Irregular Modern Greek Verbs

This page is part of a more general, learner-oriented page on Greek verbs (modern and ancient), which in turn is part of the author’s pages on the grammar of the Greek language.

As mentioned in the general information on Greek verbs, each Greek verb comes in two flavors, which we called vanilla and strawberry, which become three if we count the passive chocolate as a separate flavor. (Please visit the previous link and read the beginning of that page to see the justification for this choice of words.) In a brief introductory paragraph on irregular verbs we saw that there are three verbs (βλέπω = I see, λέω = I say, and τρώω = I eat) that have totally unrelated vanilla and strawberry flavors (είδα = I saw, είπα = I said, and έφαγα = I ate). All other irregular verbs have flavors of vanilla and strawberry (and chocolate in the passive voice) that are more-or-less related to each other (they have at least some common consonants) but they are irregular because they cannot be pigeonholed into one of the regular patterns (see the page on regular Greek verbs for a list of those patterns).

The verbs listed in this page are by no means all of the irregular verbs in Greek. However, they are taken from the list of the 1000 most common Greek words (for information on how this list was obtained, see this footnote), so in a way they are the irregular Greek verbs a learner would want to look at for most practical purposes.

Verbs in their main tables are listed in this page by frequency of occurrence in the language, in reverse order (high frequencies first). A list (“Table of Contents”) is given immediately below, for ease of locating a given verb alphabetically.

Finally note that a characteristic of Greek verbs is that often prepositions can be prepended to a base verb, changing completely its meaning. Prepositional forms are listed under the tables of the main verb entry, in a note; but because they are too many, they have been omitted from the Table of Contents, below; so it is recommended that the reader use the search function of their browser to locate verbs in this page. Often the compound prepositional verb is more common than its base form; in that case, the prepositional form is shown as a main entry, and the base together with all other prepositional verbs follow in a note.

Table of Contents
be   είμαι be about, concern, regard   αφορώ belong   ανήκω bring, fetch   φέρνω / φέρω die   πεθαίνω do, make   κάνω drink   πίνω eat   τρώω / τρώγω enter   μπαίνω exit, go out, get out   βγαίνω fail   αποτυγχάνω fall   πέφτω find   βρίσκω give   δίνω go   πηγαίνω / πάω happen (by chance)   τυχαίνω have   έχω know   ξέρω learn   μαθαίνω leave   φεύγω like   αρέσω mean, signal   σημαίνω mention, report   αναφέρω pelt, hurl   βάλλω proceed   βαίνω propose   προτείνω put   βάζω receive, take   λαμβάνω / λαβαίνω say   λέω see   βλέπω send   στέλνω stay   μένω submit, subject   υποβάλλω succeed   πετυχαίνω / επιτυγχάνω suffer, undergo   παθαίνω take   παίρνω take out, extract   βγάζω want   θέλω	αναφέρω   mention, report ανήκω   belong αποτυγχάνω   fail αρέσω   like αφορώ   be about, concern, regard βάζω   put βαίνω   proceed βάλλω   pelt, hurl βγάζω   take out, extract βγαίνω   exit, go out, get out βλέπω   see βρίσκω   find δίνω   give είμαι   be έχω   have θέλω   want κάνω   do, make λαμβάνω / λαβαίνω   receive, take λέω   say μαθαίνω   learn μένω   stay μπαίνω   enter ξέρω   know παθαίνω   suffer, undergo παίρνω   take πεθαίνω   die πετυχαίνω / επιτυγχάνω   succeed πέφτω   fall πηγαίνω / πάω   go πίνω   drink προτείνω   propose σημαίνω   mean, signal στέλνω   send τρώω / τρώγω   eat τυχαίνω   happen (by chance) υποβάλλω   submit, subject φέρνω / φέρω   bring, fetch φεύγω   leave
... to be continued ...	... stay tuned ...

Note: The entire conjugation of this verb (all persons) is given here.

Note 1: There is no vanilla vs. strawberry distinction in verb έχω. As a result, the imperfect is identical with the past form: only the context can differentiate whether είχα is meant in the progressive or instantaneous sense.

Note 2: Since the forms of this verb are only two (έχω and είχα), its entire conjugation can be given here, in all three persons and two numbers, thus: present: έχω, έχεις, έχει, έχουμε, έχετε, έχουν/έχουνε; and imperfect/past: είχα, είχες, είχε, είχαμε, είχατε, είχαν/είχανε. The last ε in the 3rd person plural is called a “euphonic epsilon”, and is used to make the speech continuous, usually when the next word starts with a consonant which is not one of κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ; but it is not mandatory. (The euphonic epsilon applies not only to έχω but to all verbs in the 3rd person plural.)

Note 3: There are several compound prepositional verbs formed with έχω, some of which have been regularized. But note that although έχω itself lacks separate subjunctive and passive forms (e.g., there is no “έχομαι”), some of the compound verbs do have their own subjunctive (e.g., παράσχω) and passive (e.g., παρέχομαι). Wherever such forms exist, they are noted below (in parentheses: imperfect, subjunctive, past, passive present):
ανέχομαι (ανά + έχομαι): put up with, tolerate, bear (ανεχόμουν, ανεχθώ/ανεχτώ, ανέχθηκα/ανέχτηκα)
αντέχω (αντί + έχω): endure, stand, bear (listed as regular) (άντεχα, αντέξω, άντεξα, αντέχομαι)
απέχω (από + έχω): abstain, refrain, keep away from (απείχα, απέσχω, απείχα, --)
εξέχω (εξ + έχω): protrude, stand out; be prominent (εξείχα, εξέχω, εξείχα, --)
επέχω (επί + έχω): stand for (as a substitute for smth. else) (επείχα, επέχω, επείχα, --)
κατέχω (κατά + έχω): know (= “γνωρίζω”); occupy (κατείχα/κάτεχα, κατέχω, κατείχα, κατέχομαι)
μετέχω (μετά + έχω): participate (= “συμμετέχω”, see below) (μετείχα, μετάσχω, μετείχα, --)
παρέχω (παρά + έχω): provide (παρείχα, παράσχω, παρείχα, παρέχομαι)
περιέχω (περί + έχω): contain (περιείχα, περιέξω, περιείχα, περιέχομαι)
προέχω (προ + έχω): be of utmost importance, be prominent (προείχα, προέχω, προείχα, --)
προσέχω (προς + έχω): pay attention to, be attentive, watch, keep an eye on (listed as regular) (πρόσεχα, προσέξω, πρόσεξα, προσέχομαι)
συμμετέχω (συν + μετά + έχω) participate (συμμετείχα, συμμετάσχω, συμμετείχα, --)
συμπεριέχω (συν + περί + έχω): include (= “συμπεριλαμβάνω”) (συμπεριείχα, συμπεριέχω, συμπεριείχα, συμπεριέχομαι)
υπερέχω (υπέρ + έχω): be superior (υπερείχα, υπερέχω, υπερείχα, --)
υπέχω (υπό + έχω): be compelled, be obliged (to do smth.); stand for (= “επέχω”) (υπείχα, υπέχω, υπείχα, --)

Note: The middle voice does not make much sense for the verb above. However, πάρσου (middle imperative) is possible, though extremely rare.

Note 1: The middle voice of the verb above has a different meaning than its active and passive senses, and is formed by the vanilla stem. The passive voice occurs almost always in the 3rd person, due to the concept it describes (ειπώθηκε = “it was said”, θα ειπωθεί = “it will be said”, etc.). The passive present and imperfect of this sense are also formed by the stem -λεγ- (λέγεται = “it is said”, λεγόταν = “it was being said/used to be said”, etc.).

Note 2: There is a compound verb derived from λέω by prepending the adverb πάρα (very):
παραλέω (πάρα + λέω): exaggerate, speak by magnifying events thus making them not true (παραέλεγα, παραπώ, παραείπα)
This verb is used almost exclusively in the expression “τα παραλέω” (e.g.: “Μην τα παραλές!” = “Don’t be exaggerating [the facts]!”)
There are also a few compounds with prepositions, but note that they use the regularized strawberry stem -λεξ-:
αντιλέγω (αντί + λέγω): argue against (usu. against authority) (αντέλεγα, αντιλέξω, αντέλεξα)
διαλέγω (διά + λέγω): choose (διάλεγα, διαλέξω, διάλεξα)
εκλέγω (εκ + λέγω): elect (εξέλεγα, εκλέξω, εξέλεξα)
επιλέγω (επί + λέγω): select, cull (επέλεγα, επιλέξω, επέλεξα)
προλέγω (προ + λέγω): foretell (προέλεγα, προλέξω, προέλεξα)

Note 3: The active vanilla stem -λε- is more common (in speech & writing) than -λεγ-; thus, it is more common to hear or read λέω, rather than λέγω (and also in the other persons: λες, λέει, λέμε, λέτε, λέν/λένε, rather than λέγεις, λέγει, λέγουμε, λέγετε, λέγουν/λέγουνε). It should be noted that -λε- is a result of erosion of -λεγ-, which is the original (ancient) stem. In the imperfect and imperative, however, no erosion is observed (no *έλεα, or *λέε!). Also, none of the compounds (see note 2) uses the stem -λε-.

Note: The older form δίδω of this verb (from ancient δίδωμι) works as a prepositional verb constructor (in parentheses: imperfect, subjunctive, past):
αποδίδω (από + δίδω): render (e.g., a translation); confer, bestow (e.g., honors to someone) (απέδιδα, αποδόσω, απέδωσα)
διαδίδω (διά + δίδω): spread rumors (διέδιδα, διαδόσω, διέδωσα)
εκδίδω (εκ + δίδω): publish; push into prostitution (esp. in middle voice: εκδίδομαι) (εξέδιδα, εκδόσω, εξέδωσα)
καταδίδω (κατά + δίδω): betray (pass on information against someone) (κατέδιδα, καταδόσω, κατέδωσα)
μεταδίδω, and μεταδίνω (μετά + δίδω/δίνω): transmit (programme through airwaves); transmit (disease), infect (μετέδιδα, μεταδόσω, μετέδωσα)
παραδίδω, and παραδίνω (παρά + δίδω/δίνω): teach lessons (in class or to student(s)); surrender (esp. in middle voice) (παρέδιδα, παραδόσω, παρέδωσα)
προδίδω, and προδίνω (προ + δίδω/δίνω): betray (a secret); be unloyal/unfaithful (in love) (προέδιδα/πρόδινα, προδόσω, πρόδωσα)
προσδίδω (προς + δίδω): add on (a feature/property to existent/known set of features) (προσέδιδα, προσδόσω, προσέδωσα)

Note 1: the stem -καμν- is non-standard, used in some Greek localities only (mainly in Macedonia). However, in the imperfect it is heard occasionally among other native speakers too, because it distinguishes between the imperfect and past tenses. This verb derives from ancient κάμνω, meaning “I tire/am getting tired”, from which also nouns such as κάματος (toil), and καμώματα (peculiar/unexpected deeds/behavior) are derived.

Note 2: This verb works as a prepositional verb constructor, with one preposition only (in parentheses: imperfect, subjunctive, past):
αποκάνω or αποκάμνω (από + κάνω/κάμνω): resign due to tiredness (απόκανα/απόκαμνα, αποκάμω, απόκαμα)

Note 3: There is a compound verb derived from κάνω by prepending the adverb πάρα (very):
παρακάνω (πάρα + κάνω): overdo (παράκανα, παρακάνω, παράκανα)

Note: The past participle of the above verb does not have the sense “wanted”, as in “a criminal is wanted” (that sense is expressed by “καταζητείται”); instead, the sense of it is “desired”.

Note 1: To express the meaning of the middle voice (“I see myself”), another verb is used: κοιτάζομαι (from active κοιτάζω = I look at), the middle imperative of which is: κοιτάξου! (=look at yourself!)

Note 2: The above verb serves as a prepositional verb constructor (in parentheses: imperfect, subjunctive, past) (notice that the prepositional verbs use mostly the regular, rather than the irregular stems):
αποβλέπω (από + βλέπω): intend, aim; act in expectation of a favorable outcome (απέβλεπα, αποβλέψω, απέβλεψα)
διαβλέπω (διά + βλέπω): see through time and predict a future event by extrapolating from current events (διέβλεπα, διαβλέψω, διέβλεψα/διείδα)
επιβλέπω (επί + βλέπω): supervise (επέβλεπα, επιβλέψω, επέβλεψα)
παραβλέπω (παρά + βλέπω): fail to see by negligence (παρέβλεπα, παραβλέψω, παρέβλεψα)
προβλέπω (προ + βλέπω): predict (πρόβλεπα/προέβλεπα, προβλέψω, πρόβλεψα/προέβλεψα)
προσβλέπω (προς + βλέπω): expect/hope a favorable outcome (προσέβλεπα/πρόσβλεπα, προσβλέψω, προσέβλεψα/πρόσβλεψα)

Note 1: Only the present tense has the alternative form πάω (declined as: πάω, πας, πάει, πάμε, πάτε, πάνε). None of the other vanilla forms becomes “contaminated” with the strawberry flavor.

Note 2: the present tense form “πάω να...” very rarely can denote future (“I am going to [do smth]”). One example would be, “πάει να τα καταφέρει” (“he/she is [almost] going to make it”). But such examples are hard to find. Do not use “πάω να” as a substitute for “I will” in Greek; instead, this verb almost always implies motion from one location to another.

Note 3: Although “πάε!” is given as the simple imperative form above, complying with the strawberry flavor, in practice the command “go!” is expressed almost always by progressive (vanilla) imperative “πήγαινε!”, probably because “going” is conceptualized as a progressive act.

Note 1: The verb above has an alternative form: φέρω in the active present (έφερα, active imperfect), which is less colloquial, making its vanilla stem identical to its strawberry. In this, rather learned form, φέρω usually has the sense “I bear, I have on myself”. E.g.: η ελληνική σημαία φέρει σταυρό (“the Greek flag bears a cross”), or: φέρει ουλή στο πρόσωπο (“bears a scar on the face”).

Note 2: The middle form φέρομαι is produced from this alternative form, φέρω (see note 1), and has a completely different meaning (“I behave”), which is much more common as a concept than the passive one (“I am brought”). Thus, a form such as φέρθηκα means, in most cases, “I behaved”. E.g.: μου φέρθηκε άσχημα (“he/she behaved badly to me / dealt with me badly”). However, the presence of the consonant ν in the stem usually signifies passive voice, e.g.: η φλόγα φέρνεται από την Ολυμπία (“the flame is brought from Olympia”). The meaning of “behave” can also be rendered through συμπεριφέρομαι, which is conjugated exactly as φέρομαι, prepending the prepositions συν- & περι- (resulting in συμπερι-) to all its forms.

Note 3: The form φέρω (and its middle φέρομαι) is prolific as a prepositional verb constructor (in parentheses: imperfect, subjunctive, past):
αναφέρω (ανά + φέρω): mention, report (to be encountered) (ανέφερα/ανάφερα, αναφέρω, ανέφερα/ανάφερα)
αναφέρομαι (ανά + φέρομαι): refer (αναφερόμουν, αναφερθώ, αναφέρθηκα)
αποφέρω (από + φέρω): yield, produce (απέφερα, αποφέρω, απέφερα)
διαφέρω (διά + φέρω): differ (διέφερα, διαφέρω, διέφερα)
εισφέρω (εις + φέρω), and more commonly, συνεισφέρω (συν + εις + φέρω): contribute (συνεισέφερα, συνεισφέρω, συνεισέφερα)
εκφέρω (εκ + φέρω): utter (εξέφερα, εκφέρω, εξέφερα)
επιφέρω (επί + φέρω): cause, bring about (επέφερα, επιφέρω, επέφερα)
καταφέρω (κατά + φέρω): deal (a strike), hit (κατέφερα, καταφέρω, κατάφερα)
καταφέρνω (κατά + φέρνω): manage to do smth. (κατάφερνα, καταφέρω, κατάφερα)
μεταφέρω (μετά + φέρω): transfer, move; carry (μετάφερνα/μετέφερα, μεταφέρω, μετάφερα/μετέφερα)
παραφέρομαι (παρά + φέρομαι): lose one’s temper, go mad/berserk (παραφερόμουν, παραφερθώ, παραφέρθηκα)
περιφέρω (περί + φέρω): carry around (περιέφερνα, περιφέρω, περιέφερα)
περιφέρομαι (περί + φέρομαι): wander (περιφερόμουν, περιφερθώ, περιφέρθηκα)
προφέρω (προ + φέρω): pronounce (πρόφερα/προέφερα, προφέρω, πρόφερα/προέφερα)
προσφέρω (προς + φέρω): offer, proffer; give for sale (πρόσφερα/προσέφερα, προσφέρω, πρόσφερα/προσέφερα)
συμφέρω (συν + φέρω), usu. in 3rd person συμφέρει: be to one’s interests, be advantageous, suit one’s purpose (συνέφερα, συμφέρω, συνέφερα)
συμπεριφέρομαι (συν + περί + φέρομαι): behave (συμπεριφερόμουν, συμπεριφερθώ, συμπεριφέρθηκα)
υποφέρω (υπό + φέρω): suffer; put up with (υπόφερα/υπέφερα, υποφέρω, υπόφερα/υπέφερα)

Etymology Note (based on note 3): It is not a coincidence that the above verbs refer, differ, transfer, offer, and suffer all have a common ending; they are all derivatives of Latin ferre, which is akin to Greek φέρω.

Note 1: This verb lacks not only passive and middle voice, but also the entire strawberry flavor. It is found almost always in the 3rd person: αφορά (present) and αφορούσε (imperfect), as in “ο νέος ιός αφορά τους υπολογιστές εκείνους που...” (“the new virus is about [affects] those computers that...”), or: “η είδηση αφορούσε όλους όσοι...” (“the news concerned [was about] all those who...”). Or, consider these examples in the plural: “τα νέα αφορούν τις χώρες της Ευρώπης” (“the news concern [are about] the countries of Europe”), or: “δεν αφορούσαν εμένα” (“they were not about me”).

Note 2: There are some very common stock phrases using this verb that explain its high frequency of occurrence: 1. “όσον αφορά τον/την/το (or στον/στην/στο - see note 3)...”, meaning “regarding the...”, and 2. “δεν σε αφορά!”, meaning “it’s none of your business!” (lit.: “it does not concern you!”)

Note 3: There has been some discussion regarding whether τον/την/το or στον/στην/στο should follow αφορά. Grammarians have insisted that the correct syntax is αφορά στον/στην/στο, and that people who use τον/την/το do so erroneously. This suggestion for correction has been around since the early 80’s. Nonetheless, a search on the internet reveals that people overwhelmingly use the τον/την/το forms of the article (83%), rather than στον/στην/στο (17%), following this verb.

Note 1: The strawberry flavor of this verb has almost always the meaning “signal”, not “mean”, because the latter cannot be conceived of in an instantaneous sense in Greek: if something σημαίνει (“means”), it “means” continuously. In contrast, in English the form “I am meaning” sounds rather peculiar, if not plain wrong.

Note 2: This verb works as a prepositional verb constructor, with one preposition only (in parentheses: imperfect, subjunctive, past):
επισημαίνω (επί + σημαίνω): point out, single out (επισήμαινα, επισημάνω, επισήμανα)