A2 · Lesson
Group B aorist: the -ησα family
The big picture
Group B verbs (the contract verbs ending in -άω / -ώ) don't play by the Group A rules. Their aorist marker is -ησα. Same six endings after that.
Group B aorist: the -ησα family
Group B verbs (the contract verbs ending in -άω / -ώ) don't play by the Group A rules. Their aorist marker is -ησα. Same six endings after that.
The model: μιλάω → μίλησα (I spoke)
μιλάω is the go-to model for Group B. The stem swaps its -άω for -ησ- and then takes the same six aorist endings you already know.
- Present stem μιλ- with -άω ending
- Aorist stem becomes μίλησ-
- Same endings as Group A: -α, -ες, -ε, -αμε, -ατε, -αν
- No augment ε- needed at the front (already three syllables)
- Μίλησα με την Aisha χθες.: I spoke with Aisha yesterday.
- Μιλήσαμε δύο ώρες.: We spoke for two hours.
- Μίλησαν στα ελληνικά όλο το βράδυ.: They spoke Greek all evening.
- εγώ: -α (μίλησα)
- εσύ: -ες (μίλησες)
- αυτός/ή/ό: -ε (μίλησε)
- εμείς: -αμε (μιλήσαμε)
- εσείς: -ατε (μιλήσατε)
- αυτοί/ές/ά: -αν(ε) (μίλησαν / μιλήσανε)
The rule: -άω / -ώ → -ησα
For any Group B verb, drop the -άω (or -ώ) present ending, add -ησ-, and attach the aorist endings.
- ρωτάω → ρώτησα (I asked)
- αγαπάω → αγάπησα (I loved)
- τραγουδάω → τραγούδησα (I sang)
- γελάω → γέλασα (I laughed) - note: this one drops the η and takes -ασα
- περνάω → πέρασα (I passed / spent time) - same -ασα shape
- ζω → έζησα (I lived) - stem shifts to ζησ-
The -ησα shape covers the big majority. A few common verbs use -ασα instead (γέλασα, πέρασα, χάλασα). Both are Group B variants.
- Ο Yusuf ρώτησε τη διεύθυνση.: Yusuf asked for the address.
- Απάντησες στο email της Fatima;: Did you reply to Fatima's email?
- Περάσαμε ωραία στην παραλία.: We had a nice time at the beach.
Group B verbs side by side
| Present | Aorist εγώ | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| μιλάω | μίλησα | I spoke |
| ρωτάω | ρώτησα | I asked |
| αγαπάω | αγάπησα | I loved |
| τραγουδάω | τραγούδησα | I sang |
| απαντάω | απάντησα | I answered |
| γελάω | γέλασα | I laughed |
| περνάω | πέρασα | I passed / spent (time) |
| ζω | έζησα | I lived |
Stress + augment behaviour
Group B aorists behave like Group A on stress and augment.
- Stress sits three syllables from the end where possible: μί-λη-σα, ρώ-τη-σα
- In εμείς and εσείς the stress shifts forward because the ending adds a syllable: μι-λή-σα-με, ρω-τή-σα-τε
- Augment ε- is rare in Group B because most of these verbs are already three syllables. One exception is ζω → έζησα (short verb, needs the ε-)
- Negation is δεν in front: δεν μίλησα, δεν ρώτησα
- Δεν μίλησα καθόλου στο πάρτι.: I didn't speak at all at the party.
- Έζησα στη Θεσσαλονίκη τρία χρόνια.: I lived in Thessaloniki for three years.
When to use it
Same rule as Group A: use the aorist any time something happened and finished in the past.
- Time markers you'll see with it: χθες (yesterday), την περασμένη εβδομάδα (last week), πέρυσι (last year), πριν λίγο (a little while ago)
- Works exactly like Group A in a sentence: subject + aorist + rest
- Mix Group A and Group B freely, since the past-tense feel is identical and only the stem shape differs
- Χθες ρώτησα την Priya πού μένει.: Yesterday I asked Priya where she lives.
- Την περασμένη εβδομάδα ο Kwame τραγούδησε στη γιορτή.: Last week Kwame sang at the festival.
- Πέρυσι έζησα στην Αθήνα.: Last year I lived in Athens.
Watch out for
- **-ησα, not -σα.** Group B verbs need the extra -η-. ρωτάω → ρώτησα (not ρώσα). Group A drops straight to -σα (διάβασα).
- **Some Group B verbs use -ασα instead of -ησα.** Common ones: γέλασα, πέρασα, χάλασα. Both are still Group B; the shape just varies. Memorise these.
- **Stress shifts to the second-last syllable in εμείς and εσείς.** μίλησα → μι-λή-σα-με, not μί-λη-σα-με.
- **Augment ε- is rare in Group B.** Most Group B verbs are already three syllables, so the stress lands without help. Short exception: ζω → έζησα.
- **Don't confuse μίλησα with μιλούσα.** {{aorist:μίλησα}} is aorist (one completed conversation), {{imperfect:μιλούσα}} is imperfect (I was speaking / used to speak). Different meaning, different topic.