Learning Greek Verbs

How can I best learn new vocabulary items? What aids are there and what pitfalls should be avoided? How does a beginner learn to use a lexicon?
Barry Hofstetter
Posts: 2159
Joined: May 6th, 2011, 1:48 pm

Re: Learning Greek Verbs

Post by Barry Hofstetter »

Jeff Oien wrote:
Hi, I'm new here.

What would you suggest reading? I'm 3/4 of the way through Black's beginner book. I also have the workbook but haven't used it much, as it's a little... much. I have a Greek NT. I'm not all that bright.
Jeff
Jeff, the formula is 90% perseverance 10% brightness, so that if you are at the 10th percentile or above for brightness, you're good. :lol:

The more you do, the better you get. Finish Black. Do everything in the workbook. Then sit down and begin reading your GNT. As I mentioned somewhere else, I like starting students in Mark, then Luke-Acts, then a Pauline epistle or 2, then back to John... Reading extra-biblical Greek such as Lucian of Samasota or Epictetus is very beneficial too.
N.E. Barry Hofstetter, M.A., Th.M.
Ph.D. Student U of FL
Instructor of Latin
Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
καὶ σὺ τὸ σὸν ποιήσεις κἀγὼ τὸ ἐμόν. ἆρον τὸ σὸν καὶ ὕπαγε.
Jeff Oien
Posts: 2
Joined: June 5th, 2011, 5:00 pm

Re: Learning Greek Verbs

Post by Jeff Oien »

I haz perseverance. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll get the workbook out again. Maybe I'll reward myself by getting out the Bible when I finish the beginner book.

It probably sounds dumb, but I never really thought about just reading, even if I don't understand it all. I suppose that's like using TV as a way of picking up some of a language. There aren't the visual cues, but knowledge of the Bible may make up for that. As far as extra Biblical, isn't that against the law? Really, maybe that would come after the Bible reading.
Barry Hofstetter
Posts: 2159
Joined: May 6th, 2011, 1:48 pm

Re: Learning Greek Verbs

Post by Barry Hofstetter »

By reading, I mean working through the text, making sure that you understand it. This may require looking up vocabulary items that you can't figure out from context, reviewing forms to make sure that are understanding them correctly, and so forth. But reading is precisely the skill you want to develop. Translating is good, and can help to a certain extent, but being able to look at the Greek and understand what it says as Greek, that's the thing. Start slow – one or two verses a day. You are not in a race or contest, except with yourself. The key is to do what you do every day, so that improvement comes – and come it will if you work at it.
N.E. Barry Hofstetter, M.A., Th.M.
Ph.D. Student U of FL
Instructor of Latin
Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
καὶ σὺ τὸ σὸν ποιήσεις κἀγὼ τὸ ἐμόν. ἆρον τὸ σὸν καὶ ὕπαγε.
Post Reply

Return to “Vocabulary”