primary tense

English

Noun

primary tense (plural primary tenses)

1. (grammar) In Latin, the present or future tense.
2. (grammar) In Greek, the present, future or perfect tense.
3. (grammar) In English, inflectional tense: the synthetic distinction distinction between present and preterite.

   Coordinate term: secondary tense

Translations

Translations

• Finnish: päätempus
• French: temps primaire m

Further reading

• “primary tense”, in Collins English Dictionary.