Irregular Verbs in Modern Greek
The complete list of must-memorize verbs
In Modern Greek some verbs don't follow the standard rules for forming the aorist, future or subjunctive. They are called irregular verbs — or, in learner slang, "punk verbs". The good news: there aren't many. The bad news: they're the most frequent ones. Here's your reference list.
1. Why are these verbs irregular?
Modern Greek descends from Ancient Greek, which had several roots for the same verb depending on tense. Most of these alternations have been regularized over time, but about thirty very common verbs have kept different forms for the present and aorist.
For example, βλέπω (to see) in the present, but είδα (I saw) in the aorist — which actually comes from the Ancient Greek root ϝιδ-, cognate to Latin video.
2. The 25 irregular verbs to know first
The table below gives you the basic forms: present (1st sg.), aorist (1st sg.) and the English translation.
| Present | Aorist | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| είμαι | ήμουν | to be (imperfect, no aorist) |
| έχω | είχα | to have (imperfect, no aorist) |
| πηγαίνω / πάω | πήγα | to go |
| βλέπω | είδα | to see |
| λέω | είπα | to say |
| τρώω | έφαγα | to eat |
| πίνω | ήπια | to drink |
| δίνω | έδωσα | to give |
| παίρνω | πήρα | to take |
| μπαίνω | μπήκα | to enter |
| βγαίνω | βγήκα | to exit |
| ανεβαίνω | ανέβηκα | to go up |
| κατεβαίνω | κατέβηκα | to go down |
| βρίσκω | βρήκα | to find |
| μαθαίνω | έμαθα | to learn |
| καταλαβαίνω | κατάλαβα | to understand |
| φεύγω | έφυγα | to leave |
| έρχομαι | ήρθα | to come |
| κάθομαι | κάθισα | to sit |
| γίνομαι | έγινα | to become |
| πεθαίνω | πέθανα | to die |
| μένω | έμεινα | to stay / live |
| ξέρω | ήξερα* | to know |
| θέλω | θέλησα | to want |
| στέλνω | έστειλα | to send |
* ξέρω has no real aorist — its imperfect ήξερα doubles as overall past.
3. είμαι (to be) — full conjugation
| Person | Present | Imperfect (= past) |
|---|---|---|
| εγώ | είμαι | ήμουν(α) |
| εσύ | είσαι | ήσουν(α) |
| αυτός | είναι | ήταν(ε) |
| εμείς | είμαστε | ήμασταν |
| εσείς | είστε | ήσασταν |
| αυτοί | είναι | ήταν(ε) |
4. έχω (to have) — full conjugation
| Person | Present | Imperfect (= past) |
|---|---|---|
| εγώ | έχω | είχα |
| εσύ | έχεις | είχες |
| αυτός | έχει | είχε |
| εμείς | έχουμε | είχαμε |
| εσείς | έχετε | είχατε |
| αυτοί | έχουν(ε) | είχαν(ε) |
Note: είμαι and έχω have no distinct aorist or perfective future. Use the imperfect for the past and θα είμαι / θα έχω for the future.
5. πάω / πηγαίνω (to go)
This verb has two present forms: πάω (shorter, common in speech) and πηγαίνω (more formal).
| Person | Present | Aorist |
|---|---|---|
| εγώ | πάω / πηγαίνω | πήγα |
| εσύ | πας / πηγαίνεις | πήγες |
| αυτός | πάει / πηγαίνει | πήγε |
| εμείς | πάμε / πηγαίνουμε | πήγαμε |
| εσείς | πάτε / πηγαίνετε | πήγατε |
| αυτοί | πάνε / πηγαίνουν | πήγαν |
6. λέω (to say)
| Person | Present | Aorist |
|---|---|---|
| εγώ | λέω | είπα |
| εσύ | λες | είπες |
| αυτός | λέει | είπε |
| εμείς | λέμε | είπαμε |
| εσείς | λέτε | είπατε |
| αυτοί | λένε | είπαν |
7. How to memorize
Don't try to memorize all 25 at once. The method that works: 5 verbs per week, embedded in concrete sentences. After a month, you'll have them all.
ConjuGrec marks these verbs with the "punk" icon 💀 and uses spaced repetition (SM-2) to bring them back at the right moment — just before you forget.
8. Typical mistakes
- Regularizing irregulars: say είδα (I saw), not "έβλεψα".
- Confusing πήρα (I took) and πήγα (I went): one letter makes all the difference.
- Forgetting that είμαι has no aorist: say ήμουν (I was), not "έγινα" — which means "I became".
All Modern Greek irregular verbs across 9 tenses, in one app.