Ch16 Weak Form ID Drill — Qal Imperfect Weak Verbs
BBH Chapter 16 · 50 forms
Instructions: For each form, identify: (a) Weak Class, (b) Person, (c) Number, (d) Gender, (e) Root. Part A: forms are grouped by class with a diagnostic hint. Part B: mixed — identify the class first.
Part A — By Weak Class
Group 1: III-ה (Lamed-He)
Diagnostic: long form ends in -ֶה (Seghol + he); short Jussive drops the ה.
#
Form
Weak Class
Pers.
Num.
Gen.
Root
1
יִבְנֶה
✓
יִבְנֶה
III-ה
3
s
m
בָּנָה
Seghol-he ending; long form
2
תַּעֲשֶׂה
✓
תַּעֲשֶׂה
III-ה
3/2
s
f/m
עָשָׂה
I-gutt. (ע) also; chateph prefix
3
יִהְיֶה
✓
יִהְיֶה
III-ה
3
s
m
הָיָה
Most common III-ה Imperfect
4
תִּרְאֶה
✓
תִּרְאֶה
III-ה
3/2
s
f/m
רָאָה
III-ה + I-gutt. (ר light); Seghol-he
5
יִבֶּן
✓
יִבֶּן
III-ה
3
s
m
בָּנָה
Short Jussive — ה dropped, vowel shortens to Seghol
Group 2: III-א (Lamed-Alef)
Diagnostic: form ends in silent א; preceding vowel is often Qamets.
#
Form
Weak Class
Pers.
Num.
Gen.
Root
6
יִמְצָא
✓
יִמְצָא
III-א
3
s
m
מָצָא
Silent aleph; preceding Qamets
7
תִּקְרָא
✓
תִּקְרָא
III-א
3/2
s
f/m
קָרָא
Silent aleph; Qamets before א
8
אֶמְצָא
✓
אֶמְצָא
III-א
1
s
c
מָצָא
1cs prefix (aleph) + silent final aleph
9
יִמְצְאוּ
✓
יִמְצְאוּ
III-א
3
p
m
מָצָא
3mp -וּ suffix; aleph visible
10
נִקְרָא
✓
נִקְרָא
III-א
1
p
c
קָרָא
1cp nun prefix; Qamets-aleph ending
Group 3: III-ח/ע (Lamed-Guttural)
Diagnostic: long 3ms/3fs ends in Pathach furtive before ח or ע; short/wayyiqtol: closed syllable, no furtive.
#
Form
Weak Class
Pers.
Num.
Gen.
Root
11
יִשְׁלַחַ
✓
יִשְׁלַחַ
III-ח
3
s
m
שָׁלַח
Pathach furtive before ח; long form
12
תִּשְׁמַעַ
✓
תִּשְׁמַעַ
III-ע
3/2
s
f/m
שָׁמַע
Pathach furtive before ע; long form
13
וַיִּשְׁמַע
✓
וַיִּשְׁמַע
III-ע
3
s
m
שָׁמַע
Wayyiqtol short form; no furtive; syllable closed
14
יִשְׁלְחוּ
✓
יִשְׁלְחוּ
III-ח
3
p
m
שָׁלַח
3mp; no furtive before suffix
15
אֶשְׁמַע
✓
אֶשְׁמַע
III-ע
1
s
c
שָׁמַע
1cs; B-class Pathach; guttural at R3 closes syllable
Group 4: I-Guttural (Pe-Guttural)
Diagnostic: Pathach under prefix consonant (not Hireq); chateph-Pathach under R1 guttural.
#
Form
Weak Class
Pers.
Num.
Gen.
Root
16
יַעֲמֹד
✓
יַעֲמֹד
I-gutt.
3
s
m
עָמַד
Pathach prefix; chateph-Pathach under ע
17
תַּחֲלֹם
✓
תַּחֲלֹם
I-gutt.
3/2
s
f/m
חָלַם
Pathach prefix; chateph under ח
18
יֹאמַר
✓
יֹאמַר
I-gutt. (א)
3
s
m
אָמַר
Holem prefix (special for aleph); must memorize
19
תַּעַמְדוּ
✓
תַּעַמְדוּ
I-gutt.
2
p
m
עָמַד
Pathach prefix; chateph resolves before suffix
20
נַעֲמֹד
✓
נַעֲמֹד
I-gutt.
1
p
c
עָמַד
1cp nun prefix + Pathach/chateph pattern
Group 5: I-נ (Pe-Nun)
Diagnostic: unexpected dagesh forte in R2 (nun assimilated); Tsere or Holem in root.
#
Form
Weak Class
Pers.
Num.
Gen.
Root
21
יִתֵּן
✓
יִתֵּן
I-נ
3
s
m
נָתַן
Nun assimilated → dagesh forte in ת; Tsere
22
תִּתֵּן
✓
תִּתֵּן
I-נ
3/2
s
f/m
נָתַן
Same assimilation pattern
23
וַיִּתֵּן
✓
וַיִּתֵּן
I-נ
3
s
m
נָתַן
Wayyiqtol; dagesh in ת still present
24
יִפֹּל
✓
יִפֹּל
I-נ
3
s
m
נָפַל
Nun assimilation → dagesh in פ; Holem
25
תִּתְּנוּ
✓
תִּתְּנוּ
I-נ
2
p
m
נָתַן
Dagesh in ת; reduced vowel before plural suffix
Group 6: I-י (Pe-Yod)
Diagnostic: Tsere under the prefix consonant instead of Hireq; R1 yod absent from the form.
#
Form
Weak Class
Pers.
Num.
Gen.
Root
26
יֵדַע
✓
יֵדַע
I-י
3
s
m
יָדַע
Tsere prefix (not Hireq); yod R1 absent
27
תֵּשֵׁב
✓
תֵּשֵׁב
I-י
3/2
s
f/m
יָשַׁב
Tsere prefix; Tsere under R2 (Seghol class)
28
וַיֵּלֶד
✓
וַיֵּלֶד
I-י
3
s
m
יָלַד
Wayyiqtol; Tsere prefix + waw-consecutive
29
יֵצֵא
✓
יֵצֵא
I-י
3
s
m
יָצָא
Tsere prefix; III-א also in play (aleph at R3)
30
אֵלֵד
✓
אֵלֵד
I-י
1
s
c
יָלַד
1cs; aleph prefix takes Tsere (not Seghol)
Group 7: Biconsonantal (II-י/ו)
Diagnostic: Qamets under prefix consonant; no R2 consonant visible; ו or י as middle element.
#
Form
Weak Class
Pers.
Num.
Gen.
Root
31
יָקוּם
✓
יָקוּם
Biconsonantal
3
s
m
קוּם
Qamets under prefix; Shureq as middle vowel
32
תָּבוֹא
✓
תָּבוֹא
Biconsonantal
3/2
s
f/m
בּוֹא
Qamets prefix; Holem Waw as middle vowel
33
וַיָּבֹא
✓
וַיָּבֹא
Biconsonantal
3
s
m
בּוֹא
Wayyiqtol; Qamets under prefix
34
יָמוּת
✓
יָמוּת
Biconsonantal
3
s
m
מוּת
Qamets prefix; Shureq middle; stative sense
35
וַיָּקׇם
✓
וַיָּקׇם
Biconsonantal
3
s
m
קוּם
Wayyiqtol; short form — Qamets hatuf in root syllable
Group 8: Geminate (Ayin-Doubled)
Diagnostic: dagesh forte in R2 (= R3); or short contracted form with Qamets prefix. Root knowledge needed to distinguish from Biconsonantal.
#
Form
Weak Class
Pers.
Num.
Gen.
Root
36
יָסֹב
✓
יָסֹב
Geminate
3
s
m
סָבַב
Qamets prefix; Holem; R2=R3 (dagesh absorbed)
37
יִסֹּב
✓
יִסֹּב
Geminate
3
s
m
סָבַב
Hireq prefix + Holem + dagesh forte in ב (R2=R3)
38
וַיָּסׇּב
✓
וַיָּסׇּב
Geminate
3
s
m
סָבַב
Wayyiqtol; Qamets prefix + dagesh forte in root
39
תָּסֹב
✓
תָּסֹב
Geminate
3/2
s
f/m
סָבַב
Qamets prefix; Holem; same as יָסֹב pattern
40
יִסֹּבּוּ
✓
יִסֹּבּוּ
Geminate
3
p
m
סָבַב
3mp; dagesh forte in ב; -וּ suffix
Part B — Mixed Forms
Identify the weak class first, then parse the form completely.
#
Form
Weak Class
Pers.
Num.
Gen.
Root
41
וַיָּקׇם
✓
וַיָּקׇם
Biconsonantal
3
s
m
קוּם
Gen 22:3 — Abraham arising
42
יִבְנֶה
✓
יִבְנֶה
III-ה
3
s
m
בָּנָה
Long Imperfect; Seghol-he ending
43
יִתֵּן
✓
יִתֵּן
I-נ
3
s
m
נָתַן
Dagesh in ת from assimilated nun
44
יַעֲשֶׂה
✓
יַעֲשֶׂה
III-ה + I-gutt.
3
s
m
עָשָׂה
III-ה + I-gutt. ע (chateph prefix)
45
תֵּדַע
✓
תֵּדַע
I-י
3/2
s
f/m
יָדַע
Tsere prefix; I-י diagnostic
46
וַיִּשְׁמַע
✓
וַיִּשְׁמַע
III-ע
3
s
m
שָׁמַע
III-guttural wayyiqtol (no furtive)
47
יִמְצָא
✓
יִמְצָא
III-א
3
s
m
מָצָא
Silent aleph; Qamets
48
וַיָּבֹאוּ
✓
וַיָּבֹאוּ
Biconsonantal
3
p
m
בּוֹא
Wayyiqtol 3mp; Qamets + -וּ
49
תִּתֵּן
✓
תִּתֵּן
I-נ
3/2
s
f/m
נָתַן
Dagesh in ת; same assimilation pattern
50
יֵצֵא
✓
יֵצֵא
I-י
3
s
m
יָצָא
Tsere prefix; I-י (+ III-א at R3)
Discussion Questions
Biconsonantal vs. Geminate: Both classes can show Qamets under the prefix consonant (יָסֹב / יָקוּם). What distinguishes them? What additional information do you need to tell them apart?
I-נ in Perfect vs. Imperfect: Why is I-נ essentially invisible in the Perfect (Ch14) but produces a dramatic change in the Imperfect? What is happening phonologically?
The III-ה Jussive: How does a III-ה Jussive form (e.g. יִבֶּן) differ from the long Imperfect (יִבְנֶה)? What changes, and why does this matter for reading narrative?
I-י prefix pattern: Why does I-י show Tsere under the prefix consonant instead of Hireq? Trace what happens to the yod at R1 when the imperfect prefix is added.
Wayyiqtol identification: What morphological feature is shared by all wayyiqtol forms across all weak classes? How does recognizing this feature help you identify a wayyiqtol even in an unfamiliar weak root?