(1) Deponent verbs are middle or passive in form (endings) but active in function (translation).

(2) A deponent will normally appear in the lexicon in its middle/passive form, but it will not be translated as a middle or passive. It will be translated as an active. For example:

avpokri,nomai
I answer (active)
NOT I answer myself (reflexive middle)
NOR I am being answered (passive)
etc.

The easiest way to avoid confusion is to memorize deponent verbs as separate vocabulary words (as in Black, Learn §85b). If the verb in the lexical entry does not have a present active indicative first singular ending (-w), but a present middle/passive indicative first singular ending (-omai) then that verb is deponent.

(3) A verb may or may not be deponent in other tenses. For example, a verb may be deponent in the present tense (e;rcomai) and the future (evleu,somai), but not in the aorist (h=lqon). This, of course, is due to the fact that we are dealing with suppletive verbs (cf Black, Learn §52). But this is not always the ready explanation. Take ginw,skw as an example, which is "normal" in every principal part except in the future, where it is deponent (gnw,somai).

(4) A useful tool one can use to track the morphological patterns of any given verb is a principal parts chart, like the one in Appendix 9 of Black (Learn, 222-24). An exhaustive principal parts chart is included in Warren C. Trenchard, The Student's Complete Vocabulary Guide to the Greek New Testament.

See Black, Still Greek, 95 for another discussion of deponents.

(1) Compound Verbs. You will do well to review the discussion of how compound verbs are formed (Black, Learn §61). It is important to notice certain verbs that may be compounded with a variety of prepositions. The prime example is e;rcomai which may be compounded with dia,, eivj, evk, kata,, or su,n:

(2) Verb Objects. Some verbs take their objects in other cases besides the accusative. The verb avkou,w, for example, may have an object in the genitive case or the accusative case (cf. Acts 9:7 and 22:9). The verb a;rcw will always have an object in the genitive case (e.g., a;rcei a`martwlw/n, he rules [over] sinners), while avpokri,nomai will always have an object in the dative case (e.g., avpokri,netai auvtw|/, he answers him or he replies to him).

Here are a couple rules that help to explain what at first might seem like an anomaly:

(a) Verbs of sensation (such as tasting, hearing, touching...but not seeing) are often followed by a genitive object.

(b) Verbs of relationship (such as trust, distrust, envy, please, satisfy, serve) are often followed by a dative object.

(3) Meaning Changes. Some verbs change meanings entirely when their voice changes to the middle voice.

(4) Verbs Requiring a Nominative Complement. In this module another verb (in addition to eivmi,) is introduced that must take a nominative complement: gi,nomai, I become.

Verbs of being, becoming, being made, or being named or called often require a complement. Such verbs are sometimes called verbs of incomplete predication, because they cannot normally stand alone. They require  the "complete-ment," or the complement of the thought conveyed by the subject and verb: "I am...[what?]," "he becomes...[what?]."

When parsing either middle, passive, or deponent verbs, it is necessary for you to be very specific about their identification.

In particular, you must indicate when a verb is a middle deponent. In the Greek New Testament you will also encounter passive deponents, although you need not worry about them at this point. Middle deponent verbs should be indicated as in the following examples: