The standard presentation of the Greek verb system has always used the verb λύω (to loose, release, undo) to set out the full range of tenses, moods and modes. In Greek the verb is formed from a fixed root, a modifying syllable to mark the particular tense, an altered syllable for the modal forms (subjunctive, optative, middle and passive) with final syllables systematically marking the persons of the conjugation (the pronounal elements).

The present indicative is formed as root syllable – pronoun syllable(s)

λύ-ω I loose
λύ-εις Τhou loosest
λύ-ει He looses
λύ-ομεν We loose
λύ-ετε You loose
λύ-ουσι They loose

The other tenses (of which Greek has a surprisingly rich collection) are similarly constructed, with a distinctive syllable or syllables added to mark each tense (or mode):

Imperfect tense syllable – root – person syllable(s)
έ-λυ-ον έ-λυ-ες έ-λυ-ε ε-λύ-ομεν ε-λύ-ετε έ-λυ-ον

Future root-tense syllable- person syllable(s)
λύ-σ-ω λύ-σ-εις λύ-σ-ει λύ-σ-ομεν λύ-σ-ετε λύ-σ-ουσι

Aorist tense syllable-root-tense syllable-person syllable(s)
έ-λυ-σ-α έ-λυ-σ-ας έ-λυ-σα ε-λύ-σ-αμεν ε-λύ-σ-ατε έ-λυ-σ-αν

Perfect tense syllable-root syllable-tense element-person syllable(s)
λέ-λυ-κ-α λέ-λυ-κ-ας λέ-λυ-κ-ε λε-λύ-κ-αμεν λε-λύ-κ-ατε λε-λύ-κ-ασι

Pluperfect tense syllables-root syllable-tense element-person syllable(s)
ε-λε-λύ-κ-η ε-λε-λύ-κ-ης ε-λε-λύ-κ-ει ε-λε-λύ-κ-εμεν ε-λε-λύ-κ-ετε ε-λε-λύ-κ-εσαν

With corresponding sets for the different moods (using 3rd person forms)

Present:
Indicative λύ-ει Subjunctive λύ-ηι Optative λύ-οι Passive λύ-εται

Each syllable in a verb form is transferable into a movement (gesture) or position of the arm (and hand)

The total equivalent bodily gesture for each element in the conjugation of the verb is the resultant of the serial linking of the movements associated with each syllable in the verb-form.

For the present tense λύ-ω λύ-εις λύ-ει etc, the change in arm movement and position is the direct result of the different person syllable(s). Starting from the basic position for the 1st person the arm moves outward, apparently representing a progressively further distance from the speaker (the body centre-line) indicated by each of the other person-forms.

For the future tense λύ-σ-ω, the effect of the insertion of σ is to move the arm forward from the position it has for the present indicative. This simply represents movement forward as an expression of the future compared with the present.

For the imperfect tense έ-λυ-ον, the prefix ε moves the arm to a higher preliminary position from which the root-syllable moves the arm to the right. Distance from the centre expresses some movement from the initial present, into the past.

For the aorist tense έ-λ-υ-sa, the initial ε has the same effect as seen in the imperfect so that the movement generated by the root-syllable is diverted to the right. The insertion of σ has a similar effect to that seen for σ in the future, that is, the arm moves further in the direction of motion so that a more distant past is indicated.

For the perfect tense λέ-λυ-κ-α, the initial λε moves the arm to a higher position (level with the shoulder and a little outward). From this position the root-syllable moves the arm further to the right. The addition of the element κ moves the arm to an even remoter position, indicating a more distant past.

For the pluperfect tense ε-λε-λυ-κ-η, the addition ε in a very similar way to the addition of ε changing the present λύ-ω into the Imperfect έ-λυ-ον and the Aorist έ-λ-υ-sa moves the arm position seen for the Perfect into the most extreme remote position away to the right.

It is interesting that whilst the Future in indicated by a forward moving gesture, the different degrees of the past, Imperfect Perfect and Pluperfect, are indicated by different degrees of movement of the arm outward to the right.

Each of the positions and movements of the arm indicated by the different tenses described above is systematically modified by the movement elements associated with the forms for the different Persons of the conjugation.

The forms for the Subjunctive, Optative and Middle/Passive take effect through modification of the Person endings. So (for the 3rd person Present tense) the Subjunctive has λύ-ηι in place of the λύ-ει of the Indicative, the Optative has λύ-οι and the Middle/Passive has λύ-οι-το. The effect of these syllable changes seems to be to raise somewhat the final positions of the arm.

These verbal descriptions of the positions and movements of the arm systematically generated by the different tenses, conjugations and modes of the Greek tense system are of course difficult to visualise. This is why an effort has been made in the attached set of animations to show what in practice the equivalent gestural products are for the different verb-forms. Even these are difficult to follow since in many instances the 3-dimensional change of position and movement between different forms is small and hard to represent 2-dimensionally.

ANIMATIONS

FUTURE TENSE

PAST TENSES

Aorist and Perfect move to positions between Imperfect and Pluperfect

PERSONS

2nd & 3rd persons singular positions before 1st person plural; 2nd & 3rd persons plural after