είμαι (eimai) – Greek Conjugation

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Understand this verb

Source references

This verb uses middle/passive forms. Endings such as -μαι do not automatically mean “is done by someone”: θυμάμαι means “I remember”. Read this verb’s English meaning and usage notes.

How to read the verb tables

Start with the present. Find the row for the person you mean: εγώ (I), εσύ (you, singular), αυτός/αυτή/αυτό (he/she/it), εμείς (we), εσείς (you, plural or polite), αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά (they). Greek often leaves out these pronouns because the ending shows the person.

Continuous: over time or repeatedly: έγραφα — I was writing / used to write; θα γράφω — I will be writing. The imperfect is the continuous past.
Simple: an action viewed as a whole: έγραψα — I wrote; θα γράψω — I will write. “Simple” does not mean the action must be short.
Perfect: completed by a reference point: έχω γράψει — I have written; είχα γράψει — I had written; θα έχω γράψει — I will have written.
Subjunctive: forms with να: θέλω να γράφω κάθε μέρα — I want to write every day; θέλω να γράψω ένα μήνυμα — I want to write a message. The sentence supplies the time; the forms distinguish repeated activity from an action viewed as a whole.
Imperative: instructions or requests: γράφε κάθε μέρα — write every day; γράψε το όνομά σου — write your name. These show continuous and simple instructions.
Active and middle/passive: form and meaning: γράφω — I write; γράφεται — it is written. But a middle/passive ending does not always express a passive meaning: έρχομαι means I come.

Alternative forms: commas or slashes separate alternatives. Parentheses mark optional letters, for example γράφουν(ε) means γράφουν or γράφουνε. Alternatives can differ in style or context, so read any usage note before choosing.

A dash or a missing table means a form is not supplied here. Check the entry’s notes; it does not by itself prove that every omitted form is impossible.

See this verb in use

Είμαι στο σπίτι.

I am at home.

Είμαι describes identity, location or a state: είμαι δάσκαλος, I am a teacher; είμαι εδώ, I am here. Greek often leaves out εγώ because the verb already identifies the person.

είμαι means to be. Its present-looking endings do not make it a passive verb. It has an irregular, limited paradigm.

Present · Ενεστώτας

Πρόσωπο — Person	Form
εγώ — I	είμαι
εσύ — you	είσαι
αυτός / αυτή / αυτό — he / she / it	είναι
εμείς — we	είμαστε
εσείς — you (plural / polite)	είστε, είσαστε
αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά — they	είναι

Imperfect · Παρατατικός

Πρόσωπο — Person	Form
εγώ — I	ήμουν, ήμουνα
εσύ — you	ήσουν, ήσουνα
αυτός / αυτή / αυτό — he / she / it	ήταν, ήτανε
εμείς — we	ήμασταν, ήμαστε
εσείς — you (plural / polite)	ήσασταν, ήσαστε
αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά — they	ήταν, ήτανε

Continuous future · Εξακολουθητικός μέλλοντας

Πρόσωπο — Person	Form
εγώ — I	θα είμαι
εσύ — you	θα είσαι
αυτός / αυτή / αυτό — he / she / it	θα είναι
εμείς — we	θα είμαστε
εσείς — you (plural / polite)	θα είστε, θα είσαστε
αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά — they	θα είναι

Continuous subjunctive · Εξακολουθητική υποτακτική

Πρόσωπο — Person	Form
εγώ — I	να είμαι
εσύ — you	να είσαι
αυτός / αυτή / αυτό — he / she / it	να είναι
εμείς — we	να είμαστε
εσείς — you (plural / polite)	να είστε, να είσαστε
αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά — they	να είναι

Requests and wishes

Use να είσαι / να είστε: Να είσαι καλά! (Be well!) · Να είστε προσεκτικοί. (Be careful.) There is no separate ordinary imperative series.

Participles and usage · Μετοχές και χρήση

The ordinary groups are present, past ήμουν, future θα είμαι and subjunctive να είμαι. There is no separate ordinary simple-past or έχω + dependent-form perfect series.
είμαστε is present; ήμαστε / ήμασταν is past. The longer forms ήμουνα, ήσουνα and ήτανε are common spoken variants.
είμαι + an agreeing adjective or participle describes a state: είμαι κουρασμένη, “I am tired”. It is not automatically interchangeable with an action perfect using έχω.

Είμαστε στο σπίτι.

We are at home.

Χθες ήμασταν στο σχολείο.

Yesterday we were at school.

Αύριο θα είμαι έτοιμη.

Tomorrow I will be ready.

Reference: Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek — είμαι.

Source: Modern Greek Verbs
https://moderngreekverbs.com/eimai/
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