The imperfect (ο παρατατικός) is Greek's imperfective past: was writing, used to write, narrative background, or an open habit. Repetition alone does not force it; an aorist can package a finite series as bounded. This page builds the Class Α pattern (γράφω, παίζω, διαβάζω): present stem + past endings, with an augment where stress needs one. Class Β verbs use -ούσα instead.
How the imperfect is built
Three pieces:
- the productive augment ε- (a stressed prefix added where neutral current Standard needs an extra syllable up front — more below);
- the imperfective stem — this is simply the present stem (γράφ-, παίζ-, διαβάζ-), not the perfective/aorist stem;
- the past active endings -α, -ες, -ε, -αμε, -ατε, -αν.
The imperfect keeps the present stem: γράφω → έγραφα, παίζω → έπαιζα. The aorist uses the perfective stem (γράφω → έγραψα) and presents an occurrence or finite series as bounded. Aspect in the past compares the two viewpoints.
The endings
| Person | Ending |
|---|---|
| εγώ (I) | -α |
| εσύ (you sg.) | -ες |
| αυτός/-ή/-ό (he/she/it) | -ε |
| εμείς (we) | -αμε |
| εσείς (you pl./formal) | -ατε |
| αυτοί/-ές/-ά (they) | -αν(ε) |
These are the past active endings, shared with the aorist; only the stem differs. The 3rd plural has a longer colloquial -ανε form: έγραφαν ~ γράφανε, both correct, with γράφανε (informal).
The full paradigm: γράφω → έγραφα
| Person | Form | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| εγώ | έγραφα | éghrafa |
| εσύ | έγραφες | éghrafes |
| αυτός/-ή/-ό | έγραφε | éghrafe |
| εμείς | γράφαμε | ghráfame |
| εσείς | γράφατε | ghráfate |
| αυτοί/-ές/-ά | έγραφαν | éghrafan |
Παλιά έγραφα γράμματα στη γιαγιά μου κάθε μήνα.
paliá éghrafa ghrámata sti yayá mu káthe mína
I used to write letters to my grandma every month.
Τι έγραφες τόση ώρα στο κινητό σου;
ti éghrafes tósi óra sto kinitó su;
What were you writing on your phone all that time?
The augment: why έγραφα but γράφαμε
The contrast έγραφα but γράφαμε follows recessive past stress. Unaugmented γρά-φα has only two syllables, so stressed έ- supplies an antepenult: έ-γρα-φα. Three-syllable γρά-φα-με already has one, so neutral Standard needs no prefix. With short γραφ-, this gives an augment in the singular and 3rd plural but not the 1st/2nd plural. Longer stems may need none anywhere. Historic and register-sensitive survival is covered on the dedicated augment page.
The same regular pattern across Class Α
Regular Class Α stems use the same machinery. Compare παίζω (play) and διαβάζω (read/study):
| Person | παίζω → έπαιζα | διαβάζω → διάβαζα |
|---|---|---|
| εγώ | έπαιζα (épeza) | διάβαζα (dhiávaza) |
| εσύ | έπαιζες (épezes) | διάβαζες (dhiávazes) |
| αυτός/-ή/-ό | έπαιζε (épeze) | διάβαζε (dhiávaze) |
| εμείς | παίζαμε (pézame) | διαβάζαμε (dhiavázame) |
| εσείς | παίζατε (pézate) | διαβάζατε (dhiavázate) |
| αυτοί/-ές/-ά | έπαιζαν (épezan) | διάβαζαν (dhiávazan) |
In neutral current Standard, διαβάζω needs no productive augment even in the singular: διά-βα-ζα already has three syllables, so the stress retreats to the antepenult (διάβαζα, versus present διαβάζω). Long verbs pattern likewise: δουλεύω → δούλευα, αγοράζω → αγόραζα, καθαρίζω → καθάριζα. Older, literary and regional Greek may retain an unstressed external ε-, including εδιάβαζα / εδιάβαζε; these are licensed marked forms, not the neutral learner default. The dedicated augment page gives that register contrast.
Όταν ήμουν μικρός, έπαιζα ποδόσφαιρο κάθε απόγευμα στην αλάνα.
ótan ímun mikrós, épeza podhósfero káthe apóyevma stin alána
When I was little, I used to play football every afternoon on the empty lot.
Διάβαζα εφημερίδα κάθε πρωί με τον καφέ μου.
dhiávaza efimerídha káthe proí me ton kafé mu
I used to read the newspaper every morning with my coffee.
High-frequency irregulars such as ήθελα, ήξερα and έλεγα are listed on the augment page.
What it means, and where to go next
English often uses was ‑ing, used to, or habitual would, but the map is not mechanical: states may use a simple past (ήξερα, "I knew"). Έγραφα can match all three English phrasings. Using the imperfect develops the choice against a bounded aorist; the imperfect of είμαι covers ήμουν.
Έπινε τον καφέ του σιγά σιγά και κοίταζε έξω απ' το παράθυρο.
épine ton kafé tu sighá sighá ke kítaze ékso ap to paráthiro
He was sipping his coffee slowly and looking out the window.
Common Mistakes
1. Treating a repetition cue as an automatic imperfect switch. κάθε often introduces an open habit and therefore favours the imperfect, but a delimited series can be viewed perfectively. Both examples are grammatical because their time frames differ:
✅ Όταν ζούσα στο νησί, κάθε καλοκαίρι έγραφα καρτ ποστάλ στη γιαγιά μου.
ótan zúsa sto nisí, káthe kalokéri éghrafa kart postál sti yayá mu
When I lived on the island, I used to write postcards to my grandmother every summer.
✅ Για τρία καλοκαίρια, κάθε Αύγουστο έγραψα μία καρτ ποστάλ στη γιαγιά μου.
ya tría kalokéria, káthe Ávghusto éghrapsa mía kart postál sti yayá mu
For three summers, every August I wrote one postcard to my grandmother.
2. Blending the past ending with an extra syllable. The endings are a clean set; forms like ×έγραφασα splice two endings together and do not exist.
❌ Χθες όλη μέρα έγραφασα την εργασία μου.
Incorrect — there is no such ending; the 1st singular is έγραφα.
✅ Χθες όλη μέρα έγραφα την εργασία μου.
chthes óli méra éghrafa tin erghasía mu
Yesterday I was writing my assignment all day.
3. Using the present 3rd-plural ending -ουν for the past. "They were playing" needs the past ending -αν, not the present -ουν.
❌ Τα παιδιά έπαιζουν στην αυλή όταν άρχισε η βροχή.
Incorrect — the past 3rd plural is -αν: έπαιζαν.
✅ Τα παιδιά έπαιζαν στην αυλή όταν άρχισε η βροχή.
ta pedhiá épezan stin avlí ótan árchise i vrochí
The kids were playing in the yard when the rain started.
Key Takeaways
- The Class Α imperfect = present (imperfective) stem
- past endings -α, -ες, -ε, -αμε, -ατε, -αν — γράφω → έγραφα, παίζω → έπαιζα, διαβάζω → διάβαζα.
- The stem is the present stem, not the aorist's perfective stem; that stem difference is what separates έγραφα ("was writing") from έγραψα ("wrote").
- With a short stem such as γραφ-, stressed ε- supplies the missing antepenult in the singular and 3rd plural (έγραφα, έγραφαν), while the longer 1st/2nd plural needs none (γράφαμε, γράφατε).
- In neutral current Standard, long-stemmed verbs need no productive prefix (διάβαζα, δούλευα); older, literary or regional εδιάβαζα-type retention is licensed but marked.
- English often uses was ‑ing / used to / would, but states may map to a simple past.
Related Topics
- Using the ImperfectA2 — The four jobs the imperfect (παρατατικός) does — the ongoing background of a past scene, a repeated or habitual past, the description of past states and settings, and a softened, polite request — each set against the bounded viewpoint of the aorist and mapped onto English 'was doing / used to do / would do'.
- The Augment in the ImperfectB1 — Why neutral Standard Greek uses stressed ε- in έγραφα and έπαιζα but not γράφαμε and παίζατε: the productive augment hosts recessive past stress. Class Β normally needs none, compounds vary, and older, literary or regional Greek may retain an unstressed external augment.
- Aspect in the Past: Imperfect vs AoristA2 — For verbs that supply an aspect pair, Greek contrasts the imperfect's internal or unbounded view (έγραφα) with the aorist's bounded view (έγραψα); context and construal, not event count alone, decide the aspect.