LESSON XII

• Qal Perfect

• Qal means simple stem from lalfq (the most basic form of the Hebrew verb)

• They are tri-literal (three consonants)

• They are almost, always, pointed with a qames and a patah. An exception comes in stative verbs where a sere or hireq may take the place of a patah. Another exception may be where the consonant in the middle is a vowel rather than a consonant.

• Hebrew does not have tenses, but "states of being."

• Perfect state = completed action of state of being (use "past" to translate, while learning)

• It has suffixes. The form comes after the root of the verb. These are remnants of the personal pronouns. They indicate person, gender, and number.

• Hebrew verbs are either strong or weak

• Weak verbs have gutturals (see rules for gutturals, thus the exceptions) or if the verb begins with a y w or n it is weak.

• Strong verbs have three consonants

• There is always agreement in person, gender, and number of verbs and their subjects.

• Notes about Qal suffixes:

• Before vowel suffixes you get vocal shevas (e.g. - 3fs, 3cp)

• Before consonant suffixes you get silent shevas (e.g. - 2ms, 2fs, 1cs) preceding the consonant.

• {eT and }eT draw the accent to themselves

• Verb types

• Transitive — taking the direct object. Expressing an action thought of as passing over to and having an effect on some person or thing; taking a direct object: said of certain verbs.

• Intransitive — not taking the direct object. Designating a verb that does not require a direct object.

• Qatal verbs are typically dynamic involving some sort of action.

• Qatel and Qatol typically are stative describing a state or condition.

• Locating a verb (conjugate)

• Stem (e.g. - Qal)

• State (e.g. -perfect)

• Person

• Gender

• Number

• Root

The Afformatives of the Perfect

3 ms	—	3 cp	U
3 fs	hf
2 ms	fT	2 mp	{eT
2 fs	:T	2 fp	}eT
1 cs	yiT	1 cp	Un

• The same set of afformatives is used for all verbs in the perfect, regardless of their verbal patterns (conjugations).

Qal Perfect

• Uses of perfect -- most often translated with the English "past," but one may use past perfect or present (in dialogue) if the situation demands. Here are the translation types:

• A perfect may be translated as a simple action completed in past time.

• A perfect may be translated as a past perfect, i.e., as an action completed prior to a point of reference in past time.

• A perfect may be translated in the present tense when it represents a verb of perception, attitude, disposition, or mental or physical state of being.

• A perfect prefixed with a vav conjunction will usually be translated in the future tense.

• The normal* word order of the Hebrew verbal sentence:

Syntax of the verbal clause

direct/indirect object <--   modifier <-- subject <-- verb <-- circumstance

* The syntax of the verbal clause may be randomly disrupted.

• The perfect is negated by the particle )ol placed immediately before the verb.

• An unaccented final hf   is frequently appended to a noun to indicate direction of motion, ordinarily, motion toward.

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