A1 · Beginner Chapter 7

Present Tense Basics

4 Total Rules
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Unlock the Greek language by mastering the most essential verb conjugations for everyday life.

  • Identify regular verb patterns for Group A and B endings.
  • Conjugate the essential irregular verbs 'to be' and 'to have'.
  • Apply these verbs to form simple, functional sentences.
Master the action, own the conversation.

What You'll Learn

Conjugating regular verbs in the present tense. Introduction to common verb endings.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Conjugate regular verbs in the present tense to describe daily activities.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Use 'eimai' and 'echo' to introduce yourself and your belongings.

Tips & Tricks (4)

💡

Drop the Pronoun

You don't need 'Εγώ' or 'Εσύ'. The verb ending is enough.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense Conjugation (Group A)
💡

Focus on the stress

Always stress the last syllable of Group B verbs. It's the key to sounding Greek.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense Conjugation (Group B)
💡

Drop the pronoun

You don't need 'Εγώ' or 'Εσύ'. The verb ending says it all.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The verb 'to be' (eimai)
💡

Drop the pronoun

You don't need to say 'εγώ' or 'εσύ'. The verb ending is enough.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The verb 'to have' (echo)

Key Vocabulary (5)

διαβάζω to read αγαπώ to love είμαι to be έχω to have φίλος friend

Real-World Preview

coffee

Meeting a New Friend

Review Summary

  • Root + -ω
  • Root + -άω
  • Irregular
  • Irregular

Common Mistakes

Do not double subject pronouns unless for emphasis. The ending of the verb already indicates 'I'.

Wrong: Εγώ είμαι διαβάζω.
Correct: Διαβάζω.

You don't need 'have' to describe state. Simply use the verb 'to be'.

Wrong: Εγώ έχω είμαι.
Correct: Είμαι.

Group B verbs change their ending based on the person. Remember to conjugate correctly!

Wrong: Αυτός αγαπάω.
Correct: Αυτός αγαπάει.

Next Steps

You are doing fantastic! Keep practicing these verb forms daily, and you will be speaking Greek with confidence in no time.

Conjugate 5 new verbs you find in a dictionary.

Continue to: Personal Pronouns

Quick Practice (10)

Fill in the correct form.

Εγώ ___ ο Νίκος.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: είμαι
1st person singular.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The verb 'to be' (eimai)

Find the mistake.

Find and fix the mistake:

Εγώ έχω ένα σκύλο.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Εγώ
Pronoun is redundant.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The verb 'to have' (echo)

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Εγώ λύνεις.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Εγώ λύνω
Pronoun mismatch.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense Conjugation (Group A)

Which is the correct 2nd person singular for 'αγαπώ'?

Εσύ ___ το φαγητό.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: αγαπάς
2nd person singular is -άς.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense Conjugation (Group B)

Find the mistake.

Find and fix the mistake:

Αυτοί μιλάει ελληνικά.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Αυτοί μιλούν
3rd person plural is -ούν.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense Conjugation (Group B)

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Εγώ είμαι κουρασμένος.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Είμαι κουρασμένος.
Remove redundant pronoun.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The verb 'to be' (eimai)

Conjugate λύνω for 'Εγώ'.

Εγώ ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: λύνω
1st person singular ends in -ω.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense Conjugation (Group A)

Fill in the correct form of 'έχω'.

Εγώ ___ ένα βιβλίο.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: έχω
1st person singular is 'έχω'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The verb 'to have' (echo)

Select the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Είσαι καλά;
Question format.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The verb 'to be' (eimai)

Fill in the correct form of 'μιλάω' for 'Εγώ'.

Εγώ ___ ελληνικά.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: μιλάω
1st person singular is -ώ.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense Conjugation (Group B)

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

Because the verb ending already indicates the person.
Verbs ending in -ω.
Almost all, yes. It's the defining feature.
It's a historical remnant of the contraction.
No, it's usually omitted.
Use rising intonation.
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