English think hides an important Greek boundary. σκέφτομαι presents thinking as a process: considering an option, turning over a problem, or having someone on your mind. An opinion already held normally uses νομίζω or πιστεύω.
Το σκέφτομαι ακόμα· δεν έχω αποφασίσει.
to skéftome akóma; dhen écho apofasísi
I'm still thinking it over; I haven't decided.
Θα το σκεφτώ και θα σου απαντήσω αύριο.
tha to skeftó ke tha su apandíso ávrio
I'll think about it and answer you tomorrow.
Principal parts
σκέφτομαι is deponent: mediopassive in form, active in meaning. See deponent verbs for the shared voice pattern rather than treating ×σκέφτω as its present.
| Slot | Forms | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Present | σκέφτομαι, σκέφτεσαι, σκέφτεται, σκεφτόμαστε, σκέφτεστε, σκέφτονται | σκέπτομαι(formal) |
| Imperfect | σκεφτόμουν | |
| Aorist | σκέφτηκα | not ×σκέφτησα |
| Dependent | σκεφτώ | να / θα σκεφτώ |
| Imperative | σκέψου / σκεφτείτε | -ψ- reflects the older σκεπτ- stem |
| Perfect | έχω σκεφτεί | |
| Adjectival participle | σκεπτόμενος, -η, -ο | thoughtful, intellectually engaged (formal) |
| -οντας gerund / result -μένος | does not exist in standard Greek | |
Σκέψου λίγο πριν απαντήσεις· δεν χρειάζεται βιασύνη.
sképsu lígho prin apandísis; dhen chriázete viasíni
Think for a moment before you answer; there's no need to rush.
The adjective σκεπτόμενος keeps the learned stem and describes somebody who reflects deeply, not somebody who has been “thought.” Related everyday words are σκέψη, ξανασκέφτομαι, and καλοσκέφτομαι.
There is no standard -οντας gerund from this mediopassive verb. To say “while thinking,” everyday Greek uses a finite clause such as καθώς σκεφτόμουν. Do not confuse that missing gerund with σκεπτόμενος: the latter declines for gender, number, and case and belongs mainly to careful written language.
Χρειαζόμαστε σκεπτόμενους πολίτες, όχι παθητικούς θεατές.
chriazómaste skeptómenus polítes, óchi pathitikús theatés
We need thoughtful citizens, not passive spectators. (formal)
Government
| Frame | Meaning | Model |
|---|---|---|
| accusative | have a person or thing in mind | σε σκέφτομαι |
να
| consider a course of action | σκέφτομαι να φύγω |
| indirect question | work through an unknown | σκέφτομαι τι να κάνω |
ότι
| report a thought arriving | σκέφτηκα ότι… |
Σε σκέφτομαι συνέχεια από τότε που έφυγες.
se skéftome sinéchia apó tóte pu éfiyes
I've been thinking about you constantly since you left.
Σκέφτομαι να αλλάξω δουλειά μέσα στη χρονιά.
skéftome na alákso dhuliá mésa sti chroniá
I'm thinking of changing jobs this year.
Κάθομαι και σκέφτομαι τι να κάνω με το σπίτι.
káthome ke skéftome ti na káno me to spíti
I'm sitting here wondering what to do about the house.
A thought is not an opinion
σκέφτομαι ότι is grammatical, especially in the aorist when an idea occurs to you. It is not the neutral way to announce a standing opinion. νομίζω gives a tentative judgement; πιστεύω gives a conviction.
Σκέφτηκα ότι ίσως ήταν καλύτερα να περιμένουμε ως το πρωί.
skéftika óti ísos ítan kalítera na periménume os to proí
It occurred to me that it might be better to wait until morning.
Νομίζω ότι είναι καλή ιδέα, αλλά δεν είμαι βέβαιος.
nomízo óti íne kalí idhéa, alá dhen íme véveos
I think it's a good idea, but I'm not certain.
Set phrases
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Θα το σκεφτώ. | I'll think about it. |
| Δεν το σκέφτηκα καθόλου. | It never occurred to me. |
| Σκέψου να μην είχαμε έρθει. | Imagine if we hadn't come. |
| μη σκέφτεσαι τόσο | don't overthink it |
| με βάζεις σε σκέψεις | you are giving me food for thought |
Σκέψου να μην είχαμε έρθει εγκαίρως· τι θα γινόταν;
sképsu na min íchame érthi engéros; ti tha ghinótan;
Imagine if we hadn't arrived in time—what would have happened?
σκέφτομαι δυνατά means “think aloud,” while με βάζεις σε σκέψεις shifts from the verb to its noun and suggests new concern or doubt. These are ordinary conversational expressions, not literal references to loudness or physical placement.
Common Mistakes
Use the deponent σκέφτομαι, never ×σκέφτω, and store the aorist as σκέφτηκα, not ×σκέφτησα. Do not ban σκέφτομαι ότι; reserve it for a thought forming, not a standing opinion.
Key Takeaways
- σκέφτομαι · σκεφτόμουν · σκέφτηκα · να σκεφτώ · σκέψου · έχω σκεφτεί.
- Use it for mental process, consideration, plans, or somebody on your mind.
- Σκέφτηκα ότι… reports an idea arriving; νομίζω / πιστεύω ότι… presents an opinion.
- σκεπτόμενος is a live formal adjective; no standard -οντας gerund or result participle exists.
Related Topics
- πιστεύω (to believe)B1 — The strong member of the belief trio — conviction, trust, faith, against the guesswork of νομίζω and the reasoned classification of θεωρώ. Principal parts on the -εψ- perfective (πίστεψα, να πιστέψω), and the government contrast that changes the whole claim: σε πιστεύω 'I believe what you're telling me' beside πιστεύω σε σένα 'I have faith in you'.
- νομίζω (to think/suppose)B1 — Greek's hedge. The forms take five minutes; what matters is that the imperfect νόμιζα carries a built-in 'and I was wrong' (Νόμιζα ότι ήσουν στη δουλειά — you weren't), and that Greek leaves the negative downstairs where English raises it: Νομίζω ότι δεν θα έρθει for 'I don't think he'll come'.
- Deponent Verbs (-ομαι only)B1 — Verbs with no corresponding active present but an active meaning — έρχομαι (come), κάθομαι (sit), γίνομαι (become), θυμάμαι (remember), φοβάμαι (fear), σκέφτομαι (think), εργάζομαι (work) — their mediopassive present and imperfect, and their unpredictable active-type or mediopassive-type perfective forms.
- να After Modal VerbsA2 — The everyday frame [modal + να + verb] — θέλω να, μπορώ να, πρέπει να, ξέρω να, πάω να, αρχίζω να — where the second verb is person-marked and personal main verbs conjugate too.
- Principal Parts: Complete IndexA2 — A consolidated index of the principal parts of 151 frequent Modern Greek verbs, including defective and register-limited paradigms.