The fourth and fifth principal parts of a verb are the PERFECT INDICATIVE ACTIVE (first person singular) and the PERFECT INDICATIVE MIDDLE /PASSIVE (first person singular) forms. These principal parts give the stems for all of the perfect active and perfect middle/passive forms in all of the moods, and for the pluperfect forms.

While the perfect stem indicates an action completed in the past, it differs from the aorist and imperfect indicative in that the result of a perfect action is felt as a present state. When Odysseus, at line 10, says that Polyphemus has closed the door, he uses the perfect form ke/kleike to indicate that the door remains closed. Polyphemus has completed the action of closing the door, but the result of that is action is still felt (and the still-closed door is an important obstacle to the men's escape from the cave.)

Also unlike the aorist and imperfect indicative, the perfect indicative is, along with the present annd future, a PRIMARY tense.

 

FORMS OF THE PERFECT INDICATIVE

REDUPLICATION: Verbs that start with a consonant usually add that consonant plus e to the beginning of a verb to form the perfect stem: lu/w becomes le/luka, siga/w becomes sesi/ghka, etc. q, f, and x are reduplicated with their unaspirated sounds: teqau/maka, pe/feuga, ke/xuka. Verbs that start with a vowel often lengthen that vowel for the perfect stem: e)qe/lw becomes h)qe/lhka, a)/gw becomes h}xa. If you look through the fifth principal parts of the verbs that start on page 244, you will see that reduplication can be impossible to predict. You will have to learn the patterns of several different types in order to be able to identify perfect forms correctly.

ENDINGS: The following endings are added directly to the perfect stem to form the Perfect Indicative tense:

ACTIVE	MIDDLE/PASSIVE	FORMS	FORMS
-ka	-mai	le/luka	le/lumai
-kaj	-sai	le/lukaj	le/lusai
-ke	-tai	le/luke	le/lutai
-kamen	-meqa	lelu/kamen	lelu/meqa
-kate	-sqe	lelu/kate	le/lusqe
-kasi	-ntai	lelu/kasi	le/luntai

Many verbs do not have k before the perfect active endings and are therefore said to have a "second perfect." Their active forms present no difficulty once you know the basic perfect endings. For example, here is the conjugation of the perfect active indicative of bla/ptw, which happens to have a second perfect:

be/blafa

be/blafaj

be/blafe

bebla/famen

bebla/fate

bebla/fasi

 

CHALLENGE OF THE PERFECT MIDDLE/PASSIVE

Because the perfect middle/passive endings are added directly to the perfect middle/passive stem, two consonants often come together that cause certain spelling changes. This is one of the hard parts about learning to recognize perfect forms. Although these changes occur according to very specific and regular rules, they can be puzzling until you get used to them. By observing very carefully a few different perfect middle/passive indicative conjugations, you can become familiar with the patterns of these changes and learn to expect them. Five verbs are conjugated for you in the perfect middle/passive indicative at the top of page 82. You will also note that the third person plural form is made up of the perfect middle/passive participle and the third person plural form of ei)mi/.

EXERCISE

XXV, A. Translate each of the following perfect indicative verbs. Use the fifth and sixth principal parts of the verbs that start on page 244 to help you identify the verb correctly. Example: le/luka, I have released

1. pepw/kamen

2. e)dhdo/kamen

3. ke/kleike

4. ke/kauke

5. e(o/rake

6. e)lhlu/qotej ei)si

7. ei)lhmme/noi ei)si

8. pepo/nqamen

9. die/fqartai

10. sesw|/smeqa

Answer Key

 

OTHER MOODS OF THE PERFECT

Except for the perfect active participle, other moods of the perfect use endings which you already know. Study the forms on pages 81 and 82 carefully.

The perfect active participle uses a new set of endings: -w/j, -ui~a, -o/j. These use familiar third and first declension endings, and are declined fully at the top of page 195. You will see that the genitive singular for the masculine and neuter is -otoj.

Note that the Subjunctive and Optative middle/passive use the perfect middle/passive participle and the appropriate form of ei)mi and that the Subjunctive and Optative active may be formed this way using the active participle.

 

EXERCISE

XXV, B. Give the first principal part of each of the perfect verb forms. Identify mood and voice, then translate. For simplicity, use "might" for Subjunctive and "would" for Optative. Example: h!ggeltai, a)gge/llw, Indicative, M-P, It has been announced.

1. pefobhme/noi	11. leleimme/nh ei@hn
2. kekinhkw/j	12. pefhne/nai
3. kekleisme/nhj	13. pefobhme/noi
4. kekaume/nou	14. leloi/phte
5. e)lhluqo/tej	15. pepei/sqai
6. ei)lhmme/nwn	16. beblhko/ta
7. tetimh/kotej w}si	17. bebou/lhsai
8. teqnhkui~a	18. e)sxh/kasi
9. de/deicai	19. memaqh/kw
10. pepei/smeqa	20. bebhkw/j

Answer Key

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