Accents on Imperatives

[Deccius]

Hi all,

Are there any rules for accenting imperatives? I can’t see a pattern in the way they are accented (such as φίλει where does the acute accent on the iota come from?)

Thanks,
Deccius

[annis]

Except for a very few aorist imperatives which have an accent on the final syllable (εἰπέ, λαβέ), the accenting rule for imperatives is the same as the rest of the verbal system, recessive.

[Democritus]

@Deccius

Are there any rules for accenting imperatives? I can’t see a pattern in the way they are accented (such as φίλει where does the acute accent on the iota come from?)

Remember the uncontracted forms:

φίλεε → φίλει
φιλέει → φιλεῖ.