# BBG Chapter 20 — Verbal Roots (Patterns 2–4)

## Files

### Exercises

Exercise | Description
--- | ---
exercises/ch20-stem-change-drill/ | Stem Change Drill — 20 items: identify root, pattern type, give future form

### Flashcards

File | Description
--- | ---
ch20-vocab-deck.md | Human-readable card list — 16 vocabulary words
ch20-vocab-deck.txt | Anki import file (File → Import)
ch20-vocab-deck-fd.txt | Flashcards Deluxe import file

Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar, Mounce, 4th Edition

## 1. Why Greek Verbs Look Different Across Tenses

Greek verbs are built on a verbal root — an underlying consonant skeleton — but the surface form you see in a given tense can look quite different. Three processes account for most variation:

1. Ablaut (vowel gradation) — the root vowel changes between tenses
2. Consonant assimilation — stop consonants change when σ is added
3. Suppletion — completely different stems are used for different tenses (as in English go/went)

The BBH grammar introduces these under Patterns 2, 3, and 4. Pattern 1 is the regular λύω paradigm already mastered.

## 2. Pattern 2 — Stop Consonant + σ Combinations

When a verbal stem ends in a stop consonant (π, β, φ, κ, γ, χ, τ, δ, θ), adding the σ tense formant creates a predictable double consonant. This affects the future, first aorist, and perfect active.

### 2.1 Labial Stops (π, β, φ) + σ → ψ

Present | Stem | Future | Aorist
--- | --- | --- | ---
γράφω | γραφ- | γράψω | ἔγραψα
βλέπω | βλεπ- | βλέψω | ἔβλεψα
πέμπω | πεμπ- | πέμψω | ἔπεμψα
λείπω | λειπ- | λείψω | ἔλιπον (2nd aor.)

> Diagnostic: ψ in a verb form = labial stem + σ. Work backwards: ψ → π/β/φ + σ.

### 2.2 Velar Stops (κ, γ, χ) + σ → ξ

Present | Stem | Future | Aorist
--- | --- | --- | ---
ἄγω | ἀγ- | ἄξω | ἤγαγον (2nd aor.)
ἄρχω | ἀρχ- | ἄρξω | ἦρξα
διώκω | διωκ- | διώξω | ἐδίωξα
κηρύσσω | κηρυκ- | κηρύξω | ἐκήρυξα

> Diagnostic: ξ in a verb form = velar stem + σ. Work backwards: ξ → κ/γ/χ + σ.

### 2.3 Dental Stops (τ, δ, θ) + σ → σ (dental drops)

Present | Stem | Future | Aorist
--- | --- | --- | ---
πείθω | πειθ- | πείσω | ἔπεισα
σῴζω | σῳδ- | σώσω | ἔσωσα
βαπτίζω | βαπτιδ- | βαπτίσω | ἐβάπτισα

> Diagnostic: When a dental precedes σ, the dental simply drops, leaving only σ. The resulting form looks like any other σ-formant future or aorist.

## 3. Pattern 3 — Vowel Lengthening / Ablaut

Some verbs show a different vowel in certain tense stems. The present stem vowel and the future/aorist stem vowel are related by ablaut (Indo-European vowel gradation):

Ablaut Pattern | Present Vowel | Future/Aorist Vowel | Example
--- | --- | --- | ---
ε/ο gradation | ε | ο (zero grade: nothing) | λέγω → εἶπον
ι lengthening | ι | ει | κρίνω → κρινῶ
Lengthening | short vowel | long vowel | φιλέω → φιλήσω

Common verbs with notable ablaut:

Present | Future | Aorist | Root
--- | --- | --- | ---
λαμβάνω | λήμψομαι | ἔλαβον | λαβ-
μανθάνω | — | ἔμαθον | μαθ-
τυγχάνω | τεύξομαι | ἔτυχον | τυχ-
λανθάνω | λήσω | ἔλαθον | λαθ-

> Note: The present stem often has a nasal infix (ν or αν/αν) inserted into the root that does not appear in other tenses. λαμβάνω (present) → ἔλαβον (aorist): the nasal αν in the present is a present-stem morpheme only.

## 4. Pattern 4 — Suppletive (Completely Different) Stems

Some high-frequency Greek verbs use entirely different roots for different principal parts. These are suppletive verbs and must be memorized individually.

Present | Future | Aorist Active | Meaning
--- | --- | --- | ---
ὁράω | ὄψομαι | εἶδον | I see
ἔρχομαι | ἐλεύσομαι | ἦλθον | I come/go
φέρω | οἴσω | ἤνεγκα / ἤνεγκον | I carry/bear
λέγω | ἐρῶ | εἶπον | I say
αἱρέω | αἱρήσω | εἷλον | I take/choose
ἐσθίω | φάγομαι | ἔφαγον | I eat
τρέχω | — | ἔδραμον | I run

> Note: These suppletive verbs are among the most frequent in the GNT. Memorizing their principal parts is essential. The good news: you have already encountered most of these roots in your vocabulary study.

## 5. Principal Parts System

Greek grammars organize verb forms into six principal parts, each representing a unique stem:

Principal Part | Form Type | Tense/Voice
--- | --- | ---
1st | Present active 1sg | Present active/middle
2nd | Future active 1sg | Future active/middle
3rd | Aorist active 1sg | Aorist active/middle
4th | Perfect active 1sg | Perfect active
5th | Perfect middle/passive 1sg | Perfect middle/passive
6th | Aorist passive 1sg | Aorist/future passive

Example for λύω (regular):

PP | Form |
--- | --- | ---
1st | λύω | Present active
2nd | λύσω | Future active
3rd | ἔλυσα | Aorist active
4th | λέλυκα | Perfect active
5th | λέλυμαι | Perfect middle/passive
6th | ἐλύθην | Aorist passive

Example for ὁράω (suppletive):

PP | Form |
--- | --- | ---
1st | ὁράω | Present active
2nd | ὄψομαι | Future middle (deponent)
3rd | εἶδον | Aorist active (2nd aorist)
4th | ἑώρακα / ἑόρακα | Perfect active
5th | ἑώραμαι | Perfect middle/passive
6th | ὤφθην | Aorist passive

## 6. Using a Greek Lexicon

When you encounter an unfamiliar verb form, follow these steps to find the lexical entry:

1. Identify the tense formant: σ (future/1st aorist), θη (aorist passive), reduplication (perfect)
2. Remove augment if present: ε- prefix or vowel lengthening indicates past tense
3. Reverse stop + σ combinations: ψ → φ/π/β + -, ξ → χ/κ/γ + -
4. Check for nasal infixes: μβ, νθ, ντ in present stem may not appear in lexicon form
5. Look up the resulting stem in BDAG or another lexicon

> Note: Most intermediate grammars include a principal parts list in the back. BBG Appendix lists all verbs with irregular principal parts. Consulting this list regularly builds pattern recognition faster than individual memorization.

## 7. Summary of Pattern Types

Pattern | Characteristic | Examples
--- | --- | ---
1 | Regular σ formant, no stem change | λύω, πιστεύω
2 | Stop + σ → ψ or ξ or σ | γράφω, ἄγω, πείθω
3 | Vowel change / nasal infix in present | λαμβάνω, μανθάνω
4 | Completely different stems (suppletive) | ὁράω, ἔρχομαι, φέρω