Hebrew

Verb System
Midway Overview

Fientive and Stative

Semantic Value: Fientive (action); Stative (status, quality)

Morphology

Perfect Fientive Perfect Stative

theme vowel: a-class theme vowel: any-class
a-class: lf'q ; i-class: alem ;

mixed: dbeK ; , yTidb'K ;

u-class: lkoy :

a-class: dm'l ; , [d"y :

Fientive and Stative

Semantic Value: Fientive (action); Stative (status, quality)

Morphology

Imperfect Fientive Imperfect Stative
theme vowel theme vowel: any-class
strong verb: u-class strong verb: a-class
u-class: lfoq]y I a-class: dm'l]y I , dB'ky] I
weak verbs: any-class weak verbs: any-class
u-class: Wqy:I, a/by:, bsoy :
u-class: vboyE , VyI
i-class: TeyI, ht,v]yI, rm,ayo i-class: hy<hy
] I
a-class: rj'b]y I a-class: bh'ay < , v'yE

 Timeframe

Fientive Stative
past (past action viewed as past (past state viewed as
Perfect complete or as a whole) complete)
(complete) present (a state is
complete in the present)
present (an action in
Imperfect
progress is incomplete)
(not
future (future action future (state viewed as
complete)
viewed as incomplete) incomplete in the future)

 English Perspective on Timeframe

Past Present Future
Pf., inf.+b, yhiyw" noun clause Impf.
Preterite ptc. Vav+Pf. consec.
(vayyiqtol) pf. stative (veqatal)
impf. fientive
*pf. fientive if
perfective*
Background/ Offline Background/ Offline

 Modality

Indicative Mode Non-indicative
Past, Present, Future pf. and impf. Volitional forms
(see previous chart)
marked constructions 1st person
e.g. ai if, etc. cohortative + h;
sequences 2nd person
e.g. vav+Impf for imperative prefix
purpose
iso/context 3rd, 2nd, 1st person
e.g. Impf. for jussive accent up
obligation