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unfoldingWord Hebrew Grammar ⌂ ©

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

Qal Imperfect Paradigm
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
Niphal Imperfect Paradigm
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
Hiphil Imperfect Paradigm
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
Hophal Imperfect Paradigm
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
Piel Imperfect Paradigm
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
Pual Imperfect Paradigm
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
Hithpael Imperfect Paradigm
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

Example: JER 43:13
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.
Show passage in OET: JER 43:13

Jump to OET JER 43:13 section.

Word details: יִשְׂרֹ֥ף

Actions in present time

Example: GEN 32:30
לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י
lammah zeh tish'al lishmi
why this you-ask for-my-name
Why is it that you ask my name?
Show passage in OET: GEN 32:30

OET-RV GEN 32:30

30 So Ya’akov named the place ‘Penuel’ (also spelt ‘Peniel’, which means ‘God’s face’), because he said, “I saw God face to face, yet my life was preserved.”

Jump to OET GEN 32:30 section.

Frequentive or durative actions

These may be in past time, present time, future time, or without a specified time frame.

Example: GEN 49:27
בִּנְיָמִין֙ זְאֵ֣ב יִטְרָ֔ף
binyamin ze'ev yitraf
Benjamin wolf he-tears
Benjamin is a hungry wolf.
Show passage in OET: GEN 49:27

OET-RV GEN 49:27

 ⇔  27 Benyamin is a ravenous wolf.
 ⇔ In the morning he devours his prey,
 ⇔ ≈ and in the evening he divides the plunder.

Jump to OET GEN 49:27 section.

Word details: ׃

Example: JER 43:12
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
Show passage in OET: JER 43:12

Jump to OET JER 43:12 section.

Word details: יַעְטֶ֤ה

Direct negative commands (with לֹא to express an emphatic prohibition)

Example: JER 43:2
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.
Show passage in OET: JER 43:2

Jump to OET JER 43:2 section.

Word details: תָבֹ֥אוּ

Potential actions

Example: PSA 23:4
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
Show passage in OET: PSA 23:4

OET-RV PSA 23:4

4 Even when I walk through a valley in deep darkness,
 ⇔ I won’t be afraid of being harmed.
 ⇔ Your rod and staff will protect and comfort me.

Jump to OET PSA 23:4 section.

Word details: אֵלֵ֨ךְ

Actions of greater or lesser desirability

These may include instructions, requests, permissions, invitations, assurances, wishes, etc.

Example: GEN 3:16
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.
Show passage in OET: GEN 3:16

OET-RV GEN 3:16

16 To the woman God said,
 ⇔ “I’ll sharply increase your pain in childbirth.
 ⇔ You’ll produce children in pain.
 ⇔ Your desire will be for your husband
 ⇔ and he will rule over you.”

Jump to OET GEN 3:16 section.