θεωρώ is the considered, semi-formal “consider/regard” of reports, discussions, and reasoned opinions. Its signature construction is a double accusative with no Greek equivalent of English as or to be: Τον θεωρώ φίλο μου.
Principal parts
| Slot | Form | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Present | θεωρώ, θεωρείς, θεωρεί, θεωρούμε, θεωρείτε, θεωρούν(ε) | one Β2 set |
| -άω doublet | does not exist | no ×θεωράω or ×θεωράς |
| Imperfect | θεωρούσα | |
| Aorist | θεώρησα | |
| Dependent | θεωρήσω | θα / να + perfective |
| Perfect | έχω θεωρήσει | |
| Mediopassive | θεωρούμαι, θεωρείται, θεωρούνται | live -ούμαι paradigm |
| Passive aorist | θεωρήθηκα | |
| Perfective imperative | θεώρησε / θεωρήστε | academic or document-validation senses |
| 2sg imperfective imperative | no current standard form | θεώρει is (archaic), not neutral Modern Greek |
The present is consistently Β2, with ending stress and no conversational -άω set. The mediopassive follows the -ούμαι class.
Government
The opinion frame has object accusative + predicate accusative. The second accusative says what you judge the first one to be. Greek joins them directly; English normally inserts as or to be.
Τον θεωρώ φίλο μου και του εμπιστεύομαι τα πάντα.
ton theoró fílo mu ke tu embistévome ta pánda
I consider him a friend and trust him with everything.
Τη θεωρούν την καλύτερη δικηγόρο της ομάδας.
ti theorún tin kalíteri dhikighóro tis omádhas
They consider her the best lawyer on the team.
Το θεωρώ λάθος να αποφασίσουμε χωρίς όλα τα στοιχεία.
to theoró láthos na apofasísume chorís óla ta stichía
I think it is wrong to decide without all the evidence.
In the passive, the object becomes the subject, so the predicate becomes nominative too.
Θεωρείται ο καλύτερος στο είδος του, αλλά ο ίδιος αποφεύγει τις συγκρίσεις.
theoríte o kalíteros sto ídhos tu, alá o ídhios apofévyi tis singrísis
He is considered the best in his field, but he avoids comparisons himself.
σαν is not simply an optional filler. Τον θεωρώ φίλο μου assigns the identity “my friend”; Τον θεωρώ σαν φίλο μου is grammatical but more comparative—“I regard/treat him like a friend.” ως can appear in elevated institutional prose (formal), but the bare predicate is the neutral frame.
Τον θεωρώ σαν αδελφό μου, παρόλο που δεν έχουμε συγγένεια.
ton theoró san adhelfó mu, parólo pu dhen échume singénia
I regard him like a brother, although we are not related.
For a complete proposition, use ότι or πως plus a finite verb, never θεωρώ να. Compared with everyday νομίζω, θεωρώ sounds deliberate and semi-formal; πιστεύω adds personal belief or conviction.
Θεωρώ ότι έχεις δίκιο, αλλά χρειάζομαι χρόνο να το σκεφτώ.
theoró óti échis dhíkio, alá chriázome chróno na to skeftó
I think you're right, but I need time to think about it.
A command only in certain senses
You cannot normally use a bare affirmative imperative to order someone to hold an opinion. The perfective imperative is nevertheless normal when a lecturer asks an audience to posit something (academic) or an official asks for a document to be validated (formal). Negative advice uses μην + present, as in Μην το θεωρείς δεδομένο below.
Θεωρήστε ένα σώμα που κινείται χωρίς τριβές.
theoríste éna sóma pu kiníte chorís trivés
Consider a body moving without friction. (academic)
Θεωρήστε τη δήλωση στο ΚΕΠ πριν την καταθέσετε.
theoríste ti dhílosi sto kep prin tin katathésete
Have the declaration validated at the Citizens' Service Centre before submitting it. (formal)
Set phrases
το θεωρώ δεδομένο “take it for granted”; θεωρώ σκόπιμο να “consider it advisable to” (formal); θεωρώ κάποιον υπεύθυνο “hold someone responsible”; γενικά θεωρείται ότι “it is generally considered that” (formal); δεν το θεωρώ σωστό “I do not consider it right.”
Μην το θεωρείς δεδομένο ότι όλοι θα συμφωνήσουν.
min to theorís dhedhoméno óti óli tha simfonísun
Don't take it for granted that everyone will agree.
Common Mistakes
❌ Θεωρώ να αναβάλουμε τη συνάντηση.
Incorrect — θεωρώ does not introduce a να-clause.
✅ Θεωρώ ότι πρέπει να αναβάλουμε τη συνάντηση.
theoró óti prépi na anaválume ti sinándisi
I think we should postpone the meeting.
Key Takeaways
- θεωρώ · θεωρούσα · θεώρησα · θεωρήσω · θεωρούμαι / θεωρήθηκα; there is no -άω present.
- The opinion frame is double accusative, without a linking word.
- Passive predicates are nominative: Θεωρείται ο καλύτερος.
- θεώρησε / θεωρήστε is sense-bound, not absent; it belongs to academic and validation instructions.
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'.
- Giving OpinionsB1 — Choose Greek opinion frames from tentative impressions to firm judgments while controlling complementizers, evidence, and interpersonal force.
- 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.’
- Present Tense: Class Β2 (μπορώ)A2 — The full present of the pure Β2 anchor μπορώ — μπορώ, μπορείς, μπορεί, μπορούμε, μπορείτε, μπορούν — and the -ώ/-είς/-εί set also used by θεωρώ and καλώ. Some lexical verbs additionally waver into a live -άω set, notably οδηγώ/οδηγάω and προχωρώ/προχωράω, so the paradigm and a verb's complete inventory must be kept distinct.
- Principal Parts: Complete IndexA2 — A consolidated index of the principal parts of 151 frequent Modern Greek verbs, including defective and register-limited paradigms.