Ancient Greek tenses — Journal

Some Notes on the Perfect Tense in Greek

The Perfect Tense in Greek, unlike in Latin, is always a true Perfect and cannot do duty for the Simple Past (i.e. the Aorist). It represents an action as already completed at the present time, such as in the sentence την εἰρηνην σεσωκα, ‘I have saved the peace’. This sentence can never be translated ‘I saved the peace’ (for that would imply nothing as to the completion of the action).

Charles BeauclerkFebruary 8, 2019Perfect Tense in Ancient Greek, Aorist Tense, Tense and Aspect in Greek, Aorist v Perfect, Ancient Greek grammar, Ancient Greek tenses Comments