Verb Perfect

Summary

A Perfect verb usually expresses a completed action in the past. However, the Perfect conjugation can also be used to describe other kinds of actions.

Article

In Biblical Hebrew a Perfect verb is normally used to describe actions that have occurred in the past or actions that are seen as completed (even in present or future time). However, the Perfect conjugation is also used to describe a variety of other kinds of actions. Thus, a Perfect verb has the potential to be translated with the past tense, the present tense, or even the future tense. The context must determine the proper meaning for each instance of a Perfect verb.

When the conjunction waw (וְ “and”) is added to the Perfect conjugation as a prefix, this can indicate either the Perfect copulative or the Sequential Perfect. The meaning of the verb is different in either case, and the context must be carefully considered to determine if it is a Perfect copulative verb or a Sequential Perfect verb.

Form

Qal Perfect Paradigm

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

Niphal Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	נִקְטַל	niqtal	he was killed
feminine singular third person	נִקְטְלָה	niqtelah	she was killed
masculine singular second person	נִקְטַלְתָּ	niqtalta	you were killed
feminine singular second person	נִקְטַלְתְּ	niqtalt	you were killed
common singular first person	נִקְטַלְתִּי	niqtalti	I was killed
common plural third person	נִקְטְלוּ	niqtelu	they were killed
masculine plural second person	נִקְטַלְתֶּם	niqtaltem	you were killed
feminine plural second person	נִקְטַלְתֶּן	niqtalten	you were killed
common plural first person	נִקְטַלְתֶּנוּ	niqtaltenu	we were killed

Hiphil Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	הִקְטִיל	hiqtil	he caused to kill
feminine singular third person	הִקְטִילָה	hiqtilah	she caused to kill
masculine singular second person	הִקְטַלְתָּ	hiqtalta	you caused to kill
feminine singular second person	הִקְטַלְתְּ	hiqtalt	you caused to kill
common singular first person	הִקְטַלְתִּי	hiqtalti	I caused to kill
common plural third person	הִקְטִילוּ	hiqtilu	they caused to kill
masculine plural second person	הִקְטַלְתֶּם	hiqtaltem	you caused to kill
feminine plural second person	הִקְטַלְתֶּן	hiqtalten	you caused to kill
common plural first person	הִקְטַלְנוּ	hiqtalnu	we caused to kill

Hophal Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	הָקְטַל	hoqtal	he was caused to kill
feminine singular third person	הָקְטְלָה	hoqtelah	she was caused to kill
masculine singular second person	הָקְטַלְתָּ	hoqtalta	you were caused to kill
feminine singular second person	הָקְטַלְתְּ	hoqtalt	you were caused to kill
common singular first person	הָקְטַלְתִּי	hoqtalti	I was caused to kill
common plural third person	הָקְטְלוּ	hoqtelu	they were caused to kill
masculine plural second person	הָקְטַלְתֶּם	hoqtaltem	you were caused to kill
feminine plural second person	הָקְטַלְתֶּן	hoqtalten	you were caused to kill
common plural first person	הָקְטַלְנוּ	hoqtalnu	we were caused to kill

Piel Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	קִטֵּל / קִטַּל	qittel / qittal	he slaughtered
feminine singular third person	קִטְּלָה	qittelah	she slaughtered
masculine singular second person	קִטַּלְתָּ	qittalta	you slaughtered
feminine singular second person	קִטַּלְתְּ	qittalt	you slaughtered
common singular first person	קִטַּלְתִּי	qittalti	I slaughtered
common plural third person	קִטְּלוּ	qittelu	they slaughtered
masculine plural second person	קִטַּלְתֶּם	qittaltem	you slaughtered
feminine plural second person	קִטַּלְתֶּן	qittalten	you slaughtered
common plural first person	קִטַּלְנוּ	qittalnu	we slaughtered

Pual Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	קֻטַּל	quttal	he was slaughtered
feminine singular third person	קֻטְּלָה	quttelah	she was slaughtered
masculine singular second person	קֻטַּלְתָּ	quttalta	you were slaughtered
feminine singular second person	קֻטַּלְתְּ	quttalt	you were slaughtered
common singular first person	קֻטַּלְתִּי	quttalti	I was slaughtered
common plural third person	קֻטְּלוּ	quttelu	they were slaughtered
masculine plural second person	קֻטַּלְתֶּם	quttaltem	you were slaughtered
feminine plural second person	קֻטַּלְתֶּן	quttalten	you were slaughtered
common plural first person	קֻטַּלְנוּ	quttalnu	we were slaughtered

Hithpael Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	הִתְקַטֵּל	hithqattal	he killed himself
feminine singular third person	הִתְקַטְּלָה	hithqattelah	she killed herself
masculine singular second person	הִתְקַטַּלְתָּ	hithqattalta	you killed yourself
feminine singular second person	הִתְקַטַּלְתְּ	hithqattalt	you killed yourself
common singular first person	הִתְקַטַּלְתִּי	hithqattalti	I killed myself
common plural third person	הִתְקַטְּלוּ	hithqattelu	they killed themselves
masculine plural second person	הִתְקַטַּלְתֶּם	hithqattaltem	you killed yourselves
feminine plural second person	הִתְקַטַּלְתֶּן	hithqattalten	you killed yourselves
common plural first person	הִתְקַטַּלְנוּ	hithqattalnu	we killed ourselves

Function

The Perfect conjugation can indicate any of the following kinds of actions:

Completed actions in past time

The Perfect conjugation can be translated as simple past action (“he did”), present completed action (“he has done”), or past completed action (“he had done”).

Example: JER 43:7 — Perfect conjugation translated as simple past action

כִּ֛י לֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה

ki lo shom’u beqol yehwah

for not they-listened to-voice-of Yahweh.

because they did not listen to Yahweh’s voice.

Example: JER 43:10 — Perfect conjugation translated as present completed action

מִמַּ֛עַל לָאֲבָנִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֣ר טָמָ֑נְתִּי

mimma’al la’avanim ha’elleh ‘asher tamanti

from-over to-the-stones the-these that you-buried.

over these stones that you have buried.

Example: JER 43:5 — Perfect conjugation translated as past completed action

כָּל־שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֗בוּ מִכָּל־הַגּוֹיִם֙

kol-she’erith yehudah ‘asher-shavu mikkol-haggoyim

whole_remnant-of Judah that_they-returned from-all_the-nations

all the remnant of Judah who had returned from all the nations

Completed actions in present/future time

Example: GEN 28:15

עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִם־עָשִׂ֔יתִי אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי לָֽךְ

‘ad ‘asher ‘im-‘asithi ‘eth ‘asher-dibbarti lakh

until then when I-have-done [dir.obj] what_I-have-spoken to-you.

I will do all that I have promised to you.

Imaginary actions

This is an action described as a hypothetical situation.

Example: RUT 1:12

כִּ֤י אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ יֶשׁ־לִ֣י תִקְוָ֔ה

ki ‘amartiy yesh-li thiqwah

if I-said there-is_for-me hope

If I said, ‘I hope I get a husband tonight,’

Example: 1SA 14:30

אַ֗ף כִּ֡י לוּא֩ אָכֹ֨ל אָכַ֤ל הַיּוֹם֙ הָעָ֔ם

‘af ki lu’ ‘akhol ‘akhal hayyom ha’am

Oh if only eating they-had-eaten the-day the-people

How much better if the people had eaten freely today

Stative actions (describing a state or condition)

This kind of action describes a state or a condition, often (but not always) with a passive stem formation.

Example: LAM 1:1

אֵיכָ֣ה׀ יָשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙

‘ekhah yoshvah vadad ha’ir

How it-sits lonely the-city

The city … is now sitting all alone.

Performative actions

This is an action that is performed by speaking it.

Example: GEN 23:11

הַשָּׂדֶה֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔ךְ

hassadeh nathatti lakh

the-field I-give to-you

I give you the field

Prophetic actions

This is a very rare use of the Perfect conjugation, occurring in prophetic utterances.

Example: ISA 11:9

כִּֽי־מָלְאָ֣ה הָאָ֗רֶץ דֵּעָה֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה

ki-mol’ah ha’arets de’ah ‘eth-yehwah

for_it-will-be-full the-earth-of knowledge [dir.obj]_Yahweh

for the earth will be full of knowledge of Yahweh”

Perfect copulative

This form adds the conjunction waw (וְ “and”) to the normal Perfect conjugation and can express any of the above meanings. This form appears identical to the Sequential Perfect.

Example: 1KI 12:32

וְהֶעֱמִיד֙ בְּבֵ֣ית אֵ֔ל אֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֥י

wehe’emid beveth ‘el ‘eth-kohane

and-he-set-up in-Bethel [dir.obj]_priests

and he placed priests in Bethel

Example: ISA 1:2

בָּנִים֙ גִּדַּ֣לְתִּי וְרֹומַ֔מְתִּי

banim giddalti werowmamti

sons I-made-great and-I-raised-up

I have nourished and brought up children