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Intermediate

Imperfect Tense

Continuous or repeated past

Imperfect = ongoing or repeated past action

Use the imperfective stem + past endings: -α, -ες, -ε, -αμε, -ατε, -αν.

💬 Examples
Έγραφα γράμματα κάθε μέρα.
EH-gra-fa GRAH-ma-ta KA-the MEH-ra
I used to write letters every day.
📝 imperfective = habitual past
Έτρωγε όταν τηλεφώνησα.
EH-tro-yeh OH-tan tee-le-FO-nee-sa
He was eating when I called.
📝 imperfect = ongoing background action
Imperfect endings for both verb groups

Both groups share: -α, -ες, -ε, -αμε, -ατε, -αν(ε).

💬 Examples
έγραφα / έγραφες / έγραφε
I/you/he was writing
📝 Group 1 imperfect
αγαπούσα / αγαπούσες / αγαπούσε
I/you/he was loving
📝 Group 2 imperfect in -ούσα
Aorist vs imperfect

Aorist = one-off completed event; imperfect = ongoing or repeated.

💬 Examples
Έφυγε. (aorist)
He left. (single event)
📝 aorist = completed one-time act
Έφευγε κάθε Κυριακή. (imperfect)
He used to leave every Sunday.
📝 imperfect = habitual