διδάσκω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Causative reduplication of the root of ἐδάην (edáēn, “learned, taught”, aorist; not attested in the present) with inchoative suffix -σκω (-skō), from Proto-Hellenic *di-dəs-skō, from Proto-Indo-European *dens- (“to teach”).

Compare also Sanskrit दिदेष्टि (dideṣṭi), दीक्षयति (dīkṣayati, “initiate, teach, prepare, make ready”).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /di.dás.kɔː/ → /ðiˈðas.ko/ → /ðiˈðas.ko/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /di.dás.kɔː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /diˈdas.ko/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ðiˈðas.ko/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ðiˈðas.ko/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ðiˈðas.ko/

Verb

διδάσκω • (didáskō)

1. I teach, instruct, train

   Synonym: παιδεύω (paideúō)

Inflection

   Present: δῐδᾰ́σκω, δῐδᾰ́σκομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δῐδᾰ́σκω	δῐδᾰ́σκεις	δῐδᾰ́σκει	δῐδᾰ́σκετον	δῐδᾰ́σκετον	δῐδᾰ́σκομεν	δῐδᾰ́σκετε	δῐδᾰ́σκουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	δῐδᾰ́σκω	δῐδᾰ́σκῃς	δῐδᾰ́σκῃ	δῐδᾰ́σκητον	δῐδᾰ́σκητον	δῐδᾰ́σκωμεν	δῐδᾰ́σκητε	δῐδᾰ́σκωσῐ(ν)
	optative	δῐδᾰ́σκοιμῐ	δῐδᾰ́σκοις	δῐδᾰ́σκοι	δῐδᾰ́σκοιτον	δῐδᾰσκοίτην	δῐδᾰ́σκοιμεν	δῐδᾰ́σκοιτε	δῐδᾰ́σκοιεν
	imperative		δῐ́δᾰσκε	δῐδᾰσκέτω	δῐδᾰ́σκετον	δῐδᾰσκέτων		δῐδᾰ́σκετε	δῐδᾰσκόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	δῐδᾰ́σκομαι	δῐδᾰ́σκῃ, δῐδᾰ́σκει	δῐδᾰ́σκεται	δῐδᾰ́σκεσθον	δῐδᾰ́σκεσθον	δῐδᾰσκόμεθᾰ	δῐδᾰ́σκεσθε	δῐδᾰ́σκονται
	subjunctive	δῐδᾰ́σκωμαι	δῐδᾰ́σκῃ	δῐδᾰ́σκηται	δῐδᾰ́σκησθον	δῐδᾰ́σκησθον	δῐδᾰσκώμεθᾰ	δῐδᾰ́σκησθε	δῐδᾰ́σκωνται
	optative	δῐδᾰσκοίμην	δῐδᾰ́σκοιο	δῐδᾰ́σκοιτο	δῐδᾰ́σκοισθον	δῐδᾰσκοίσθην	δῐδᾰσκοίμεθᾰ	δῐδᾰ́σκοισθε	δῐδᾰ́σκοιντο
	imperative		δῐδᾰ́σκου	δῐδᾰσκέσθω	δῐδᾰ́σκεσθον	δῐδᾰσκέσθων		δῐδᾰ́σκεσθε	δῐδᾰσκέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		δῐδᾰ́σκειν				δῐδᾰ́σκεσθαι
participle	m	δῐδᾰ́σκων				δῐδᾰσκόμενος
	f	δῐδᾰ́σκουσᾰ				δῐδᾰσκομένη
	n	δῐδᾰ́σκον				δῐδᾰσκόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: ἐδῐ́δᾰσκον, ἐδῐδᾰσκόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐδῐ́δᾰσκον	ἐδῐ́δᾰσκες	ἐδῐ́δᾰσκε(ν)	ἐδῐδᾰ́σκετον	ἐδῐδᾰσκέτην	ἐδῐδᾰ́σκομεν	ἐδῐδᾰ́σκετε	ἐδῐ́δᾰσκον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐδῐδᾰσκόμην	ἐδῐδᾰ́σκου	ἐδῐδᾰ́σκετο	ἐδῐδᾰ́σκεσθον	ἐδῐδᾰσκέσθην	ἐδῐδᾰσκόμεθᾰ	ἐδῐδᾰ́σκεσθε	ἐδῐδᾰ́σκοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future: δῐδᾰ́ξω, δῐδᾰ́ξομαι, δῐδᾰχθήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δῐδᾰ́ξω	δῐδᾰ́ξεις	δῐδᾰ́ξει	δῐδᾰ́ξετον	δῐδᾰ́ξετον	δῐδᾰ́ξομεν	δῐδᾰ́ξετε	δῐδᾰ́ξουσῐ(ν)
	optative	δῐδᾰ́ξοιμῐ	δῐδᾰ́ξοις	δῐδᾰ́ξοι	δῐδᾰ́ξοιτον	δῐδᾰξοίτην	δῐδᾰ́ξοιμεν	δῐδᾰ́ξοιτε	δῐδᾰ́ξοιεν
middle	indicative	δῐδᾰ́ξομαι	δῐδᾰ́ξῃ, δῐδᾰ́ξει	δῐδᾰ́ξεται	δῐδᾰ́ξεσθον	δῐδᾰ́ξεσθον	δῐδᾰξόμεθᾰ	δῐδᾰ́ξεσθε	δῐδᾰ́ξονται
	optative	δῐδᾰξοίμην	δῐδᾰ́ξοιο	δῐδᾰ́ξοιτο	δῐδᾰ́ξοισθον	δῐδᾰξοίσθην	δῐδᾰξοίμεθᾰ	δῐδᾰ́ξοισθε	δῐδᾰ́ξοιντο
passive	indicative	δῐδᾰχθήσομαι	δῐδᾰχθήσῃ	δῐδᾰχθήσεται	δῐδᾰχθήσεσθον	δῐδᾰχθήσεσθον	δῐδᾰχθησόμεθᾰ	δῐδᾰχθήσεσθε	δῐδᾰχθήσονται
	optative	δῐδᾰχθησοίμην	δῐδᾰχθήσοιο	δῐδᾰχθήσοιτο	δῐδᾰχθήσοισθον	δῐδᾰχθησοίσθην	δῐδᾰχθησοίμεθᾰ	δῐδᾰχθήσοισθε	δῐδᾰχθήσοιντο
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		δῐδᾰ́ξειν			δῐδᾰ́ξεσθαι		δῐδᾰχθήσεσθαι
participle	m	δῐδᾰ́ξων			δῐδᾰξόμενος		δῐδᾰχθησόμενος
	f	δῐδᾰ́ξουσᾰ			δῐδᾰξομένη		δῐδᾰχθησομένη
	n	δῐδᾰ́ξον			δῐδᾰξόμενον		δῐδᾰχθησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: ἐδῐ́δᾰξᾰ, ἐδῐδᾰξᾰ́μην, ἐδῐδᾰ́χθην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐδῐ́δᾰξᾰ	ἐδῐ́δᾰξᾰς	ἐδῐ́δᾰξε(ν)	ἐδῐδᾰ́ξᾰτον	ἐδῐδᾰξᾰ́την	ἐδῐδᾰ́ξᾰμεν	ἐδῐδᾰ́ξᾰτε	ἐδῐ́δᾰξᾰν
	subjunctive	δῐδᾰ́ξω	δῐδᾰ́ξῃς	δῐδᾰ́ξῃ	δῐδᾰ́ξητον	δῐδᾰ́ξητον	δῐδᾰ́ξωμεν	δῐδᾰ́ξητε	δῐδᾰ́ξωσῐ(ν)
	optative	δῐδᾰ́ξαιμῐ	δῐδᾰ́ξειᾰς, δῐδᾰ́ξαις	δῐδᾰ́ξειε(ν), δῐδᾰ́ξαι	δῐδᾰ́ξαιτον	δῐδᾰξαίτην	δῐδᾰ́ξαιμεν	δῐδᾰ́ξαιτε	δῐδᾰ́ξειᾰν, δῐδᾰ́ξαιεν
	imperative		δῐ́δᾰξον	δῐδᾰξᾰ́τω	δῐδᾰ́ξᾰτον	δῐδᾰξᾰ́των		δῐδᾰ́ξᾰτε	δῐδᾰξᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	ἐδῐδᾰξᾰ́μην	ἐδῐδᾰ́ξω	ἐδῐδᾰ́ξᾰτο	ἐδῐδᾰ́ξᾰσθον	ἐδῐδᾰξᾰ́σθην	ἐδῐδᾰξᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἐδῐδᾰ́ξᾰσθε	ἐδῐδᾰ́ξᾰντο
	subjunctive	δῐδᾰ́ξωμαι	δῐδᾰ́ξῃ	δῐδᾰ́ξηται	δῐδᾰ́ξησθον	δῐδᾰ́ξησθον	δῐδᾰξώμεθᾰ	δῐδᾰ́ξησθε	δῐδᾰ́ξωνται
	optative	δῐδᾰξαίμην	δῐδᾰ́ξαιο	δῐδᾰ́ξαιτο	δῐδᾰ́ξαισθον	δῐδᾰξαίσθην	δῐδᾰξαίμεθᾰ	δῐδᾰ́ξαισθε	δῐδᾰ́ξαιντο
	imperative		δῐ́δᾰξαι	δῐδᾰξᾰ́σθω	δῐδᾰ́ξᾰσθον	δῐδᾰξᾰ́σθων		δῐδᾰ́ξᾰσθε	δῐδᾰξᾰ́σθων
passive	indicative	ἐδῐδᾰ́χθην	ἐδῐδᾰ́χθης	ἐδῐδᾰ́χθη	ἐδῐδᾰ́χθητον	ἐδῐδᾰχθήτην	ἐδῐδᾰ́χθημεν	ἐδῐδᾰ́χθητε	ἐδῐδᾰ́χθησᾰν
	subjunctive	δῐδᾰχθῶ	δῐδᾰχθῇς	δῐδᾰχθῇ	δῐδᾰχθῆτον	δῐδᾰχθῆτον	δῐδᾰχθῶμεν	δῐδᾰχθῆτε	δῐδᾰχθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	δῐδᾰχθείην	δῐδᾰχθείης	δῐδᾰχθείη	δῐδᾰχθεῖτον, δῐδᾰχθείητον	δῐδᾰχθείτην, δῐδᾰχθειήτην	δῐδᾰχθεῖμεν, δῐδᾰχθείημεν	δῐδᾰχθεῖτε, δῐδᾰχθείητε	δῐδᾰχθεῖεν, δῐδᾰχθείησᾰν
	imperative		δῐδᾰ́χθητῐ	δῐδᾰχθήτω	δῐδᾰ́χθητον	δῐδᾰχθήτων		δῐδᾰ́χθητε	δῐδᾰχθέντων
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		δῐδᾰ́ξαι			δῐδᾰ́ξᾰσθαι		δῐδᾰχθῆναι
participle	m	δῐδᾰ́ξᾱς			δῐδᾰξᾰ́μενος		δῐδᾰχθείς
	f	δῐδᾰ́ξᾱσᾰ			δῐδᾰξᾰμένη		δῐδᾰχθεῖσᾰ
	n	δῐδᾰ́ξᾰν			δῐδᾰξᾰ́μενον		δῐδᾰχθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Perfect: δεδῐ́δᾰχᾰ, δεδῐ́δᾰγμαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δεδῐ́δᾰχᾰ	δεδῐ́δᾰχᾰς	δεδῐ́δᾰχε(ν)	δεδῐδᾰ́χᾰτον	δεδῐδᾰ́χᾰτον	δεδῐδᾰ́χᾰμεν	δεδῐδᾰ́χᾰτε	δεδῐδᾰ́χᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	δεδῐδᾰ́χω	δεδῐδᾰ́χῃς	δεδῐδᾰ́χῃ	δεδῐδᾰ́χητον	δεδῐδᾰ́χητον	δεδῐδᾰ́χωμεν	δεδῐδᾰ́χητε	δεδῐδᾰ́χωσῐ(ν)
	optative	δεδῐδᾰ́χοιμῐ, δεδῐδᾰχοίην	δεδῐδᾰ́χοις, δεδῐδᾰχοίης	δεδῐδᾰ́χοι, δεδῐδᾰχοίη	δεδῐδᾰ́χοιτον	δεδῐδᾰχοίτην	δεδῐδᾰ́χοιμεν	δεδῐδᾰ́χοιτε	δεδῐδᾰ́χοιεν
	imperative		δεδῐ́δᾰχε	δεδῐδᾰχέτω	δεδῐδᾰ́χετον	δεδῐδᾰχέτων		δεδῐδᾰ́χετε	δεδῐδᾰχόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	δεδῐ́δᾰγμαι	δεδῐ́δᾰξαι	δεδῐ́δᾰκται	δεδῐ́δᾰχθον	δεδῐ́δᾰχθον	δεδῐδᾰ́γμεθᾰ	δεδῐ́δᾰχθε	δεδῐδᾰ́χᾰται
	subjunctive	δεδῐδᾰγμένος ὦ	δεδῐδᾰγμένος ᾖς	δεδῐδᾰγμένος ᾖ	δεδῐδᾰγμένω ἦτον	δεδῐδᾰγμένω ἦτον	δεδῐδᾰγμένοι ὦμεν	δεδῐδᾰγμένοι ἦτε	δεδῐδᾰγμένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	δεδῐδᾰγμένος εἴην	δεδῐδᾰγμένος εἴης	δεδῐδᾰγμένος εἴη	δεδῐδᾰγμένω εἴητον/εἶτον	δεδῐδᾰγμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην	δεδῐδᾰγμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν	δεδῐδᾰγμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε	δεδῐδᾰγμένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν
	imperative		δεδῐ́δᾰξο	δεδῐδᾰ́χθω	δεδῐ́δᾰχθον	δεδῐδᾰ́χθων		δεδῐ́δᾰχθε	δεδῐδᾰ́χθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		δεδῐδᾰχέναι				δεδῐδᾰ́χθαι
participle	m	δεδῐδᾰχώς				δεδῐδᾰγμένος
	f	δεδῐδᾰχυῖᾰ				δεδῐδᾰγμένη
	n	δεδῐδᾰχός				δεδῐδᾰγμένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Pluperfect: ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χειν, ἐδεδῐδᾰ́γμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χειν, ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χη	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χεις, ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χης	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χει(ν)	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χετον	ἐδεδῐδᾰχέτην	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χεμεν	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χετε	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χεσᾰν
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́γμην	ἐδεδῐ́δᾰξο	ἐδεδῐ́δᾰκτο	ἐδεδῐ́δᾰχθον	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χθην	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́γμεθᾰ	ἐδεδῐ́δᾰχθε	ἐδεδῐδᾰ́χᾰτο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Derived terms

• ἀναδιδάσκω (anadidáskō)
• ἀντιδιδάσκω (antididáskō)
• ἀποδιδάσκω (apodidáskō)
• ἐκδιδάσκω (ekdidáskō)
• ἐπεκδιδάσκω (epekdidáskō)
• ἐπιδιδάσκω (epididáskō)
• μεταδιδάσκω (metadidáskō)
• παραδιδάσκω (paradidáskō)
• προδιδάσκω (prodidáskō)
• προεκδιδάσκω (proekdidáskō)
• προσαναδιδάσκω (prosanadidáskō)
• προσδιδάσκω (prosdidáskō)
• προσεκδιδάσκω (prosekdidáskō)
• συνδιδάσκω (sundidáskō)
• συνεκδιδάσκω (sunekdidáskō)

 

Further reading

• “διδάσκω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “διδάσκω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “διδάσκω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• διδάσκω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
• διδάσκω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• διδάσκω in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
• “διδάσκω”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
• G1321 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible

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Greek

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek διδάσκω (didáskō).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ðiˈða.sko/
• Hyphenation: δι‧δά‧σκω

Verb

διδάσκω • (didásko) (past δίδαξα, passive διδάσκομαι)

1. (education) teach

Conjugation

διδάσκω   διδάσκομαι

	Active voice ➤		Passive voice ➤
Indicative mood ➤	Imperfective aspect ➤	Perfective aspect ➤	Imperfective aspect	Perfective aspect
Non-past tenses ➤	Present ➤	Dependent ➤	Present	Dependent
1 sg	διδάσκω	διδάξω	διδάσκομαι	διδαχτώ
2 sg	διδάσκεις	διδάξεις	διδάσκεσαι	διδαχτείς
3 sg	διδάσκει	διδάξει	διδάσκεται	διδαχτεί
1 pl	διδάσκουμε, [‑ομε]	διδάξουμε, [‑ομε]	διδασκόμαστε	διδαχτούμε
2 pl	διδάσκετε	διδάξετε	διδάσκεστε, διδασκόσαστε	διδαχτείτε
3 pl	διδάσκουν(ε)	διδάξουν(ε)	διδάσκονται	διδαχτούν(ε)
Past tenses ➤	Imperfect ➤	Simple past ➤	Imperfect	Simple past
1 sg	δίδασκα	δίδαξα	διδασκόμουν(α)	διδάχτηκα
2 sg	δίδασκες	δίδαξες	διδασκόσουν(α)	διδάχτηκες
3 sg	δίδασκε	δίδαξε	διδασκόταν(ε)	διδάχτηκε
1 pl	διδάσκαμε	διδάξαμε	διδασκόμασταν, (‑όμαστε)	διδαχτήκαμε
2 pl	διδάσκατε	διδάξατε	διδασκόσασταν, (‑όσαστε)	διδαχτήκατε
3 pl	δίδασκαν, διδάσκαν(ε)	δίδαξαν, διδάξαν(ε)	διδάσκονταν, (διδασκόντουσαν)	διδάχτηκαν, διδαχτήκαν(ε)
Future tenses ➤	Continuous ➤	Simple ➤	Continuous	Simple
1 sg	θα διδάσκω ➤	θα διδάξω ➤	θα διδάσκομαι ➤	θα διδαχτώ ➤
2,3 sg, 1,2,3 pl	θα διδάσκεις, …	θα διδάξεις, …	θα διδάσκεσαι, …	θα διδαχτείς, …
	Perfect aspect ➤		Perfect aspect
Present perfect ➤	έχω, έχεις, … διδάξει   έχω, έχεις, … διδαγμένο, ‑η, ‑ο ➤		έχω, έχεις, … διδαχτεί   είμαι, είσαι, … διδαγμένος, ‑η, ‑ο ➤
Past perfect ➤	είχα, είχες, … διδάξει   είχα, είχες, … διδαγμένο, ‑η, ‑ο		είχα, είχες, … διδαχτεί   ήμουν, ήσουν, … διδαγμένος, ‑η, ‑ο
Future perfect ➤	θα έχω, θα έχεις, … διδάξει   θα έχω, θα έχεις, … διδαγμένο, ‑η, ‑ο		θα έχω, θα έχεις, … διδαχτεί   θα είμαι, θα είσαι, … διδαγμένος, ‑η, ‑ο
Subjunctive mood ➤	Formed using present, dependent (for simple past) or present perfect from above with a particle (να, ας).
Imperative mood ➤	Imperfective aspect	Perfective aspect	Imperfective aspect	Perfective aspect
2 sg	δίδασκε	δίδαξε, δίδαχ' 1	—	διδάξου
2 pl	διδάσκετε	διδάξτε, διδάχτε2	διδάσκεστε	διδαχτείτε
Other forms	Active voice		Passive voice
Present participle➤	διδάσκοντας ➤		—
Perfect participle➤	έχοντας διδάξει ➤		διδαγμένος, ‑η, ‑ο ➤
Nonfinite form➤	διδάξει		διδαχτεί
Notes     Appendix:Greek verbs	1. Colloquial apocopic perfective imperative + accusative of article & noun weak pronouns e.g. δίδαχ' τον ("teach him!")  2. Colloquial.  • (…) optional or informal.   […] rare.   {…} learned, archaic.  • Multiple forms are shown in order of reducing frequency.  • Periphrastic imperative forms may be produced using the subjunctive.

Related terms

• see: δάσκαλος m (dáskalos, “teacher, instructor”)