How to combine verbs with the preposition συν
In this lesson we will learn how to combine verbs with prepositions. It is very common for Greek verbs to be formed by adding as a prefix to a simple verb an ancient or a modern Greek preposition. There are many prepositions in Greek. Some ancient Greek prepositions are not often used in modern Greek. We mainly use them in certain phrases or as prefixes. One of them is the preposition συν.
In mathematics we say είκοσι συν είκοσι ίσον σαράντα/ 20 plus 20 equal 40. So, in this case it means “plus”. Also, we use it in phrases like τα συν και τα πλην, which means τα υπέρ και τα κατά, the pros and cons and then we have a declinable word in genitive.
Τα συν και τα πλην της ζωής στην Ελλάδα είναι…/the pros and cons of life in Greece/of living in Greece are….
And very often we use the phrase συν τοις άλλοις. Here after the preposition συν we have dative, a case we had in ancient Greek. It means “besides, among others”.
Συν τοις άλλοις, είναι και ψεύτης./ In addition to the other negative character traits he has, he is a liar as well.
When we use the preposition συν as a prefix, it means “together, with”. Let’s see:
συν plus πονώ, πονάω/πονώ means “I feel pain”, and the compound verb is συμπονώ/I feel pain with someone else/ I feel compassion.
συν plus κατοικώ/I reside, I inhabit, and we have the verb συγκατοικώ/I share a room or an apartment with somebody.
συν plus θέτω/ I place, I put, and the compound verb is συνθέτω/ i put many things together, i compose.
As you can see in the last example the preposition retains its form, while in the first two examples it becomes συμ- and συγ-. So what happens to the preposition’s v?
Τhis is what I am going to explain to you in this lesson, but before we get started tο make it easier we will divide the Greek consonants into some categories. We have the labial consonants/ χειλικά σύμφωνα, which are the consonants π, β, φ. The labial consonants are formed with the lips.
The second category is the dentals, the consonants which are formed with the tongue and teeth. Tα οδοντικά σύμφωνα, the dental consonants are τ, δ, θ.
And we have the palatal consonants, κ,γ,χ , which are formed with the tongue and palate.
Also there are two liquid consonants, the λ and ρ.
Κeep in mind these groups of consonants and let’s get started.
When the first letter is a palatal consonant , so κ,γ,χ, the preposition’s ν becomes γ. Let’s see.
συν+χωρώ. Χωρώ means “I contain, I get into, I fit into”, and the compound verb is συγχωρώ/I forgive, I excuse. As you can see instead of ν we write a γ but we pronounce a ν.
συν+χαίρω/I am happy- συγχαίρω/I congratulate
Again instead of v we write a γ which is pronounced like v.
συν+ κρατώ/I hold, I bear, I withhold, I keep back- συγκρατώ/I control, I contain, I support
συν+κρίνω/I judge, I consider, I decide- συγκρίνω/ I compare
As you can see when the verb begins with a κ, the prefix’s v becomes γ and we have the two-letter consonant γκ/g and we already know that when this consonant combination is in the middle of the word we almost always pronounce it as if there was a v before the γκ (ng).
συν+γράφω/ I write, and the compound verb is συγγράφω/which again means I write but I write something like a book, something that probably is going to be published.
When the verb begins with a γ the prefix’s v becomes γ, but again we hear a v.
Let’s go now to the labials. When the verb begins with a labial consonant, so with π, β, φ or ψ, ψ belongs to this category because it includes the sound π (π+σ=ψ), the preposition’s v becomes μ.
συν+πάσχω/I suffer, I am sick-συμπάσχω/I suffer with s.b. else.
συν+πράττω which in ancient Greek means “I make, I do”-συμπράττω/I collaborate, I cooperate.
So when the first letter of the simple verb is π, the preposition’s v becomes μ and we have the two-letter μπ/b, and we know that when this consonant combination is written in the middle of the word, we pronounce it like mb.
συν+βαδίζω/I walk- συμβαδίζω/I keep up with
συν+ βουλεύω, which in ancient Greek means “I think about sth, I decide to do sth”- συμβουλεύω/I advise.
συν+ψηφίζω/I vote- συμψηφίζω/I set off, I balance, I apply to unpaid amount.
When the verb begins with λ, ρ or μ , we have to write instead of the preposition’s v, the consonant with which the simple verb begins. For example:
συν+λαμβάνω/I receive, I take-συλλαμβάνω/I catch, I arrest, I conceive, and as you can see the compound verb is written with double λ. The second λ is the simple verb’s first letter and the first one is the preposition’s v which became a λ too.
συν+ρέω/to flow, to run-συρρέω with double p/ I flock
συν+ μαζεύω/I gather, I pick-συμμαζεύω with double μ/I tidy, I gather
συν+μετέχω/I take part- συμμετέχω/I participate
When the simple verb begins with a σ and the next letter is a vowel, then the preposition’s v becomes a σ and the compound verb is written with double σ. Let’s see.
συν+σωρεύω/I stack, I heap-συσσωρεύω/I amass, I heap up
When the verb begins with a σ but the next letter is a consonant, then we omit the preposition’s v and the compound verb is written with a single σ.
συν+σφίγγω/I tighten, I press- συσφίγγω/I tighten , I make closer
When the verb begins with a ζ, then we omit the preposition’s v.
συν+ζω/I live- συζώ/I live with someone else. We use this verb for a woman and a man who live together, but they are not married.
And let’s go now to the last and easiest case. When the simple verb begins with a dental consonant , so with τ, δ, θ or with a vowel, the preposition retains its form. For example:
συν+θέτω/I place, I put-συνθέτω/I compose.
συν+τηρώ/I keep, I maintain-συντηρώ/I support, I keep, I maintain
συν+οδεύω/I march, I advance, I proceed-συνοδεύω/ I escort, I accompany, I convoy
συν+υπάρχω/I exist- συνυπάρχω/I coexist
συν+αλλάσσω/I change-συναλλάσσω/I alternate
