Verb Imperfect¶
Summary¶
An Imperfect verb is used generally to indicate an action that is not complete, or an action that either occurs in the present or will occur in the future. However, an Imperfect verb can also be used to describe other kinds of actions.
Article¶
In Biblical Hebrew the Imperfect conjugation is used generally to describe actions that are not completed or actions that occur in the present or future. However, the Imperfect conjugation is also used to describe several other kinds of actions as determined by the context. These include frequentive or durative actions, negative commands, indirect commands, potential actions, and actions of greater or lesser desirability (similar to Jussive verbs and Cohortative verbs).
The normal Imperfect conjugation with the conjunction waw (וְ “and”) as a prefix is different from the Sequential Imperfect, which utilizes a specialized form of the conjunction and contains a different meaning. Sometimes a verb with Imperfect conjugation occurs within a clause after another finite verb (as in Gen 49:27 below, supplying the linking verb to be). In these cases, the context must determine whether the Imperfect verb is functioning as a non-finite verb to complement the preceding main verb, or whether it is functioning as a second main verb.
Form¶
| 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 | יִקָּטֵל | yiqqatel | he will be killed |
| feminine singular third person | תִּקָּטֵל | tiqqatel | she will be killed |
| masculine singular second person | תִּקָּטֵל | tiqqatel | you will be killed |
| feminine singular second person | תִּקָּטְלִי | tiqqatli | you will be killed |
| common singular first person | אֶקָּטֵל | ‘eqqatel | I will be killed |
| masculine plural third person | יִקָּטְלוּ | yiqqatlu | they will be killed |
| feminine plural third person | תִּקָּטַלְנָה | tiqqatalnah | they will be killed |
| masculine plural second person | תִּקָּטְלוּ | tiqqatlu | you will be killed |
| feminine plural second person | תִּקָּטַלְנָה | tiqqatalnah | you will be killed |
| common plural first person | נִקָּטֵל | niqqatel | we will be killed |
| Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular third person | יַקְטִיל | yaqtil | he will cause to kill |
| feminine singular third person | תַּקְטִיל | taqtil | she will cause to kill |
| masculine singular second person | תַּקְטִיל | taqtil | you will cause to kill |
| feminine singular second person | תַּקְטִילִי | taqtili | you will cause to kill |
| common singular first person | אַקְטִיל | ‘aqtil | I will cause to kill |
| masculine plural third person | יַקְטִילוּ | yaqtilu | they will cause to kill |
| feminine plural third person | תַּקְטֵלְנָה | taqtelenah | they will cause to kill |
| masculine plural second person | תַּקְטִילוּ | taqtilu | you will cause to kill |
| feminine plural second person | תַּקְטֵלְנָה | taqtelenah | you will cause to kill |
| common plural first person | נַקְטִיל | naqtil | we will cause to kill |
| Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular third person | יָקְטַל | yoqtal | he will be caused to kill |
| feminine singular third person | תָּקְטַל | toqtal | she will be caused to kill |
| masculine singular second person | תָּקְטַל | toqtal | you will be caused to kill |
| feminine singular second person | תָּקְטְלִי | toqteli | you will be caused to kill |
| common singular first person | אָקְטַל | ‘oqtal | I will be caused to kill |
| masculine plural third person | יָקְטְלוּ | yoqtelu | they will be caused to kill |
| feminine plural third person | תָּקְטַלְנָה | toqtalnah | they will be caused to kill |
| masculine plural second person | תָּקְטְלוּ | toqtelu | you will be caused to kill |
| feminine plural second person | תָּקְטַלְנָה | toqtalnah | you will be caused to kill |
| common plural first person | נָקְטַל | noqtal | we will be caused to kill |
| Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular third person | יְקַטֵּל | yiqattel | he will slaughter |
| feminine singular third person | תְּקַטֵּל | tiqattel | she will slaughter |
| masculine singular second person | תְּקַטֵּל | tiqattel | you will slaughter |
| feminine singular second person | תְּקַטְּלִי | tiqatteli | you will slaughter |
| common singular first person | אֲקַטֵּל | ‘eqattel | I will slaughter |
| masculine plural third person | יְקַטְּלוּ | yiqattelu | they will slaughter |
| feminine plural third person | תְּקַטַּלְנָה | tiqattalnah | they will slaughter |
| masculine plural second person | תְּקַטְּלוּ | tiqattelu | you will slaughter |
| feminine plural second person | תְּקַטַּלְנָה | tiqattalnah | you will slaughter |
| common plural first person | נְקַטֵּל | niqattel | we will slaughter |
| Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular third person | יְקֻטַּל | yequttal | he will be slaughtered |
| feminine singular third person | תְּקֻטַּל | tequttal | she will be slaughtered |
| masculine singular second person | תְּקֻטַּל | tequttal | you will be slaughtered |
| feminine singular second person | תְּקֻטְּלִי | tequtteli | you will be slaughtered |
| common singular first person | אֲקֻטַּל | ‘aquttal | I will be slaughtered |
| masculine plural third person | יְקֻטְּלוּ | yequttelu | they will be slaughtered |
| feminine plural third person | תְּקֻטַּלְנָה | tequttalnah | they will be slaughtered |
| masculine plural second person | תְּקֻטְּלוּ | tequttelu | you will be slaughtered |
| feminine plural second person | תְּקֻטַּלְנָה | tequttalnah | you will be slaughtered |
| common plural first person | נְקֻטַּל | nequttal | we will be slaughtered |
| Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular third person | יִתְקַטֵּל | yithqattel | he will kill himself |
| feminine singular third person | תִּתְקַטֵּל | tithqattel | she will kill herself |
| masculine singular second person | תִּתְקַטֵּל | tithqattel | you will kill yourself |
| feminine singular second person | תִּתְקַטְּלִי | tithqatteli | you will kill yourself |
| common singular first person | אֶתְקַטֵּל | ‘ethqattel | I will kill myself |
| masculine plural third person | יִתְקַטְּלוּ | yithqattelu | they will kill themselves |
| feminine plural third person | תִּתְקַטֵּלְנָה | tithqattelnah | they will kill themselves |
| masculine plural second person | תִּתְקַטְּלוּ | tithqattelu | you will kill yourselves |
| feminine plural second person | תִּתְקַטֵּלְנָה | tithqattelnah | you will kill yourselves |
| common plural first person | נִתְקַטֵּל | nithqattel | we will kill ourselves |
Function¶
The Imperfect conjugation can indicate any of the following kinds of actions:
Actions in future time¶
| וְאֶת־בָּתֵּ֥י אֱלֹהֵֽי־מִצְרַ֖יִם יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ |
| we’eth-botte ‘elohe-mitsrayim yisrof ba’esh |
| and-[dir.obj]_houses-of gods-of_Egypt he-burns in-the-fire |
| He will burn the temples of Egypt’s gods. |
Actions in present time¶
| לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י |
| lammah zeh tish’al lishmi |
| why this you-ask for-my-name |
| Why is it that you ask my name? |
Frequentive or durative actions¶
These may be in past time, present time, future time, or without a specified time frame.
| בִּנְיָמִין֙ זְאֵ֣ב יִטְרָ֔ף |
| binyamin ze’ev yitraf |
| Benjamin wolf he-tears |
| Benjamin is a hungry wolf. |
| כַּאֲשֶׁר־יַעְטֶ֤ה הָֽרֹעֶה֙ אֶת־בִּגְד֔וֹ |
| ka’asher-ya’teh haro’eh ‘eth-bigdo |
| as-how_he-picks-clean the-shepherd [dir.obj]_his-garment |
| just as shepherds clean vermin off their clothes |
Direct negative commands (with לֹא to express an emphatic prohibition)¶
| לֹֽא־תָבֹ֥אוּ מִצְרַ֖יִם לָג֥וּר שָֽׁם |
| lo-thavo’u mitsrayim lagur sham |
| not_you-go Egypt to-sojourn there |
| Do not go to Egypt to live there. |
Potential actions¶
| גַּ֤ם כִּֽי־אֵלֵ֨ךְ בְּגֵ֪יא צַלְמָ֡וֶת |
| gam ki-‘elekh bege tsalmaweth |
| even if_I-walk in-valley-of deep-darkness |
| Even though I walk through a valley of darkest shadow |
Actions of greater or lesser desirability¶
These may include instructions, requests, permissions, invitations, assurances, wishes, etc.
| מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל׃ |
| mikkol ‘ets-haggan ‘akhol tokhel |
| from-every tree-of_the-garden eating you-eat |
| From every tree in the garden you may freely eat. |