# How to form perfective stem for contracted verbs?



## amt

Hi,

I'm a Modern Greek language learner and I was wondering if there was a rule or pattern to forming the perfective stem for the contracted verbs like μιλάω, μπορώ, γελάω.  

For the non-contracted verbs like ψάχνω, γράφω, αγοράζω one is usually able to tell how to form the perfective stem by looking at the last letter of the imperfective stem:

κ, γ, χ, χν -> ξ (ψάχνω -> ψάξω)
π, β, φ, ευ/αυ -> ψ (γράφω -> γράψω)
τ, δ, θ, ζ, ν and vowels -> σ (αγοράζω -> αγοράσω)

I realize there are plenty of irregulars but at least this rule holds true for many verbs.  

For the contracted verbs on the other hand, I haven't found mention of any such rule, only that the perfective stem is sometimes formed with -ησ- , sometimes with -εσ- and sometimes with -ασ-.  Is there any way to know which of the three to use, or is it totally random?  Is there some explanation based on the ancient forms of the verbs or something?

For example,

μιλάω becomes μιλήσω BUT διψάω becomes διψάσω

and

μπορώ becomes μπορέσω BUT οδηγώ becomes οδηγήσω

Any help with these so I can cut down on the rote memorization (even just a little) would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
amt


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## sotos

Until an expert comes with a rule, may I advice you to look at the uncontracted (u/c) form of these  verbs in old or ancient Greek. For example, the u/c of μιλώ is not μιλάω but ομιλέω.  I see that most, if not all, verbs in -έω (including οδηγέω) form the stem you question in -ήσ-. Empeirically I know that  verbs in -άω form that stem in ασ or ησ, but I don't know  if there is a rule about it. U/c verbs in όω become -ώσ- or -οσ-. 
I don't know what is supposed to be the u/c form of μπορώ as it doesn't have an ancient ancestor. Some new Gr. verbs have changed the original ancient u/c form, e.g. βοηθέω > βοηθάω. 
Look here if you can find something useful. http://www.e-arsakeio.gr/content/le...EEK/TESTS/22. T. SINIRIMENA RIMATA SE -AO.pdf


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## amt

Thank you, sotos, your link is very interesting.  Am I right in my observation that the ancient verbs ending in όω usually end in ώνω in Modern Greek?  

βεβαιώνω (AG βεβαιῶ) -> βεβαιώσω
αξιώνω (AG ἀξιῶ) -> αξιώσω

This has been helpful.

Edit: I just stumbled upon this thread from a different website http://www.textkit.com/greek-latin-forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11083.  The question asked was "When to use which aorist stem."  It appears to contain some helpful information.


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## Nikolaos_Kandidatos

amt said:


> Am I right in my observation that the ancient verbs ending in όω usually end in ώνω in Modern Greek?
> βεβαιώνω (AG βεβαιῶ) -> βεβαιώσω
> αξιώνω (AG ἀξιῶ) -> αξιώσω



This is absolutely correct. The modern Greek present stem has in fact historically been formed from the aorist stem by substituting for the aorist marker -s- the same present marker -n- that occurs in φέρνω and other verbs. As a rule the ancient aorist stem tends to be preserved better and newer, more regular present stems are formed from it.

As for the contract verbs in -ώ I believe there is no rule. The vast majority form the aorist stem in -ησ-, derived from the lengthened vowel of either ancient -εσ- or -ασ-. One simply needs to learn the exceptions that are formed with -ασ- -εσ- in MGk, which thankfully aren't that many.

Soto, actually μπορώ has an ancient ancestor, it is derived from εὐπορέω if I'm correct. Don't ask me about the μ, I don't remember..


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## bearded

According to _Grammatica neoellenica _by Nicola Catone (Ateneo Edition) - which is a book used at Italian universities -  the ancestor of 'borò/mporò' should be a verb i(m)borò/emporò with initial eta, a verb that already possessed the m(my).  Maybe someone can find a trace of that ancient verb, which though does not appear in dictionaries of Ancient Greek in my possession. I do not think that it has anything to do with commerce/emporion...

EDIT: a result of further searches indicates that 'euporéo' is indeed the ancestor.  Apparently, the prefix eu- was transformed into em- (with eta) during the byzantine time, so the verb imborò(emporèo) with eta is a byzantine ancestor...


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## Perseas

Actually μπορώ & έμπορος have something in common:
μπορώ < εμπορώ/ημπορώ < ευπορώ < ευ + *πόρος*
έμπορος < εν + *πόρος*
According to Babiniotis μ was formed under the influence of the noun έμπορος. 

However, he mentions that another theory states the verb μπορώ < εμπορώ comes directly from έμπορος.


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## bearded

If the last theory were correct (from émporos/émboros), how could one explain the semantic change to 'can/be able'?


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## sotos

bearded man said:


> If the last theory were correct (from émporos/émboros), how could one explain the semantic change to 'can/be able'?


I don't believe much to the ευ-πορώ origin. It seems  that (η)μπορώ appears in medieval era, possibly under the influence of the latin _potere_ and its mediterranean variants.


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## JRomulus

Fascinating discussion, thank you all.  Everything comes from somewhere... now I realize why my instructor often said, "it's complicated, just memorize it" when it came to Greek verbs! 

Καλή Χρονιά !


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