κάθομαι

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

κάθουμαι (káthoumai) (Medieval Greek)

Etymology

Medieval verb of the 10th century in synchronic use with Ancient Greek κάθημαι (káthēmai, “to sit, to sit down, to be idle”).^[1]

Pronunciation

(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈka.θo.me/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈka.θo.me/

Verb

κάθομαι • (káthomai)

(Ancient Greek) —
(Byzantine)
1. to sit or be at a place
2. to stay, reside, to be at a place
3. to remain at a place
  - 17th century Vitsentzos Kornaros (1553‑1613/14) Ἐρωτόκριτος [Erotokritos] Δ´ 330
    νά μέ ξορίσετε ἀπό ’πά, νά κάθομαι στά ξένα
    ná mé xorísete apó ’pá, ná káthomai stá xéna
    to exile me on top of all, for me to remain at foreign land
4. (military) to camp
5. to be at a state, condition of
  - 16th.17th century Θρῆνος τῶν τεσσάρων Πατριαρχείων. [Lament of the four Patriarchates] Ed: Karl Krumbacher.
    κάθομαι εἰς λύπην ― káthomai eis lúpēn ― I am sad (literally, “I sit in sadness)”)
6. to associate with people
  - 12th century Σπανέας. [Spaneas] B.212. (didactic poem in the vernacular)
    ὅταν μέ φίλους κάθεσαι, μνήσκου τούς ἀποδήμους
    hótan mé phílous káthesai, mnḗskou toús apodḗmous
    when you are among friends, remember the ones absent (who are at far away places)
7. to be occupied with
  - 12th century Σπανέας. [Spaneas] Α.45. (didactic poem in the vernacular)
    κάθου κι ἀνάγνωθέ τους
    káthou ki anágnōthé tous
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
    (literally, “sit and read to them”)
8. to remain idle
  - 15th century Λεόντιος Mαχαιρᾶς [Leontios Machaeras], Ἐξήγησις τῆς γλυκείας χώρας Kύπρου... 36815. Ed. R.M. Dawkins, Recital concerning the sweet land of Cyprus entitled “Chronicle”, Oxford 1932
    νά κουρσεύγουν τό νησίν κι ἐμείς νά καθούμεθαν
    ná kourseúgoun tó nēsín ki emeís ná kathoúmethan
    they plunder the island and us; we’re sitting idle

Derived terms

κάθοντας (káthontas, “while sitting”) (passive present participle, indeclinable)
κατακείτομαι (katakeítomai, “to be comfortably lying”)

Descendants

Greek: κάθομαι (káthomai)

References

^ κάθομαι - Kriaras, Emmanuel (1969-) Επιτομή του Λεξικού της Μεσαιωνικής Ελληνικής Δημώδους Γραμματείας (Epitomí tou Lexikoú tis Mesaionikís Ellinikís Dimódous Grammateías) [Concise Dictionary of the Kriaras' Dictionary of Medieval Vulgar Greek Literature (1100–1669) Vols. 1–14. Vols 15- under I. Kazazes.)] (in Greek), Thessaloniki: Centre for the Greek language Online edition (abbreviations) Printed edition 2022: 22 vols.)

Greek

Alternative forms

κάθουμαι (káthoumai) (idiomatic)

Etymology

Inherited from Byzantine Greek κάθομαι (“I stay, reside”) from Ancient Greek κάθημαι (káthēmai, “to sit, to sit down, to be idle”).^[1]

The perfective stem καθισ- as in simple past κάθισα (káthisa), from aorist Ancient Greek ἐκάθισᾰ/κάθισᾰ of verb καθίζω (kathízō).
The second perfective stem κατσ- e.g. έκατσα (ékatsa), from εκάθισα (ekáthisa) (with omission of /i/ & [θs] > [ts]) of verb καθίζω (kathízō).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkaθome/
Hyphenation: κά‧θο‧μαι

Verb

κάθομαι • (káthomai) deponent (past κάθισα/έκατσα)

(at space) to sit, sit down
1. to remain standing
  Synonyms: στέκομαι (stékomai), στήνομαι (stínomai)
2. to stay, reside
(of activity, state of mind)
1. (+ να) to be occupied with
2. to remain idle, to be bored, doing nothing
3. to accept, be patient
to retreat, to become sedimented (of things)
Synonyms: καθιζάνω (kathizáno), κατακάθομαι (katakáthomai)
(idiomatic) to be of less efficiency, worsened results
(idiomatic) to happen by fluke

Conjugation

κάθομαι (deponent: passive forms only)

	Passive voice ➤
Indicative mood ➤	Imperfective aspect ➤	Perfective aspect ➤
Non-past tenses ➤	Present ➤	Dependent ➤
1 sg	κάθομαι, [κάθουμαι]	καθίσω¹, κάτσω²
2 sg	κάθεσαι	καθίσεις, κάτσεις
3 sg	κάθεται	καθίσει, κάτσει

1 pl	καθόμαστε	καθίσουμε, [-ομε], κάτσουμε
2 pl	κάθεστε, καθόσαστε	καθίσετε, κάτσετε
3 pl	κάθονται	καθίσουν(ε), κάτσουν(ε)

Past tenses ➤	Imperfect ➤	Simple past ➤
1 sg	καθόμουν(α)	κάθισα¹, έκατσα²
2 sg	καθόσουν(α)	κάθισες, έκατσες
3 sg	καθόταν(ε)	κάθισε, έκατσε

1 pl	καθόμασταν, (‑όμαστε)	καθίσαμε, κάτσαμε
2 pl	καθόσασταν, (‑όσαστε)	καθίσατε, κάτσατε
3 pl	κάθονταν, καθόντουσαν, [καθόνταντε], [κάθουνταν]	κάθισαν, καθίσαν(ε), έκατσαν, κάτσαν(ε)

Future tenses ➤	Continuous ➤	Simple ➤
1 sg	θα κάθομαι ➤	θα καθίσω, θα κάτσω ➤
2,3 sg, 1,2,3 pl	θα κάθεσαι, …	θα καθίσεις, θα κάτσεις, …

	Perfect aspect ➤
Present perfect ➤	έχω, έχεις, … καθίσει / κάτσει είμαι, είσαι, … καθισμένος, ‑η, ‑ο
Past perfect ➤	είχα, είχες, … καθίσει / κάτσει ήμουν, ήσουν, … καθισμένος, ‑η, ‑ο
Future perfect ➤	θα έχω, θα έχεις, … καθίσει / κάτσει θα είμαι, θα είσαι, … καθισμένος, ‑η, ‑ο

Subjunctive mood ➤	Formed using present, dependent (for simple past) or present perfect from above with a particle (να, ας).

Imperative mood ➤	Imperfective aspect	Perfective aspect
2 sg	[{κάθου}]	κάθισε, κάτσε
2 pl	[κάθεστε]	καθίστε, [κάτστε]

Other forms	Passive voice
Present participle ➤	(κάθοντας)³ {καθήμενος, ‑η, ‑ο}, [καθούμενος, ‑η, ‑ο] ➤
Perfect participle ➤	καθισμένος, ‑η, ‑ο ➤

Nonfinite form ➤	καθίσει, κάτσει


Notes Appendix:Greek verbs	1. The perfective forms (aorist) -ισ derive from verb καθίζω (kathízō) which used to have the same meaning with κάθομαι. They are often misspelt with ‑η- (κάθησα, κάθησε, καθήστε) due to confusion of two ancient stems: aorist stem καθισ- (ἐκάθισᾰ, κάθισον) of καθίζω (from which the modern perfective forms derive) and the present stem καθησ- (κᾰ́θησαι, κάθησο) of κάθημαι (which never had an Aorist tense). 2. The -κατσ- forms are colloquial. 3. Indeclinable participle • (…) optional or informal. […] rare. {…} learned, archaic. • Multiple forms are shown in order of reducing frequency. • Periphrastic imperative forms may be produced using the subjunctive.
Notes Appendix:Greek verbs

Synonyms

See definitions

Derived terms

(Derived terms from κάθομαι):

καθήμενος (kathímenos, “seated”) (archaic passive present participle) & derivatives
καθισμένος (kathisménos, passive perfect participle)
κάθοντας (káthontas, passive present participle, indeclinable)
καθούμενα (kathoúmena, idiomatic passive present participle plural) (in expression στα καλά καθούμενα (sta kalá kathoúmena))

(Derived compounds:):

ανακάθομαι (anakáthomai, “to sit up”)
επικάθομαι (epikáthomai, “to lie upon something”) & επικάθημαι (epikáthimai)
καλοκάθομαι (kalokáthomai, “remain comfortably, more time than expected”)
κατακάθομαι (katakáthomai, “to retreat, become sediment”)
παρακάθομαι (parakáthomai, “sit in formal dinner, remain more time than expected”)
στρογγυλοκάθομαι (strongylokáthomai, “remain more time than expected in annoying way”)

(Derived expressions:):

κάθομαι με σταυρωμένα χέρια (káthomai me stavroména chéria, “to sit on one's hands”, literally “to sit with crossed arms”)
κάθομαι σ’ αναμμένα κάρβουνα (káthomai s’ anamména kárvouna, “await anxiously”, literally “to sit on hot coals”)
κάθομαι στ’ αβγά μου (káthomai st’ avgá mou, “to not interfere”, literally “to sit on one's eggs”)
κάθομαι στ’ αγκάθια (káthomai st’ agkáthia, “await anxiously”, literally “to sit on thorns”)
κάθομαι στα καρφιά (káthomai sta karfiá, “await anxiously”, literally “to sit on nails”)
κάθομαι στο λαιμό (káthomai sto laimó, “cannot be tolareted”, literally “sit on the throat”)
κάθομαι στο σβέρκο (káthomai sto svérko, “to suppress”, literally “sit on the neck”)
κάθομαι στο σκαμνί (káthomai sto skamní, “to answer, be accountable”, literally “to sit on the stool”)
κάθομαι στο στομάχι (káthomai sto stomáchi, “to be disliked, not tolerated”, literally “sit on the stomach”)
κάτσε να δεις (kátse na deis, “pay attention and understand!”, literally “sit and see!”)
όχι, θα κάτσω να σκάσω (óchi, tha kátso na skáso, “no, I will not give damn”, literally “no, I will not sit to explode”)
σήκω σήκω, κάτσε κάτσε (síko síko, kátse kátse, “handling an obsequious person”, literally “stand! stand! sit! sit!”)
στα καλά καθούμενα (sta kalá kathoúmena, “opposite to expected”, literally “(when) all was standing well”)

Related terms

καθίζω (kathízo, “to seat, to make sit”) & derivatives with stem καθισ-
καθιζάνω (kathizáno) & derivatives

References

^ κάθομαι, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language

[1] κάθομαι - Kriaras, Emmanuel (1969-) Επιτομή του Λεξικού της Μεσαιωνικής Ελληνικής Δημώδους Γραμματείας (Epitomí tou Lexikoú tis Mesaionikís Ellinikís Dimódous Grammateías) [Concise Dictionary of the Kriaras' Dictionary of Medieval Vulgar Greek Literature (1100–1669) Vols. 1–14. Vols 15- under I. Kazazes.)] (in Greek), Thessaloniki: Centre for the Greek language Online edition (abbreviations) Printed edition 2022: 22 vols.)

[2] κάθομαι, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language

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