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.

Qal Perfect Paradigm 1

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

Qal Perfect Paradigm 2

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

Qal Perfect Paradigm 3

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

Qal Imperfect Paradigm 1

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

Qal Imperfect Paradigm 2

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

Qal Sequential Perfect Paradigm

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

Qal Sequential Imperfect Paradigm

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

Qal Infinitive Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
Infinitive Construct 1	קְטֹל	qetol	kill
Infinitive Construct 2	שְׁכַב	shekhav	lie down
Infinitive Absolute	קָטוֹל	qatol	kill

Qal Imperative Paradigm 1

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

Qal Imperative Paradigm 2

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.

Qal Jussive Paradigm 1

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.

Qal Jussive Paradigm 2

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.

Qal Jussive Paradigm 3

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

Qal Cohortative Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
common singular	אֶקְטֹלָה	‘eqtolah	let me kill
common plural	נִקְטֹהלָה	niqtohlah	let us kill

Qal Participle 1 (active voice) Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular absolute	קֹטֵל	qoten	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

Qal Participle 2 (active voice) Paradigm

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

Qal Participle 3 (active voice) Paradigm

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

Qal Passive Participle (passive voice) Paradigm

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

Example: GEN 16:2 –– expressing simple action (dynamic verb)

וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם

wattomer saray ‘el-‘avram

And-she-said Sarai to_Abram

So Sarai said to Abram

Example: GEN 6:13 –– expressing stative action (stative verb)

כִּֽי־מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ חָמָ֖ס

wattimmale ha’arets hamas

for it-is-full the-earth violence

for the earth is full of violence