Lesson 22 Participles
A PARTICIPLE is a verbal adjective. The characteristics of participles: 1. As a VERB the participle: a. has tense and voice b. may take an object c. may be an adverbial modifier 2. As an ADJECTIVE the participle: a. has case, gender and number b. may be used substantively c. may be used as an adjective modifier
The verbal function of participles is to be noted in relation to the above characteristics. Voice: the same as in other verbal forms - active, passive and middle. Tense: has to do with the kind of action • The present participle indicates continuous action • The aorist participle indicates punctiliar action
Only four of the Greek tenses have participles: present, aorist, future and perfect.
The time of action in participles is indicated in the relation of the action of the participle to the main verb. The following indicates that relationship: 1. The aorist participle indicates action which is ANTECEDENT (before) to the action of the MAIN VERB. 2. The present participle indicates action which is CONTEMPORANEOUS (same time) with the action of the MAIN VERB. 3. The future participle indicates action which is SUBSEQUENT (after) to the action of the MAIN VERB. 4. The perfect participle indicates action which has come to a state of being.
Present Participles The present participle indicates CONTINUOUS ACTION which takes place at the SAME TIME as the main verb. V-PAP-NSM D-APN T-NSM N-NSM V-PAI-3S T-ASM N-ASM 1. λεγων ταυτα ο ανθρωπος βλεπει τον κυριον. (as/while he is saying) these things, the man hsi is seeing the Lord. participle main sentence Idiomatic: While saying these things, the man is seeing the Lord. Or: As he is saying these things, the man is seeing the Lord.
V-PPP-NSM PREP T-DSM N-DSM T-NSM N-NSM V-PAI-3S T-ASM N-ASM 2. διδασκοµενος υπο του κυριου ο ανθρωπος λαµβανει την αληθειαν. the Lord, the man hsi is receiving the truth. (as/while he is being taught) by participle agent main sentence Idiomatic: While being taught by the Lord, the man is receiving the truth. Or: As he is being taught by the Lord, the man is receiving the truth. (Or: As the man is being taught by the Lord, he is receiving the truth. - only when the participle and the main sentence have the same subject.)
Adverbial Modifier: When the participle is in the predicate position (without an article), use the Temporal Translation: “while” or “as”. V-PAP-NPM V-IAI-3P T-ASM N-ASM Ex: ερξοµενοι εκηρυσσον το ευαγγελιον. (as/while they were going), they were preaching the gospel. participle main sentence Idiomatic: As they were going, they were preaching the gospel. ☺
It modifies the verb and tells when they were preaching - “as they were going”. It tells when, how, why, on what occasion, by what means, or under what circumstances an action took place.
Adjectival Function: When the participle is in the attributive position (with an article), use the Relative Translation: “the one who...”, “the man/woman who…, or “he/she who...” ☺ As an adjective the participle agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number and case. ☺ As an adjective the participle may be used substantively, i.e. as a noun. Just as “ο (art.) αγαθος (adj.)” means “the good man”, “ο (art.) λεγων (part.)” means “the saying man” or “ he who is saying”.
V-PAI-1S 1. βλεπω
T-ASM V-PAP-ASM D-APN τον λεγοντα ταυτα.
Literal: I am seeing (he/the one/the man who is saying) these things. Idiomatic: I am seeing the one who is saying these things.
V-AAI-1S T-ASM V-PAP-ASM D-APN 2. εβλεφα τον λεγοντα ταυτα Literal: I saw (he/the one/the man who was saying) these things. Idiomatic: I saw the one who was saying these things.
V-PAI-1S T-ASM N-ASM T-GSF V-PAP-GSF D-APN 3. βλεπω τον αδελφον της λεγουσης ταυτα. Literal: I am seeing the brother of/from (she/the one/the woman who is saying) these things. Idiomatic: I am seeing the brother of the woman who is saying these things.
☺ As an adjective the participle may be used as an adjectival modifier. In this construction the participle is always in the attributive position with the noun and is usually the longer of the two possible forms. ☺ Thus either “ο (art.) λεγων (part.) αποστολος (noun)” means “the saying apostle”, but the second is the usual form: ☺ “ο (art.) αποστολος (noun) ο (art.) λεγων (part.)”, “ the apostle who is saying”.
Notice that when two participles are connected with a conjunction like και, and the first participle has an article, the article is implied before the second participle as well (if the gender, number and case agree). The article applies to both participles.
Participle Chart Main Verb
Present He/she/it is teaching
With Article
Past He/she/it taught or He/she/it was teaching
Future He/she/it will teach
Main Verb
Present He/she/it is teaching
Without Article
Past He/she/it taught or He/she/it was teaching
Future He/she/it will teach
Sample Sentence
Participle
Definition
he/the mot who/that is giving he/the mot who/that gave/had given the giving mot (perpetual, eg. a generous person) he/the mot who/that 1) is being given 2) is giving (to) himself/ano he/the mot who/that was given 1) the given mot 2) the mot who/that has given (to)himself/ano he/the mot who/that was giving he/the mot who/that had/has given the giving mot (perpetual, eg. a generous person) he/the mot who/that 1) was being given 2) was giving (to) himself/ano he/the mot who/that was/had been given 1) the given mot 2) the mot who/that has given (to)himself/ano he/the mot who/that will be giving he/the mot who/that gave/has given the giving mot (perpetual, eg. a generous person) he/the mot who/that 1) will be given 2) will give (to) himself/ano he/the mot who/that was/has been given 1) the given one 2) the one who/that has given (to) himself/ano
V-PAPV-AAPV-RAP-
Cont, Same time MV Punctiliar, Before MV State of Being
V-PPP-
/ V-PMP-
Cont, Same time MV
V-APPV-RPP-
/ V-AMP/ V-RMP-
Punctiliar, Before MV State of Being Cont, Same time MV Punctiliar, Before MV State of Being
V-PAPV-AAPV-RAPV-PPP-
/ V-PMP-
Cont, Same time MV
V-APP-
/ V-AMP-
Punctiliar, Before MV
V-RPP-
/ V-RMP-
State of Being Cont, Same time MV Punctiliar, Before MV State of Being
V-PAPV-AAPV-RAPV-PPP-
/ V-PMP-
Cont, Same time MV
V-APP-
/ V-AMP-
Punctiliar, Before MV
V-RPP-
/ V-RMP-
State of Being
Sample Sentence as/while (he is) giving when/after he had given // having given the giving mot as/while (he is) 1) being given 2) giving (to) himself/ano when/after he had been given// having been given 1) the given mot 2) the mot who/that has given (to)himself/ano as/while (he was) giving when/after he had given// having given the giving mot as/while (he was) 1) being given 2) giving (to) himself/ano when/after he had been given// having been given 1) the given mot 2) the mot who/that has given (to) himself/ano as/while (he will be) giving when/after he had given// having given the giving mot as/while (he will) 1) be given 2) give (to) himself/ano when/after he had been given// having been given 1) the given mot 2) the one who/that has given (to) himself/ano
Participle V-PAPV-AAPV-RAP-
Definition Cont, Same time MV Punctiliar, Before MV State of Being
V-PPP-
/ V-PMP-
Cont, Same time MV
V-APP-
/ V-AMP-
Punctiliar, Before MV
V-RPP-
/ V-RMP-
State of Being
V-PAPV-AAPV-RAP-
Cont, Same time MV Punctiliar, Before MV State of Being
V-PPP-
/ V-PMP-
Cont, Same time MV
V-APP-
/ V-AMP-
Punctiliar, Before MV
V-RPP-
/ V-RMP-
State of Being
V-PAPV-AAPV-RAP-
Cont, Same time MV Punctiliar, Before MV State of Being
V-PPP-
/ V-PMP-
Cont, Same time MV
V-APP-
/ V-AMP-
Punctiliar, Before MV
V-RPP-
/ V-RMP-
State of Being