verb
klaiamō
Strong’sG2799
I weep, weep for, mourn
stem klai-40 times in the New Testamentin 10 of 27 books23 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
κλαίω means to weep, cry, or wail — any loud expression of pain or sorrow, especially weeping for the dead 13. It describes sobbing or wailing aloud, as distinct from quietly shedding tears 2. This intransitive sense covers weeping in general contexts of grief, and is used in contrast to laughing or rejoicing 1.
The word is also used transitively, meaning to weep for, mourn, or bewail someone, taking a person as its object (as in weeping for the dead) 134.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
κλαίω,
[in LXX chiefly for בּכה;]
SYN.: v.s. δακρύω.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2799 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidklah'-yo
to sob, i.e. wail aloud (whereas 1145 is rather to cry silently)
Fromof uncertain affinity;
King Jamesbewail, weep.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
old Attic dialect κλάω (see. below) [ᾱ] never contracted; Aeolic dialect κλαΐω Refs; Epic dialect 2nd pers. singular optative κλαίοισθα Refs 8th c.BC+imperfect ἔκλᾱον, Epic dialect κλαῖον Refs 8th c.BC+, Ionic dialect κλαίεσκον Refs 8th c.BC+future κλαύσομαι, 2nd pers. singular κλαύσῃ or κλαύσει, Refs 8th c.BC+; Attic dialect also κλαιήσω NT+4th c.BC+aorist ἔκλαυσα, Epic dialect κλαῦσα Refs 8th c.BC+:—middle, aorist ἐκλαυσάμην Refs 7th c.BC+:—passive, future κλαυσθήσομαι LXX+5th c.BC+: aorist ἐκλαύσθην Refs 3rd c.BC+: perfect κέκλαυμαι Refs 5th c.BC+ is recognized as Attic dialect by Refs 2nd c.AD+, and is found in codices of Refs 5th c.BC+
I intransitive, cry, wail, lament, of any loud expression of pain or sorrow, κλαῖον δὲ λιγέως Refs 8th c.BC+; for the dead, Refs 8th c.BC+; διὰ τί οἱ κλαίοντες ὀξὺ φθέγγοντα; Refs 4th c.BC+; of infants, Refs 2nd c.AD+; of crying for joy, κλαῖον δὲ λιγέως, ἁδινώτερον ἤ τ᾽ οἰωνοί κτλ. Refs 8th c.BC+
I.2 αὐτὸν κλαίοντα ἀφήσω Refs shall send him home crying, howling, i.e. well beaten, Refs 8th c.BC+ he shall howl, i.e. he shall suffer for it, Refs 5th c.BC+; κλαύσει μακρά you shall howl loudly, i.e. suffer severely, Refs 5th c.BC+; κλαίων to your sorrow or loss, at your peril, Refs 5th c.BC+; κλάειν ἔγωγέ σε λέγω (opposed to χαίρειν σοι λέγω) Refs 5th c.BC+; σέ δ᾽ ἐᾶν κλάειν μακρὰ τὴν κεφαλήν suffer terribly in the head, Refs
II transitive, weep for, lament, κλαῖεν ἔπειτ᾽ Ὀδυσῆα, φίλον πόσιν Refs 8th c.BC+; τι Refs 5th c.BC+:— passive, to be mourned or lamented, ἀνδρὸς εὖ κεκλαυμένου Refs 5th c.BC+
II.2 cry for, of infants, μάμμας καὶ τιτθάς Refs 2nd c.AD+
III middle, bewail oneself, weep aloud, Refs 4th c.BC+perfect participle passive κεκλαυμένος bathed in tears, Refs 5th c.BC+
III.2 transitive, bewail to oneself, πάθη.. πόλλ᾽ ἔγωγ᾽ ἐκλαυσάμην Refs 4th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| klaiasōκλαίεις | happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular | weeping | 2× |
| klaiavōκλαίετε | happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural | weeping | 1× |
| klaialōκλαίουσιν | happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural | weep | 1× |
| klaiameἔκλαιον | was happening · Iimperfect active indicative 1st person singular | weep | 1× |
| klaiateἔκλαιεν | was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular | wept | 2× |
| klaialeἔκλαιον | was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | weeping | 1× |
| klaiaviκλαύσετε | will happen · yefuture active indicative 2nd person plural | weep | 2× |
| klaialiκλαύσουσιν | will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural | weep | 1× |
| klaiataἔκλαυσεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | wept | 3× |
| klaiavaἐκλαύσατε | happened · yeaorist active indicative 2nd person plural | weep | 1× |
| klaiateiaκλαύσῃ | happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular | weep | 1× |
| klaiasōrκλαῖε | happening now · youpresent active imperative 2nd person singular | weep | 2× |
| klaiavōrκλαίετε | happening now · yepresent active imperative 2nd person plural | weep | 3× |
| klaiavarκλαύσατε | happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural | weep | 2× |
| klaiarōκλαίειν | happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive | weep | 1× |
| klaiarōntosκλαίων | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | with tears | 1× |
| klaiarōntasκλαίουσα | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular feminine | weeping | 3× |
| klaiarōntanκλαίουσαν | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative singular feminine | weeping | 1× |
| klaiarōntoisκλαίοντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | weep | 6× |
| klaiarōntaisκλαίουσαι | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural feminine | weeping | 1× |
| klaiarōntoinκλαίοντας | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine | weeping | 2× |
| klaiarōntoiuκλαιόντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine | weep | 1× |
| klaiarōntoiκλαίουσιν | happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative plural masculine | weeping | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 15 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | klaiamō | klaiame1×ἔκλαιον | klaiami | klaiama | klaiamē | klaiamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | klaiasō2×κλαίεις | klaiase | klaiasi | klaiasa | klaiasē | klaiaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | klaiatō | klaiate2×ἔκλαιεν | klaiati | klaiata3×ἔκλαυσεν | klaiatē | klaiatelē |
| we 1st person plural | klaianō | klaiane | klaiani | klaiana | klaianē | klaianelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | klaiavō1×κλαίετε | klaiave | klaiavi2×κλαύσετε | klaiava1×ἐκλαύσατε | klaiavē | klaiavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | klaialō1×κλαίουσιν | klaiale1×ἔκλαιον | klaiali1×κλαύσουσιν | klaiala | klaialē | klaialelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 1 occurrence
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | klaiameiō | klaiameia | klaiameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | klaiaseiō | klaiaseia | klaiaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | klaiateiō | klaiateia1×κλαύσῃ | klaiateiē |
| we 1st person plural | klaianeiō | klaianeia | klaianeiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | klaiaveiō | klaiaveia | klaiaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | klaialeiō | klaialeia | klaialeiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 7 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | klaiasōr2×κλαῖε | klaiasar | klaiasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | klaiatōr | klaiatar | klaiatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | klaiavōr3×κλαίετε | klaiavar2×κλαύσατε | klaiavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | klaialōr | klaialar | klaialēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | klaiamoiō | klaiamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | klaiasoiō | klaiasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | klaiatoiō | klaiatoia |
| we 1st person plural | klaianoiō | klaianoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | klaiavoiō | klaiavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | klaialoiō | klaialoia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | klaiarō1×κλαίειν | klaiari | klaiara | klaiarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 16 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | klaiarōntos16×κλαίων | klaiarintos | klaiarantos | klaiarēntos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
klai is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
40 occurrences, every one of them listed
klaiasō“weeping”happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular2×
John 20:13kai legalō auta ekeinois; Gunaikar, tinem klaiasō? legatō autoi hoti Airala ton kurion …“Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken …
John 20:15legatō auta Iēsus; Gunaikar, tinem klaiasō? tinon zētasō? ekeinas dokarōntas hoti tos …“Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking …
klaiavō“weeping”happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural1×
Mark 5:39… eisercharantos legatō autoi; Tinem thorubovō kai klaiavō? tem paidiem ouk apothnēskata alla katheudatō.… asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but …
klaialō“weep”happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Revelation 18:11Kai tois emporois tau gēau klaialō kai penthalō epi autan, hoti ton …… the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there …
klaiame“weep”was happening · Iimperfect active indicative 1st person singular1×
Revelation 5:4kai mis klaiame pollem hoti oudenos axios heuriskita anoigara …And I began to weep bitterly, because no one was found …
klaiate“wept”was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Mark 14:72… dis tris min aparnesi, kai epibalarantos klaiate.… times.” And he broke down and wept.
John 20:11… te mnēmeie exō klaiarōntas. hōs oun klaiate parakuptata eis tem mnēmeiem,… the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent down to look into …
klaiale“weeping”was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Luke 8:52klaiale de pantois kai koptole autan. tos …Meanwhile, everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus …
klaiavi“weep”will happen · yefuture active indicative 2nd person plural2×
Luke 6:25… tois gelarōntoir nun, hoti penthavi kai klaiavi.… now, for you will mourn and weep.
John 16:20amēn amēn legamō vi hoti klaiavi kai thrēnavi vis, tos de kosmos …… truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices …
klaiali“weep”will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Revelation 18:9Kai klaiali kai kopteli epi autan tois basilevois …… lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of …
klaiata“wept”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular3×
Matthew 26:75… tris aparnesi min, kai exercharantos exō klaiata pikrōs.… times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Luke 19:41Kai hōs engizata, horarantos tan polan klaiata epi autan,… Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it
Luke 22:62kai exercharantos exō klaiata pikrōs.And he went outside and wept bitterly.
klaiava“weep”happened · yeaorist active indicative 2nd person plural1×
Luke 7:32… kai ouk orcheva; thrēnana kai ouk klaiava;… a dirge, and you did not weep.’
klaiateia“weep”happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
John 11:31“weep”… hoti hupagatō eis tem mnēmeiem hina klaiateia ekei.… she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
klaiasōr“weep”happening now · youpresent active imperative 2nd person singular2×
Luke 7:13… epi auta kai legata auta; Mē klaiasōr.… on her and said, “Do not weep.”
Revelation 5:5… ek toiu presbuteroiu legatō mi; Mē klaiasōr; idou nikata tos leontos tos ek …… elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe …
klaiavōr“weep”happening now · yepresent active imperative 2nd person plural3×
Luke 8:52“weep”… koptole autan. tos de legata; Mē klaiavōr, ouk gar apothnēskata alla katheudatō.… weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, “Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep.”
Luke 23:28… tos Iēsus legata; Thugatrair Ierousalēm, mē klaiavōr epi min; plēn epi heautain klaiavōr …… said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves …
Luke 23:28… klaiavōr epi min; plēn epi heautain klaiavōr kai epi teim tekneim vu,… do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
klaiavar“weep”happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural2×
James 4:9talaipōravar kai penthavar kai klaiavar; tos gelōtos vu eis penthem metatrepitar …Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and …
James 5:1Agasōr nun tois plousioir, klaiavar ololuzarōntois epi tai talaipōriai vu tai …Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to …
klaiarō“weep”happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive1×
Romans 12:15chairarō meta chairarōntoiu, klaiarō meta klaiarōntoiu.Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
klaiarōntos“with tears”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine1×
Philippians 3:18… pollakis legame vi, nun de kai klaiarōntos legamō, toin echthroin tou staurou tou …… before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the …
klaiarōntas“weeping”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular feminine3×
Matthew 2:18… akouita, klauthmos kai odurmos pollos; Rachēl klaiarōntas teim tekneim autau, kai ouk thelate …… Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to …
Luke 7:38… stēarantas opisō para toin podoin autou klaiarōntas, tei dakruei archeta brecharō toin podoin …… stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet …
John 20:11… de stēatelē pros te mnēmeie exō klaiarōntas. hōs oun klaiate parakuptata eis tem …But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent …
klaiarōntan“weeping”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative singular feminine1×
John 11:33Iēsus oun hōs horata autan klaiarōntan kai toin sunercharantoin auta Ioudaioin klaiarōntoin …When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come …
klaiarōntois“weep”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine6×
Luke 6:21… peinarōntois nun, hoti chortazivi. makariois tois klaiarōntois nun, hoti gelavi.… be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Acts 21:13tote apokrinita tos Paulos; Tinem poiavō klaiarōntois kai sunthruptarōntois mu tan kardian? mis …Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am …
1 Corinthians 7:30kai tois klaiarōntois hōs mē klaiarōntois, kai tois chairarōntois …those who weep, as if they did not; those …
1 Corinthians 7:30“weep”kai tois klaiarōntois hōs mē klaiarōntois, kai tois chairarōntois hōs mē chairarōntois, …those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who …
Revelation 18:15“weeping”… dia ton fobon tou basanismou autau klaiarōntois kai pentharōntois,… a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn,
Revelation 18:19“weeping”… epi tain kefalain autoiu kai krazala klaiarōntois kai pentharōntois legarōntois; Ouai ouai, tas …… throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were …
klaiarōntais“weeping”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural feminine1×
Acts 9:39… kai parastēala auto pantais tais chērais klaiarōntais kai epideikorōntais chitōnoin kai himatieim hoseim …… All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and …
klaiarōntoin“weeping”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine2×
Mark 5:38… tou archisunagōgou, kai theōratō thorubon kai klaiarōntoin kai alalazarōntoin polleim,… saw the commotion and the people weeping and wailing loudly.
John 11:33… klaiarōntan kai toin sunercharantoin auta Ioudaioin klaiarōntoin embrimeta te pneume kai tarassata heauton,… who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit …
klaiarōntoiu“weep”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine1×
Romans 12:15chairarō meta chairarōntoiu, klaiarō meta klaiarōntoiu.… who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
klaiarōntoi“weeping”happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative plural masculine1×
Mark 16:10… toi meta autou generantoi pentharōntoi kai klaiarōntoi;… with Him, who were mourning and weeping.