Grammar (8): Non-continuous verbs

Non-Continuous Verbs

Πολλά ρήματα χρησιμοποιούνται σε χρόνους διαρκείας:

Present continuous - I'm working at the moment.
Past continuous - Jack was cooking dinner when I arrived.
Future continuous - I will be playing tennis this time tomorrow.
Present perfect continuous - She's been working here for three years.

Γενικά οι χρόνοι διαρκείας χρησιμοποιούνται για να περιγράψουν τι γίνεται σε μια συγκεκριμένη χρονική περίοδο. Η έμφαση πάντα πέφτει στην πράξη της περιόδου αυτής. Παρ’ όλα αυτά υπάρχουν κατηγορίες ρημάτων που σχεδόν ποτέ δεν χρησιμοποιούνται με χρόνους διαρκείας:

 Mental and Emotional States / Διανοητικές και Συναισθηματικές Καταστάσεις

Believe, dislike, doubt, imagine, know, like, love, hate, prefer, realize, recognize, remember, suppose, understand, want, wish

Believe, dislike, doubt, imagine, know, like, love, hate, prefer
realize, recognize, remember, suppose, understand, want, wish

Examples

She dislikes that boy. NOT She is disliking that boy.
Jack prefers going out for dinner tonight. NOT Jack is preferring going out for dinner tonight.
I recognize you! NOT I'm recognizing you!

Sense / αίσθησης

Appear, hear, see, seem, smell, sound, taste

Examples

I saw him when the train arrived. NOT I was seeing him when the train arrived.
It tastes strange. NOT It is tasting strange.
Did you hear that? NOT Were you hearing that?

Communication / επικοινωνίας

Agree, astonish, deny, disagree, impress, mean, please promise, satisfy, surprise

Examples

You astonish me! NOT You are astonishing me!
I'm afraid I disagree with you. NOT I'm afraid I am disagreeing with you.
I meant to tell him yesterday afternoon. NOT I was meaning to tell him yesterday afternoon.

Other States / Άλλα

Be, belong, concern, consist, contain, cost, depend, deserve fit, include, involve, lack, matter, need, owe ,  own, possess

Examples

It depends on how much it costs. NOT It is depending on how much it is costing.
She said it involved a lot of work. NOT She said it was involving a lot of work.
It doesn't matter. NOT It isn't mattering.

Άλλα πάλι ρήματα μπαίνουν ή δεν μπαίνουν σε χρόνους διαρκείας ανάλογα με το νόημα τους κάθε φορά:

Non-Continuous Meanings

feel = 'have an opinion' - He feels he should get a second chance.
see = 'understand' - I see what you mean.
think = 'have an opinion' - I think we should leave immediately.
appear = 'look like' - That appears to be stale.
look = 'seem' - It looks impossible!
taste = 'have a taste' - That tastes yummy!

Continuous Meanings

feel = 'feel physically' - I'm feeling awful this afternoon.
see = 'visit' - She's seeing a doctor this morning.
think = 'use the brain' - He's thinking hard about the problem.
appear = 'be on stage / perform' - Jack Daniels is performing at the Paramount tonight.
look = 'stare at' - I'm looking at that strange man.
taste = 'use the mouth' - The cook is tasting the sauce!