Greek Verb Conjugation: A Complete Guide for Beginners (Present Tense)
Greek verbs change their endings for every person. Once you know the four categories, the pattern becomes logical — here is everything you need to get started.
Verb conjugation is one of the first big hurdles in learning Greek. Unlike English, where verbs barely change (I write, you write, he writes), Greek verbs have different endings for every person. Once you understand the pattern, it becomes logical. But first you need to know which category your verb belongs to.
This guide covers the present tense only, which is where every Greek learner starts. There are four main verb categories plus a handful of important irregulars. By the end you will have a reference chart you can come back to whenever you need it.
How Greek verb conjugation works
Two things are worth knowing before you start.
First, Greek does not have an infinitive. In English you say "to write" or "to eat." In Greek, you start immediately with the first person: γράφω (ghráfo — I write), τρώω (tróo — I eat). This is also how verbs appear in dictionaries. When you look up a Greek verb, you will find the first person singular, not an infinitive form.
Second, the verb ending tells you who is doing the action. In English you need "I", "you", "he" etc. to know who is speaking. In Greek, the ending does that job. This means pronouns (εγώ — eghó — I, εσύ — esí — you, αυτός — aftós — he) are often dropped in everyday speech. Greeks say γράφω instead of εγώ γράφω, because the ending already contains that information.
The four verb categories
Greek verbs are grouped into categories based on their ending and where the stress falls. The key is simple: look at the last letter or two of the verb.
- If it ends in -ω without an accent mark, it is Category A
- If it ends in -ώ or -άω with an accent mark, it is Category B (either B1 or B2)
- A small group of common verbs (λέω, πάω, τρώω, ακούω) follow their own pattern and are called Category AB or contracted verbs
- είμαι (to be) is completely irregular and must be memorised separately
See all the A1 verbs in one place
Grego has a vocabulary set with every verb you need at A1 level — the same list used in most Greek classes. Free to use.
Explore the A1 verb list →Category A — verbs ending in -ω
Category A is the largest group and the best place to start. These verbs end in -ω without an accent mark. The stress falls earlier in the word, not on the final syllable.
The endings
The stem is found by removing the -ω from the first person. The endings are then added to the stem.
Example verb: γράφω (ghráfo — to write) — stem: γράφ-
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (I / we) | γράφ-ω | γράφ-ουμε |
| 2nd (you) | γράφ-εις | γράφ-ετε |
| 3rd (he/she/it / they) | γράφ-ει | γράφ-ουν(ε) |
Endings: -ω, -εις, -ει, -ουμε, -ετε, -ουν(ε)
Common Category A verbs
- γράφω (ghráfo) — to write
- διαβάζω (dhiavázo) — to read / to study
- πίνω (píno) — to drink
- κάνω (káno) — to do / to make
- μένω (méno) — to stay / to live
- παίζω (pézo) — to play
- έχω (écho) — to have (regular in present tense, follows Category A)
Category B1 — verbs ending in -άω or -ώ
Category B1 verbs are stressed on the final syllable. They can appear in two forms: the full form (-άω) and the contracted form (-ώ). Both are correct and you will hear both in everyday Greek.
The endings
Example verb: μιλάω / μιλώ (miláo / miló — to speak) — stem: μιλ-
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (I / we) | μιλάω / μιλώ | μιλάμε |
| 2nd (you) | μιλάς | μιλάτε |
| 3rd (he/she/it / they) | μιλάει / μιλά | μιλάν(ε) |
Endings: -άω/-ώ, -άς, -άει/-ά, -άμε, -άτε, -άν(ε)
Common Category B1 verbs
- μιλάω / μιλώ (miláo / miló) — to speak
- αγαπάω / αγαπώ (agapáo / agapó) — to love
- περνάω / περνώ (pernáo / pernó) — to pass / to spend time
- ρωτάω / ρωτώ (rotáo / rotó) — to ask
- πηδάω / πηδώ (pidháo / pidhó) — to jump
Category B2 — verbs ending in -ώ
Category B2 also ends in -ώ with an accent, but has different endings from B1. The key difference is that B2 verbs come from an older Greek form ending in -έω, and this shows in the conjugation.
The endings
Example verb: μπορώ (boró — to be able to / can) — stem: μπορ-
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (I / we) | μπορ-ώ | μπορ-ούμε |
| 2nd (you) | μπορ-είς | μπορ-είτε |
| 3rd (he/she/it / they) | μπορ-εί | μπορ-ούν(ε) |
Endings: -ώ, -είς, -εί, -ούμε, -είτε, -ούν(ε)
Common Category B2 verbs
- μπορώ (boró) — can / to be able to
- οδηγώ (odhighó) — to drive
- αγαπώ (agapó) — to love (B2 form)
- θεωρώ (theoró) — to consider
- χρησιμοποιώ (chrisimopió) — to use
Category AB — contracted irregular verbs
A small group of very common verbs does not fit neatly into A or B. These are contracted verbs, where the vowel of the stem merges with the vowel of the ending in some forms. They come up constantly in everyday Greek so it is worth memorising them individually.
| Person | πάω (go) | λέω (say) | ακούω (hear) | τρώω (eat) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg | πάω | λέω | ακούω | τρώω |
| 2nd sg | πας | λες | ακούς | τρως |
| 3rd sg | πάει | λέει | ακούει | τρώει |
| 1st pl | πάμε | λέμε | ακούμε | τρώμε |
| 2nd pl | πάτε | λέτε | ακούτε | τρώτε |
| 3rd pl | πάνε | λέν(ε) | ακούν(ε) | τρώνε |
είμαι — to be
είμαι (íme) is the most important verb in Greek and one of the first you will learn. It is completely irregular and does not follow any of the patterns above. Memorise it as a whole.
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (I / we) | είμαι | είμαστε |
| 2nd (you) | είσαι | είστε |
| 3rd (he/she/it / they) | είναι | είναι |
Note: the third person singular and plural are identical — είναι (íne) means both "he/she/it is" and "they are."
Quick reference chart
All four categories side by side.
| Category A | Category B1 | Category B2 | Category AB | είμαι | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example | γράφω | μιλάω/μιλώ | μπορώ | πάω | είμαι |
| 1st sg | -ω | -άω/-ώ | -ώ | -άω | είμαι |
| 2nd sg | -εις | -άς | -είς | -ας | είσαι |
| 3rd sg | -ει | -άει/-ά | -εί | -άει | είναι |
| 1st pl | -ουμε | -άμε | -ούμε | -άμε | είμαστε |
| 2nd pl | -ετε | -άτε | -είτε | -άτε | είστε |
| 3rd pl | -ουν(ε) | -άν(ε) | -ούν(ε) | -άνε | είναι |
Now practise what you have just learned
Reading the patterns is a start. Grego has structured A1 grammar exercises built around the same verb categories — the kind your Greek teacher would assign. Free to try.
Start practising free →Common mistakes to avoid
These are the errors that come up most often for beginners.
- Mixing up B1 and B2 endings. Both end in -ώ in the first person but the other endings are different. If you see -είς in the second person, it is B2. If you see -άς, it is B1.
- Overusing pronouns. Because the verb ending already tells you who is speaking, saying εγώ γράφω, εγώ διαβάζω over and over sounds unnatural. Use pronouns only for emphasis or contrast.
- Applying English grammar logic. Greek does not distinguish between "I write" and "I am writing." γράφω covers both. There is no separate progressive form.
- Treating είμαι like a regular verb. It does not follow any conjugation pattern. Memorise it separately from the start.
Frequently asked questions
How many verb categories are there in Greek?
Modern Greek has four main verb categories based on the verb ending and stress: Category A (-ω unaccented), Category B1 (-άω/-ώ), Category B2 (-ώ with different endings), and Category AB (contracted irregulars: λέω, πάω, τρώω, ακούω). The verb είμαι is treated separately as a complete irregular.
What is the difference between Category A and Category B verbs in Greek?
The main difference is the ending and stress. Category A ends in -ω without an accent mark, with the stress falling earlier in the word (e.g. γράφω). Category B ends in -ώ or -άω with an accent on the final syllable (e.g. μιλώ, μπορώ). The two B subcategories share the same first-person ending but diverge in the rest of the conjugation.
How do you conjugate the verb 'to be' in Greek?
The Greek verb 'to be' is είμαι. In the present tense: είμαι (I am), είσαι (you are), είναι (he/she/it is), είμαστε (we are), είστε (you are, plural), είναι (they are). The third person singular and plural are identical.
Why does Greek not have an infinitive form?
Modern Greek uses the first person singular as the base form instead of an infinitive. So γράφω means both "I write" and the verb in dictionary use. This is why Greek dictionaries and textbooks list verbs as γράφω rather than an infinitive like "to write."
What are the most common irregular Greek verbs?
The most common contracted or irregular verbs are λέω (to say), πάω (to go), τρώω (to eat), and ακούω (to hear/listen), plus είμαι (to be). All five appear constantly in everyday Greek and are worth memorising early.
How long does it take to learn Greek verb conjugation?
Most learners can recognise and use the basic present tense patterns within a few weeks of consistent practice. The irregular verbs tend to stick quickly because they come up so often in conversation. Regular exercises and reading make more difference than studying tables alone.