# τὸ τί ἦν εἶναι

**URL:** <https://www.textkit.com/t/topic/9943>\
**Category:** Learning Greek\
**Created:** [October 11, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://www.textkit.com/t/topic/9943 "2010-10-11T22:37:38Z")\
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**Author:** ![frankathl](https://www.textkit.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@frankathl](https://www.textkit.com/u/frankathl)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://www.textkit.com/t/topic/9943/1 "2010-10-11T22:37:38Z")

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What force does the imperfect tense have in Aristotle’s phrase for what something is in itself (καθ’ αὑτο), **τὸ τί ἦν εἶναι** , usually, though not entirely uncontroversially, translated “essence”? (See, for example, _Metaphysics_, 1029b 13-14).  
Thanks,  
Frank

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