Verb Imperfect

Summary

An Imperfect verb is used generally to indicate an action that is not complete, or an action that either occurs in the present or will occur in the future. However, an Imperfect verb can also be used to describe other kinds of actions.

Article

In Biblical Hebrew the Imperfect conjugation is used generally to describe actions that are not completed or actions that occur in the present or future. However, the Imperfect conjugation is also used to describe several other kinds of actions as determined by the context. These include frequentive or durative actions, negative commands, indirect commands, potential actions, and actions of greater or lesser desirability (similar to Jussive verbs and Cohortative verbs).

The normal Imperfect conjugation with the conjunction waw (וְ “and”) as a prefix is different from the Sequential Imperfect, which utilizes a specialized form of the conjunction and contains a different meaning. Sometimes a verb with Imperfect conjugation occurs within a clause after another finite verb (as in Gen 49:27 below, supplying the linking verb to be). In these cases, the context must determine whether the Imperfect verb is functioning as a non-finite verb to complement the preceding main verb, or whether it is functioning as a second main verb.

Form

Qal Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יִקְטֹל	yiqtol	he will kill
feminine singular third person	תִּקְטֹל	tiqtol	she will kill
masculine singular second person	תִּקְטֹל	tiqtol	you will kill
feminine singular second person	תִּקְטְלִי	tiqteli	you will kill
common singular first person	אֶקְטֹל	‘eqtol	I will kill
masculine plural third person	יִקְטְלוּ	yiqtelu	they will kill
feminine plural third person	תִּקְטֹלְנָה	tiqtolenah	they will kill
masculine plural second person	תִּקְטְלוּ	tiqtelu	you will kill
feminine plural second person	תִּקְטֹלְנָה	tiqtolenah	you will kill
common plural first person	נִקְטֹל	niqtol	we will kill

Niphal Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יִקָּטֵל	yiqqatel	he will be killed
feminine singular third person	תִּקָּטֵל	tiqqatel	she will be killed
masculine singular second person	תִּקָּטֵל	tiqqatel	you will be killed
feminine singular second person	תִּקָּטְלִי	tiqqatli	you will be killed
common singular first person	אֶקָּטֵל	‘eqqatel	I will be killed
masculine plural third person	יִקָּטְלוּ	yiqqatlu	they will be killed
feminine plural third person	תִּקָּטַלְנָה	tiqqatalnah	they will be killed
masculine plural second person	תִּקָּטְלוּ	tiqqatlu	you will be killed
feminine plural second person	תִּקָּטַלְנָה	tiqqatalnah	you will be killed
common plural first person	נִקָּטֵל	niqqatel	we will be killed

Hiphil Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יַקְטִיל	yaqtil	he will cause to kill
feminine singular third person	תַּקְטִיל	taqtil	she will cause to kill
masculine singular second person	תַּקְטִיל	taqtil	you will cause to kill
feminine singular second person	תַּקְטִילִי	taqtili	you will cause to kill
common singular first person	אַקְטִיל	‘aqtil	I will cause to kill
masculine plural third person	יַקְטִילוּ	yaqtilu	they will cause to kill
feminine plural third person	תַּקְטֵלְנָה	taqtelenah	they will cause to kill
masculine plural second person	תַּקְטִילוּ	taqtilu	you will cause to kill
feminine plural second person	תַּקְטֵלְנָה	taqtelenah	you will cause to kill
common plural first person	נַקְטִיל	naqtil	we will cause to kill

Hophal Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יָקְטַל	yoqtal	he will be caused to kill
feminine singular third person	תָּקְטַל	toqtal	she will be caused to kill
masculine singular second person	תָּקְטַל	toqtal	you will be caused to kill
feminine singular second person	תָּקְטְלִי	toqteli	you will be caused to kill
common singular first person	אָקְטַל	‘oqtal	I will be caused to kill
masculine plural third person	יָקְטְלוּ	yoqtelu	they will be caused to kill
feminine plural third person	תָּקְטַלְנָה	toqtalnah	they will be caused to kill
masculine plural second person	תָּקְטְלוּ	toqtelu	you will be caused to kill
feminine plural second person	תָּקְטַלְנָה	toqtalnah	you will be caused to kill
common plural first person	נָקְטַל	noqtal	we will be caused to kill

Piel Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יְקַטֵּל	yiqattel	he will slaughter
feminine singular third person	תְּקַטֵּל	tiqattel	she will slaughter
masculine singular second person	תְּקַטֵּל	tiqattel	you will slaughter
feminine singular second person	תְּקַטְּלִי	tiqatteli	you will slaughter
common singular first person	אֲקַטֵּל	‘eqattel	I will slaughter
masculine plural third person	יְקַטְּלוּ	yiqattelu	they will slaughter
feminine plural third person	תְּקַטַּלְנָה	tiqattalnah	they will slaughter
masculine plural second person	תְּקַטְּלוּ	tiqattelu	you will slaughter
feminine plural second person	תְּקַטַּלְנָה	tiqattalnah	you will slaughter
common plural first person	נְקַטֵּל	niqattel	we will slaughter

Pual Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יְקֻטַּל	yequttal	he will be slaughtered
feminine singular third person	תְּקֻטַּל	tequttal	she will be slaughtered
masculine singular second person	תְּקֻטַּל	tequttal	you will be slaughtered
feminine singular second person	תְּקֻטְּלִי	tequtteli	you will be slaughtered
common singular first person	אֲקֻטַּל	‘aquttal	I will be slaughtered
masculine plural third person	יְקֻטְּלוּ	yequttelu	they will be slaughtered
feminine plural third person	תְּקֻטַּלְנָה	tequttalnah	they will be slaughtered
masculine plural second person	תְּקֻטְּלוּ	tequttelu	you will be slaughtered
feminine plural second person	תְּקֻטַּלְנָה	tequttalnah	you will be slaughtered
common plural first person	נְקֻטַּל	nequttal	we will be slaughtered

Hithpael Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יִתְקַטֵּל	yithqattel	he will kill himself
feminine singular third person	תִּתְקַטֵּל	tithqattel	she will kill herself
masculine singular second person	תִּתְקַטֵּל	tithqattel	you will kill yourself
feminine singular second person	תִּתְקַטְּלִי	tithqatteli	you will kill yourself
common singular first person	אֶתְקַטֵּל	‘ethqattel	I will kill myself
masculine plural third person	יִתְקַטְּלוּ	yithqattelu	they will kill themselves
feminine plural third person	תִּתְקַטֵּלְנָה	tithqattelnah	they will kill themselves
masculine plural second person	תִּתְקַטְּלוּ	tithqattelu	you will kill yourselves
feminine plural second person	תִּתְקַטֵּלְנָה	tithqattelnah	you will kill yourselves
common plural first person	נִתְקַטֵּל	nithqattel	we will kill ourselves

Function

The Imperfect conjugation can indicate any of the following kinds of actions:

Actions in future time

Example: JER 43:13

וְאֶת־בָּתֵּ֥י אֱלֹהֵֽי־מִצְרַ֖יִם יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ

we’eth-botte ‘elohe-mitsrayim yisrof ba’esh

and-[dir.obj]_houses-of gods-of_Egypt he-burns in-the-fire

He will burn the temples of Egypt’s gods.

Actions in present time

Example: GEN 32:30

לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י

lammah zeh tish’al lishmi

why this you-ask for-my-name

Why is it that you ask my name?

Frequentive or durative actions

These may be in past time, present time, future time, or without a specified time frame.

Example: GEN 49:27

בִּנְיָמִין֙ זְאֵ֣ב יִטְרָ֔ף

binyamin ze’ev yitraf

Benjamin wolf he-tears

Benjamin is a hungry wolf.

Example: JER 43:12

כַּאֲשֶׁר־יַעְטֶ֤ה הָֽרֹעֶה֙ אֶת־בִּגְד֔וֹ

ka’asher-ya’teh haro’eh ‘eth-bigdo

as-how_he-picks-clean the-shepherd [dir.obj]_his-garment

just as shepherds clean vermin off their clothes

Direct negative commands (with לֹא to express an emphatic prohibition)

Example: JER 43:2

לֹֽא־תָבֹ֥אוּ מִצְרַ֖יִם לָג֥וּר שָֽׁם

lo-thavo’u mitsrayim lagur sham

not_you-go Egypt to-sojourn there

Do not go to Egypt to live there.

Potential actions

Example: PSA 23:4

גַּ֤ם כִּֽי־אֵלֵ֨ךְ בְּגֵ֪יא צַלְמָ֡וֶת

gam ki-‘elekh bege tsalmaweth

even if_I-walk in-valley-of deep-darkness

Even though I walk through a valley of darkest shadow

Actions of greater or lesser desirability

These may include instructions, requests, permissions, invitations, assurances, wishes, etc.

Example: GEN 3:16

מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל׃

mikkol ‘ets-haggan ‘akhol tokhel

from-every tree-of_the-garden eating you-eat

From every tree in the garden you may freely eat.