Wayyiqtol and Weqatal Paradigms — BBH Chapter 17

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Wayyiqtol — Strong Verb (קטל)

The wayyiqtol is formed from the short imperfect (jussive base) with וַ + dagesh forte in the prefix consonant.

Person	Imperfect (base)	Wayyiqtol	Prefix letter
3ms	יִקְטֹל	וַיִּקְטֹל	יּ (dagesh forte)
3fs	תִּקְטֹל	וַתִּקְטֹל	תּ
2ms	תִּקְטֹל	וַתִּקְטֹל	תּ (= 3fs)
2fs	תִּקְטְלִי	וַתִּקְטְלִי	תּ
1cs	אֶקְטֹל	וָאֶקְטֹל	א (no dagesh; waw → וָ)
3mp	יִקְטְלוּ	וַיִּקְטְלוּ	יּ
3fp	תִּקְטֹלְנָה	וַתִּקְטֹלְנָה	תּ
2mp	תִּקְטְלוּ	וַתִּקְטְלוּ	תּ
2fp	תִּקְטֹלְנָה	וַתִּקְטֹלְנָה	תּ
1cp	נִקְטֹל	וַנִּקְטֹל	נּ

Key marker: וַ + dagesh forte in the prefix consonant. The 1cs is the only exception: waw takes qamets (וָ) before aleph, which cannot take dagesh.

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Wayyiqtol — Weak Verb Forms

For roots that have a distinct short (jussive) Imperfect, the Wayyiqtol uses the short form.

III-ה roots (e.g., בנה)

Person	Long Imperfect	Short Jussive	Wayyiqtol
3ms	יִבְנֶה	יִבֶּן	וַיִּבֶן
3fs	תִּבְנֶה	תִּבֶּן	וַתִּבֶן
2ms	תִּבְנֶה	תִּבֶּן	וַתִּבֶן
3mp	יִבְנוּ	—	וַיִּבְנוּ
1cs	אֶבְנֶה	—	וָאֶבֶן

Key marker: The final ה is absent in the wayyiqtol. Compare: יִבְנֶה (Imperfect) vs. וַיִּבֶן (Wayyiqtol).

Biconsonantal roots (e.g., קום)

Person	Long Imperfect	Wayyiqtol
3ms	יָקוּם	וַיָּ֫קׇם
3fs	תָּקוּם	וַתָּ֫קׇם
3mp	יָקוּמוּ	וַיָּקֻמוּ
1cs	אָקוּם	וָאָ֫קׇם

Key marker: Wayyiqtol uses the short form — qamets hatuf (ׇ) under the root consonant instead of the long shureq (וּ) of the imperfect.

Biconsonantal — בוא (most frequent)

Person	Imperfect	Wayyiqtol
3ms	יָבוֹא	וַיָּבֹא
3fs	תָּבוֹא	וַתָּבֹא
3mp	יָבֹאוּ	וַיָּבֹאוּ
1cs	אָבוֹא	וָאָבֹא

I-יוד roots (e.g., הלך, ילד)

Person	Imperfect	Wayyiqtol
3ms (הלך)	יֵלֵךְ	וַיֵּלֶךְ
3ms (ילד)	יֵלֵד	וַיֵּלֶד
3mp (הלך)	יֵלְכוּ	וַיֵּלְכוּ

Key marker: Tsere under waw-consecutive prefix consonant: וַיֵּ– (not וַיִּ–).

I-נ roots (e.g., נתן)

Person	Imperfect	Wayyiqtol
3ms	יִתֵּן	וַיִּתֵּן
3fs	תִּתֵּן	וַתִּתֵּן
3mp	יִתְּנוּ	וַיִּתְּנוּ

Key marker: Dagesh forte in R2 from nun assimilation — same in both Imperfect and Wayyiqtol.

I-aleph roots (e.g., אמר — the most frequent wayyiqtol)

Person	Imperfect	Wayyiqtol
3ms	יֹאמַר	וַיֹּאמֶר
3fs	תֹּאמַר	וַתֹּאמֶר
3mp	יֹאמְרוּ	וַיֹּאמְרוּ
1cs	אֹמַר	וָאֹמַר

Key marker: Holem under prefix (not hireq); seghol under mem in wayyiqtol 3ms: וַיֹּאמֶר.

Geminate roots (e.g., סבב)

Person	Imperfect	Wayyiqtol
3ms	יִסֹּב / יָסֹב	וַיָּ֫סׇּב
3mp	יִסֹּבּוּ	וַיִּסֹּבּוּ

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Weqatal — Strong Verb (שמר)

The weqatal is morphologically identical to the perfect + conjunction וְ. Stress shifts to the ultima (final syllable) in multi-syllable forms.

Person	Perfect	Weqatal	Stress
3ms	שָׁמַר	וְשָׁמַר	no shift (monosyllabic stem)
3fs	שָׁמְרָה	וְשָׁמְרָה	—
2ms	שָׁמַ֫רְתָּ	וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֫	shifts to tā
2fs	שָׁמַ֫רְתְּ	וְשָׁמַרְתְּ֫
1cs	שָׁמַ֫רְתִּי	וְשָׁמַרְתִּ֫י	shifts to tî
3cp	שָׁמְרוּ	וְשָׁמְרוּ	—
2mp	שְׁמַרְתֶּ֫ם	וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֫ם	waw → וּ before shewa
2fp	שְׁמַרְתֶּ֫ן	וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֫ן	waw → וּ before shewa
1cp	שָׁמַ֫רְנוּ	וְשָׁמַרְנוּ֫	shifts to nû

Key marker: Context — weqatal follows an imperfect, imperative, or jussive and carries future/consequential sense. Stress on the final syllable (distinguished from perfect's penultimate stress in oral reading).

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Weqatal with Weak Roots (selected)

III-ה root (עשה)

Person	Perfect	Weqatal
2ms	עָשִׂ֫יתָ	וְעָשִׂיתָ֫
1cs	עָשִׂ֫יתִי	וְעָשִׂיתִ֫י
3ms	עָשָׂה	וְעָשָׂה

I-נ root (נתן)

Person	Perfect	Weqatal
2ms	נָתַ֫תָּ	וְנָתַתָּ֫
1cs	נָתַ֫תִּי	וְנָתַתִּ֫י

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Summary

Form	Prefix	Dagesh in prefix?	Vowel under prefix	Stress
Imperfect	יִ/תִּ/אֶ/נִ	—	hireq (usually)	penult
Wayyiqtol	וַ +	Yes (except aleph/resh)	like jussive/short Impf.	penult
Perfect	—	—	qamets (R1)	penult
Weqatal	וְ/וּ +	—	like perfect	ultima

Quick ID mnemonic

• See וַ + dagesh? → Wayyiqtol (sequential past)
• See וְ + perfect pattern, future context? → Weqatal (sequential future)
• No waw prefix, imperfect pattern? → Simple Imperfect
• No waw prefix, perfect pattern, past context? → Perfect (qatal)