Lesson 06. Ω-VERBS Future Active Indicative Future Active Infinitive

Question 0

Endings for the future tense of the indicative voice (active) are formed how?

Answer 0

The endings are the same as the present active indicative. They are attached to the future stem, which is usually just the present stem with the addition of the tense marker σ.

Question 1

Future stem

Answer 1

Usually just the present stem with the addition of the tense marker σ.

Question 2

Endings for the future tense of the indicative mood (active)

Answer 2

Singular, Future, Active, Indicative   
1st     	-sω             I
2nd    	-sείς           you
3rd     	-sει             he/she/it
Plural, Future, Active, Indicative   
1st     	-sομεν        we
2nd     	–sετε           y'all
3rd     	-sουσι(ν)     they
Inf     	-sειν             to

Question 3

Euphony and formation of the present stem

Answer 3

If the present stem ends in a vowel or a diphthong, adding a sigma to form the future stem presents no complications.

If the present stem ends in a consonant, the collision between the consonant and the sigma produces either:

• a double consonant (ψ, ξ); or
• a phonetic change of some sort, designed to avoid roughness in sound.

The ancient Greeks always strove for euphony, a pleasing blend of sounds, in their language.

Question 4

Present and future tenses and aspect

Answer 4

• The present tense is much more likely to have imperfective than aoristic aspect.
• The future tense is just as likely to have aoristic aspect (“we shall eat dinner when we are hungry”) as it is to have imperfective aspect (“we shall be eating dinner for an hour”).

Question 5

Translating the future tense

Answer 5

The future tense may be translated with “shall,” “will,” or “am/are/is going to.”

Question 6

Stem ending in labial: -π, -β, -φ + σ = ?

Answer 6

ψ

Question 7

Stem ending in palatal: -κ, -γ, -χ + σ = ?

Answer 7

ξ

Question 8

Stem ending in dental: -τ, -δ, -θ + σ = ?

Answer 8

= σσ; one σ drops out = σ

Question 9

Stem ending in πτ: -πτ + σ = ?

Answer 9

= πτσ; τ drops out; π + σ = ψ

Question 10

Stem ending in ττ: -ττ + σ = ?

Answer 10

= ξ

Question 11

Second principal part and future stem

Answer 11

The second principal part is the first-person singular future active indicative.

Dropping the personal ending -ω will leave you with the future stem.

Question 12

Formation of the Future Active Infinitive

Answer 12

Made by adding the ending -ειν (thematic vowel ε + εν; ε + ε → ει) to the future stem:

• eg: παιδεύσειν (“to be going to teach/be teaching”)

The accent is always on the penult.

It is possible for a future infinitive to have either aoristic aspect (e.g., “to be going to teach on one occasion”) or imperfective aspect (e.g., “to be going to be teaching for a while”). The context will show which is intended.

Question 13

Second principal part of: ἀκούω

Answer 13

ἀκούσομαι

During the Classical age the future tense of ἀκούω always had the endings for middle voice, even when its meaning was active. Future active endings (ἀκούσω, ἀκούσεις, etc.) did not come into use for that verb until late antiquity.

Question 14

Second principal part of: βλάπτω

Answer 14

βλάψω

βλάπτσω > τ drops out, πσ = ψ > βλάψω

Question 15

Second principal part of: παιδεύω

Answer 15

παιδεύσω

Question 16

Second principal part of: γράφω

Answer 16

γράψω

γράφσω > labial + σ = ψ > γράψω

Question 17

Second principal part of: πέμπω

Answer 17

πέμψω

πέμπτσω > τ drops out, πσ = ψ > πέμψω

Question 18

Second principal part of: ἐθέλω

Answer 18

ἐθελήσω

We don’t yet have rules for stems ending in labials, nasals or ζ.

ἐθέλω forms its future stem by adding both a lengthened thematic vowel (ε be-comes η) and a sigma to its present stem: ἐθελήσω.

One of the verbs introduced in this lesson, μέλλω, forms its future stem in the same way: μελλήσω.

Question 19

Second principal part of: σπεύδω

Answer 19

σπεύσω

σπεύδσω > δς + σ = σσ; one σ drops out = σ > σπεύσω

Question 20

Second principal part of: θύω

Answer 20

θύσω

Question 21

Second principal part of: φυλάττω

Answer 21

φυλάξω

φθλάττσω > ττ + σ = ξ > φυλάξω

Question 22

Second principal part of: κελεύω

Answer 22

κελεύσω

Question 23

µέλλω

Answer 23

(+ future infinitive) be about (to), intend (to); (+ present infinitive) delay (to), hesitate (to)

The only verb in this textbook that ever takes a future infinitive as its complement is μέλλω (“I am about,” “I intend”), and even with μέλλω the present infinitive is a common substitute for the future infinitive.

Saying μέλλω παιδεύσειν or μέλλω παιδεύειν (“I am about to teach” or “I intend to teach”) is the rough equivalent of saying παιδεύσω (“I am going to teach”).

When you translate the future infinitive with μέλλω, you should drop the words “be going to” to avoid the awkwardness of “I am about to be going to teach.”

If μέλλω is used alone or is complemented with a present infinitive, it may mean “I delay” or “I hesitate,” implying that the speaker intends to do something but has qualms about doing it. Examples:

  - μὴ μέλλε, “don't delay!”; 
  - μέλλω παιδεύειν, “I hesitate to teach.” 

While μέλλω + future infinitive will always mean “I am about/intend to,” the meaning of μέλλω + present infinitive (either “I am about/intend to” or “I delay/hesitate to”) will depend on the context.

Question 24

ἀλλάττω, ἀλλάξω

Answer 24

Change, alter [cf. parallax]

ἀλλάττω does not mean “I change” in the sense of “I become different”; rather, it means “I make something or someone change.”

Thus, in the active voice, it always has a direct object with it; i.e., it is always transitive.

Question 25

διώκω, διώξω

Answer 25

διώκω, διώξω pursue, chase, hunt, drive away, banish

Question 26

ἔχω, ἕξω/σχήσω

Answer 26

have, hold, possess; (+ infinitive) be able (to) [cf. cathexis] ἕξω has imperfective aspect (“I shall possess [for a period of time]”), while σχήσω has aoristic aspect (“I shall get hold of [on a particular occasion]”).

Question 27

µέλλω, µελλήσω

Answer 27

(+ future infinitive) be about (to), intend (to); (+ present infinitive) delay (to), hesitate (to)

μέλλω forms its future stem by adding both a lengthened thematic vowel (ε be-comes η) and a sigma to its present stem: μελλήσω.

Question 28

κόρη, -ης, ἡ

Answer 28

maiden, girl, daughter;

Κόρη = Maiden ( another name for Persephone, daughter of the goddess Demeter) [cf. hypocorism]

κόρη is an exception to the rule that, in Attic, ᾱ after ρ never changes to η.

Question 29

οἰκίᾱ, -ᾱς, ἡ

Answer 29

house, household

Question 30

ἔτι

Answer 30

(adverb) still, yet, longer

Question 31

µηκέτι

Answer 31

(adverb) no longer, no more

Question 32

οὐκέτι

Answer 32

(adverb) no longer, no more

μηκέτι is used wherever μή would be appropriate (e.g., with imperative mood), οὐκέτι wherever οὐ would be appropriate (e.g., with indicative mood).

Question 33

πάλιν

Answer 33

(adverb) back, backwards, again, once more [cf. palimpsest, palindrome]

Question 34

ἀλλά (ἀλλ’)

Answer 34

(conjunction) but (ἀλλ’ is written before a vowel) A Greek word ending in a short vowel is usually elided (i.e., the final vowel is dropped and no longer pronounced) when it comes before a word starting with a vowel. These elisions are often taken for granted and left unmarked in manuscripts, but in a few common words that are frequently elided, it is conventional to mark the elision with an apostrophe; ἀλλά is one of those words.