Choosing Between Past Viewpoints

Level 3

The imperfect opens a past event's course or repetition; the aorist presents an event as a whole.

How It Works

The imperfect opens a past event's course or repetition; the aorist presents an event as a whole.

Either tense can describe a long period, and a repeated series can be summarized with an aorist. Choose the viewpoint the sentence needs instead of matching an English tense mechanically.

GreekMeaning
Έγραφα όλο το πρωί.I was writing all morning.
Έγραψα όλο το πρωί.I spent the whole morning writing.
Όταν μπήκε, διάβαζα.When he or she entered, I was reading.

Examples (3)

  1. Έγραφα όλο το πρωί.

    I was writing all morning.

  2. Έγραψα όλο το πρωί.

    I spent the whole morning writing.

  3. Όταν μπήκε, διάβαζα.

    When he or she entered, I was reading.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Choosing Between Past ViewpointsLevel 3

Learn This First

Distinguish a whole-event view from an unfolding or habitual view before choosing the form in this construction.