Chapter 19 — Pael Stem Drill

Basics of Biblical Aramaic, Van Pelt — Ch19: The Pael Stem

Instructions

For each numbered Pael verb form from Daniel or Ezra, enter: Conjugation (Perfect / Imperfect / Imperative / Infinitive / Participle), Root (3 consonants, Peal 3ms form), PGN (Person-Gender-Number, or N/A for infinitive), and Translation. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the answer key row.

Pael marker (all forms): dagesh forte in R2 — present in every Pael conjugation.    Perfect: patach + dagesh-tsere in R2; 3ms = קַטֵּל.    Imperfect: יְ- prefix (shewa, NOT hireq — contrast Peal יִ-).    Infinitive: לְקַטָּלָה (לְ prefix + dagesh + qamets in R2 + ָה suffix).    Active participle: מְ- prefix + dagesh-tsere in R2.    Passive participle: מְ- prefix + dagesh-patach in R2.    III-he imperfect: ends in -ֵא; III-he participle: ends in -ֶה.
# Form Conjugation Root PGN Translation
1
שַׁבַּח
Conj: Perfect  |  Root: שׁבח  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Trans: he praised (patach + dagesh-tsere in ב = Pael perfect 3ms)
2
יְשַׁבַּח
Conj: Imperfect  |  Root: שׁבח  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Trans: he will praise (יְ- prefix = Pael imperfect; contrast Peal יִ-)
3
מְשַׁבַּח
Conj: Participle (active)  |  Root: שׁבח  |  PGN: ms  |  Trans: praising (מְ- prefix + dagesh-tsere in ב = Pael active participle; Dan. 2:23)
4
שַׁבְּחֵת
Conj: Perfect  |  Root: שׁבח  |  PGN: 1cs  |  Trans: I praised (ֵת suffix = 1cs; Dan. 4:34: "and I praised and honored…")
5
שַׁבַּחוּ
Conj: Perfect  |  Root: שׁבח  |  PGN: 3mp  |  Trans: they praised (וּ suffix = 3mp perfect; note dagesh forte in ב retained)
6
בָּרֵךְ
Conj: Perfect  |  Root: ברך  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Trans: he blessed (Dan. 2:19: "Daniel blessed the God of heaven"; dagesh forte in ר = Pael)
7
יְבָרֵךְ
Conj: Imperfect  |  Root: ברך  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Trans: he will bless (יְ- prefix = Pael imperfect 3ms; dagesh forte in ר)
8
מְבָרֵךְ
Conj: Participle (active)  |  Root: ברך  |  PGN: ms  |  Trans: blessing (מְ- prefix + dagesh-tsere in ר = Pael active participle ms; contrast Peal passive ptcp בָּרִיךְ)
9
חַוִּי
Conj: Perfect  |  Root: חוה  |  PGN: 3ms (III-he)  |  Trans: he showed / declared (III-he root; dagesh forte in ו; final yod is R3-he weakened)
10
יְחַוֵּא
Conj: Imperfect  |  Root: חוה  |  PGN: 3ms (III-he)  |  Trans: he will declare / show (יְ- = Pael imperfect; ‑ֵא = III-he imperfect ending; Dan. 2:4)
11
מְחַוֶּה
Conj: Participle (active)  |  Root: חוה  |  PGN: ms (III-he)  |  Trans: declaring / showing (מְ- prefix + ‑ֶה = III-he active participle; used throughout Daniel 2)
12
נְחַוֵּא
Conj: Imperfect  |  Root: חוה  |  PGN: 1cp  |  Trans: we will declare / show (נְ- prefix = 1cp Pael imperfect; Dan. 2:7: "we will declare its interpretation")
13
שַׁבַּחְנָא
Conj: Perfect  |  Root: שׁבח  |  PGN: 1cp  |  Trans: we praised (‑נָא suffix = 1cp perfect; same suffix as Peal 1cp כְּתַבְנָא)
14
לְשַׁבָּחָה
Conj: Infinitive  |  Root: שׁבח  |  PGN: N/A  |  Trans: to praise (לְ prefix + dagesh forte + qamets in ב (R2) + ‑ָה suffix = Pael infinitive)
15
תְּשַׁבַּח
Conj: Imperfect  |  Root: שׁבח  |  PGN: 3fs / 2ms  |  Trans: she will praise / you (ms) will praise (תְּ- prefix = 3fs or 2ms Pael imperfect; context distinguishes)
16
קַבֵּל
Conj: Perfect  |  Root: קבל  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Trans: he received / accepted (Dan. 6:1: Darius received the kingdom; dagesh forte in ב = Pael)
17
יְקַבְּלוּן
Conj: Imperfect  |  Root: קבל  |  PGN: 3mp  |  Trans: they will receive (יְ- prefix + ‑וּן suffix = Pael imperfect 3mp; dagesh forte in ב retained before suffix)
18
שַׁלַּח
Conj: Perfect  |  Root: שׁלח  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Trans: he sent / dispatched (Dan. 3:28: "who sent his angel"; dagesh forte in ל = Pael; contrast Peal שְׁלַח)
19
מְקַטַּל
Conj: Participle (passive)  |  Root: קטל  |  PGN: ms  |  Trans: being killed / the one killed (מְ- prefix + dagesh-patach in ט = Pael passive ptcp; contrast active מְקַטֵּל with tsere)
20
יְרַבֵּא
Conj: Imperfect  |  Root: רבה  |  PGN: 3ms (III-he)  |  Trans: he will make great / magnify / exalt (יְ- = Pael imperfect; ‑ֵא = III-he ending; Pael causative: "to make great")

Reflection Questions

  1. Items 1 (שַׁבַּח) and 3 (מְשַׁבַּח) come from root שׁבח. Both are Pael, but different conjugations. What specific features distinguish the perfect 3ms from the active participle ms? Which feature is shared by both?
  2. In Daniel 3:28, בָּרִיךְ ("Blessed is…") is a Peal passive participle (qəṭīl). Item 8 (מְבָרֵךְ) is a Pael active participle. Explain the morphological difference between these two forms. What single feature most clearly marks the Pael?
  3. Items 10 (יְחַוֵּא) and 12 (נְחַוֵּא) are both Pael imperfects of חוה. (a) What do their prefixes tell you about PGN? (b) How does the III-he root affect the final form? (c) How would item 10 look as a Peal imperfect?
  4. Item 14 (לְשַׁבָּחָה) is an infinitive. What three morphological features identify it as a Pael infinitive? How does it differ from a Peal infinitive construct?
  5. Item 19 (מְקַטַּל) is a passive participle. How does its vocalization differ from the Pael active participle מְקַטֵּל? What shared feature confirms both are Pael?