa

The 1st Aorist Active Indicative differs from the Imperfect Active Indicative by the

addition of what is called the “aoristic aspect morpheme” to the present stem of

the verb, along with the augment and secondary suffix. This is similar to the

formation of the Future Active Indicative.

ejej + + lu lu ++ sasa ++ --

1st Aorist Act. Indicative of luvw

1.augment the present stem

2.add aoristic aspect morpheme

3.add secondary active suffix

Present

lu,wlu,eijlu,ei

Sg

lu,omenlu,etelu,ousin

Pl

Act. Ind.

e[lusae[lusaVe[luse(n)ejluvsamenejluvsatee[lusan

1st AoristAct. Ind.

The 2nd Aorist Active Indicative differs from the Imperfect Active Indicative by the

stem of the verb. Instead of using the present tense stem, the stem changes in 2nd Aorist verbs. The 2nd Aorist tense is

formed on the second aorist stem, not the present stem, by adding the augment and

secondary suffix.Most Greek verbs have 1st Aorist forms,

however.

1. Most verbs have 1st Aorist forms. Some have 2nd Aorist forms. Only occasionally will a verb have both.

2. 1st & 2nd Aorists differ in form only. There is no difference in translation.

Note:Note:

ejej + + liplip ++ o o ++ n n

2nd Aorist Act. Indicative of leivpw

1.augment the aorist stem

2.add connecting vowel

3.add secondary active suffix

Imperfect

e[leipone[leipeVe[leipe(n)

Sg

ejleivpomenejleivpetee[leipon

Pl

Act. Ind.

e[lipone[lipeVe[leipe(n)ejlivpomenejlivpetee[lipon

2nd AoristAct. Ind.

leivpw

Sometimes, Greek verbs take a Sometimes, Greek verbs take a double augment (cf. 47).double augment (cf. 47).

a[gw becomes h[gagon

a[gw becomes agag (now the stem has changed)

ej + agag becomes hgag + on

Therefore, h[gagon is 2nd Aorist Act. Ind.

1st Sing. (or 3rd Plural) of a[gw

Translating the Aorist (1Translating the Aorist (1stst or 2 or 2ndnd))

• Generally, the aorist tense describes simple past action, with no indication of the kind of action “I loosed”

–past action in its totality, “temple was built” (constative aorist)

– emphasis of beginning of past action “Christ died and lived” (ingressive aorist)

–concluded past action “I have learned to be content” (effective aorist)

Context, along with tense used, Context, along with tense used, will determine translation.will determine translation.

Translation help:Translation help: Many more aorist past Many more aorist past tense forms appear in the New Testament tense forms appear in the New Testament than do imperfect. Therefore, it is usually than do imperfect. Therefore, it is usually

exegetically significant when a New exegetically significant when a New Testament author chooses the imperfect Testament author chooses the imperfect

rather than the aorist.rather than the aorist.

Parsing help: The Imperfect, Aorist, and Parsing help: The Imperfect, Aorist, and Pluperfect are considered to be Pluperfect are considered to be Secondary Secondary

TensesTenses..

1. 1. All Secondary Tenses have an All Secondary Tenses have an augmentaugment..

2.2. Secondary suffixes indicate a secondary Secondary suffixes indicate a secondary

tense, which will always be a past tense tense, which will always be a past tense form.form.