Adverb

Summary

An adverb is a word that describes a verb, or sometimes describes a sentence as a whole.

Article

In Koiné Greek, adverbs can be formed from any number of different kinds of word endings. However, any one particular adverb usually has only one single form that is always used.

Describes a verb, adjective, or other adverb

There are several different ways that an adverb can describe a verb.

describes a place or location

A locative adverb describes something about the place or location where the action of the verb happens.

Matthew 8:29 ἦλθες ὧδε πρὸ καιροῦ βασανίσαι ἡμᾶς;

Matthew 2:15 καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς Ἡρῴδου

Mark 15:38 καὶ τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ ἐσχίσθη εἰς δύο ἀπ’ ἄνωθεν ἕως κάτω.

describes time

A temporal adverb describes something about the time when the action of the verb happens.

Mark 10:30 ἐὰν μὴ λάβῃ ἑκατονταπλασίονα νῦν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τούτῳ

Matthew 4:17 Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς κηρύσσειν καὶ λέγειν

Matthew 17:12 λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι Ἠλίας ἤδη ἦλθεν

describes quantity

A quantitative adverb describes an amount of something in relation to the action of the verb.

Matthew 2:10 ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα.

Mark 6:51 καὶ λίαν [bt]ἐκ περισσοῦ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς [bu]ἐξίσταντο

#3

describes manner of action

An adverb of manner describes something about how the action of the verb happens.

John 20:4 καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς προέδραμεν τάχιον τοῦ Πέτρου

Matthew 15:7 ὑποκριταί, καλῶς ἐπροφήτευσεν περὶ ὑμῶν Ἠσαΐας

Luke 2:13 καὶ ἐξαίφνης ἐγένετο σὺν τῷ ἀγγέλῳ πλῆθος στρατιᾶς [h]οὐρανίου

#1

#2

#3

#1

#2

#3

#1

#2

#3

Describes an entire clause or sentence

A sentential adverb describes an entire clause or sentence rather than an individual verb. Sentential adverbs are closely related to conjunctions.

Matthew 7:5 καὶ τότε διαβλέψεις ἐκβαλεῖν τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου

Matthew 26:65 ἴδε νῦν ἠκούσατε τὴν [as]βλασφημίαν

#3

Matthew 7:5 ἔκβαλε πρῶτον [b]ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ τὴν δοκόν