Chapter 18 — Qal Imperative Parsing Drill

For each form: (a) Conjugation, (b) Person, (c) Number, (d) Gender, (e) Root. Click ▶ Answer to reveal; click again to hide.

Part A — Strong and Common Roots

All forms are Qal Imperative. Parse the PGN and identify the root.

#FormConjugationPersonNumberGenderRoot
1שְׁמֹר
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineשמר — Strong A-class; Shewa + Holem; "Guard!"
2שִׁמְרִי
Imperative2ndSingularFeminineשמר — + ִי suffix (Hireq-Yod)
3שִׁמְרוּ
Imperative2ndPluralMasculineשמר — + וּ suffix (Shureq)
4שְׁמֹרְנָה
Imperative2ndPluralFeminineשמר — + נָה suffix
5שְׁמַע
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineשמע — B-class; gutt. R3 forces Pathach instead of Holem; "Hear!"
6שִׁמְעוּ
Imperative2ndPluralMasculineשמע — B-class 2mp; + וּ suffix
7זְכֹר
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineזכר — Strong A-class; "Remember!" — frequent in Deuteronomy
8חֲזַק
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineחזק — I-gutt. Hateph under ח; B-class Pathach; "Be strong!" (Deu 31:6)
9כְּתֹב
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineכתב — Strong A-class; "Write!"
10קְרָא
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineקרא — III-א; Qamets before quiescent aleph; "Call / Read!"

Part B — Weak Root Imperatives

#FormConjugationPersonNumberGenderRootWeak Class
11לֵךְ
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineהלךI-י — Extremely short; Tsere; ה of הלך absent; "Go!"
12לְכוּ
Imperative2ndPluralMasculineהלךI-י — + וּ; Shewa under ל
13עֲשֵׂה
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineעשהIII-ה + I-gutt. — ה retained in 2ms; Hateph under ע; "Do / Make!"
14עֲשׂוּ
Imperative2ndPluralMasculineעשהIII-ה + I-gutt. — ה drops before -וּ
15רְאֵה
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineראהIII-ה — ה retained; Tsere before ה; "See!"
16קוּם
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineקוםBiconsonantal — Full Shureq vowel retained; "Arise!"
17קוּמִי
Imperative2ndSingularFeminineקוםBiconsonantal — + ִי suffix
18בֹּא
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineבואBiconsonantal — Holem-waw; aleph quiesces; "Come / Enter!"
19שׁוּב
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineשובBiconsonantal — Full Shureq retained; "Return!"
20שֵׁב
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineישבI-י — Short form; Tsere; yod absent; "Sit / Dwell!"
21צֵא
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineיצאI-י + III-א — Tsere; aleph quiesces at R3; "Go out!"
22תֵּן
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineנתןI-נ — Both nuns drop/assimilate; very short; "Give!"
23תְּנוּ
Imperative2ndPluralMasculineנתןI-נ — + וּ suffix
24אֱמֹר
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineאמרI-aleph — Hateph-Seghol under aleph; "Say!"
25קַח
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineלקחI-י — Short form; from יִקַּח; "Take!"

Part C — Disambiguation: Imperative, Imperfect, or Jussive?

Key rule: Positive commands use the Imperative (no prefix). Negative commands never use the Imperative — they use אַל + Jussive (immediate prohibition) or לֹא + Imperfect (permanent prohibition).
#FormForm TypePersonNumberGenderRoot
26שְׁמֹר
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineשמר — No prefix; direct positive command
27יִשְׁמֹר
Imperfect3rdSingularMasculineשמר — יִ– prefix; not a command; "he will keep"
28אַל־יִשְׁמֹר
Jussive (with אַל)3rdSingularMasculineשמר — אַל + Jussive = negative prohibition; "let him not keep"
29לְכוּ
Imperative2ndPluralMasculineהלך — No prefix; I-י imperative 2mp; "Go!" (pl.)
30יֵלְכוּ
Imperfect3rdPluralMasculineהלך — יֵ– prefix; I-י imperfect 3mp; "they will go"
31עֲשֵׂה
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineעשה — No prefix; III-ה 2ms; ה retained; "Do / Make!"
32יַעַשׂ
Jussive / Imperfect3rdSingularMasculineעשה — III-ה short form; context determines Jussive vs. Imperfect; "he will do / let him do"
33אַל־תַּעַשׂ
Jussive (with אַל)2ndSingularMasculineעשה — אַל + Jussive 2ms; "Do not do!" — note: NOT Imperative; Hebrew uses Jussive for negated commands
34בֹּא
Imperative2ndSingularMasculineבוא — No prefix; biconsonantal 2ms; "Come / Enter!"
35יָבֹא
Imperfect3rdSingularMasculineבוא — יָ– prefix; biconsonantal imperfect; "he will come"