Class Notes
The Present Indicative Middle in Greek is a grammatical mood, voice, and tense used to describe action that the subject performs with the emphasis on the subject’s involvement, either on himself or for his own benefit.
The middle voice represents the subject as acting with reference to himself. I wash myself (λούομαι); I buy for myself (ἀγοράζομαι).
The Present Indicative Middle in Greek follows the typical present indicative conjugation patterns, but with specific middle voice endings. In the present tense, the middle has the following personal endings:
| Person | Singular | Plural |
| 1st | ομαι | ομεθα |
| 2nd | ῃ (ει) | εσθε |
| 3rd | εται | ονται |
Present Indicative Middle of λούω (“I wash myself”)
| Person | Form | Translation |
| 1st sg. | λούομαι | I wash myself |
| 2nd sg. | λούῃ (or λούει) | You wash yourself |
| 3rd sg. | λούεται | He washes himself |
| 1st pl. | λουόμεθα | We wash ourselves |
| 2nd pl. | λούεσθε | You all wash yourselves |
| 3rd pl. | λούονται | They wash themselves |
λούεσθαι (loúesthai) – “to wash oneself”
Thematic Vowel in the Present Indicative Middle
The thematic vowel is inserted between the verb stem and the middle endings. The thematic vowels are ο and ε, depending on the form, and they follow this pattern:
- ο before -μαι, -μεθα, -νται.
- ε before –ται, -σαι (contracted to ῃ or ει), and -σθε.
Present Indicative Middle Personal Endings:
| Person | Singular | Plural |
| 1st Person | -μαι | -μεθα |
| 2nd Person | -σαι | -σθε |
| 3rd Person | -ται | -νται |
-σαι (contracted to ῃ or ει)
Present Indicative Middle thematic vowel:
| Person | Form | Thematic Vowel | Translation |
| 1st sg. | λούομαι | ο | I wash myself |
| 2nd sg. | λούεσαι (λούῃ) | ε | You wash yourself |
| 3rd sg. | λούεται | ε | He washes himself |
| 1st pl. | λουομεθα | ο | We wash ourselves |
| 2nd pl. | λούεσθε | ε | You all wash yourselves |
| 3rd pl. | λούονται | ο | They wash themselves |
Examples:
Matthew 15:2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash (νίπτονται) their hands when they eat bread.”
2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war (στρατευόμεθα) according to the flesh.
Galatians 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches (εὐαγγελίζεται) any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work (ἐνεργεῖται); only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
Vocabulary
- I buy – ἀγοράζω
- Present Active: ἀγοράζω – “I buy”
- Present Middle/Passive: ἀγοράζομαι – “I buy for myself”
- I wash – λούω
- Present Active: λούω – “I wash”
- Present Middle/Passive: λούομαι – “I wash myself”
- I wash (body parts) – νίπτω
- Present Active: νίπτω – “I wash (e.g., hands)”
- Present Middle/Passive: νίπτομαι – “I wash myself”
- I stop – παύω
- Present Active: παύω – “I stop”
- Present Middle/Passive: παύομαι – “I stop myself”
- I guard – φυλάσσω
- Present Active: φυλάσσω – “I guard”
- Present Middle/Passive: φυλάσσομαι – “I guard for myself”
- I fasten to – ἅπτω (háptō)
- Present Active: ἅπτω – “I fasten to, touch”
- Present Middle/Passive: ἅπτομαι – “I fasten myself to, touch”