παρατηρώ means “observe, notice, point out,” and its passive παρατηρείται is a workhorse of academic and journalistic Greek: “is observed.” The active verb is also standard outside formal prose, although spontaneous everyday “I noticed” often comes out as πρόσεξα or είδα.
Παρατήρησα ότι λείπει ένα έγγραφο από τον φάκελο.
paratírisa óti lípi éna éngrafo apó ton fákelo
I noticed that a document is missing from the file.
Παρατηρείται σταδιακή αύξηση της θερμοκρασίας.
paratiríte stadhikí áfksisi tis thermokrasías
A gradual rise in temperature is observed. (academic)
Principal parts
| Slot | Forms | Register/status |
|---|---|---|
| Active | παρατηρώ · παρατηρούσα · παρατήρησα · παρατηρήσω · έχω παρατηρήσει | standard; frequent in careful prose |
| Mediopassive present | παρατηρούμαι · παρατηρείται · παρατηρούνται | 3rd person especially frequent (academic/journalistic) |
| Passive perfective | παρατηρήθηκε · παρατηρηθεί | live |
| Participle | παρατηρούμενος · παρατηρημένος | (formal/academic) |
| Imperative | παρατήρησε | live, especially in instructions and classroom tasks |
| “Mediopassive does not exist” | Incorrect: the dictionary headword explicitly records -ούμαι. | |
The complete passive matters because English learners may mistake παρατηρείται for an impersonal frozen word. It is a real passive verb: the nominative subject controls singular or plural agreement.
Present παρατηρείται describes a current pattern or general finding; aorist παρατηρήθηκε reports one bounded observation. The passive often suppresses the observer because a report foregrounds the evidence rather than the researcher. If the observer matters, active οι ερευνητές παρατήρησαν… is clearer and less evasive.
Οι ερευνητές παρατήρησαν την αλλαγή μέσα σε λίγες ώρες.
i erevnités paratírisan tin alayí mésa se líyes óres
The researchers observed the change within a few hours. (academic)
Παρατηρούνται μεγάλες καθυστερήσεις στις παραδόσεις.
paratirúnde megháles kathisterísis stis paradhósis
Major delays are being observed in deliveries. (formal)
Το ίδιο φαινόμενο παρατηρήθηκε και πέρσι.
to ídhio fenómeno paratiríthike ke pérsi
The same phenomenon was observed last year. (formal)
The broader agentless construction belongs to impersonal passives, and its stylistic role to academic style.
Government
Active παρατηρώ takes an accusative object, an ότι + indicative clause, or accusative + να for a perceived action. Passive παρατηρείται takes either a nominative subject or a να clause. The latter is genuine, though more specialized and typical of scientific description.
Τον παρατήρησε να βγαίνει από την πίσω πόρτα.
ton paratírise na vyéni apó tin píso pórta
She noticed him leaving through the back door.
Σπάνια παρατηρείται το είδος να φωλιάζει μόνο του.
spánia paratiríte to ídhos na foliázi móno tu
The species is rarely observed nesting alone. (academic)
English likewise permits “notice someone doing something,” so this frame transfers well. The less obvious difference is that Greek academic prose strongly favors the agentless παρατηρείται αύξηση, with the postverbal noun still governing agreement.
The reprimand meaning
The direct verb can also mean “reprimand” (formal): παρατήρησε τον παίκτη. Everyday speech more often uses κάνω παρατήρηση σε κάποιον, literally “make a reprimand to someone.” Thus the noun construction is common, but it is not the only grammatical option.
Του έκανα παρατήρηση επειδή μιλούσε συνέχεια.
tu ékana paratírisi epidhí milúse sinéchia
I told him off because he kept talking.
Ο διευθυντής τον παρατήρησε αυστηρά για την καθυστέρηση.
o dhiefthindís ton paratírise afstirá ya tin kathistérisi
The director reprimanded him sternly for the delay. (formal)
Set phrases
- παρατηρώ ότι… — I observe/notice that…
- όπως παρατηρεί ο συγγραφέας — as the author observes (academic)
- παρατηρείται αύξηση / μείωση — an increase / decrease is observed
- αξίζει να παρατηρήσουμε — it is worth noting
- υπό παρατήρηση — under observation
Όπως παρατηρεί ο συγγραφέας, τα στοιχεία δεν είναι πλήρη.
ópos paratirí o singraféas, ta stichía dhen íne plíri
As the author observes, the data are incomplete. (academic)
Common Mistakes
❌ Παρατηρείται μεγάλες καθυστερήσεις.
Incorrect — the plural nominative subject requires plural παρατηρούνται.
✅ Παρατηρούνται μεγάλες καθυστερήσεις.
paratirúnde megháles kathisterísis
Major delays are being observed. (formal)
The homophones παρατηρείτε “you observe” and παρατηρείται “is observed” are both grammatical; subject and voice determine the spelling.
Key Takeaways
- παρατηρώ · παρατηρούσα · παρατήρησα · παρατηρήσω · έχω παρατηρήσει.
- παρατηρείται / παρατηρούνται is a live impersonal passive whose nominative subject controls agreement.
- Both active perception + να and passive παρατηρείται να exist; everyday reprimanding favors κάνω παρατήρηση.
Related Topics
- προσέχω (to be careful)A2 — The cleanest aspect pair in the reference set: Πρόσεχε! is a standing instruction and a warm goodbye, Πρόσεξε! is one moment's warning. Plus the aorist's own sense — πρόσεξα, I noticed — the μη(ν) warning clause, and the live adjective προσεγμένος.
- βλέπω (to see)A2 — One verb for see, watch and look at — and three different complements that mean three different things: Τον βλέπω να τρέχει (an event in progress), Τον είδα που έφευγε (a sighting), Βλέπω ότι δεν κατάλαβες (a conclusion, not a sight at all). Plus the full inventory of βλεπ- and δ- forms, and why Greek sees a dream rather than having one.
- Academic and Essay StyleC1 — Structure Greek academic arguments with precise nominalization, responsible hedging, source attribution, and formal cohesion.
- Impersonal and Agentless PassivesB2 — The two routes Greek uses to keep the doer out of the sentence: mediopassive forms in signs, notices and reports — including completed agentless events such as Ανακοινώθηκε and Δόθηκε — and the everyday subjectless third-person plural (Μου έκλεψαν το πορτοφόλι, Λένε ότι…).
- That-Clauses: ότι, πως, πουB1 — Choose factual ότι or πως after saying and thinking, and factive που after emotions or direct perception, while keeping ότι distinct from ό,τι ‘whatever.’
- Principal Parts: Complete IndexA2 — A consolidated index of the principal parts of 151 frequent Modern Greek verbs, including defective and register-limited paradigms.