Chapter 28 — Stem-ID Drill (Strong Roots)

BBH Chapter 28 · Qal, Niphal, Hiphil, and Hophal Stems

By Chapter 28 you have learned all four major stems: Qal, Niphal, Hiphil, and Hophal. This drill presents 24 forms drawn from four strong roots: שׁמר (keep/guard), קטל (kill), כתב (write), and פקד (appoint/muster). For each item: (1) select the stem from the dropdown, (2) select the conjugation and PGN, (3) enter the root and gloss. Click ▶ Answer to check your work.

Key identifiers — Qal: base root vowels; no special prefix. Perfect Qamets–Pathach; Imperfect Hireq–Holem; Participle Holem–Tsere (ms). · Niphal: נִ prefix in Perfect; dagesh-forte in R1 in Imperfect/Wayyiqtol; הִ + dagesh in Imperative/Inf. Abs.; נִ + Qamets in Participle. · Hiphil: הִ prefix (Perfect); a-class prefix vowel + chiriq-yod in 2nd position (Imperfect); הַ in Imperative/Inf. Abs. (= same form, context distinguishes); מַ + chiriq-yod in Participle. · Hophal: הָ prefix (Qamets Hatuf, o-class) in Perfect/Inf. Construct/Imperative; יָ prefix (o-class) in Imperfect/Wayyiqtol; מָ prefix in Participle.
# Hebrew Form Stem Conjugation PGN Root Gloss
1 שָׁמַר
QalPerfect3msשׁמרhe kept / he guarded
2 נִקְטַל
NiphalPerfect3msקטלhe was killed
3 הִפְקִיד
HiphilPerfect3msפקדhe appointed / he entrusted
4 הָכְתַב
HophalPerfect3msכתבit was caused to be written
5 כָּתַבְנוּ
QalPerfect1cpכתבwe wrote
6 הָפְקְדָה
HophalPerfect3fsפקדshe was appointed (by someone)
7 הִכְתִּיבָה
HiphilPerfect3fsכתבshe caused to write
8 נִפְקְדוּ
NiphalPerfect3cpפקדthey were appointed / mustered
9 יִשְׁמֹר
QalImperfect3msשׁמרhe will keep / he keeps
10 תַּשְׁמֵרְנָה
HiphilImperfect3fpשׁמרthey (f) will cause to keep
11 אֶפָּקֵד
NiphalImperfect1csפקדI will be appointed / I will be mustered
12 יָכְתַב
HophalImperfect3msכתבit will be caused to be written
13 וַנִּשְׁמֹר
QalWayyiqtol1cpשׁמרand we kept / and we guarded
14 וַיַּפְקֵד
HiphilWayyiqtol3msפקדand he appointed / and he entrusted
15 וַיִּכָּתֵב
NiphalWayyiqtol3msכתבand it was written / and he was enrolled
16 וַיָּכְתַב
HophalWayyiqtol3msכתבand it was caused to be written
17 שִׁמְרוּ
QalImperative2mpשׁמרKeep! Guard! (you all)
18 הַקְטֵל
HiphilImperative2msקטלCause to kill! (Hiphil Imper = Hiphil Inf. Abs. in strong roots)
19 הִפָּקֵד
NiphalImperative2msפקדBe appointed! / Report for duty!
20 הָשְׁמַר
HophalImperative2msשׁמרBe made to keep! (same form as Hophal Perfect 3ms — context distinguishes)
21 קָטֹל
QalInf. Absoluteקטלkilling (emphatic / used with finite verb)
22 הַשְׁמֵר
HiphilInf. Absoluteשׁמרcausing to keep (same form as Hiphil Imper 2ms — context distinguishes)
23 נִקְטָל
NiphalParticiplemsקטלbeing killed / one who is killed
24 מָקְטָל
HophalParticiplemsקטלbeing made to kill / one being caused to kill