Piel Paradigm Tables — דִּבֵּר

Piel paradigm root: דִּבֵּר (to speak) — strong triliteral, denominative
With Qal reference column for comparison


Perfect (Qatal)

Person Qal (ref.) Piel (דבר)
3ms קָטַל דִּבֵּר
3fs קָטְלָה דִּבְּרָה
2ms קָטַלְתָּ דִּבַּרְתָּ
2fs קָטַלְתְּ דִּבַּרְתְּ
1cs קָטַלְתִּי דִּבַּרְתִּי
3cp קָטְלוּ דִּבְּרוּ
2mp קְטַלְתֶּם דִּבַּרְתֶּם
2fp קְטַלְתֶּן דִּבַּרְתֶּן
1cp קָטַלְנוּ דִּבַּרְנוּ

Key marker: Hireq (ִ) under R1 + Dagesh Forte in R2 + Tsere (ֵ) under R2 in 3ms/3fs. The dagesh in R2 is the single most reliable Piel identifier across all conjugations.


Imperfect (Yiqtol)

Person Qal (ref.) Piel
3ms יִקְטֹל יְדַבֵּר
3fs תִּקְטֹל תְּדַבֵּר
2ms תִּקְטֹל תְּדַבֵּר
2fs תִּקְטְלִי תְּדַבְּרִי
1cs אֶקְטֹל אֲדַבֵּר
3mp יִקְטְלוּ יְדַבְּרוּ
3fp תִּקְטֹלְנָה תְּדַבֵּרְנָה
2mp תִּקְטְלוּ תְּדַבְּרוּ
2fp תִּקְטֹלְנָה תְּדַבֵּרְנָה
1cp נִקְטֹל נְדַבֵּר

Key marker: Shewa under prefix + Patach under R1 + dagesh in R2 + Tsere under R2 (3ms). Prefix vowel is shewa (יְ, תְּ), except 1cs אֲ.


Wayyiqtol

Person Piel
3ms וַיְדַבֵּר
3fs וַתְּדַבֵּר
3mp וַיְדַבְּרוּ
1cs וָאֲדַבֵּר
1cp וַנְּדַבֵּר

Key marker: וַיְ prefix (patach + shewa). Contrast Qal וַיִּ and Hiphil וַיַּ — the shewa under the prefix consonant is diagnostic of the Piel.


Weqatal

Person Piel
3ms וְדִבֶּר
3fs וְדִבְּרָה
2ms וְדִבַּרְתָּ
1cs וְדִבַּרְתִּי
3cp וְדִבְּרוּ

Key marker: וְ + Perfect form. Follows Perfect inflection exactly.


Imperative

Form Piel
2ms דַּבֵּר
2fs דַּבְּרִי
2mp דַּבְּרוּ
2fp דַּבֵּרְנָה

Key marker: Patach (ַ) under R1 + Dagesh Forte in R2 + Tsere under R2 (2ms). Form is identical to the Infinitive Construct — context and prefixed prepositions distinguish them.


Infinitive Construct

Form Piel Notes
Base דַּבֵּר identical to Imperative 2ms
+ לְ לְדַבֵּר
+ בְּ בְּדַבֵּר temporal: "when speaking"

Key marker: Patach under R1 + dagesh in R2 + Tsere. Prepositions (לְ, בְּ, כְּ) almost always signal the Inf. Construct rather than the Imperative.


Infinitive Absolute

Form Piel
Standard דַּבֵּר

Key marker: Same form as Imperative/Inf. Construct. Used in cognate constructions: דַּבֵּר יְדַבֵּר "he will certainly speak."


Participle (Active)

Form Piel
ms מְדַבֵּר
fs מְדַבֶּרֶת
mp מְדַבְּרִים
fp מְדַבְּרוֹת

Key marker: מְ prefix + Patach under R1 + dagesh in R2 + Tsere under R2 (ms). The מְ prefix is shared with the Hiphil participle — the dagesh in R2 distinguishes Piel from Hiphil (no dagesh in Hiphil R2).


Summary: Qal vs. Piel at a Glance

Conjugation Qal marker Piel marker
Perfect 3ms קָטַל דִּ + dagesh + Tsere
Imperfect 3ms יִקְטֹל (no dagesh in R2) יְ + Patach + dagesh + Tsere
Wayyiqtol וַיִּ prefix וַיְ prefix
Weqatal וְקָ וְדִ
Imperative 2ms no prefix דַּ + dagesh + Tsere
Inf. Construct קְטֹל דַּבֵּר
Inf. Absolute קָטוֹל דַּבֵּר
Participle ms קֹטֵל מְדַבֵּר

The single most reliable Piel identifier: Dagesh Forte in R2 (the middle root consonant).