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λέγω

légō

G3004 verb

SILEX Entry

Root λεγ- to speak, to say, to recount, to declare

Definition

To speak, to say, or to express verbally; principally denotes the act of articulating or communicating information, statements, or ideas, whether in direct discourse, reporting, or narration. Broader senses include expressing, declaring, making known, or recounting, with an emphasis often on the content, manner, or intent of what is expressed. Distinctions among Greek synonyms position λέγω as the general term for 'to say/tell' with a possible focus on orderly, intentional communication, as opposed to unstructured speech.

Semantic Range

to say, to speak, to tell, to declare, to recount, to express, to name, to order, to call, to report, to mean

Root / Etymology

From the root λέγ-, ancient Greek verb with original meanings related to 'to collect, pick,' and in extended usage 'to recount' or 'to speak.' The root underlies various words connected with speech, selection, and reckoning (cf. λόγος, 'word, account'). Cognate with Latin 'lego' in the sense of 'to gather, choose.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

Earliest attested in Homeric Greek with the meaning 'to gather, collect,' both physically and in the sense of collecting thoughts or words; by the time of classical and Koine Greek, λέγω primarily means 'to speak' or 'to say.' In the Septuagint and New Testament, λέγω is the default and most general verb for direct and indirect speech. It can introduce quotations, describe utterances, or narrate reported speech. While translations often render it simply as 'say' or 'tell,' these glosses may not capture nuances of intent or structured discourse. In contrast to synonyms: ἔπω may denote a brief utterance; φημί indicates the function of stating or asserting; λαλέω can suggest ongoing, informal, or random speech. The Latin Vulgate and later English translations tend to collapse these distinctions. λέγω can also involve the act of naming or designating, and occasionally carries the sense of ordering or commanding in specific formulations. Its use is foundational to understanding Greek narrative and dialogic structure.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas ἔπω and φημί generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while ῥέω is properly to break silence merely, and λαλέω means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.

Root Family

λέγω (legō) — to speak, to say, to recount, to declare

Word Forms

76 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G3004-09 εἶπεν eipen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG said he said 613
G3004-44 λέγει legei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG says he/she says 336
G3004-51 λέγω lego V PRS ACT IND 1P SG I say I say 210
G3004-62 λέγων legon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG saying saying 181
G3004-65 λέγοντες legontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL saying saying 149
G3004-14 εἶπον eipon V AOR ACT IND 3P PL said they said 116
G3004-34 ἔλεγον elegon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL were saying they were saying 78
G3004-02 εἶπαν eipan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL said they said 71
G3004-32 ἔλεγεν elegen V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG he was saying was saying 69
G3004-74 λέγουσιν legousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL say they are saying 59

Occurrences in Scripture

2353 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G3004-60 Matthew 1:16 λεγόμενος legomenos V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M SG called being said
G3004-62 Matthew 1:20 λέγων legon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG saying saying
G3004-76 Matthew 1:22 ῥηθὲν rethen V AOR PASS PTCP NOM N SG was spoken having been spoken
G3004-68 Matthew 1:22 λέγοντος legontos V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG saying of the one saying
G3004-65 Matthew 2:2 λέγοντες legontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL saying saying
G3004-02 Matthew 2:5 εἶπαν eipan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL said they said
G3004-09 Matthew 2:8 εἶπεν eipen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he said he said
G3004-62 Matthew 2:13 λέγων legon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG saying saying
G3004-12 Matthew 2:13 εἴπω eipo V AOR ACT SUBJ 1P SG I tell I might say
G3004-76 Matthew 2:15 ῥηθὲν rethen V AOR PASS PTCP NOM N SG had been spoken having been spoken
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