The Future Tense (θα)
Greek has no single future ending - it builds the future with the particle θα (“will”) in front of the verb. The SAME aspect choice you met in the past tense returns: θα + the perfective (dependent) stem for a single completed future act - θα γράψω (“I will write [it]”) - versus θα + the present (imperfective) stem for an ongoing or repeated one - θα γράφω (“I will be writing / keep writing”). You pick θα γράψω vs θα γράφω exactly as you picked έγραψα vs έγραφα.
The rule
Greek builds the future with the particle θα (“will”) before the verb - there is no future ending. The aspect choice from the past returns: θα + the perfective (dependent) stem for a single completed act - θα γράψω (“I will write [it]”), θα αγαπήσω - versus θα + the present (imperfective) stem for an ongoing or repeated one - θα γράφω (“I will be writing”). θα itself never inflects; the verb after it carries the aspect, exactly as έγραψα vs έγραφα did.
Paradigm
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | γράψω† | γράψουμε† |
| 2nd | γράψεις† | γράψετε† |
| 3rd | γράψει† | γράψουν† |
- Perfective future: θα + the dependent stem γραψ- (no augment). θα is an uninflected particle, not stored as a form.
- Perfective future (θα γράψουμε).
- Perfective future (θα γράψεις): dependent stem γραψ- + present-tense ending.
- Perfective future (θα γράψετε).
- Perfective future (θα γράψει).
- Perfective future (θα γράψουν).
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | αγαπήσω† | αγαπήσουμε† |
| 2nd | αγαπήσεις† | αγαπήσετε† |
| 3rd | αγαπήσει† | αγαπήσουν† |
- Perfective future: θα + the dependent stem αγαπησ- (no augment).
- Perfective future (θα αγαπήσουμε).
- Perfective future (θα αγαπήσεις): dependent stem αγαπησ- + present ending.
- Perfective future (θα αγαπήσετε).
- Perfective future (θα αγαπήσει).
- Perfective future (θα αγαπήσουν).