Chapter 33 — Pual Weak-Form Identification Drill

BBH Chapter 33 · Pual Weak Verbs

For each form: (1) identify the weak class, (2) parse (conjugation + PGN), (3) identify the root.

ClassKey diagnostic signal in Pual
III-hePual Qibbuts + dagesh in R2 preserved; III-he endings: Qamets + ה (perfect 3ms); Shureq (וּ) in 3mp; ה drops in apocopated forms
I-nunNun (R1) assimilates into dagesh forte in R2 in the Pual — contrast Piel where nun stays; the dagesh in R2 serves double duty: Pual stem marker + assimilated nun
I-gutturalGuttural R1 (א/ה/ח/ע) may reject simple Shewa; Holem (אֹ) or Qamets (ָ) can appear through compensatory lengthening; dagesh forte in R2 retained when possible
GeminateR2=R3; Pual dagesh forte in R2 doubles the already-doubled consonant; pattern mirrors Piel Geminate; composite Shewa before vocalic endings
Key distinction: In I-nun roots, the Piel retains the nun (יְנַחֵם — nun visible) but the Pual assimilates the nun into the dagesh in R2 (נֻכָּה — nun gone, dagesh in כ has double duty). The Pual follows the same assimilation rule as Qal/Hiphil.

Part A — By Class

Group 1 — III-he
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
1יְכֻלּוּGen 2:1
Wayyiqtol3mpכָּלָה  ·  were finished/completed; Qibbuts under כ + dagesh forte in ל; III-he Pual 3mp Shureq ending; "thus the heavens and earth were completed"
2יְכֻסּוּGen 7:19
Wayyiqtol3mpכָּסָה  ·  were covered; Qibbuts under כ + dagesh forte in ס; III-he Pual 3mp Shureq ending; "all the high mountains were covered"
3כֻּסָּהExo 15:5
Perfect3msכָּסָה  ·  it was covered; Qibbuts under כ + dagesh forte in ס; III-he Pual perfect 3ms: Qamets + ה ending; Song of the Sea
4צֻוֵּיתָGen 45:19
Perfect2msצָוָה  ·  you have been commanded; Qibbuts under צ + dagesh forte in ו (R2); III-he Pual perfect 2ms: Tsere-yod vowel letter before תָ suffix; Pharaoh to Joseph's brothers
5כֻּלָּהIsa 24:10
Perfect3fsכָּלָה  ·  it was devastated/finished; Qibbuts under כ + dagesh forte in ל; III-he Pual perfect 3fs: Qamets + ה ending (same as 3ms for III-he roots — context/gender of subject determines)
Group 2 — I-nun
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
6נֻכָּהExo 9:31
Perfect3fsנָכָה  ·  it was struck; nun assimilated → dagesh forte in כ (R2); Qibbuts under נ position visible; III-he: Qamets + ה ending; "the flax and barley were struck" (plague of hail)
7נֻכּוּExo 9:32
Perfect3cpנָכָה  ·  they were not struck; nun assimilated → dagesh forte in כ; III-he Pual 3cp: Shureq ending; "but the wheat and spelt were not struck"
8נֻתַּץJdg 6:28
Perfect3msנָתַץ  ·  was torn down/demolished; nun assimilated → dagesh forte in ת (R2); Qibbuts under נ position; Pathach final — Pual perfect 3ms; Gideon's father's altar was demolished
9יֻכַּה2 Sam 11:15
Imperfect3msנָכָה  ·  let him be struck down; nun assimilated → dagesh forte in כ; Qibbuts under יּ prefix; III-he Pual imperfect; David's command to expose Uriah in battle
Group 3 — I-guttural
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
10עֻבַּדDan 3:12
Perfect3msעָבַד  ·  it was served/worshipped; Qibbuts under ע (I-guttural: ע accepts Qibbuts); dagesh forte in ב (R2); Pathach final; the accusation: the idol was not served by these men
11אֹרָשָׂהExo 22:15
Perfect3fsאָרַשׂ  ·  she was betrothed; I-aleph + ר (both reject dagesh forte): chain compensatory lengthening produces Holem (אֹ) under א; Qamets under ר; III-he: Qamets + ה fs ending
12הֻמַּתJdg 6:30
Perfect3msמוּתhe must be put to death; Hophal, not Pual: the הֻ- prefix (Qibbuts under ה) is the Hophal marker, not Pual; compare Pual which has Qibbuts directly under R1
Group 4 — Geminate
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
13מְהֻלָּלPs 18:4
Participlemsהָלַל  ·  worthy of praise; Pual passive participle: מְ + Qibbuts under הֻ (R1) + dagesh forte in ל (R2=R3 Geminate) + Tsere; "The LORD is worthy of praise"
14גֻּנַּבGen 40:15
Perfect3msגָּנַב  ·  was stolen; Qibbuts under ג + dagesh forte in נ (R2); Pathach final — Pual perfect 3ms; Joseph to the cupbearer: "I was indeed stolen from the land of the Hebrews"
15יְאֻשַּׁרPs 41:3
Imperfect3msאָשַׁר  ·  he will be called blessed/happy; Qibbuts under א (I-aleph accepts Qibbuts); dagesh forte in שׁ (R2); Pathach final — Pual imperfect; "Happy is he who considers the poor"

Part B — Mixed

Identify the weak class first, then parse fully.

#FormReferenceWeak classConjugationPGNRoot
16נֻכָּהExo 9:31
I-nun + III-hePerfect3fsנָכָה
17יְכֻסּוּGen 7:20
III-heWayyiqtol3mpכָסָה
18כֻּלָּהIsa 24:10
III-hePerfect3fsכָלָה
19גֻּנַּבGen 40:15
StrongPerfect3msגָּנַב
20יֻכַּה2 Sam 11:15
I-nun + III-heImperfect3msנָכָה
21צֻוֵּיתָGen 45:19
III-hePerfect2msצָוָה
22מְהֻלָּלPs 18:4
GeminateParticiplemsהָלַל
23עֻבַּדDan 3:12
I-gutturalPerfect3msעָבַד
24נֻתַּץJdg 6:28
I-nunPerfect3msנָתַץ
25כֻּסָּהExo 15:5
III-hePerfect3msכָסָה

Discussion Questions

  1. Items 1–2 (כָּלָה and כָּסָה, both III-he Pual wayyiqtol 3mp) end in the Shureq (וּ) plural ending. Compare these to the Piel wayyiqtol 3mp of the same roots. Does the Pual 3mp ending differ from the Piel 3mp ending? What changes between Piel and Pual in these III-he forms, and what stays the same?
  2. Items 6–9 (I-nun Pual) show nun assimilating into a dagesh forte in R2. In the Piel of the same I-nun roots (e.g., יְנַחֵם from נָחַם), the nun does NOT assimilate. Explain the difference in behavior. What is the structural reason the Piel retains the nun while the Pual allows assimilation?
  3. Item 11 (אֹרָשָׂה, I-aleph Pual): the expected Pual Qibbuts under R1 does not appear in the expected place. Instead there is a Holem (אֹ). Explain the chain of compensatory lengthening that produces this unusual vowel. Consider: what normally happens under R1 in the Pual, and then what happens when both R1 (aleph) and R2 (resh) reject the dagesh forte?
  4. How would you distinguish a Pual perfect 3ms (e.g., כֻּסָּה from כָּסָה) from a Niphal perfect 3ms (e.g., נִגְלָה from גָּלָה)? List two features that differentiate them, independent of root identification.