In Ancient Greek, deponent verbs are verbs that are middle or passive in form but active in meaning. They do not have active forms (though some have active aorists or actives with altered meanings). They occur in the middle voice in the present, imperfect, and future, and in the aorist and perfect middle/passive forms—yet they should be translated actively.
For example:
- πορεύομαι (I go, I travel) is middle in form but active in meaning.
- δέχομαι (I receive) looks passive but functions actively.
Deponent verbs often retain the -ομαι ending in principal parts and do not appear with active forms in the present system.
Top 30 Most Common Greek Deponent Verbs
Below is a list of 30 frequently encountered deponent verbs, with their principal parts (where relevant) and meanings. These are extremely common in Greek prose and verse.
| Greek Verb | Principal Parts | Meaning |
| πορεύομαι | πορεύομαι, πορεύσομαι, ἐπορεύθην | I go, I travel |
| γίγνομαι | γίγνομαι, γενήσομαι, ἐγενόμην, γεγένημαι | I become, happen |
| δέχομαι | δέχομαι, δέξομαι, ἐδεξάμην, δέδεγμαι | I receive |
| ἔρχομαι | ἔρχομαι, ἐλεύσομαι, ἦλθον, ἐλήλυθα | I come, go |
| φοβέομαι | φοβέομαι, φοβήσομαι, ἐφοβήθην | I fear |
| μάχομαι | μάχομαι, μαχοῦμαι, ἐμαχεσάμην, μεμάχημαι | I fight |
| δέομαι | δέομαι, δεήσομαι, ἐδεήθην | I need, ask, beg |
| αἰσθάνομαι | αἰσθάνομαι, αἰσθήσομαι, ᾐσθόμην, ᾔσθημαι | I perceive |
| ἡγέομαι | ἡγέομαι, ἡγήσομαι, ἡγησάμην, ἥγημαι | I lead, consider |
| ἀσπάζομαι | ἀσπάζομαι, ἀσπάσομαι, ἠσπασάμην | I greet |
| θαυμάζομαι | θαυμάζομαι, θαυμάσομαι, ἐθαυμάσθην | I marvel, am amazed |
| καθεύδωμαι | — (common only in present), imperfect καθεύδον | I sleep |
| ἀφικνέομαι | ἀφικνέομαι, ἀφίξομαι, ἀφικόμην, ἀφῖγμαι | I arrive |
| λογίζομαι | λογίζομαι, λογιοῦμαι, ἐλογισάμην, λελόγισμαι | I reckon, calculate |
| μιμνῄσκομαι | μιμνῄσκομαι, μνησθήσομαι, ἐμνήσθην | I remember |
| ὁρμάομαι | ὁρμάομαι, ὁρμήσομαι, ὡρμήθην | I set out, rush |
| ἀπαντάομαι | ἀπαντάομαι, ἀπαντήσομαι, ἀπηντήθην | I meet |
| χράομαι | χράομαι, χρήσομαι, ἐχρησάμην / ἐχρήσθην, κέχρημαι | I use, consult an oracle |
| διδάσκομαι | (middle/passive of διδάσκω) | I am taught, learn |
| εὔχομαι | εὔχομαι, εὔξομαι, ηὐξάμην, ηὖγμαι | I pray |
| βούλομαι | βούλομαι, βουλήσομαι, ἐβουλήθην | I want, wish |
| φαίνομαι | φαίνομαι, φανήσομαι, ἐφάνην / ἐφάνθην, πέφηνα | I appear |
| εἴρωμαι | (rare, poetic), a deponent form of εἴρω (I say) | I say |
| πυνθάνομαι | πυνθάνομαι, πεύσομαι, ἐπυθόμην | I learn (by inquiry) |
| παραγίγνομαι | παραγίγνομαι, παραγενήσομαι, παρεγενόμην | I arrive, am present |
| ἐργάζομαι | ἐργάζομαι, ἐργάσομαι, εἰργασάμην, εἴργασμαι | I work, accomplish |
| κτάομαι | κτάομαι, κτήσομαι, ἐκτησάμην, κέκτημαι | I acquire, (perf.) I possess |
| θαρρέω | usually deponent in NT Greek | I have courage, am confident |
| ἀναχωρέομαι | rare but NT and later Koine deponent | I withdraw |
| ἀναμιμνῄσκομαι | ἀναμιμνῄσκομαι, ἀναμνησθήσομαι, ἀνεμνήσθην | I remember, remind myself |