ἔρχομαι
Ancient Greek
Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *h₁ergʰ- (“to move, go”), cognate with ὀρχέομαι (orkhéomai), Albanian erdha (“I came”), Old Irish regaid (“will go”, future of téit), Sanskrit ऋघायति (ṛghāyáti, “to be passionate”). This is a suppletive verb, with tenses derived from three different roots; see εἶμι (eîmi) and ἦλθον (êlthon) for the etymologies of the other two roots. Discussion of stems, at Notes.
Pronunciation
- (5th BCE Attic) IPA(key): /ér.kʰo.mai̯/
- (1st CE Egyptian) IPA(key): /ˈer.kʰo.mɛ/
- (4th CE Koine) IPA(key): /ˈer.xo.mɛ/
- (10th CE Byzantine) IPA(key): /ˈer.xo.me/
- (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA(key): /ˈer.xo.me/
Verb
ἔρχομαι • (érkhomai)
- (intransitive) I come, go
Usage notes
ἔρχομαι is a suppletive verb that typically uses forms from other roots for all tenses and moods besides present indicative. Stems:
- ἐρχ- of ἔρχομαι, initially ἐρθ-σκομαι.
- strong εἰ-, weak ἰ- supplied by εἶμι (eîmi) forming present non-indicative and imperfect indicative forms. Its present indicative forms have future meaning in Attic prose.
- strong ἐλευθ-, weak ἐλυθ- with syncope ἐλθ- of unused verb *ἐλεύθω.
- from ἐλευθ- the future ἐλεύσομαι (eleúsomai) (alternative future for Epic, Ionic, and Tragic), the derivative ἔλευσις (éleusis, “arrival”)
- from ἐλυθ- the present perfect with attic reduplication ἐλ-έλυθα>ἐλ-ήλυθα (reduplication plus extension of the first vowel).
- ἐλθ- supplies aorist ἦλθον (êlthon)
Past perfect without augment.
The aorist imperative has irregular accent on ultima when not in compound ἐλθέ (elthé) and not *ἔλθε. But ἄπελθε. (Along with a few others (λαβέ (labé), ἰδέ (idé), εὑρέ (heuré), εἰπέ (eipé)).
Inflection
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
middle/ passive |
indicative | ἔρχομαι | ἔρχῃ, ἔρχει |
ἔρχεται | ἔρχεσθον | ἔρχεσθον | ἐρχόμεθᾰ | ἔρχεσθε | ἔρχονται | ||||
subjunctive | |||||||||||||
optative | |||||||||||||
imperative | ἔρχεο, ἔρχευ |
||||||||||||
middle/passive | |||||||||||||
infinitive | ἔρχεσθαι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | ἐρχόμενος | |||||||||||
f | ἐρχομένη | ||||||||||||
n | ἐρχόμενον | ||||||||||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | εἶμι | εἶ | εἶσῐ(ν) | ἴτον | ἴτον | ἴμεν | ἴτε | ἴᾱσῐ(ν) | ||||
subjunctive | ἴω | ἴῃς | ἴῃ | ἴητον | ἴητον | ἴωμεν | ἴητε | ἴωσῐ(ν) | |||||
optative | ἴοιμῐ | ἴοις | ἴοι | ἴοιτον | ἰοίτην | ἴοιμεν | ἴοιτε | ἴοιεν | |||||
imperative | ἴθῐ | ἴτω | ἴτον | ἴτων | ἴτε | ἰόντων | |||||||
active | |||||||||||||
infinitive | ἰέναι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | ἰών | |||||||||||
f | ἰοῦσᾰ | ||||||||||||
n | ἰόν | ||||||||||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
middle | indicative | ἔρχομαι | ἔρχεαι | ἔρχεται | ἔρχεσθον | ἔρχεσθον | ἐρχόμε(σ)θᾰ | ἔρχεσθε | ἔρχονται | ||||
subjunctive | ἔρχωμαι | ἔρχηαι | ἔρχηται | ἔρχησθον | ἔρχησθον | ἐρχώμε(σ)θᾰ | ἔρχησθε | ἔρχωνται | |||||
optative | ἐρχοίμην | ἔρχοιο | ἔρχοιτο | ἔρχοισθον | ἐρχοίσθην | ἐρχοίμε(σ)θᾰ | ἔρχοισθε | ἐρχοίᾰτο | |||||
imperative | ἔρχεο | ἐρχέσθω | ἔρχεσθον | ἐρχέσθων | ἔρχεσθε | ἐρχέσθων | |||||||
infinitive | ἔρχεσθαι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | ἐρχόμενος | |||||||||||
f | ἐρχομένη | ||||||||||||
n | ἐρχόμενον | ||||||||||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | ᾖᾰ/ᾔειν | ᾔεισθᾰ/ᾔεις | ᾔειν/ᾔει | ᾖτον | ᾔτην | ᾖμεν | ᾖτε | ᾖσᾰν/ᾔεσᾰν | ||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
middle | indicative | ἐλεύσομαι | ἐλεύσεαι | ἐλεύσεται | ἐλεύσεσθον | ἐλεύσεσθον | ἐλευσόμε(σ)θᾰ | ἐλεύσεσθε | ἐλεύσονται | ||||
optative | ἐλευσοίμην | ἐλεύσοιο | ἐλεύσοιτο | ἐλεύσοισθον | ἐλευσοίσθην | ἐλευσοίμε(σ)θᾰ | ἐλεύσοισθε | ἐλευσοίᾰτο | |||||
middle | |||||||||||||
infinitive | ἐλεύσεσθαι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | ἐλευσόμενος | |||||||||||
f | ἐλευσομένη | ||||||||||||
n | ἐλευσόμενον | ||||||||||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
middle | indicative | ἐλεύσομαι | ἐλεύσεαι | ἐλεύσεται | ἐλεύσεσθον | ἐλεύσεσθον | ἐλευσόμεθᾰ | ἐλεύσεσθε | ἐλεύσονται | ||||
optative | ἐλευσοίμην | ἐλεύσοιο | ἐλεύσοιτο | ἐλεύσοισθον | ἐλευσοίσθην | ἐλευσοίμεθᾰ | ἐλεύσοισθε | ἐλευσοίᾰτο | |||||
middle | |||||||||||||
infinitive | ἐλεύσεσθαι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | ἐλευσόμενος | |||||||||||
f | ἐλευσομένη | ||||||||||||
n | ἐλευσόμενον | ||||||||||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
middle | indicative | ἐλεύσομαι | ἐλεύσεαι | ἐλεύσεται | ἐλεύσεσθον | ἐλεύσεσθον | ἐλευσόμεθᾰ | ἐλεύσεσθε | ἐλεύσονται | ||||
optative | ἐλευσοίμην | ἐλεύσοιο | ἐλεύσοιτο | ἐλεύσοισθον | ἐλευσοίσθην | ἐλευσοίμεθᾰ | ἐλεύσοισθε | ἐλεύσοιντο | |||||
middle | |||||||||||||
infinitive | ἐλεύσεσθαι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | ἐλευσόμενος | |||||||||||
f | ἐλευσομένη | ||||||||||||
n | ἐλευσόμενον | ||||||||||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | ἦλθον | ἦλθες | ἦλθε(ν) | ἤλθετον | ἠλθέτην | ἤλθομεν | ἤλθετε | ἦλθον | ||||
subjunctive | ἔλθω | ἔλθῃς | ἔλθῃ | ἔλθητον | ἔλθητον | ἔλθωμεν | ἔλθητε | ἔλθωσῐ(ν) | |||||
optative | ἔλθοιμῐ | ἔλθοις | ἔλθοι | ἔλθοιτον | ἐλθοίτην | ἔλθοιμεν | ἔλθοιτε | ἔλθοιεν | |||||
imperative | ἐλθέ | ἐλθέτω | ἔλθετον | ἐλθέτων | ἔλθετε | ἐλθόντων | |||||||
active | |||||||||||||
infinitive | ἐλθεῖν | ||||||||||||
participle | m | ἐλθών | |||||||||||
f | ἐλθοῦσᾰ | ||||||||||||
n | ἐλθόν | ||||||||||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
Epic Greek also has the infinitive forms ἐλθέμεν (elthémen) and ἐλθέμεναι (elthémenai).
In Koine, plural indicative forms of the first aorist are also found: ἤλθαμεν (ḗlthamen), ἤλθατε (ḗlthate), ἦλθαν (êlthan)/ἤλθοσαν (ḗlthosan). |
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||
active | indicative | ἤλθοσᾰ | ἤλθοσᾰς | ἤλθοσε(ν) | ἠλθόσᾰτον | ἠλθοσᾰ́την | ἠλθόσᾰμεν | ἠλθόσᾰτε | ἤλθοσᾰν |
subjunctive | ἐλθόσω | ἐλθόσῃς | ἐλθόσῃ | ἐλθόσητον | ἐλθόσητον | ἐλθόσωμεν | ἐλθόσητε | ἐλθόσωσῐ(ν) | |
optative | ἐλθόσαιμῐ | ἐλθόσειᾰς, ἐλθόσαις |
ἐλθόσειε(ν), ἐλθόσαι |
ἐλθόσαιτον | ἐλθοσαίτην | ἐλθόσαιμεν | ἐλθόσαιτε | ἐλθόσειᾰν, ἐλθόσαιεν | |
imperative | ἔλθοσον | ἐλθοσᾰ́τω | ἐλθόσᾰτον | ἐλθοσᾰ́των | ἐλθόσᾰτε | ἐλθοσᾰ́ντων | |||
active | |||||||||
infinitive | ἐλθόσαι | ||||||||
participle | m | ἐλθόσᾱς | |||||||
f | ἐλθόσᾱσᾰ | ||||||||
n | ἐλθόσᾰν |
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | ἤλῠθον | ἤλῠθες | ἤλῠθε(ν) | ἠλῠ́θετον | ἠλῠθέτην | ἠλῠ́θομεν | ἠλῠ́θετε | ἤλῠθον | ||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | ἦνθον | ἦνθες | ἦνθε(ν) | ἤνθετον | ἠνθέτᾱν | ἤνθομες | ἤνθετε | ἦνθον | ||||
subjunctive | ἔνθω | ἔνθῃς | ἔνθῃ | ἔνθητον | ἔνθητον | ἔνθωμες | ἔνθητε | ἐνθέωντῐ | |||||
optative | ἔνθοιμῐ | ἔνθοις | ἔνθοι | ἐνθεῖτον | ἐνθείτᾱν | ἐνθεῖμες | ἐνθεῖτε | ἐνθεῖεν | |||||
imperative | ἐνθέ | ἐνθέτω | ἔνθετον | ἐνθέτων | ἔνθετε | ἐνθόντω | |||||||
active | |||||||||||||
infinitive | ἐνθῆμεν | ||||||||||||
participle | m | ἐνθών | |||||||||||
f | ἐνθοῦσᾰ | ||||||||||||
n | ἐνθόν | ||||||||||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | ἐλήλῠθᾰ | ἐλήλῠθᾰς | ἐλήλῠθε(ν) | ἐληλῠ́θᾰτον | ἐληλῠ́θᾰτον | ἐλήλυμεν/ἐληλύθαμεν | ἐλήλυτε/ἐληλύθατε | ἐληλῠ́θᾱσῐ(ν) | ||||
subjunctive | ἐληλῠ́θω | ἐληλῠ́θῃς | ἐληλῠ́θῃ | ἐληλῠ́θητον | ἐληλῠ́θητον | ἐληλῠ́θωμεν | ἐληλῠ́θητε | ἐληλῠ́θωσῐ(ν) | |||||
optative | ἐληλῠ́θοιμῐ, ἐληλῠθοίην |
ἐληλῠ́θοις, ἐληλῠθοίης |
ἐληλῠ́θοι, ἐληλῠθοίη |
ἐληλῠ́θοιτον | ἐληλῠθοίτην | ἐληλῠ́θοιμεν | ἐληλῠ́θοιτε | ἐληλῠ́θοιεν | |||||
imperative | ἐλήλῠθε | ἐληλῠθέτω | ἐληλῠ́θετον | ἐληλῠθέτων | ἐληλῠ́θετε | ἐληλῠθόντων | |||||||
active | |||||||||||||
infinitive | ἐληλῠθέναι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | ἐληλῠθώς | |||||||||||
f | ἐληλῠθυῖᾰ | ||||||||||||
n | ἐληλῠθός | ||||||||||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | εἰλήλουθᾰ | εἰλήλουθᾰς | εἰλήλουθε(ν) | εἰληλούθᾰτον | εἰληλούθᾰτον | εἰληλούθαμεν/εἰλήλουθμεν | εἰληλούθᾰτε | εἰληλούθᾱσῐ(ν) | ||||
subjunctive | εἰληλούθω, εἰληλούθωμῐ |
εἰληλούθῃς, εἰληλούθῃσθᾰ |
εἰληλούθῃ, εἰληλούθῃσῐ |
εἰληλούθητον | εἰληλούθητον | εἰληλούθωμεν | εἰληλούθητε | εἰληλούθωσῐ(ν) | |||||
optative | εἰληλούθοιμῐ, εἰληλουθοίην |
εἰληλούθοις, εἰληλουθοίης |
εἰληλούθοι, εἰληλουθοίη |
εἰληλούθοιτον | εἰληλουθοίτην | εἰληλούθοιμεν | εἰληλούθοιτε | εἰληλούθοιεν | |||||
imperative | εἰλήλουθε | εἰληλουθέτω | εἰληλούθετον | εἰληλουθέτων | εἰληλούθετε | εἰληλουθόντων | |||||||
active | |||||||||||||
infinitive | εἰληλουθέναι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | εἰληλουθώς | |||||||||||
f | εἰληλουθυῖᾰ | ||||||||||||
n | εἰληλουθός | ||||||||||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | ἐληλῠ́θειν, ἐληλῠ́θη |
ἐληλῠ́θεις, ἐληλῠ́θης |
ἐληλῠ́θει(ν) | ἐληλῠ́θετον | ἐληλῠθέτην | ἐληλῠ́θεμεν | ἐληλῠ́θετε | ἐληλῠ́θεσᾰν | ||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | εἰληλούθειν, εἰληλούθη |
εἰληλούθεις, εἰληλούθης |
εἰληλούθει(ν) | εἰληλούθετον | εἰληλουθέτην | εἰληλούθεμεν | εἰληλούθετε | εἰληλούθεσᾰν | ||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
Synonyms
- ἀφικνέομαι (aphiknéomai)
- ἥκω (hḗkō)
Antonyms
Derived terms
- ἒλευσις (èleusis)
- Ἐλευσίς (Eleusís)
- προσήλυτος (prosḗlutos)
- Compounds
- ἀμφέρχομαι (amphérkhomai)
- ἀνέρχομαι (anérkhomai)
- ἀντεξέρχομαι (antexérkhomai)
- ἀντεπεξέρχομαι (antepexérkhomai)
- ἀντιπαρέρχομαι (antiparérkhomai)
- ἀπέρχομαι (apérkhomai)
- διαπέρχομαι (diapérkhomai)
- διεξέρχομαι (diexérkhomai)
- διέρχομαι (diérkhomai)
- εἰσέρχομαι (eisérkhomai)
- εἰσέρχομαι (eisérkhomai)
- ἐξανέρχομαι (exanérkhomai)
- ἐξέρχομαι (exérkhomai)
- ἐπανέρχομαι (epanérkhomai)
- ἐπεισέρχομαι (epeisérkhomai)
- ἐπεξέρχομαι (epexérkhomai)
- ἐπέρχομαι (epérkhomai)
- κατέρχομαι (katérkhomai)
- μετέρχομαι (metérkhomai)
- παρεισέρχομαι (pareisérkhomai)
- παρεξέρχομαι (parexérkhomai)
- παρέρχομαι (parérkhomai)
- περιέρχομαι (periérkhomai)
- προαπέρχομαι (proapérkhomai)
- προδιεξέρχομαι (prodiexérkhomai)
- προδιέρχομαι (prodiérkhomai)
- προεισέρχομαι (proeisérkhomai)
- προεξέρχομαι (proexérkhomai)
- προέρχομαι (proérkhomai)
- προσέρχομαι (prosérkhomai)
- συγκατέρχομαι (sunkatérkhomai)
- συμπαρεισέρχομαι (sumpareisérkhomai)
- συνεισέρχομαι (suneisérkhomai)
- συνεξέρχομαι (sunexérkhomai)
- συνέρχομαι (sunérkhomai)
- ὑπεισέρχομαι (hupeisérkhomai)
- ὑπεξέρχομαι (hupexérkhomai)
- ὑπερέρχομαι (huperérkhomai)
- ὑπέρχομαι (hupérkhomai)
- and see more than 80 compounds at perseus
Descendants
- Greek: έρχομαι (érchomai, “to come”)
Further reading
- “ἔρχομαι”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “ἔρχομαι”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
- “ἔρχομαι”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
- ἔρχομαι in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
- ἔρχομαι in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
- “ἔρχομαι”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
- G2064 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
- Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 1, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 326
- Ancient Greek terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European
- Ancient Greek terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Ancient Greek 3-syllable words
- Ancient Greek terms with IPA pronunciation
- Ancient Greek lemmas
- Ancient Greek verbs
- Ancient Greek proparoxytone terms
- Ancient Greek intransitive verbs
- Ancient Greek suppletive verbs