The Past Perfect Progressive tense in Greek Grammar, or Παρακείμενος Διαρκείας, is used to describe actions that were ongoing in the past, and then completed at some point in the past. This tense incorporates both aspects of the simple past and the ongoing past. For English speakers, it corresponds with the Past Perfect Continuous, expressed with “had been” followed by the present participle (verb-ing). Now let’s practice with some exercises.
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of Past Perfect Progressive tense of the verb in parentheses
1. Εκείνη τη στιγμή * είχαμε περιμένει *(been waiting) για δύο ώρες.
2. Όταν φύγαμε, * είχαν εργαστεί* (had been working) για επτά ώρες.
3. * είχες παίξει*(you had been playing) ποδόσφαιρο όλη την ημέρα.
4. Οι φίλοι μου *είχαν διαβάσει*(had been reading) αυτό το βιβλίο για μια εβδομάδα.
5. * Είχα ψάχνει *(had been looking) για τα κλειδιά μου εδώ και μια ώρα.
6. * Είχαμε γράψει * (we had been writing) την εργασία για πέντε ώρες.
7. * Είχες τρώγει * (you had been eating) γλυκά όλη την ημέρα.
8. Αυτοί * είχαν μαγειρεύει * (had been cooking) για τρεις ώρες.
9. * Είχα τρέχει * (I had been running) στο πάρκο όλη την προηγούμενη ημέρα.
10. Εσείς * είχατε διαβάσει * (you(plural) had been reading) αυτό το βιβλίο για μια εβδομάδα.
2. Όταν φύγαμε, * είχαν εργαστεί* (had been working) για επτά ώρες.
3. * είχες παίξει*(you had been playing) ποδόσφαιρο όλη την ημέρα.
4. Οι φίλοι μου *είχαν διαβάσει*(had been reading) αυτό το βιβλίο για μια εβδομάδα.
5. * Είχα ψάχνει *(had been looking) για τα κλειδιά μου εδώ και μια ώρα.
6. * Είχαμε γράψει * (we had been writing) την εργασία για πέντε ώρες.
7. * Είχες τρώγει * (you had been eating) γλυκά όλη την ημέρα.
8. Αυτοί * είχαν μαγειρεύει * (had been cooking) για τρεις ώρες.
9. * Είχα τρέχει * (I had been running) στο πάρκο όλη την προηγούμενη ημέρα.
10. Εσείς * είχατε διαβάσει * (you(plural) had been reading) αυτό το βιβλίο για μια εβδομάδα.
Exercise 2: Translate the following Past Perfect Progressive sentences from English to Greek
1. I * had been thinking * about that all day long (σκεφτόμουν).
2. You * had been sleeping * (έκοβες) for five hours when I got home.
3. The team * had been practicing * (προπονούνταν) for three months before the competition.
4. The stars * had been shining * brightly (λάμπρυναν) all night.
5. My friend * had been baking * (έψηνε) all day for the party.
6. My brother * had been working *(δούλευε) at that company for ten years.
7. We * had been waiting* (περιμέναμε) for you at the station.
8. They * had been playing * (έπαιζαν) soccer when it started to rain.
9. He * had been studying * (διάβαζε) Greek before he moved to Greece.
10. She * had been swimming* (κολυμπούσε) when the sun set.
2. You * had been sleeping * (έκοβες) for five hours when I got home.
3. The team * had been practicing * (προπονούνταν) for three months before the competition.
4. The stars * had been shining * brightly (λάμπρυναν) all night.
5. My friend * had been baking * (έψηνε) all day for the party.
6. My brother * had been working *(δούλευε) at that company for ten years.
7. We * had been waiting* (περιμέναμε) for you at the station.
8. They * had been playing * (έπαιζαν) soccer when it started to rain.
9. He * had been studying * (διάβαζε) Greek before he moved to Greece.
10. She * had been swimming* (κολυμπούσε) when the sun set.
