bainein

Bainein is the transliteration of the ancient Greek verb βαίνειν, which means “to go” or “to walk.” It is an intransitive verb of motion and is a foundational verb in Classical Greek, used to describe movement from one place to another as well as figurative senses of going or proceeding. In attested Greek, the verb appears in various tenses and moods, forming the core of many expressions about movement.

The present active indicative of βαίνω is typically rendered as βαίνω, βαίνεις, βαίνει, βαίνουμεν, βαίνετε, βαίνουσι(ν), with corresponding forms in other parts of the verb system. The present infinitive is βαίνειν. A basic aorist form is ἔβην, used to express simple past action of going. The verb serves as a productive stem for numerous compound verbs that specify direction or ascent and descent, such as ἀναβαίνω (to go up) and καταβαίνω (to go down). These compounds show how βαίνω functions as a semantic core for motion-related meaning in Greek.

In linguistic usage, βαίνω is described as a core motion verb that participates in standard Greek verbal morphology and participates in a rich set of periphrastic and compound formations. The word appears throughout Classical Greek literature and remains an essential reference point for studying Greek motion verbs, prefixes, and the development of related vocabulary. In modern Greek, βαίνω survives less prominently as a general verb for “to go,” with other verbs such as πηγαίνω and other expressions filling common usage; βαίνειν itself is typically encountered in historical or literary contexts.