καταβαίνω

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

καβαίνω (kabaínō) — Doric

Etymology

From κᾰτᾰ- (kătă-, “down”) +‎ βαίνω (baínō, “to go”).

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ka.ta.bǎi̯.nɔː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ka.taˈbɛ.no/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ka.taˈβɛ.no/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ka.taˈve.no/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ka.taˈve.no/

Verb

κᾰτᾰβαίνω • (kătăbaínō)

to step down, to go or come down
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 13.17
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 24.329
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 11.184
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 3.252
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 2.337
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 23.252
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 18.206
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 23.85
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.330
- 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 14.350
- 446 BCE – 386 BCE, Aristophanes, The Acharnians 409
- 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, On Horsemanship 11.7
1. to dismount from a chariot or a horse
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.109
  - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 9.76
  - 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Nemean Ode 6.87
  - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 5.5.6
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Phaenippus 24
2. to go down from the inland parts to the sea, especially from central Asia
  - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.94
3. to come to land, get safely ashore
  - 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Nemean Ode 4.63
  - 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Nemean Ode 3.73
  - 380 BCE, Plato, The Republic 511B
4. to go down into the arena, to fight, wrestle, race
  - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 5.22
  - 497 BCE – 405 BCE, Sophocles, Women of Trachis 504
  - 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Anabasis 4.8.27
  - 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 833D
  - 422 BCE, Aristophanes, The Wasps 1514
5. (of an orator) to come down from the tribune
  - 445 BCE – 380 BCE, Lysias, Collected Works 128.33
  - 343 BCE, Demosthenes, On the False Embassy 23
  - 343 BCE, Demosthenes, On the False Embassy 113
  - 422 BCE, Aristophanes, The Wasps 979
  - 125 CE – 200 CE, Lucian, Toxaris 35
  - 125 CE – 200 CE, Lucian, The Descent Into Hades
6. (rarely of things)
  - 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 14.19
  - 425 BCE, Euripides, Andromache 111
  - 366 BCE – 348 BCE, Plato, Critias 118D
  - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, History of Animals 7.2.6
  - 300 BCE – 200 BCE, Theocritus, Collected Works 15.35
7. (figuratively)
  1. to come to in a course of speaking
    - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.116
    - 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 1.90
  2. to come to the same point, agree
    - 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, Politics 7.16.5
  3. to come down, fall
    - ante 177 CE, Pollux, Onomasticon 1.51
  4. to condescend
8. to go one's way, advance
  - 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Nemean Ode 3.73
  - 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Nemean Ode 4.63

Inflection

Present: κᾰτᾰβαίνω, κᾰτᾰβαίνομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	κᾰτᾰβαίνω	κᾰτᾰβαίνεις	κᾰτᾰβαίνει	κᾰτᾰβαίνετον	κᾰτᾰβαίνετον	κᾰτᾰβαίνομεν	κᾰτᾰβαίνετε	κᾰτᾰβαίνουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	κᾰτᾰβαίνω	κᾰτᾰβαίνῃς	κᾰτᾰβαίνῃ	κᾰτᾰβαίνητον	κᾰτᾰβαίνητον	κᾰτᾰβαίνωμεν	κᾰτᾰβαίνητε	κᾰτᾰβαίνωσῐ(ν)
	optative	κᾰτᾰβαίνοιμῐ	κᾰτᾰβαίνοις	κᾰτᾰβαίνοι	κᾰτᾰβαίνοιτον	κᾰτᾰβαινοίτην	κᾰτᾰβαίνοιμεν	κᾰτᾰβαίνοιτε	κᾰτᾰβαίνοιεν
	imperative		κᾰτᾰ́βαινε	κᾰτᾰβαινέτω	κᾰτᾰβαίνετον	κᾰτᾰβαινέτων		κᾰτᾰβαίνετε	κᾰτᾰβαινόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	κᾰτᾰβαίνομαι	κᾰτᾰβαίνῃ / κᾰτᾰβαίνει	κᾰτᾰβαίνεται	κᾰτᾰβαίνεσθον	κᾰτᾰβαίνεσθον	κᾰτᾰβαινόμεθᾰ	κᾰτᾰβαίνεσθε	κᾰτᾰβαίνονται
	subjunctive	κᾰτᾰβαίνωμαι	κᾰτᾰβαίνῃ	κᾰτᾰβαίνηται	κᾰτᾰβαίνησθον	κᾰτᾰβαίνησθον	κᾰτᾰβαινώμεθᾰ	κᾰτᾰβαίνησθε	κᾰτᾰβαίνωνται
	optative	κᾰτᾰβαινοίμην	κᾰτᾰβαίνοιο	κᾰτᾰβαίνοιτο	κᾰτᾰβαίνοισθον	κᾰτᾰβαινοίσθην	κᾰτᾰβαινοίμεθᾰ	κᾰτᾰβαίνοισθε	κᾰτᾰβαίνοιντο
	imperative		κᾰτᾰβαίνου	κᾰτᾰβαινέσθω	κᾰτᾰβαίνεσθον	κᾰτᾰβαινέσθων		κᾰτᾰβαίνεσθε	κᾰτᾰβαινέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		κᾰτᾰβαίνειν				κᾰτᾰβαίνεσθαι
participle	m	κᾰτᾰβαίνων				κᾰτᾰβαινόμενος
	f	κᾰτᾰβαίνουσᾰ				κᾰτᾰβαινομένη
	n	κᾰτᾰβαῖνον				κᾰτᾰβαινόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Imperfect: κᾰτέβαινον, κᾰτεβαινόμην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	κᾰτέβαινον	κᾰτέβαινες	κᾰτέβαινε(ν)	κᾰτεβαίνετον	κᾰτεβαινέτην	κᾰτεβαίνομεν	κᾰτεβαίνετε	κᾰτέβαινον
middle/ passive	indicative	κᾰτεβαινόμην	κᾰτεβαίνου	κᾰτεβαίνετο	κᾰτεβαίνεσθον	κᾰτεβαινέσθην	κᾰτεβαινόμεθᾰ	κᾰτεβαίνεσθε	κᾰτεβαίνοντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Future: κᾰτᾰβήσομαι, κᾰτᾰβηθήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle	indicative	κᾰτᾰβήσομαι	κᾰτᾰβήσῃ / κᾰτᾰβήσει	κᾰτᾰβήσεται	κᾰτᾰβήσεσθον	κᾰτᾰβήσεσθον	κᾰτᾰβησόμεθᾰ	κᾰτᾰβήσεσθε	κᾰτᾰβήσονται
middle	optative	κᾰτᾰβησοίμην	κᾰτᾰβήσοιο	κᾰτᾰβήσοιτο	κᾰτᾰβήσοισθον	κᾰτᾰβησοίσθην	κᾰτᾰβησοίμεθᾰ	κᾰτᾰβήσοισθε	κᾰτᾰβήσοιντο
passive	indicative	κᾰτᾰβηθήσομαι	κᾰτᾰβηθήσῃ	κᾰτᾰβηθήσεται	κᾰτᾰβηθήσεσθον	κᾰτᾰβηθήσεσθον	κᾰτᾰβηθησόμεθᾰ	κᾰτᾰβηθήσεσθε	κᾰτᾰβηθήσονται
passive	optative	κᾰτᾰβηθησοίμην	κᾰτᾰβηθήσοιο	κᾰτᾰβηθήσοιτο	κᾰτᾰβηθήσοισθον	κᾰτᾰβηθησοίσθην	κᾰτᾰβηθησοίμεθᾰ	κᾰτᾰβηθήσοισθε	κᾰτᾰβηθήσοιντο
					middle		passive
infinitive					κᾰτᾰβήσεσθαι		κᾰτᾰβηθήσεσθαι
participle	m				κᾰτᾰβησόμενος		κᾰτᾰβηθησόμενος
	f				κᾰτᾰβησομένη		κᾰτᾰβηθησομένη
	n				κᾰτᾰβησόμενον		κᾰτᾰβηθησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: κᾰτέβην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	κᾰτέβην	κᾰτέβης	κᾰτέβη	κᾰτέβητον	κᾰτεβήτην	κᾰτέβημεν	κᾰτέβητε	κᾰτέβησᾰν/κᾰτέβαν
	subjunctive	κᾰτᾰβῶ	κᾰτᾰβῇς	κᾰτᾰβῇ	κᾰτᾰβῆτον	κᾰτᾰβῆτον	κᾰτᾰβῶμεν/κᾰτᾰβήομεν	κᾰτᾰβῆτε	κᾰτᾰβῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	κᾰτᾰβαίην	κᾰτᾰβαίης	κᾰτᾰβαίη/κᾰτάβοι	κᾰτᾰβαῖτον / κᾰτᾰβαίητον	κᾰτᾰβαίτην / κᾰτᾰβαιήτην	κᾰτᾰβαῖμεν / κᾰτᾰβαίημεν	κᾰτᾰβαῖτε / κᾰτᾰβαίητε	κᾰτᾰβαῖεν / κᾰτᾰβαίησᾰν
	imperative		κᾰτᾰ́βηθῐ	κᾰτᾰβήτω	κᾰτᾰ́βητον	κᾰτᾰβήτων		κᾰτᾰ́βητε	κᾰτᾰβᾰ́ντων
		active
infinitive		κᾰτᾰβῆναι/καταβήμεναι
participle	m	κᾰτᾰβᾱ́ς/καββᾱ́ς
	f	κᾰτᾰβᾶσᾰ
	n	κᾰτᾰβᾰ́ν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: κᾰτεβησᾰ́μην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle	indicative	κᾰτεβησᾰ́μην	κᾰτεβήσω	κᾰτεβήσᾰτο	κᾰτεβήσᾰσθον	κᾰτεβησᾰ́σθην	κᾰτεβησᾰ́μεθᾰ	κᾰτεβήσᾰσθε	κᾰτεβήσᾰντο
	subjunctive	κᾰτᾰβήσωμαι	κᾰτᾰβήσῃ	κᾰτᾰβήσηται	κᾰτᾰβήσησθον	κᾰτᾰβήσησθον	κᾰτᾰβησώμεθᾰ	κᾰτᾰβήσησθε	κᾰτᾰβήσωνται
	optative	κᾰτᾰβησαίμην	κᾰτᾰβήσαιο	κᾰτᾰβήσαιτο	κᾰτᾰβήσαισθον	κᾰτᾰβησαίσθην	κᾰτᾰβησαίμεθᾰ	κᾰτᾰβήσαισθε	κᾰτᾰβήσαιντο
	imperative		κᾰτᾰ́βησαι	κᾰτᾰβησᾰ́σθω	κᾰτᾰβήσᾰσθον	κᾰτᾰβησᾰ́σθων		κᾰτᾰβήσᾰσθε	κᾰτᾰβησᾰ́σθων
					middle
infinitive					κᾰτᾰβήσᾰσθαι
participle	m				κᾰτᾰβησᾰ́μενος
	f				κᾰτᾰβησᾰμένη
	n				κᾰτᾰβησᾰ́μενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Aorist: κᾰτεβησόμην (Epic)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
middle	indicative	κᾰτεβησόμην	κᾰτεβήσεο	κᾰτεβήσετο	κᾰτεβήσεσθον	κᾰτεβησέσθην	κᾰτεβησόμε(σ)θᾰ	κᾰτεβήσεσθε	κᾰτεβήσοντο
	subjunctive	κᾰτᾰβήσωμαι	κᾰτᾰβήσηαι	κᾰτᾰβήσηται	κᾰτᾰβήσησθον	κᾰτᾰβήσησθον	κᾰτᾰβησώμε(σ)θᾰ	κᾰτᾰβήσησθε	κᾰτᾰβήσωνται
	optative	κᾰτᾰβησοίμην	κᾰτᾰβήσοιο	κᾰτᾰβήσοιτο	κᾰτᾰβήσοισθον	κᾰτᾰβησοίσθην	κᾰτᾰβησοίμε(σ)θᾰ	κᾰτᾰβήσοισθε	κᾰτᾰβησοίᾰτο
	imperative		κᾰτᾰβήσεο	κᾰτᾰβησέσθω	κᾰτᾰβήσεσθον	κᾰτᾰβησέσθων		κᾰτᾰβήσεσθε	κᾰτᾰβησέσθων
					middle
infinitive					κᾰτᾰβησέσθαι
participle	m				κᾰτᾰβησόμενος
	f				κᾰτᾰβησομένη
	n				κᾰτᾰβησόμενον
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Perfect: κᾰτᾰβέβηκᾰ, κᾰτᾰβέβημαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	κᾰτᾰβέβηκᾰ	κᾰτᾰβέβηκᾰς	κᾰτᾰβέβηκε(ν)	κᾰτᾰβεβήκᾰτον	κᾰτᾰβεβήκᾰτον	κᾰτᾰβεβήκᾰμεν	κᾰτᾰβεβήκᾰτε	κᾰτᾰβεβήκᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	κᾰτᾰβεβήκω	κᾰτᾰβεβήκῃς	κᾰτᾰβεβήκῃ	κᾰτᾰβεβήκητον	κᾰτᾰβεβήκητον	κᾰτᾰβεβήκωμεν	κᾰτᾰβεβήκητε	κᾰτᾰβεβήκωσῐ(ν)
	optative	κᾰτᾰβεβήκοιμῐ / κᾰτᾰβεβηκοίην	κᾰτᾰβεβήκοις / κᾰτᾰβεβηκοίης	κᾰτᾰβεβήκοι / κᾰτᾰβεβηκοίη	κᾰτᾰβεβήκοιτον	κᾰτᾰβεβηκοίτην	κᾰτᾰβεβήκοιμεν	κᾰτᾰβεβήκοιτε	κᾰτᾰβεβήκοιεν
	imperative		κᾰτᾰβέβηκε	κᾰτᾰβεβηκέτω	κᾰτᾰβεβήκετον	κᾰτᾰβεβηκέτων		κᾰτᾰβεβήκετε	κᾰτᾰβεβηκόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	κᾰτᾰβέβημαι	κᾰτᾰβέβησαι	κᾰτᾰβέβηται	κᾰτᾰβέβησθον	κᾰτᾰβέβησθον	κᾰτᾰβεβήμεθᾰ	κᾰτᾰβέβησθε	κᾰτᾰβέβηνται
	subjunctive	κᾰτᾰβεβημένος ὦ	κᾰτᾰβεβημένος ᾖς	κᾰτᾰβεβημένος ᾖ	κᾰτᾰβεβημένω ἦτον	κᾰτᾰβεβημένω ἦτον	κᾰτᾰβεβημένοι ὦμεν	κᾰτᾰβεβημένοι ἦτε	κᾰτᾰβεβημένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	κᾰτᾰβεβημένος εἴην	κᾰτᾰβεβημένος εἴης	κᾰτᾰβεβημένος εἴη	κᾰτᾰβεβημένω εἴητον / εἶτον	κᾰτᾰβεβημένω εἰήτην / εἴτην	κᾰτᾰβεβημένοι εἴημεν / εἶμεν	κᾰτᾰβεβημένοι εἴητε / εἶτε	κᾰτᾰβεβημένοι εἴησᾰν / εἶεν
	imperative		κᾰτᾰβέβησο	κᾰτᾰβεβήσθω	κᾰτᾰβέβησθον	κᾰτᾰβεβήσθων		κᾰτᾰβέβησθε	κᾰτᾰβεβήσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		κᾰτᾰβεβηκέναι				κᾰτᾰβεβῆσθαι
participle	m	κᾰτᾰβεβηκώς				κᾰτᾰβεβημένος
	f	κᾰτᾰβεβηκυῖᾰ				κᾰτᾰβεβημένη
	n	κᾰτᾰβεβηκός				κᾰτᾰβεβημένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Related terms

καταιβατός (kataibatós)

Descendants

Byzantine Greek: κατεβαίνω (katebaínō)
- Greek: κατεβαίνω (katevaíno)

References

“καταβαίνω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“καταβαίνω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
“καταβαίνω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
καταβαίνω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
καταβαίνω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
“καταβαίνω”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
G2597 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible