Chapter 31 — Stem Identification Drill (Weak Roots)¶
BBH Chapter 31 · Piel Weak Verbs
Instructions¶
Below are 25 Hebrew verb forms from weak roots (ברך, גלה, צוה, חזק). For each form, identify:
- Root
- Stem — Qal / Niphal / Hiphil / Hophal / Piel
- Conjugation — Perfect / Imperfect / Wayyiqtol / Imperative / Participle
- PGN — Person-Gender-Number (where applicable)
Leave the answer columns blank, then check your work against the answer key below.
Key markers for weak roots:
- I-Guttural (ברך, חזק): Piel R2 cannot take dagesh — watch for virtual doubling (longer vowel before R2 instead of dagesh); or in some forms, the guttural itself affects the surrounding vowels.
- III-ה (גלה, צוה): Piel perfect 3ms ends in ָּה (Qamets + dagesh-he). Qal perfect 3ms ends in ָה (Qamets-he, no dagesh). Hiphil prefix הִ identifies Hiphil. Niphal shows assimilated נ or נִ prefix. Hophal prefix הֻ (u-class) identifies Hophal passive.
- Wayyiqtol: waw + Pathach (וַ) + prefix; the dagesh in the prefix consonant marks wayyiqtol for Qal; Piel wayyiqtol keeps Shewa under prefix.
Exercise Table¶
| # | Hebrew | Root | Stem | Conjugation | PGN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | בֵּרַךְ | ||||
| 2 | בָּרַךְ | ||||
| 3 | גִּלָּה | ||||
| 4 | גָּלָה | ||||
| 5 | נִגְלָה | ||||
| 6 | הִגְלָה | ||||
| 7 | צִוָּה | ||||
| 8 | חִזֵּק | ||||
| 9 | חָזַק | ||||
| 10 | יְבָרֵךְ | ||||
| 11 | יְצַוֶּה | ||||
| 12 | יִגְלֶה | ||||
| 13 | יִגָּלֶה | ||||
| 14 | יְגַלֶּה | ||||
| 15 | יַגְלֶה | ||||
| 16 | וַיְבָרֶךְ | ||||
| 17 | וַיְצַו | ||||
| 18 | וַיִּגֶּל | ||||
| 19 | בָּרֵךְ | ||||
| 20 | גַּל | ||||
| 21 | גַּלֵּה | ||||
| 22 | מְבָרֵךְ | ||||
| 23 | מְגַלֶּה | ||||
| 24 | גֹּלֶה | ||||
| 25 | הֻגְלָה |
Answer Key¶
| # | Hebrew | Root | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | בֵּרַךְ | ברך | Piel | Perfect | 3ms | I-guttural ב: virtual dagesh (Tsere lengthened before R2); Hireq–Tsere vowels |
| 2 | בָּרַךְ | ברך | Qal | Perfect | 3ms | No dagesh; Qamets–Pathach = standard Qal perfect |
| 3 | גִּלָּה | גלה | Piel | Perfect | 3ms | Dagesh in ל (R2) + III-ה ending ָּה; Hireq under ג |
| 4 | גָּלָה | גלה | Qal | Perfect | 3ms | No dagesh in ל; Qamets–Qamets-he = Qal III-ה perfect 3ms |
| 5 | נִגְלָה | גלה | Niphal | Perfect | 3ms | נִ prefix + Qamets under ל = Niphal III-ה perfect 3ms |
| 6 | הִגְלָה | גלה | Hiphil | Perfect | 3ms | הִ prefix + Qamets = Hiphil III-ה perfect 3ms (III-ה contracts rather than taking Hireq-Yod) |
| 7 | צִוָּה | צוה | Piel | Perfect | 3ms | III-ה root (ה contracts); dagesh in וּ (R2); Hireq under צ = Piel |
| 8 | חִזֵּק | חזק | Piel | Perfect | 3ms | Guttural ח at R1; dagesh in ז (R2); Hireq–Tsere = Piel. ח cannot take dagesh, but R2 ז can |
| 9 | חָזַק | חזק | Qal | Perfect | 3ms | No dagesh in ז; Qamets–Pathach = Qal perfect; ח guttural at R1 |
| 10 | יְבָרֵךְ | ברך | Piel | Imperfect | 3ms | Shewa + compensatory Qamets under ב (virtual dagesh for I-guttural) + Tsere = Piel imperfect |
| 11 | יְצַוֶּה | צוה | Piel | Imperfect | 3ms | Shewa prefix + dagesh in וּ + Tsere-He (ֶּה) ending = Piel III-ה imperfect |
| 12 | יִגְלֶה | גלה | Qal | Imperfect | 3ms | Hireq prefix; no dagesh in ג; Seghol + III-ה he = Qal III-ה imperfect |
| 13 | יִגָּלֶה | גלה | Niphal | Imperfect | 3ms | Hireq prefix; dagesh in ג (assimilated נ); Qamets–Seghol = Niphal III-ה imperfect |
| 14 | יְגַלֶּה | גלה | Piel | Imperfect | 3ms | Shewa prefix; dagesh in ל (R2); Seghol + he = Piel III-ה imperfect |
| 15 | יַגְלֶה | גלה | Hiphil | Imperfect | 3ms | Pathach prefix (יַ); no dagesh in ל; Seghol = Hiphil III-ה imperfect |
| 16 | וַיְבָרֶךְ | ברך | Piel | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | Waw + Shewa under יְ (no dagesh in י = Piel wayyiqtol) + Piel imperfect vowels |
| 17 | וַיְצַו | צוה | Piel | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | Waw + Shewa under יְ + III-ה root contracts (ה drops in wayyiqtol) = Piel wayyiqtol |
| 18 | וַיִּגֶּל | גלה | Qal | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | Waw + dagesh in יּ (wayyiqtol marker); ה drops (apocope) = Qal wayyiqtol of III-ה |
| 19 | בָּרֵךְ | ברך | Piel | Imperative | 2ms | Qamets + Tsere; no prefix; I-guttural compensatory pattern = Piel imperative |
| 20 | גַּל | גלה | Qal | Imperative | 2ms | Apocopated (III-ה ה drops); Pathach under ג = Qal imperative of III-ה root |
| 21 | גַּלֵּה | גלה | Piel | Imperative | 2ms | Pathach + dagesh forte in ל + Tsere + he = Piel imperative of III-ה |
| 22 | מְבָרֵךְ | ברך | Piel | Participle | ms | מְ prefix + compensatory Qamets + Tsere; I-guttural lengthening before R2 |
| 23 | מְגַלֶּה | גלה | Piel | Participle | ms | מְ prefix + dagesh in ל + III-ה ending = Piel participle of III-ה |
| 24 | גֹּלֶה | גלה | Qal | Participle | ms | Holem under ג; no מ prefix; III-ה ending = Qal active participle of III-ה |
| 25 | הֻגְלָה | גלה | Hophal | Perfect | 3ms | הֻ prefix (u-class Qibbuts = Hophal passive marker) + III-ה ending = Hophal III-ה perfect. Passive of Hiphil. |