Summary
An active participle is a non-finite verbal form with active voice
that can function as a verb (either a main verb or a verbal complement), an adjective, or a noun.
When used verbally, an active participle most often expresses continuous or imminent action.
Article
Participles are non-finite verbal forms that can change their form based on
stem formation (like verbs) as well as person, gender, state, and definiteness
(like both adjectives and nouns).
Participles are very flexible in their grammatical use and can function as a verbal complement, a
finite main verb, an adjective, or a noun.
In most cases, the context will clearly show how the participle is being used in the sentence. The meaning of a participle is
usually clear, even in cases where its specific grammatical function cannot be determined precisely.
Active participles express verbal action in active voice, meaning that the person/thing described by the
participle performs the action expressed by the participle itself.
Function
It is helpful to classify participles according to
their function in the sentence as a whole: as a verb (or verbal complement);
as an adjective; or as a noun.
Participles can function independently as their own grammatical entity, but they often
introduce entire clauses that function either as adjectives or nouns.
Note
The subject of a verbal participle usually
precedes the participle, in contrast to the normal conventions of Hebrew
word order.
Example: HAB 2:10 –– expressing stative action
- יָעַ֥צְתָּ בֹּ֖שֶׁת לְבֵיתֶ֑ךָ קְצוֹת־עַמִּ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים וְחוֹטֵ֥א
- נַפְשֶֽׁךָ
|
- ya’atsta bosheth levethekha qetsoth-‘ammim rabbim wehote
- nafshekha
|
- you-have-devised shame to-your-house cutting-off_peoples many
- and-making-guilty your-soul
|
- You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many people,
- and have sinned against yourself
|
Example: 1SA 28:14 –– expressing simple durative action
- עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֑ם וְרָחֵ֣ל׀ בָּ֗אָה עִם־הַצֹּאן֙
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֔יהָ
|
| ‘odennu medabber ‘immam werahel ba’ah ‘im-hatson ‘asher le’aviha |
- still-he was-speaking with-them and-Rachel came with_the-sheep
- that to-her-father
|
- While Jacob was still speaking with them, Rachel came with
- her father’s sheep,
|
Example: NEH 1:4 –– two participles paired with finite verb היה
| וָֽאֱהִ֥י צָם֙ וּמִתְפַּלֵּ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַשָּׁמָֽיִם |
| wa’ehi tsam umithpallel lifne ‘elohe hashamayim |
| and-I-was fasting and-praying before God-of the-heavens |
| I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. |
Example: 1SA 3:8 –– expressing frequentive action
| וַיָּ֣בֶן עֵלִ֔י כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה קֹרֵ֥א לַנָּֽעַר |
| wayyaven ‘eli ki yehwah qore lanna’ar |
| and-he-understood Eli that Yahweh was-calling to-the-boy |
| Then Eli realized that Yahweh had called the boy. |
Example: 1SA 28:14 –– expressing simple durative action
| וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אִ֤ישׁ זָקֵן֙ עֹלֶ֔ה |
| wattomer ‘ish zaqen ‘oleh |
| and-she-said man old is-going-up |
| She said, “An old man is coming up |
Example: 1SA 3:11 –– expressing imminent action
| הִנֵּ֧ה אָנֹכִ֛י עֹשֶׂ֥ה דָבָ֖ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל |
| hinneh ‘anokhi ‘oseh davar beyisra’el |
| Behold I am-doing thing in-Israel |
| See, I am about to do something in Israel |
An adjectival participle immediately follows the noun it describes, and matches that noun in gender, number, and definiteness.
An adjectival participle can either function as an adjective by itself or introduce an entire clause
that functions as an adjective (either attributive or predicative).
Example: DEU 4:24 –– a participle functioning by itself as an adjective
| כִּ֚י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֵ֥שׁ אֹכְלָ֖ה |
| ki yehwah ‘eloheykha ‘esh ‘okhelah |
| for Yahweh your-God fire eating |
| For Yahweh your God is a devouring fire |
Example: GEN 1:12 –– a participle introducing a clause functioning as an adjective
- וַתּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ דֶּ֠שֶׁא עֵ֣שֶׂב מַזְרִ֤יעַ זֶ֙רַע֙
- לְמִינֵ֔הוּ
|
| wattotse ha’arets deshe ‘esev mazria’ zera’ leminehu |
- and-it-sprouted-forth the-earth grass crops yielding seed
- to-its-kind
|
- The earth produced vegetation, plants producing seed after their
- kind
|
Functions as a noun
A nominal participle often takes the definite article (but not always),
and can either function as a noun by itself or introduce an entire clause that functions as a noun.
A nominal participle will appear in the construct state either when it takes a pronominal suffix
or when it is in a construct relationship with another noun in the absolute state.
Example: GEN 1:30 –– a participle functioning by itself as a noun
| וּלְכֹ֣ל׀ רוֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ |
| ulekhol romes ‘al-ha’arets |
| and-to-all crawlers on_the-earth |
| and to everything that creeps upon the earth |
Example: GEN 26:11 –– a participle introducing a relative clause functioning
as a noun
| הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה וּבְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת |
| hannogea’ ba’ish hazzeh uve’ishto moth yumath |
- the-one-touching in-the-man the-this and-in-his-wife dying
- he-will-be-made-dead
|
| Whoever touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death. |