μι Verbsδίδωμι, τίθημι, ἵστημι, ἀφίημι, δείκνυμι
A small but very frequent group of verbs works differently from the -ω verbs: the athematic (-μι) verbs. This lesson covers what μι verbs are and why they look different, the present active indicative of δίδωμι, τίθημι, and ἵστημι, reduplication in the present stem, and the common aorists (ἔδωκα, ἔθηκα, ἔστησα/ἔστην, ἀφῆκα). The focus is recognition of high-frequency forms — learned as principal parts to memorize, not forced derivations.
- Explain what μι (athematic) verbs are and how they differ from -ω verbs
- Recognize the present active indicative of δίδωμι, τίθημι, ἵστημι and the reduplicating present stem
- Memorize the high-frequency aorists ἔδωκα, ἔθηκα, ἀφῆκα, ἔστησα, ἔστην, ἔδειξα
- Distinguish the transitive (ἔστησα) and intransitive (ἔστην) aorists of ἵστημι
- Recognize common μι-verb compounds (παραδίδωμι, ἀνίστημι, ἐπιτίθημι)
- Use principal-part / memorization language for μι-verb forms rather than deriving them
- Parse and translate high-frequency μι-verb forms in NT context
- μι verbs attach endings straight to a reduplicated stem (no connecting vowel).
- δίδωμι = “I give”; aorist ἔδωκα.
- Memorize the forms; don’t derive them.
- Do only the first 2–3 trainer sets today.
CorePart 1: What μι Verbs Are
Almost every verb you have met is a thematic (-ω) verb: stem + connecting vowel + ending. A small but very frequent group works differently — the athematic (-μι) verbs.
μι verbs are called "athematic" because their endings attach directly to the stem with no connecting vowel. They also reduplicate the stem in the present with an iota. This makes their present forms look unusual — but there are only a handful of high-frequency ones, and the goal here is recognition of the common forms, not deriving full paradigms.
The five to know: δίδωμι ("I give"), τίθημι ("I put, place"), ἵστημι ("I stand, set"), ἀφίημι ("I forgive, leave, permit"), and δείκνυμι ("I show"). You already know one athematic verb well — εἰμί (Lesson 13).
ReferencePart 2: Present Active Indicative — δίδωμι, τίθημι, ἵστημι
Surface forms first. Note the reduplicating iota at the front (δι-, τι-, ἱ-) and the long stem vowel in the singular (ω/η) shortening in the plural (ο/ε/α).
| δίδωμι give | τίθημι put | ἵστημι stand | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 sg | δίδωμι | τίθημι | ἵστημι |
| 2 sg | δίδως | τίθης | ἵστης |
| 3 sg | δίδωσι(ν) | τίθησι(ν) | ἵστησι(ν) |
| 1 pl | δίδομεν | τίθεμεν | ἵσταμεν |
| 2 pl | δίδοτε | τίθετε | ἵστατε |
| 3 pl | διδόασι(ν) | τιθέασι(ν) | ἱστᾶσι(ν) |
CorePart 3: The Common Aorists — Memorize These
In real reading you meet the aorists of these verbs constantly. Learn them as fixed forms.
| Verb | Aorist | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| δίδωμι | ἔδωκα (ἔδωκεν) | "I gave" — κ-aorist |
| τίθημι | ἔθηκα (ἔθηκεν) | "I put/placed" — κ-aorist |
| ἀφίημι | ἀφῆκα (ἀφῆκεν) | "I forgave/left/permitted" — κ-aorist |
| ἵστημι | ἔστησα | transitive: "I set up, placed" |
| ἵστημι | ἔστην | intransitive (root aorist): "I stood" |
| δείκνυμι | ἔδειξα (ἔδειξεν) | "I showed" |
PracticeWorked Examples — μι Verbs in the NT
Eighteen μι-verb forms from NT vocabulary — present, aorist, and (preview) perfect, including the high-frequency compounds. Surface form first; memorize these as principal parts rather than deriving them. Attestation checked against the Greek NT.
PracticeTranslation Exercises
Translate, watching for the reduplicating present and the κ/root aorists.
- οὕτως ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν ἔδωκεν.
- ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων.
- ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι.
- καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἔστη ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν.
- δίδωμι αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
- ἐπέθηκεν τὰς χεῖρας ἐπ’ αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνέβλεψεν.
2. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (τίθησιν = pres of τίθημι; cf. John 10:11.)
3. Your sins are forgiven. (ἀφέωνται = perf pass of ἀφίημι; cf. Luke 5:20.)
4. And rising, Jesus stood in their midst. (ἔστη = root aor of ἵστημι; cf. Luke 24:36 area.)
5. I give them eternal life. (δίδωμι = pres 1 sg; cf. John 10:28.)
6. He laid his hands on him and he saw again. (ἐπέθηκεν = aor of ἐπιτίθημι; cf. Mark 8:25.)
ReferenceVocabulary Notes
The five core μι verbs and their high-frequency forms.
| δίδωμι | ἔδωκα, δέδωκα | I give (aor ἔδωκα; perf δέδωκα) |
| τίθημι | ἔθηκα | I put, place, lay down (aor ἔθηκα) |
| ἵστημι | ἔστησα / ἔστην | I set (trans.) / I stand (intrans., root aor ἔστην) |
| ἀφίημι | ἀφῆκα | I forgive, leave, permit (aor ἀφῆκα) |
| δείκνυμι | ἔδειξα | I show (aor ἔδειξα) |
| παραδίδωμι | παρέδωκα | I hand over, betray, deliver |
| ἀνίστημι | ἀνέστην/ἀνέστησα | I rise (intrans.) / I raise (trans.) |
Deep DiveOptional Deep Dive — A Cultural Note — The Old Verbs
The μι verbs are among the oldest layers of the Greek verb system — their athematic, reduplicating shape preserves a more ancient pattern than the smooth -ω verbs that came to dominate. By the Koine period they were already being reshaped toward thematic forms (you sometimes see ἱστάνω for ἵστημι), which is one reason their paradigms feel irregular.
For the reader, the comfort is that they are few and frequent: master δίδωμι, τίθημι, ἵστημι, ἀφίημι and their common aorists, and you have covered most μi-verb occurrences in the NT — including theologically weighty lines like τὴν ψυχήν μου τίθημι ("I lay down my life") and ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ("your sins are forgiven"). Memorize the forms; let the context carry the meaning.
- μι verbs are athematic: endings attach directly to the stem, with reduplication in the present (δι-, τι-, ἱ-).
- Core five: δίδωμι, τίθημι, ἵστημι, ἀφίημι, δείκνυμι. You already know εἰμί.
- Memorize the common aorists: ἔδωκα, ἔθηκα, ἀφῆκα, ἔστησα/ἔστην, ἔδειξα — as principal parts, not derivations.
- ἵστημι has a transitive aorist (ἔστησα, "set") and an intransitive root aorist (ἔστην, "stood").
- Goal: recognize the high-frequency forms on sight.