LingoflyPresent tense: two conjugations
There are only two conjugations, and they differ by where the stress sits. First: stress on the stem — μέν-ω, μέν-εις, μέν-ει. Second: stress on the ending — μιλ-ώ, μιλ-άς, μιλ-άει. For example: “Μένω στην Αθήνα” (méno stin Athína) — I live in Athens. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
There are only two conjugations, and they differ by where the stress sits. First: stress on the stem — μέν-ω, μέν-εις, μέν-ει. Second: stress on the ending — μιλ-ώ, μιλ-άς, μιλ-άει.
The person lives entirely in the ending, so no pronoun is needed: μένω (méno) means "I live", and nothing more need be added.
The second conjugation is recognized from the dictionary form: if it ends in a stressed -ώ (αγαπώ (agapó), μιλώ), that is the one. A form in -άω (μιλάω (miláo)) is the same word in its conversational dress; both are correct.
Table
| person | first: μένω (méno) | second: μιλάω (miláo) |
|---|---|---|
| εγώ (egó) | μένω (méno) | μιλάω (miláo) |
| εσύ (esí) | μένεις (ménis) | μιλάς (milás) |
| αυτός (aftós) | μένει (méni) | μιλάει (milái) |
| εμείς (emís) | μένουμε (ménume) | μιλάμε (miláme) |
| εσείς (esís) | μένετε (ménete) | μιλάτε (miláte) |
| αυτοί (aftí) | μένουν (ménun) | μιλάνε |
By example
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Present tense: how does it work in Greek?
There are only two conjugations, and they differ by where the stress sits. First: stress on the stem — μέν-ω, μέν-εις, μέν-ει. Second: stress on the ending — μιλ-ώ, μιλ-άς, μιλ-άει.
What does it look like in a Greek example sentence?
“Μένω στην Αθήνα” (méno stin Athína) — I live in Athens. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.