Chapter 15 — Peal Imperative Parsing Drill

Basics of Biblical Aramaic, Van Pelt — Ch15: Peal Imperative

Instructions

For each numbered verb form, enter the Root (3 consonants, Peal perfect 3ms), PGN (person / gender / number), and Translation in the input fields. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the answer key row. Items 17–20 are negative imperative constructions (אַל / לָא + imperfect).

# Form Root PGN Translation
1
קוּם
Root: קום  |  PGN: 2ms  |  Translation: Arise! / Stand up!
2
אֱמַר
Root: אמר  |  PGN: 2ms  |  Translation: Say! / Tell!
3
כְּתֻב
Root: כתב  |  PGN: 2ms  |  Translation: Write!
4
שְׁלַח
Root: שׁלח  |  PGN: 2ms  |  Translation: Send!
5
עֲבֵד
Root: עבד  |  PGN: 2ms  |  Translation: Do! / Serve! / Make!
6
שְׁמַע
Root: שׁמע  |  PGN: 2ms  |  Translation: Hear! / Listen!
7
הַב
Root: יהב  |  PGN: 2ms  |  Translation: Give!
8
פְּרֻק
Root: פרק  |  PGN: 2ms  |  Translation: Deliver! / Atone!
9
בְּנוֹ
Root: בנה  |  PGN: 2mp  |  Translation: Build! (to men)
10
הָבוּ
Root: יהב  |  PGN: 2mp  |  Translation: Give! (to men)
11
אֱמַרוּ
Root: אמר  |  PGN: 2mp  |  Translation: Say! (to men)
12
שְׁמַעוּ
Root: שׁמע  |  PGN: 2mp  |  Translation: Hear! (to men)
13
כְּתֻבִי
Root: כתב  |  PGN: 2fs  |  Translation: Write! (to a woman)
14
שִׁלְחוּ
Root: שׁלח  |  PGN: 2mp  |  Translation: Send! (to men)
15
קוּמוּ
Root: קום  |  PGN: 2mp  |  Translation: Arise! (to men)
16
עֲבֵדוּ
Root: עבד  |  PGN: 2mp  |  Translation: Do! / Serve! (to men)
17
אַל תִּסְגֻּד
Root: סגד  |  PGN: 2ms (neg)  |  Translation: Do not bow down! (urgent — אַל + jussive)
18
לָא תִּכְתֻּב
Root: כתב  |  PGN: 2ms (neg)  |  Translation: You shall not write (general prohibition — לָא + imperfect)
19
אַל תֵּאמְרוּן
Root: אמר  |  PGN: 2mp (neg)  |  Translation: Do not say! (urgent, to men — אַל + jussive)
20
לָא תִּסְגְּדוּן
Root: סגד  |  PGN: 2mp (neg)  |  Translation: You shall not bow down (general, to men — לָא + imperfect)

Reflection Questions

  1. Items 1 (קוּם) and 3 (כְּתֻב) are both 2ms imperatives, yet item 1 begins with a long ū vowel while item 3 has a shewa under the first radical. What accounts for this difference? What root type is each?
  2. Item 2 (אֱמַר) begins with aleph + hateph-seghol. Is this the root aleph of אמר, or something else? Why does this form not follow the standard קְטֻל pattern?
  3. Items 7 (הַב) and 10 (הָבוּ) come from root יהב. Where did the initial yod go? Does the imperative use the same suppletive form as the imperfect (יִנְתֵּן)?
  4. Item 9 (בְּנוֹ) is the 2mp imperative of בנה. Strong-verb 2mp ends in וּ- (shureq); this form ends in וֹ- (holem). What root class is בנה, and why is the 2mp ending different?
  5. Items 17–20 are prohibitions using אַל or לָא + imperfect. What is the difference in meaning or usage between אַל + jussive (items 17, 19) and לָא + imperfect (items 18, 20)?