# BBG Chapter 33 — Prohibition Pattern Drill

BBG Chapter 33 · μή + Present Imperative vs. μή + Aorist Subjunctive

Instructions: For each item, (1) classify the prohibition as STOP (μή + present imperative = stop an ongoing action) or DONT (μή + aorist subjunctive = do not begin), (2) give the tense and mood of the verbal form, (3) give the lexical form (1st sg present active indicative), and (4) translate. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the answer for that row.

# | Greek Sentence | Pattern (STOP/DONT) | Tense | Mood | Lexical Form | Translation |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | μὴ κλαίετε |  |  |  |  |  |
| STOP · Present · Imperative · κλαίω · Stop weeping |
2 | μὴ φοβηθῇς |  |  |  |  |  |
| DONT · Aorist · Subjunctive · φοβέομαι · Do not be afraid (don't start) |
3 | μὴ νομίζετε ὅτι ἦλθον |  |  |  |  |  |
| STOP · Present · Imperative · νομίζω · Do not think (stop thinking) that I came |
4 | μὴ εἰσέλθῃς εἰς πειρασμόν |  |  |  |  |  |
| DONT · Aorist · Subjunctive · εἰσέρχομαι · Do not enter into temptation |
5 | μὴ μεριμνᾶτε |  |  |  |  |  |
| STOP · Present · Imperative · μεριμνάω · Stop worrying |
6 | μὴ λαλήσῃς κακόν |  |  |  |  |  |
| DONT · Aorist · Subjunctive · λαλέω · Do not speak evil |
7 | μὴ θαυμάζετε |  |  |  |  |  |
| STOP · Present · Imperative · θαυμάζω · Stop marveling |
8 | μὴ πορευθῇς |  |  |  |  |  |
| DONT · Aorist · Subjunctive · πορεύομαι · Do not go |
9 | μὴ λέγε τοῦτο |  |  |  |  |  |
| STOP · Present · Imperative · λέγω · Stop saying this |
10 | μὴ ἅψῃ |  |  |  |  |  |
| DONT · Aorist · Subjunctive · ἅπτω · Do not touch |
11 | μὴ φοβεῖσθε |  |  |  |  |  |
| STOP · Present · Imperative · φοβέομαι · Stop being afraid |
12 | μὴ ἀποκτείνῃς |  |  |  |  |  |
| DONT · Aorist · Subjunctive · ἀποκτείνω · Do not kill |
13 | μὴ κρίνετε |  |  |  |  |  |
| STOP · Present · Imperative · κρίνω · Do not judge (stop judging) |
14 | μὴ ἁμάρτῃς |  |  |  |  |  |
| DONT · Aorist · Subjunctive · ἁμαρτάνω · Do not sin |
15 | μὴ κατεσθίετε τοὺς πτωχούς |  |  |  |  |  |
| STOP · Present · Imperative · κατεσθίω · Stop devouring the poor |
16 | μὴ ἄρῃς τὸ σκεῦος |  |  |  |  |  |
| DONT · Aorist · Subjunctive · αἴρω · Do not take the vessel |
17 | μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖτε |  |  |  |  |  |
| STOP · Present · Imperative · ἐπιθυμέω · Stop desiring (do not covet) |
18 | μὴ πιστεύσῃς |  |  |  |  |  |
| DONT · Aorist · Subjunctive · πιστεύω · Do not believe |
19 | μὴ δίδοτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν |  |  |  |  |  |
| STOP · Present · Imperative · δίδωμι · Do not give what is holy to dogs |
20 | μὴ ποιήσῃς τοῦτο |  |  |  |  |  |
| DONT · Aorist · Subjunctive · ποιέω · Do not do this |

## Discussion Questions

1. The rule "μή + present imperative = stop; μή + aorist subjunctive = don't begin" is a useful teaching heuristic. Give two items from the exercise where the "stop" nuance is clearly supported by the context and two where it seems more like a general prohibition. What does this tell you about how absolute the rule is?
2. Item 19 uses δίδοτε — a present imperative of δίδωμι (a μι-verb). How does the form differ from a standard ω-verb present imperative? What is the 2nd plural present imperative ending for μι-verbs?
3. Items 2 and 11 both use φοβέομαι — one is STOP (μή + present imperative) and one is DONT (μή + aorist subjunctive). Write both out with glosses and explain the pragmatic difference in context: when would a speaker choose each form?