Skip to content

Qal Imperfect — III-ה (Lamed-He) Paradigms

Full inflection tables for III-ה weak roots in the Qal Imperfect, including Jussive and Wayyiqtol.


III-ה: בָּנָה (build) — Imperfect, Jussive, Wayyiqtol

Person Long Imperfect Short Jussive Wayyiqtol Notes
3ms יִבְנֶ֫ה יִ֫בֶן וַיִּ֫בֶן Seghol-he drops; vowel shortens to seghol
3fs תִּבְנֶ֫ה תִּ֫בֶן — Same as 3ms
2ms תִּבְנֶ֫ה תִּ֫בֶן —
2fs תִּבְנִי תִּבְנִי — Hireq-yod replaces seghol-he; same in both
1cs אֶבְנֶ֫ה אֶ֫בֶן —
3mp יִבְנ֫וּ יִבְנ֫וּ וַיִּבְנ֫וּ -וּ replaces ה; same in both
3fp תִּבְנֶ֫ינָה — — Rare; seghol-he + נָה
2mp תִּבְנ֫וּ תִּבְנ֫וּ — Same as 3mp
2fp תִּבְנֶ֫ינָה — —
1cp נִבְנֶ֫ה נִ֫בֶן —

Key markers: - Long Imperfect: ends in -ֶה (seghol + he) - Short Jussive: final ה drops; preceding consonant takes seghol or patach - Wayyiqtol: waw-consecutive prefix + short (jussive) form - 3mp/2mp: -וּ replaces the ה (same in both long and short)


III-ה: עָשָׂה (do, make) — Imperfect, Jussive, Wayyiqtol

Person Long Imperfect Short Jussive Wayyiqtol Notes
3ms יַעֲשֶׂ֫ה יַ֫עַשׂ וַיַּ֫עַשׂ I-gutt. ע also; chateph prefix; patach in jussive
3fs תַּעֲשֶׂ֫ה תַּ֫עַשׂ —
2ms תַּעֲשֶׂ֫ה תַּ֫עַשׂ —
2fs תַּעֲשִׂי תַּעֲשִׂי —
1cs אֶעֱשֶׂ֫ה אֶ֫עַשׂ — Seghol under prefix before chateph
3mp יַעֲשׂ֫וּ יַעֲשׂ֫וּ וַיַּעֲשׂ֫וּ
1cp נַעֲשֶׂ֫ה נַ֫עַשׂ —

III-ה: רָאָה (see) — Imperfect, Jussive, Wayyiqtol

Person Long Imperfect Short Jussive Wayyiqtol Notes
3ms יִרְאֶ֫ה יֵ֫רֶא וַיַּ֫רְא I-gutt. ר (light); jussive shows yod-like prefix shift
3fs תִּרְאֶ֫ה תֵּ֫רֶא —
2ms תִּרְאֶ֫ה תֵּ֫רֶא —
1cs אֶרְאֶ֫ה אֵ֫רֶא —
3mp יִרְא֫וּ יִרְא֫וּ וַיִּרְא֫וּ

III-ה: הָיָה (be, become) — Imperfect, Jussive, Wayyiqtol

Person Long Imperfect Short Jussive Wayyiqtol Notes
3ms יִהְיֶ֫ה יְהִ֫י וַיְהִ֫י Very irregular jussive; hireq-yod ending
3fs תִּהְיֶ֫ה תְּהִ֫י —
2ms תִּהְיֶ֫ה תְּהִ֫י —
3mp יִהְי֫וּ יִהְי֫וּ וַיִהְי֫וּ
1cp נִהְיֶ֫ה — —

Note on הָיָה: The jussive 3ms is יְהִי (hireq-yod), not the expected seghol form. This is one of the most distinctive and frequent forms in the entire OT — "Let there be..." (Gen 1:3). It must be memorized.


Strong Paradigm — Comparison

Person Strong (יִקְטֹל) III-ה (יִבְנֶה) III-ה Jussive III-ה Wayyiqtol
3ms יִקְטֹל יִבְנֶ֫ה יִ֫בֶן וַיִּ֫בֶן
3fs תִּקְטֹל תִּבְנֶ֫ה תִּ֫בֶן —
2ms תִּקְטֹל תִּבְנֶ֫ה תִּ֫בֶן —
2fs תִּקְטְלִי תִּבְנִי תִּבְנִי —
1cs אֶקְטֹל אֶבְנֶ֫ה אֶ֫בֶן —
3mp יִקְטְלוּ יִבְנ֫וּ יִבְנ֫וּ וַיִּבְנ֫וּ
1cp נִקְטֹל נִבְנֶ֫ה נִ֫בֶן —