{"id":1742,"date":"2015-01-07T22:30:59","date_gmt":"2015-01-07T22:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/?p=1742"},"modified":"2015-01-07T22:30:59","modified_gmt":"2015-01-07T22:30:59","slug":"once-upon-a-time-an-introduction-to-the-past-continuous-tense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/once-upon-a-time-an-introduction-to-the-past-continuous-tense\/","title":{"rendered":"Once Upon a Time: An Introduction to the Past Continuous Tense"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"by<\/a>

by TORLEY under a CC license on Flickr<\/p><\/div>\n

\u0393\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c3\u03b1\u03c2! This is the first post of 2015 and it’s about grammar.<\/p>\n

\u03a0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03c2<\/strong> (paratatikos<\/em>, Past Continuous) is the tense of narrations and descriptions. <\/span>It is used in order to describe <\/span>an action that was being repeated in the past or that had a duration.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Examples:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u0388\u03c0\u03b9\u03bd\u03b1<\/span> \u03b3\u03ac\u03bb\u03b1 \u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1. (Epeena gala kathe mera)<\/em>. I used to drink milk every day.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0392\u03bb\u03ad\u03c0\u03b1\u03bc\u03b5<\/span> \u03c4\u03b7\u03bb\u03b5\u03cc\u03c1\u03b1\u03c3\u03b7 \u03cc\u03bb\u03bf \u03c4\u03bf \u03b1\u03c0\u03cc\u03b3\u03b5\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1. (Vlepame tileorasi olo to apogevma<\/span><\/em>)<\/em>. <\/span>We were watching television all afternoon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03a0\u03c1\u03b9\u03bd \u03b1\u03c0\u03cc \u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 \u03c7\u03c1\u03cc\u03bd\u03b9\u03b1, \u03bf \u039a\u03ce\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c0\u03ae\u03b3\u03b1\u03b9\u03bd\u03b5<\/span> \u03c3\u03c4\u03b7 \u03b4\u03bf\u03c5\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03ac \u03bc\u03b5 \u03c4\u03bf \u03c0\u03bf\u03b4\u03ae\u03bb\u03b1\u03c4\u03bf. (Prin apo tria hronia, o Kostas<\/em> pigaine sti doulia me to podilato)<\/em>. Three years ago Kostas was going to work by bike.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Past Continuous of the verbs <\/span>\u03ad\u03c7\u03c9<\/strong> (<\/span>eho<\/em>, to have) and <\/span>\u03b5\u03af\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9<\/strong> (<\/span>eemai<\/em>, to be)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u03b5\u03af\u03c7\u03b1 (eeha<\/em>)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u03ae\u03bc\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd (eemoun)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u03b5\u03af\u03c7\u03b5\u03c2 (eehes<\/em>)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u03ae\u03c3\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd (eesoun<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03b5\u03af\u03c7\u03b5 (eehe<\/em>)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u03ae\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd (eetan<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03b5\u03af\u03c7\u03b1\u03bc\u03b5 (eehame<\/em>)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u03ae\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd (eemastan<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03b5\u03af\u03c7\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5 (eehate<\/em>)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u03ae\u03c3\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd (eesastan<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03b5\u03af\u03c7\u03b1\u03bd (eehan<\/em>)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u03ae\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd (eetan<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Active Voice, 1<\/span>st<\/span><\/sup> conjugation (verbs ending in –<\/span>\u03c9).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Past Continuous is formed by the stem of the Present and the endings of the Past Simple, so if you are already familiar with the Present tense it’s very easy to form the Past Continuous:<\/p>\n

\u03a0\u03b7\u03b3\u03b1\u03af\u03bd\u03c9 (peeyeno<\/em>)= to go<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03c0\u03ae\u03b3\u03b1\u03b9\u03bd\u03b1<\/span><\/strong> (peeyena<\/em>)<\/span>= I was going \/ I used to go<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03c0\u03ae\u03b3\u03b1\u03b9\u03bd\u03b5\u03c2<\/span><\/strong> (peeyenes<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03c0\u03ae\u03b3\u03b1\u03b9\u03bd\u03b5<\/span><\/strong> (peeyene<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03c0\u03b7\u03b3\u03b1\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03bc\u03b5<\/span><\/strong> (peeyename<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03c0\u03b7\u03b3\u03b1\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5<\/span><\/strong> (peeyenate<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03c0\u03ae\u03b3\u03b1\u03b9\u03bd\u03b1\u03bd<\/span><\/strong> (peeyenan<\/em>)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Notes:<\/span><\/p>\n

1) The accent is over the ante-penultimate syllable (the third syllable counting from right to left).<\/span><\/p>\n

2) The prefix <\/span>\u03b5<\/span><\/strong>– or –<\/span>\u03b7<\/strong><\/span> is added to two-syllable verbs in order to form the singular and the third plural person. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u039a\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9 (kano)<\/em>= to do<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ad<\/span>\u03ba\u03b1\u03bd\u03b1<\/span><\/strong> (ekana)<\/em>= I was doing \/ I used to do<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ad<\/strong><\/span>\u03ba\u03b1\u03bd\u03b5\u03c2<\/span><\/strong> (ekanes)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u03ad<\/strong><\/span>\u03ba\u03b1\u03bd\u03b5<\/span><\/strong> (ekane)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03ac\u03bd\u03b1\u03bc\u03b5<\/span><\/strong> (kaname)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03ac\u03bd\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5<\/span><\/strong> (kanate)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u03ad<\/strong><\/span>\u03ba\u03b1\u03bd\u03b1\u03bd<\/span><\/strong> (ekanan)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3) Words <\/span><\/span>and expressions <\/span>showing repetition:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1 (panda)<\/em>= always<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03c3\u03c5\u03c7\u03bd\u03ac (seehna)<\/em>= often<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03bc\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03ad\u03c2 \u03c6\u03bf\u03c1\u03ad\u03c2 (merikes fores)<\/em>= sometimes<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03c6\u03bf\u03c1\u03ac (\u03c0\u03bf\u03c5) (kathe fora pou)<\/em>= every time (that)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1 (kathe mera)<\/em>= every day<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03bc\u03b5\u03c3\u03b7\u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b9 (kathe mesimeri)<\/em>= every noon, afternoon etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03b1\u03c0\u03cc\u03b3\u03b5\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1 (kathe apogevma)<\/em>= every afternoon<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03b2\u03c1\u03ac\u03b4\u03c5 (kathe vradee)<\/em>= every evening<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03b5\u03b2\u03b4\u03bf\u03bc\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1 (kathe evdomada)<\/em>= every week<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03bc\u03ae\u03bd\u03b1 (kathe meena)<\/em>= every month<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03c7\u03c1\u03cc\u03bd\u03bf (kathe hrono)<\/em>= every year<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4) Words and expressions showing duration:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u03b5\u03bd\u03ce (eno)<\/em>= while<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03b1\u03b8\u03ce\u03c2 (kathos)<\/em>= while, as<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03cc\u03bb\u03b7 \u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1 (olee mera)<\/em>= all day<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03cc\u03bb\u03bf \u03c4\u03bf \u03c0\u03c1\u03c9\u03af (olo to proee)<\/em>= all morning<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03cc\u03bb\u03bf \u03c4\u03bf \u03bc\u03b5\u03c3\u03b7\u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b9 (olo to mesimeri)<\/em>= all (early) afternoon<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03cc\u03bb\u03bf \u03c4\u03bf \u03b1\u03c0\u03cc\u03b3\u03b5\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1 (olo to apogevma)<\/em>= all (late) afternoon<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03cc\u03bb\u03bf \u03c4\u03bf \u03b2\u03c1\u03ac\u03b4\u03c5 (olo to vradee)<\/em>= all evening<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03cc\u03bb\u03b7 \u03c4\u03b7 \u03bd\u03cd\u03c7\u03c4\u03b1 (olee tee nihta)<\/em>= all night<\/span><\/p>\n

\u03cc\u03bb\u03b7 \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03b5\u03b2\u03b4\u03bf\u03bc\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1 (<\/em>olee tin evdomada)<\/em>= all week<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Time to practice! Fill in the blanks of the following sentences putting the verbs in brackets in the Past Continuous.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. \u039f \u03a0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2 …………………. \u03c0\u03c5\u03c1\u03b5\u03c4\u03cc \u03cc\u03bb\u03bf \u03c4\u03bf \u03b2\u03c1\u03ac\u03b4\u03c5. (\u03ad\u03c7\u03c9)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

2. \u0397 \u03a1\u03ad\u03bd\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b7 \u0391\u03b8\u03b7\u03bd\u03ac …………………. \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03c6\u03af\u03bb\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03a3\u03ac\u03b2\u03b2\u03b1\u03c4\u03bf. (\u03b2\u03bb\u03ad\u03c0\u03c9)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

3. \u039a\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03cd\u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03bd\u03b1 (\u03b5\u03bc\u03b5\u03af\u03c2) …………………. \u03b4\u03ce\u03c1\u03b1 \u03c3\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c0\u03b1\u03b9\u03b4\u03b9\u03ac \u03bc\u03b1\u03c2. (\u03b1\u03b3\u03bf\u03c1\u03ac\u03b6\u03c9)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

4. <\/span>\u038c\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd (\u03b5\u03b3\u03ce) <\/span>…………………. <\/span>\u03b4\u03ad\u03ba\u03b1 \u03c7\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd\u03ce\u03bd <\/span>…………………. <\/span>\u03c0\u03b9\u03ac\u03bd\u03bf \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b3\u03b1\u03bb\u03bb\u03b9\u03ba\u03ac. (<\/em><\/span>\u03b5\u03af\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9, <\/span>\u03bc\u03b1\u03b8\u03b1\u03af\u03bd\u03c9)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

5. \u03a0\u03cc\u03c4\u03b5 <\/span>…………………. <\/span>\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf \u03bd\u03bf\u03c3\u03bf\u03ba\u03bf\u03bc\u03b5\u03af\u03bf, \u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 \u0394\u03ae\u03bc\u03bf\u03c5; (\u03b4\u03bf\u03c5\u03bb\u03b5\u03cd\u03c9)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

6. \u0397 \u03a3\u03c4\u03ad\u03bb\u03bb\u03b1 <\/span>…………………. <\/span>\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c0\u03b9\u03ac\u03c4\u03b1 \u03b1\u03c0\u03cc \u03c4\u03b9\u03c2 9 \u03c9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b9\u03c2 10. (\u03c0\u03bb\u03ad\u03bd\u03c9)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

7. \u03a3\u03bf\u03c6\u03af\u03b1, \u03c0\u03cc\u03c4\u03b5 <\/span>…………………. <\/span>\u03c3\u03c4\u03b7 \u0398\u03b5\u03c3\u03c3\u03b1\u03bb\u03bf\u03bd\u03af\u03ba\u03b7; (\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03c9)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

8. \u03a0\u03b1\u03bb\u03b9\u03ac, \u03b7 \u03b3\u03c5\u03bd\u03b1\u03af\u03ba\u03b1 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03ba\u03b9 \u03b5\u03b3\u03ce <\/span>…………………. <\/span>\u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03cd \u03c3\u03c5\u03c7\u03bd\u03ac. (\u03c4\u03b1\u03be\u03b9\u03b4\u03b5\u03cd\u03c9)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

You can find the right answers here: paratatikos<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

\u0393\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c3\u03b1\u03c2! This is the first post of 2015 and it’s about grammar. \u03a0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03c2 (paratatikos, Past Continuous) is the tense of narrations and descriptions. It is used in order to describe an action that was being repeated in the past or that had a duration. Examples: \u0388\u03c0\u03b9\u03bd\u03b1 \u03b3\u03ac\u03bb\u03b1 \u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5 \u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1. (Epeena gala kathe mera). I…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":102,"featured_media":1746,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[292972,363534,363535],"class_list":["post-1742","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grammar","tag-greek-grammar","tag-greek-tenses","tag-past-continuous"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1742","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1742"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1750,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1742\/revisions\/1750"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}