There is a lot less to memorise in the Greek verb than the number of "tenses" suggests. A large regular pattern, represented here by Type A γράφω, uses one set of personal endings in non-past forms and another in past forms. Other conjugations still encode person in the ending, but not always with the same surface shapes: Type B1 has αγαπάς, αγαπά(ει), for example. Learn the pattern with its conjugation class and you can identify subjects and build related forms without treating every tense as a fresh paradigm.
The Type A non-past endings
For a Type A verb, these endings appear in the present and in the same shape after θα or να; the imperfective or perfective stem underneath selects the viewpoint.
| Person | Ending | On the imperfective stem (present) | On the perfective stem (θα/να …) |
|---|---|---|---|
| εγώ | -ω | γράφω (ghráfo) | θα γράψω (tha ghrápso) |
| εσύ | -εις | γράφεις (ghráfis) | θα γράψεις (tha ghrápsis) |
| αυτός/-ή/-ό | -ει | γράφει (ghráfi) | θα γράψει (tha ghrápsi) |
| εμείς | -ουμε | γράφουμε (ghráfume) | θα γράψουμε (tha ghrápsume) |
| εσείς | -ετε | γράφετε (ghráfete) | θα γράψετε (tha ghrápsete) |
| αυτοί/-ές/-ά | -ουν(ε) | γράφουν(ε) (ghráfun(e)) | θα γράψουν(ε) (tha ghrápsun(e)) |
Do not transfer this table mechanically to every active present. Type B1 gives αγαπάω/αγαπώ, αγαπάς, αγαπά(ει), while another contracted pattern gives καλώ, καλείς, καλεί. A perfective form such as θα αγαπήσεις returns to the Type-A-shaped non-past set, so both aspect stem and conjugation class matter.
The past endings
The imperfect and the aorist share a second set. Again, the ending is the same for both; the stem (imperfective γράφ- vs perfective γράψ-) is what makes one an imperfect and the other an aorist.
| Person | Ending | On the imperfective stem (imperfect) | On the perfective stem (aorist) |
|---|---|---|---|
| εγώ | -α | έγραφα (éghrafa) | έγραψα (éghrapsa) |
| εσύ | -ες | έγραφες (éghrafes) | έγραψες (éghrapses) |
| αυτός/-ή/-ό | -ε | έγραφε (éghrafe) | έγραψε (éghrapse) |
| εμείς | -αμε | γράφαμε (ghráfame) | γράψαμε (ghrápsame) |
| εσείς | -ατε | γράφατε (ghráfate) | γράψατε (ghrápsate) |
| αυτοί/-ές/-ά | -αν(ε) | έγραφαν(ε) (éghrafan(e)) | έγραψαν(ε) (éghrapsan(e)) |
You will notice the accent jumps to the front in the past (έγραφα, έγραψα) and that a little έ- appears on the shorter forms but not the longer ones (έγραφα but γράφαμε). That extra syllable is the augment, and it shows up only when the stress needs a syllable to land on — its whole story is on the augment. For now, just take the endings themselves: -α, -ες, -ε, -αμε, -ατε, -αν.
The Type A core is a 2 × 2
For a regular Type A verb, two stems and two ending-sets produce a useful four-box core:
| Imperfective stem (γράφ-) | Perfective stem (γράψ-) | |
|---|---|---|
| Non-past endings | γράφω — present | θα/να γράψω — simple future / subjunctive |
| Past endings | έγραφα — imperfect | έγραψα — aorist |
This grid generates the central Type A present, future/subjunctive, imperfect and aorist combinations. Type B and irregular verbs retain the same person distinctions but require their own stem-and-ending pattern where their forms diverge.
The endings carry the person — so the pronoun disappears
Because each ending already names the subject, Greek normally drops the subject pronoun entirely. Γράφω can only be "I write"; γράφουμε can only be "we write." Adding εγώ or εμείς is not required and, when you do add it, it carries emphasis or contrast rather than plain information. This is the deepest practical reason the endings are worth over-learning: they are the pronouns.
Δουλεύουμε μαζί εδώ και δύο χρόνια και δεν μαλώσαμε ποτέ.
dhulévume mazí edhó ke dhío chrónia ke dhen malósame poté
We've worked together for two years and never once argued.
Τι κάνεις απόψε, θα βγεις έξω με την παρέα;
ti kánis apópse, tha vyis ékso me tin paréa;
What are you doing tonight, are you going out with the gang?
Τα παιδιά τρέχουν στην παραλία και φωνάζουν χαρούμενα.
ta pedhyá tréchun stin paralía ke fonázun charúmena
The kids are running on the beach and shouting happily.
When you do put the pronoun in, it is doing contrastive work — pointing a finger:
Εγώ κερνάω σήμερα κι εσύ κέρασες την τελευταία φορά.
eghó kernáo símera ki esí kérases tin teleftéa forá
I'm treating today — you treated last time.
That contrast, and the handful of cases where the pronoun really is needed, is the subject of Using subject pronouns.
The past endings in real sentences
Χθες τελείωσα τη δουλειά νωρίς και πήγα μια βόλτα.
chthes telíosa ti dhulyá norís ke pígha mia vólta
Yesterday I finished work early and went for a walk. (aorist)
Πότε έφτασες χθες το βράδυ; Σε περίμενα ξύπνιος.
póte éftases chthes to vrádhi; se perímena ksípnios
When did you get in last night? I waited up for you. (aorist / imperfect)
Κάθε καλοκαίρι μέναμε σ' ένα μικρό ξενοδοχείο δίπλα στη θάλασσα.
káthe kalokéri méname s éna mikró ksenodhochío dhípla sti thálasa
Every summer we used to stay in a small hotel by the sea. (imperfect)
Ο παππούς διάβαζε εφημερίδα κάθε πρωί στην ίδια καρέκλα.
o papús dhiávaze efimerídha káthe proí stin ídhia karékla
Grandpa used to read the newspaper every morning in the same chair. (imperfect)
The colloquial -ουνε and -ανε
The third-person plural has a longer, everyday variant: -ουνε in the non-past and -ανε in the past. Γράφουν and γράφουνε mean exactly the same thing; έγραφαν and γράφανε likewise. The longer forms are (informal) — very common in speech, less so in careful writing — and they are never wrong, just a register down. (The past variant γράφανε also lets the verb dodge the augment, which is why you hear it so often.)
Οι γείτονες φωνάζανε όλη νύχτα και δεν κλείσαμε μάτι.
i yítones fonázane óli níchta ke dhen klísame máti
The neighbours were shouting all night and we didn't sleep a wink. (informal)
Common Mistakes
1. Mismatching person and ending with a stated subject. The ending must match the subject's person. With Type A γράφω, a 3rd-person subject requires γράφει, not γράφω; another class may mark 3sg differently.
❌ Ο Γιάννης γράφω ένα ίμεϊλ στη δουλειά.
Incorrect — Type A γράφω has 3sg γράφει: ο Γιάννης γράφει.
✅ Ο Γιάννης γράφει ένα ίμεϊλ στη δουλειά.
o Yánis ghráfi éna ímeil sti dhulyá
Yannis is writing an email at work.
2. Swapping Type A "we" and "they" endings. In this pattern, -ουμε is "we" and -ουν is "they"; other conjugations preserve the person contrast with their own shapes.
❌ Εμείς παίζουν ποδόσφαιρο κάθε Τετάρτη.
Incorrect — with Type A παίζω, 'we' is παίζουμε.
✅ Εμείς παίζουμε ποδόσφαιρο κάθε Τετάρτη.
emís pézume podhósfero káthe tetárti
We play football every Wednesday.
3. Mixing Type A singular and plural "you." With πίνω, εσείς takes -ετε, not singular -εις.
❌ Εσείς τι πίνεις; Έχουμε κρασί και μπίρα.
Incorrect — with Type A πίνω, plural-you is πίνετε: τι πίνετε;
✅ Εσείς τι πίνετε; Έχουμε κρασί και μπίρα.
esís ti pínete; échume krasí ke bíra
What are you (all) drinking? We've got wine and beer.
4. Using a past ending where you mean "right now." έστελνα is a past form; the present "I'm sending" is στέλνω.
❌ Αυτή τη στιγμή έστελνα ένα μήνυμα στον διευθυντή.
Incorrect — for a present action use the non-past ending: στέλνω.
✅ Αυτή τη στιγμή στέλνω ένα μήνυμα στον διευθυντή.
aftí ti stighmí stélno éna mínima ston dhiefthindí
Right now I'm sending a message to the manager.
Key Takeaways
- Type A uses non-past -ω, -εις, -ει, -ουμε, -ετε, -ουν; the regular past set is -α, -ες, -ε, -αμε, -ατε, -αν.
- Type B present forms such as αγαπάς, αγαπά(ει) and contracted καλείς, καλεί show why person alone does not select -εις/-ει.
- With Type A, the ending sets combine with imperfective and perfective stems in a useful 2 × 2 covering the present, future/subjunctive, imperfect and aorist core.
- The endings encode person and number, so the subject pronoun is dropped unless it is emphatic or contrastive.
- The -ουνε / -ανε third-plural variants are everyday (informal) forms, never wrong, just less formal.
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Start learning Greek →Related Topics
- Present Tense: Class Α (-ω)A1 — The full present of the big regular verb class — γράφω, παίζω, τρέχω, διαβάζω, μένω, θέλω — with its six stem-stressed endings, the -εις vs -ει spelling trap, and the fact that one Greek form covers both 'I write' and 'I am writing'.
- Aorist: Class ΑA2 — The aorist of first-conjugation (Class Α) verbs — έγραψα, έγραψες, έγραψε, γράψαμε, γράψατε, έγραψαν — built from the augment, the perfective stem, and past endings that are identical to the imperfect's. The single insight: only the stem changes (γραψ- for the aorist, γράφ- for the imperfect); everything else is the same.
- When to Use (and Drop) Subject PronounsA1 — Greek verb endings already say who is doing the action, so εγώ and εσύ are left out unless you are contrasting, correcting, switching topic or answering 'who?'. This page shows exactly what the extra pronoun signals, so you stop scattering εγώ through your sentences the way English forces you to.