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Hebrew verbs overview
So you want to Grok Hebrew verbs2
Roots2
Conjugations5
Forms7
Supplemental explanation of forms10
Inflections12
Strong verb principal parts16
First yodverbs17
Hollow verbs19
Third he verbs21
First nun verbs23
Guttural verbs24
First guttural24
Class I and U verbs25
Barth’s Law26
Middle guttural or resh27
Third guttural28
Geminate verbs29
{PLACE}
So you want to grok Hebrew verbs
Last edited August 24, 2011 January 13, 2010
Note on transliteration – Because it’s a pain to type many diacriticals in Word (like á ü ò and so on) to indicate a long vowel I just type it twice. Which according to Randall Garr is pretty close to the truth. For example for ō I just type oo.
A good place to start is Kittel, 70-73, “The Verb”.
1. Roots
Hebrew – like all Semitic languages – is built on two- or three-letter roots. These are two or three letters – consonants – that convey a basic meaning or idea. For example כתבk-t-b “writing”. Hebrew – like all Semitic languages – uses the root to build words by adding (a) vowels (b) prefixes and (c) suffixes. A good example is ילדy-l-d “bring forth, bear”.
יֶלֶדmale child, boy
יַלְדָּהgirl
תֹּולֵדוֹתgenerations
מֹלֶ֫דֶתkindred
יָלִידslave, son born in the household
But most importantly Hebrew also adds (a) vowels (b) prefixes and (c) suffixes to build verbs. Sometimes there are also (d) changes to the root itself.
There are different kinds of root. There are roots that consistently show all three root letters when they are used to build words like nouns and verbs. These are called strong roots – or more frequently strong verbs when they are used to build verbs. But there are also roots that consistently show only two root letters when they are used to build words like nouns and verbs. And so when these roots are used to build words one of the three root letters is often missing. These are called weak roots – or more frequently weak verbs when they are used to build verbs.
If the first root letter is often missing the verb is initial weak.The main class of initial weak verb is 1stי.
If the second root letter is often missing the verb is medial weak. If a verb is medial weak the missing root letter is יor ו. Medial weak verbs are also called hollow verbs.
If the third root letter is often missing the verb is final weak. The main class of final weak verb is 3rdה.
And yes some verbs can be doubly weak. The main class of double weak verb is 1stי/ 3rdה.
Kittel provides some excellent “tricks” in her textbook – she calls them “missing letter rules” – that help identify the verb when a root letter is missing. Note them. Love them. Memorize them.
*Warning! Danger Will Robinson!*
One of the biggest headaches in learning Biblical Hebrew is terminology. What words do we use to talk about and learn Biblical Hebrew? There is an older system for talking about roots and verbs that comes from the Hebrew grammarians of the Middle Ages. They chose the verb פעלas a paradigm verbto describe verbs in Biblical Hebrew. And they used the paradigm verb פעלto classify weak verbs.
If a verb is 1stיthat corresponds to פin פעלand so 1stיverbs are called פ״יin the older system.
If a verb is medial weak or hollow the missing root letter corresponds to עin פעלand so hollow verbs are called ע״וin the older system.
If a verb is 3rdהthat corresponds to לin פעלand so 3rdהverbs are called ל״הin the older system.
Quick exercise
So what would you call the verb נגדaccording to the older system?
What would you call אכל?
Trick question. What would you call סבב?
2. Conjugations
One of the most difficult parts of understanding the Hebrew verb system is getting your head around the concept of conjugations. Take a basic Hebrew root. Modify that root by adding letters (a) to the beginning or (b) middle of the word. There are several patterns for modifying Hebrew roots to create verbs. Each of these modification patterns is called a conjugation.Different conjugations change or convey the basic idea of the root in different ways.
Stem = Root + Conjugation. In other words the
The best example for illustrating this is the Hebrew verb פקד“attend to, visit, muster”. Most Hebrew verbs appears in just one or only a few conjugations.פקדis the only verb in Hebrew that appears in all conjugations.
The modification patterns are identified in one of two ways. Using (1) an invented name or (2) a descriptive term. Most Hebrew grammars use (1) the invented names that come from the Hebrew grammarians of the Middle Ages. Remember that the medieval Hebrew grammarians loved to use פעלas their paradigm verb and so the names they are invented for the different conjugations are based on different conjugations of the verb פעל.
Anyways here is a chart that gives a good overview of the different Hebrew conjugations.Lifted shamelessly from Kittel 71.But organized a little differently.
There are four “basic” conjugations in Biblical Hebrew.
Conjugation / Stem / Description / Meaning / ExampleQal[1] / G[2] / Just the simple root ma’am / Basic / פָּקַד
Piel / D / Double middle root letter / Intensive, denominative, privative / פִּקֵּד
Hiphil / H / הbefore root / Causative / הִפְקִיד
Niphal / N / נbefore root / Passive, reflexive for verbs used basically in Qal / נִפְקַד
There are a couple others that are variations of two of the basic conjugations.
Conjugation / Stem / Description / Meaning / ExamplePual / Dp / Double middle root letter and ֻunder 1st root letter / Passive of Piel / פֻּקַּד
Hophal / Hp / ה+ ֻוּor ָ / Passive of Hiphil / הָפְקַד
And finally there are a few that are related to the Piel conjugation
Conjugation / Stem / Description / Meaning / ExampleHitpael / HtD / Prefix ה+ infixed תand double middle root letter / Reflexive, passive, iterative / הִתְפַּקֵּד
Polel / L[3] / There are rare and occur with verbs that have only two strong letters
Polal / Lp
Hitpolel / HtL
Pilpel / R[4]
3. Forms
First comes the root. Then comes the conjugation. Now we have forms which is a loose term for different… well… forms of the Hebrew verb which are different ways to express that verb within each conjugation. There are six main forms in Biblical Hebrew. We will stick with our nice strong paradigm verb פקדin the Qal conjugation.
Example / Form / Alternative / Translation / Functionפָּקַד / Perfect / Affix, qatal / He visited
He has visited
He had visited
He will have visited / Completed action
יִפְקֹד / Imperfect / Prefix, yiqtol / He will visit
He visits, he is visiting
He would visit (constantly)
He was visiting, he used to visit / Ongoing action
פְּקֹד / Imperative / Visit! / Command
פּוֹקֵד / Participle / (He is) visiting
(Who) visits
פְקֹד / Infinitive Construct / (To) visit
(His) visiting / Action in relation to something else
פָּקֹד / Infinitive Absolute / Visiting / The action itself
There are at least two more forms worth listing here. Some scholars and grammars describe these forms as variations of two of the above forms. Some scholars and grammars treat them separately. I recommend treating them separately.
Example / Form / Alternative / Translation / Functionוַיִּפְקֹד / Waw-consecutive(with imperfect) / Wayyiqtol, Waw-conversive with imperfect / He visited / Past tense
וְפָקַד / Waw-reversive(with perfect) / Weqatal, Waw-conversive with perfect / He will visit / Future tense
“But wait!” you ask. “How can you tell the difference between וְפָקַדjust simple conjunction with perfect verb ‘and he visited’ and וְפָקַדwaw-reversive with perfect ‘and he will visit’?” Based on form alone you can’t tell the difference. They look exactly the same. You will know from (1) context – does the verse refer to past or future time? (2) keep in mind 95% of the time when you encounter וְפָקַדit is our friend the waw-reversive with perfect aka weqatal and you can translate the verb with the future tense.
But the waw-consecutive with imperfect aka wayyiqtol is different. You can always tell the difference between וְיִפְקֹדsimple conjunction with imperfect and וַיִּפְקֹדwaw-consecutive with imperfect aka wayyiqtol. Look for the וַ־rather than simple וְ־or וּ־. And weak verbs – especially hollow and 3rdה– along with some conjugations like the Hiphil the simple imperfect is different from the imperfect form attached to the waw-consecutive.
Now so far you are hopefully pretty clear on the different forms and how they express the action or state of the verb within that conjugation. Let me add a couple more forms that might confuse you.
Example / Form / Alternative / Translation / Functionיִפְקֹד / Jussive / Let him visit
May he visit / Desire, command (usually 3rd person)
אֶפְקְדָה / Cohortative / May I visit
Let me visit
I shall visit / Desire, command (usually 1st person)
“But wait!” you might ask. “How can I tell the difference between יִפְקֹדimperfect and יִפְקֹדjussive?” If a strong verb you can’t tell the difference. They look exactly alike. You have to infer the verb is jussive from context. But weak verbs – especially hollow and 3rdה– the jussive form is often different from the imperfect.
Supplemental explanation of forms
*Grab a drink and sit down. You’re going to need it.*
You probably don’t want to know this but I’m going to tell you anyway. It won’t be on a test but it might help you understand what on earth is going on. And why the “imperfect” form sometimes changes when (1) attached to a waw-consecutive or (2) it is jussive.
All(?) languages change and develop over time. And generally over time languages become simpler. Several different forms of a verb or a noun over time become just a few different forms. Case endings drop off and are no longer used. And so on. This is also true in Hebrew.
Most Hebraicists recognize that once upon a time the prefix conjugation of ancient Hebrew had two tenses, each with three modes:
Indicative / InjunctivePreterite / Yaqtul / Jussive / Yaqtul
Imperfect / Yaqtulu / Volitive / Yaqtula
Energic / Yaqtulun(n)a / Energic / Yaqtulun(n)a
Take for example the “imperfect” form יִפְקֹד(a) simple imperfect (b) attached to a waw-consecutive and (c) when jussive. Those three forms all look the same right? They look the same but historically they are not the same. They look the same but represent three distinct forms in ancient Hebrew. Perhaps a better way to say that is they represent three distinct types of the prefix form in ancient Hebrew. So the “imperfect” form יִפְקֹדattached to a waw-consecutive וַיִּפְקֹדlooks is not really an imperfect at all. It is the old Hebrew preterite – “this action happened” – attached to וַ־ּ. And the jussive form יִפְקֹדis not the imperfect being used a different way. It is the old Hebrew jussive.
Once upon a time the Hebrew imperfect ended in a short u vowel that dropped off. But the preterite and the jussive did not end in a short vowel. For most strong verbs this fact(?) does not make much of a difference. Imperfects look like jussives look like preterites after the waw-consecutive. But for weak verbs – especially hollow and 3rdה– along with some conjugations like the Hiphil this fact(?) often makes a big difference. And is why for these verbs the imperfect looks different from the jussive looks different from the preterite after the waw-consecutive. This is not the place to explain exactly why and how the lack of an original final short vowel results in different forms.But do remember that.
And the cohortative is not really an imperfect with ־ָה. It is the old Hebrew volitive. “I want this action to happen!” And the original final short a has been strengthened to –aa(h).
So where does that leave us?
Example / Form / Comes from / Original ending / Translation / Functionיִפְקֹד / Imperfect / Imperfect / -u / He will visit
He visits, he is visiting
He would visit (constantly)
He was visiting, he used to visit / Ongoing action
וַיִּפְקֹד / Waw-consecutive (with imperfect), Wayyiqtol / Preterite / - / And he visited / Past tense
יִפְקֹד / Jussive / Jussive / - / Let him visit
May he visit / Desire, command (usually 3rd person)
אֶפְקְדָה / Cohortative / Volitive / -a / May I visit
Let me visit
I shall visit / Desire, command (usually 1st person)
And yes the energic is still around in Biblical Hebrew. You will see it sometimes.
4. Inflections
There is no neat term for this. I’ve noticed that Hebrew grammars often find ways not to use any term for this. But by inflection I mean prefixes and/or suffixes added to the verb form to indicate the subject of the verb. And/or sometimes the object.
a. Perfect, Imperfect, and Imperativeverb forms – along with the wayyiqtol, Jussive, Cohortative forms that are related to the Imperfect[5] – take prefixes and/or suffixes to indicate Person, Gender, Number aka PGN.
b. Participles are verbal adjectives. They do not indicate Person, Gender, Number. Suffixes are added to indicate Gender, Number, Case.
c. Infinitive construct verb forms do not indicate Person, Gender, Number or Gender, Number, Case. They often take pronominal suffixes to indicate the subject or even object of the verb.
d. Infinitive absolute verb forms never change.
So let us start with verb forms that take prefixes and/or suffixes to indicate Person, Gender, Number.
Perfect verbs
PGN / Prefix/suffix / Example / Translation / From[6]3ms / - / פָּקַד / He visited / qatala
3fs / ־ָה / פָּקְדָה / She visited / qatalata
2ms / ־תָּ / פָּקַ֫דְתָּ / You (m) visited / qatalataa
2fs / ־תְּ / פָּקַדְתְּ / You (f) visited / qatalti
1cs / ־תִּי / פָּקַ֫דְתִּי / I visited / qataltii
3mp[7] / ־וּ / פָּקְדוּ / They visited / qataluu
3fp / ־וּ / פָּקְדוּ / They visited / qataluu
2mp / ־תֶּם / פְּקַדְתֶּם / Y’all (m) visited / qataltém
2fp / ־תֶּן / פְּקַדְתֶּן / Y’all (f) visited / qataltén
1cp / ־נוּ / ֹפָּקַ֫דְנוּ / We visited / qatalnuu
Note that different inflections have the stress on different syllables. Note that the vowel under the second root letter reduces before a vocalic suffix – a suffix that is or begins with a vowel.
These suffixes for the Perfect form apply to all conjugations.
Alright. Let’s move on.
Imperfect – and other prefixed - verbs
PGN / Prefix/suffix / Example / Translation / From3ms / י־ / יִפְקֹד / He will visit / yaqtulu
3fs / תּ־ / תִּפְקֹד / She will visit / taqtulu
2ms / תּ־ / תִּפְקֹד / You (m) will visit / taqtulu
2fs / תּ־־ִי / תִּפְקְדִי / You (f) will visit / taqtulii
1cs / א־ / אֶפְקֹד / I will visit / ‘aqtulu
3mp[8] / י־־וּ / יִפְקְדוּ / They will visit / yaqtuluu
3fp / תּ־־נָה / תִּפְקֹ֫דְנָה / They will visit / taqtúlnaa
2mp / תּ־־וּ / תִּפְקְדוּ / Y’all (m) will visit / taqtuluu
2fp / תּ־־נָה / תִּפְקֹ֫דְנָה / Y’all (f) will visit / taqtúlnaa
1cp / נ־־וּ / נִפְקְדוּ / We will visit / naqtulu
Note that different inflections have the stress on different syllables. Note especially (a) that the vowel under the second root letter reduces before a vocalic suffix and (b) the stress is on the second root letter’s syllable before a consonantal suffix – a suffix that begins with a consonant.
These prefixes/suffixes for the Imperfect – and other prefixed – forms apply to all conjugations.
We are making progress! What’s next?
Imperative verbs
PGN / Prefix/suffix / Example / Translation / From2ms / - / פְּקֹד / Visit! (m) / qtulu
2fs / ־ִי / פִּקְדִי / Visit! (f) / qtulii
2mp / ־וּ / פִּקְדוּ / Y’all (m) visit! / qtuluu
2fp / ־נָה / פְּקֹ֫דְנָה / Y’all (f) visit! / qtulnaa
In a nutshell the imperative form looks like the imperfect form without the verbal prefix. But keep in mind (1) in some cases without the verbal prefix you have two shwas so פְקְדִיפִּקְדִי(2) in some conjugations without the verbal prefix the conjugation prefix – that otherwise disappears after a verbal prefix – will reappear. You will see what I mean below.
Participles
Participles are verbal adjectives. Like nouns and adjectives they take suffixes to indicate Gender, Number, and Case.
GNC[9] / Suffix / Example / Translation / Frommsa / - / פּוֹקֵד / Visiting (ms) / qootilu
mpa / ־ִים / פִּוֹקְדִים / Visiting (mp) / qootiliim
fsa / ־ָהor ־ֶ֫ת / פּוֹקְדָהor פּוֹקֶ֫דֶת / Visiting (fs) / qootilatu
fpa / ־וֹת / פּוֹקְדוֹת / Visiting (fp) / qootiloot
Infinitive Construct
The infinitive construct can be described as a verbal noun. It can take a pronominal suffix to indicate the subject or object of the verb.
Strong verb overview chart aka “Strong verb principal parts”
Last edited September 01 2011
You should know every form on this chart by heart. No fooling.
If you memorize this chart you are well on your way to being able to recognize almost any strong verb form. Just add inflections. (I included 1cs Perfect and 3fp/2fp Prefix/Imperfect because in many conjugations verbs with consonantal suffixes show vowel changes. Make note!)
Qal / Piel / Niphal / HiphilPerfect 3ms / פָּקַד / פִּקֵּד / נִפְקַד / הִפְקִיד
1cs* / פָּקַ֫דְתִּי / פִּקַּ֫דְתִּי / נִפְקַ֫דְתִּי / הִפְקַ֫דְתִּי
Prefix (Imperfect) 3ms / יִפְקֹד / יְפַקֵּד / יִפָּקֵד / יַפְקִיד
3fp / 2fp* / תִּפְקֹ֫דְנָה / תְּפַקֵּ֫דְנָה / תִּפָּקַ֫דְנָה / תַּפְקֵ֫דְנָה
Imperative 2ms / פְּקֹד / פַּקֵּד / הִפָּקֵד / הַפְקֵד
Participle msa / פּוֹקֵד / מְפַקֵּד / נִפְקָד / מַפְקִיד
Infinitive C / פְּקֹד / פַּקֵּד / הִפָּקֵד / הַפְקִיד
Infinitive A / פָּקוֹד / פַּקֵּד פַּקֹּד / הִפָּקֵד נִפְקֹד / הַפְקֵד
1stי verb overview chart aka “1stי verb principal parts”
Last edited September 04 2011
Note – there are two types of 1stי verbs in Biblical Hebrew. All but six 1stי follow the pattern below. They are not “true” 1stי verbs. They were originally 1stו verbs and in most conjugations the original 1stו reappears.
If you memorize this chart you are well on your way to being able to recognize almost any 1stי verb form. Just add inflections. (I included 1cs Perfect and 3fp/2fp Prefix/Imperfect because in many conjugations verbs with consonantal suffixes show vowel changes. Make note!)
Qal / Piel* / Niphal / HiphilPerfect 3ms / יָשַׁב / נוֹשַׁב / הוֹשִׁיב
1cs* / יָשַׁ֫בְתִּי / יִהַ֫לְתִּי / נוֹשַׁ֫בְתִּי / הוֹשַׁ֫בְתִּי
Prefix (Imperfect) 3ms / יֵשֵׁב / יְיַבֵּשׁ / יִוָּשֵׁב / יוֹשִׁיב
3fp / 2fp* / תֵּשַׁ֫בְנָה / תִּוָּשַׁ֫בְנָה / תּוֹשֵׁ֫בְנָה
Imperative 2ms / שֵׁב / יַסֵּד / הִוָּשֵׁב / הוֹשֵׁב
Participle msa / יוֹשֵׁב / מְיַהֵל / נוֹשָׁב / מוֹשִׁיב
Infinitive C / שֶׁ֫בֶת / יַסֵּד / הִוָּשֵׁב / הוֹשִׁיב
Infinitive A / יָשׁוֹב / יַסֹּת / הִוָּשֵׁב? / הוֹשֵׁב
*Strangely enough there are not many examples of 1st *וPiel verbs. The examples are not all of the same root. But it appears they follow the regular pattern of Piel verb forms. Although note the original 1stו does not reappear in Piel prefix forms! This fact may shed light on the development of some stems in Biblical Hebrew.
Compare the above principal parts of 1st *ו > 1stי verbs to the principal parts of true 1stי verbs below.
Qal / Piel** / Niphal*** / HiphilPerfect 3ms / יָטַב / הֵיטִיב
1cs* / יָטַ֫בְתִּי / יִשַּׁ֫רְתִּי / הֵיטַ֫בְתִּי
Prefix (Imperfect) 3ms / יִיטַב / יְיַשֵּׁר / יֵיטִיב
3fp / 2fp* / תִּיטַ֫בְנָה / תֵּיטֵ֫בְנָה
Imperative 2ms / יְטַב / הֵיטֵב
Participle msa / יוֹטֵב / מְיַשֵּׁר / מֵיטִיב
Infinitive C / יְטֹב / יַשֵּׁר / הֵיטִיב
Infinitive A / יָטוֹב / הֵיטֵב
**Again there are few examples of true 1stי in Piel. But the available examples follow the regular pattern.