Modern Greek/Lesson 09.1

=Active Imperfect Tense=

1st Conjugation
The imperfect tense is used to describe an action in the past that was continuous or repeated. For verbs in the first conjugation, it is formed from the progressive stem by moving the accent to the third syllable from the end, and adding endings that differ from those used in the present. The following example illustrates this with the verb διαβάζω (to read):

Present:

Imperfect:

Example:

If the stem of the verb is too short to allow an accent on the third syllable from the end, the prefix ε- is added, take for example the verb γράφω (to write):

2nd Conjugation
The Imperfect is the Past Continuous in English.

Both first order verbs like αγαπώ (to love) and second order verbs like καλώ (to call), use the suffix -ούσ-:

Examples:

=Passive Imperfect Tense= Review of the present passive; εμπιστεύομαι, to trust:

The passive imperfect, like the active imperfect, indicates an action in the past that was ongoing: