Perfect Tense
Completed action with present relevance
The perfect tense describes a completed action whose results continue into the present.
"I have written" implies the writing is done AND the result (the written document) still exists.
Formation: reduplication + perfect stem + endings (first perfect active adds κ: -κα)
• λέλυκα (I have loosed) - the loosing is complete, something is now loose
• γέγραφα (I have written) - a second perfect, with no κ
Key features:
• Reduplication: usually the first consonant + ε (λε-λυκα); an aspirate becomes plain (πε-φίληκα); a verb starting with a vowel lengthens it (ἠγόρευκα); one starting with ρ, a double consonant, or most two-consonant groups adds ἐ- (ἔσταλκα)
• Perfect active uses -κα endings
• Perfect middle/passive uses primary middle endings on the perfect stem
The perfect is less common than aorist but emphasizes the present state resulting from past action.
Examples from Texts
Here are some words showing the perfect tense in actual Greek texts:
εἰκότ'
ἔοικα
to be like, look like
participle
accusative
masculine
singular
perfect
active
ξυμβεβηκότα
συμβαίνω
stand with the feet together
participle
nominative
neuter
plural
perfect
active
ἠσχολημένην
ἀσχολέω
engage, occupy
participle
accusative
feminine
singular
perfect
middle/passive
παρῳκηκότι
παροικέω
dwell beside
participle
dative
masculine
singular
perfect
active
κατίωται
κατά-ἰόω
become
verb
singular
perfect
middle/passive
indicative
ἡγνευκώς
ἁγνεύω
consider as part of purity, make it a point of religion
participle
nominative
masculine
singular
perfect
active
ἐσπανισμένον
σπανίζω
to be rare, scarce
participle
nominative
neuter
singular
perfect
middle/passive
διηλλάχθαι
διαλλάσσω
interchange
verb
perfect
middle/passive
infinitive