Stem Qal¶
Summary¶
The Qal stem is the stem formation that is the simplest of form in Biblical Hebrew. The Qal stem is generally used to express either simple action or stative action.
Article¶
In Biblical Hebrew, the Qal stem is the simplest of all the verbal stem formations in both form and function. All the other stem formations are derived from the Qal form. It is by far the most common form of a verb, and it almost always expresses either simple action in active voice (for dynamic verbs) or stative action in passive voice (for stative verbs, which do not have active voice). In English, stative verbs require the helping verb “to be” for proper translation value (see example). In Biblical Hebrew, the stative nature of the verb is indicated by the verb itself without requiring any additional helping verbs.
Form¶
Paradigm¶
Depending on the verb form, there are often two or three different ways of conjugating a verb in the Qal stem. Which way is used depends on which verb it is.
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular third person | קָטַל | qatal | he killed |
feminine singular third person | קָטְלָה | qatlah | she killed |
masculine singular second person | קָטַלְתָּ | qatalta | you killed |
feminine singular second person | קָטַלְתְּ | qatalt | you killed |
common singular first person | קָטַלְתִּי | qatalti | I killed |
common plural third person | קָטְלוּ | qatlu | they killed |
masculine plural second person | קְטַלְתֶּם | qetaltem | you killed |
feminine plural second person | קְטַלְתֶּן | qetalten | you killed |
common plural first person | קָטַלְנוּ | qatalnu | we killed |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular third person | כָּבֵד | kaved | he was heavy |
feminine singular third person | כָּבְדָה | kavdah | she was heavy |
masculine singular second person | כָּבַדְתָּ | kavadta | you were heavy |
feminine singular second person | כָּבַדְתְּ | kavadt | you were heavy |
common singular first person | כָּבַדְתִּי | kavadti | I was heavy |
common plural third person | כָּבְדוּ | kavdu | they were heavy |
masculine plural second person | כְּבַדְתֶּם | kevadtem | you were heavy |
feminine plural second person | כְּבַדְתֶּן | kevadten | you heavy |
common plural first person | כָּבַדְנוּ | kavadnu | we were heavy |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular third person | קָטֹן | qaton | he was small |
feminine singular third person | קָטְנָה | qatnah | she was small |
masculine singular second person | קָטֹנְתָּ | qatonetta | you were small |
feminine singular second person | קָטֹנְתְּ | qatont | you were small |
common singular first person | קָטֹנְתִּי | qatonetti | I was small |
common plural third person | קָטְנוּ | qatnu | they were small |
masculine plural second person | קְטָנְתֶּם | qetantem | you were small |
feminine plural second person | קְטָנְתֶּן | qetanten | you were small |
common plural first person | קָטֹנּוּ | qatonnu | we were small |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular third person | יִקְטֹל | yiqtol | he will kill |
feminine singular third person | תִּקְטֹל | tiqtol | she will kill |
masculine singular second person | תִּקְטֹל | tiqtol | you will kill |
feminine singular second person | תִּקְטְלִי | tiqteli | you will kill |
common singular first person | אֶקְטֹל | ‘eqtol | I will kill |
masculine plural third person | יִקְטְלוּ | yiqtelu | they will kill |
feminine plural third person | תִּקְטֹלְנָה | tiqtolenah | they will kill |
masculine plural second person | תִּקְטְלוּ | tiqtelu | you will kill |
feminine plural second person | תִּקְטֹלְנָה | tiqtolenah | you will kill |
common plural first person | נִקְטֹל | niqtol | we will kill |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular third person | יִכְבַּד | yikhbad | he will be heavy |
feminine singular third person | תִּכְבַּד | tikhbad | she will be heavy |
masculine singular second person | תִּכְבַּד | tikhbad | you will be heavy |
feminine singular second person | תִּכְבְּדִי | tikhbedi | you will be heavy |
common singular first person | אֶכְבַּד | ‘ekhbad | I will be heavy |
masculine plural third person | יִכְבְּדוּ | yikhbedu | they will be heavey |
feminine plural third person | תִּכְבַּדְנָה | tikhbadnah | they will be heavy |
masculine plural second person | תִּכְבְּדוּ | tikhbedu | you will be heavy |
feminine plural second person | תִּכְבַּדְנָה | tikhbadnah | you will be heavy |
common plural first person | נִכְבַּד | nikhbad | we will be heavy |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular third person | וְקָטַל | weqatal | (and) he will kill |
feminine singular third person | וְקָטְלָה | weqatlah | (and) she will kill |
masculine singular second person | וְקָטַלְתָּ | weqatalta | (and) you will kill |
feminine singular second person | וְקָטַלְתְּ | weqatalt | (and) you will kill |
common singular first person | וְקָטַלְתִּי | weqatalti | (and) I will kill |
common plural third person | וְקָטְלוּ | weqatlu | (and) they will kill |
masculine plural second person | וּקְטַלְתֶּם | uqetaltem | (and) you will kill |
feminine plural second person | וּקְטַלְתֶּן | uqetalten | (and) you will kill |
common plural first person | וְקָטַלְנוּ | weqatalnu | (and) we will kill |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular third person | וַיִּקְטֹל | wayyiqtol | (and) he killed |
feminine singular third person | וַתִּקְטֹל | wattiqtol | (and) she killed |
masculine singular second person | וַתִּקְטֹל | wattiqtol | (and) you killed |
feminine singular second person | וַתִּקְטְלִי | wattiqteli | (and) you killed |
common singular first person | וָאֶקְטֹל | wa’eqtol | (and) I killed |
masculine plural third person | וַיִקְטְלוּ | wayiqtelu | (and) they killed |
feminine plural third person | וַתִּקְטֹלְנָה | wattiqtolenah | (and) they killed |
masculine plural second person | וַתִּקְטְלוּ | wattiqtelu | (and) you killed |
feminine plural second person | וַתִּקְטֹלְנָה | wattiqtolenah | (and) you killed |
common plural first person | וַנִּקְטֹל | wanniqtol | (and) we killed |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
Infinitive Construct 1 | קְטֹל | qetol | kill |
Infinitive Construct 2 | שְׁכַב | shekhav | lie down |
Infinitive Absolute | קָטוֹל | qatol | kill |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular | קְטֹל | qetol | you must kill |
feminine singular | יִקְטְלִי | yiqteli | you must kill |
masculine plural | יִקְטְלוּ | yiqtelu | you must kill |
feminine plural | קְטֹלְנָה | qetolenah | you must kill |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular | כְּבַד | kevad | you must be heavy |
feminine singular | כִּבְדִי | kivdi | you must be heavy |
masculine plural | כִּבְדוּ | kivdu | you must be heavy |
feminine plural | כְּבַדְנָה | kevadnah | you must be heavy |
Jussive 1
Note
The jussive form in the Qal stem is recognizable only for select verbs. Here the sample verb is גָּלָה (to uncover), where the 3rd radical (ה) has dropped out.
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular third person | יִגֶל | yigel | may he uncover |
feminine singular third person | תִּגֶל | tigel | may she uncover |
masculine singular second person | תִּגֶל | tigel | may you uncover |
feminine singular second person | תִּגֶלִי | tigeli | may you uncover |
masculine plural third person | יִגֶלוּ | yigelu | may they uncover |
feminine plural third person | תִּגֶלְנָה | tigelnah | may they uncover |
masculine plural second person | תִּגֶלוּ | tigelu | may you uncover |
feminine plural second person | תִּגֶלְנָה | tigelnah | may you uncover |
Jussive 2
Here the sample verb is קוּם (to rise up), where the 2nd radical (a shureq vowel) shortens to a holem vowel.
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular third person | יָקֹם | yaqom | may he rise up |
feminine singular third person | תָּקֹם | taqom | may she rise up |
masculine singular second person | תָּקֹם | taqom | may you rise up |
feminine singular second person | תָּקֹמִי | taqomi | may you rise up |
masculine plural third person | יָקֹמוּ | yaqomu | may they rise up |
feminine plural third person | תְּקֹמֶינָה | teqomeynah | may they rise up |
masculine plural second person | תָּקֹמוּ | taqomu | may you rise up |
feminine plural second person | תְּקֹמֶינָה | teqomeynah | may you rise up |
Jussive 3
Here the sample verb is שִׂים (to set), where the 2nd radical (a hireq-yod vowel) shortens to a tsere vowel.
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular third person | יָשֵׂם | yasem | may he set |
feminine singular third person | תָּשֵׂם | tasem | may she set |
masculine singular second person | תָּשֵׂם | tasem | may you set |
feminine singular second person | תָּשֵׂמִי | tasemi | may you set |
masculine plural third person | יָשֵׂמוּ | yasemu | may they set |
feminine plural third person | תְּשֵׂמֶינָה | tesemeynah | may they set |
masculine plural second person | תָּשֵׂמוּ | tasemu | may you set |
feminine plural second person | תְּשֵׂמֶינָה | tesemeynah | may you set |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
common singular | אֶקְטֹלָה | ‘eqtolah | let me kill |
common plural | נִקְטֹהלָה | niqtohlah | let us kill |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular absolute | קֹטֵל | qotel | killing / killer |
feminine singular absolute | קֹטֶלֶת / קֹטְלָה | qotelet / qotelah | killing / killer |
masculine plural absolute | קֹטְלִים | qotelim | killing / killers |
feminine plural absolute | קֹטְלוֹת | qoteloth | killing / killers |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular absolute | כָּבֵד | kaved | being heavy |
feminine singular absolute | כָּבֶדֶת / כָּבְדָה | kavedet / kavdah | being heavy |
masculine plural absolute | כָּבְדִים | kavdim | being heavy |
feminine plural absolute | כָּבְדוֹת | kavdoth | being heavy |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular absolute | קָטֹן | qaton | being small |
feminine singular absolute | קָטֶנֶת / קָטְנָה | qateneth / qatnah | being small |
masculine plural absolute | קָטְנִים | qatnim | being small |
feminine plural absolute | קָטְנוֹת | qatnoth | being small |
Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular absolute | קָטוּל | qatul | killer / killed |
feminine singular absolute | קְטוּלָה | qetulah | killer / killed |
masculine plural absolute | קְטוּלִים | qetulim | killers / killed |
feminine plural absolute | קְטוּלוֹת | qetuloth | killers / killed |
Examples¶
וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם |
wattomer saray ‘el-‘avram |
And-she-said Sarai to_Abram |
So Sarai said to Abram |
כִּֽי־מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ חָמָ֖ס |
wattimmale ha’arets hamas |
for it-is-full the-earth violence |
for the earth is full of violence |