# Piel Paradigm Tables — דִּבֵּר

Piel paradigm root: דִּבֵּר (to speak) — strong triliteral, denominative
With Qal reference column for comparison

## Perfect (Qatal)

Person | Qal (ref.) | Piel (דבר)
--- | --- | ---
3ms | קָטַל | דִּבֵּר
3fs | קָטְלָה | דִּבְּרָה
2ms | קָטַלְתָּ | דִּבַּרְתָּ
2fs | קָטַלְתְּ | דִּבַּרְתְּ
1cs | קָטַלְתִּי | דִּבַּרְתִּי
3cp | קָטְלוּ | דִּבְּרוּ
2mp | קְטַלְתֶּם | דִּבַּרְתֶּם
2fp | קְטַלְתֶּן | דִּבַּרְתֶּן
1cp | קָטַלְנוּ | דִּבַּרְנוּ

> Key marker: Hireq (ִ) under R1 + Dagesh Forte in R2 + Tsere (ֵ) under R2 in 3ms/3fs. The dagesh in R2 is the single most reliable Piel identifier across all conjugations.

## Imperfect (Yiqtol)

Person | Qal (ref.) | Piel
--- | --- | ---
3ms | יִקְטֹל | יְדַבֵּר
3fs | תִּקְטֹל | תְּדַבֵּר
2ms | תִּקְטֹל | תְּדַבֵּר
2fs | תִּקְטְלִי | תְּדַבְּרִי
1cs | אֶקְטֹל | אֲדַבֵּר
3mp | יִקְטְלוּ | יְדַבְּרוּ
3fp | תִּקְטֹלְנָה | תְּדַבֵּרְנָה
2mp | תִּקְטְלוּ | תְּדַבְּרוּ
2fp | תִּקְטֹלְנָה | תְּדַבֵּרְנָה
1cp | נִקְטֹל | נְדַבֵּר

> Key marker: Shewa under prefix + Patach under R1 + dagesh in R2 + Tsere under R2 (3ms). Prefix vowel is shewa (יְ, תְּ), except 1cs אֲ.

## Wayyiqtol

Person | Piel
--- | ---
3ms | וַיְדַבֵּר
3fs | וַתְּדַבֵּר
3mp | וַיְדַבְּרוּ
1cs | וָאֲדַבֵּר
1cp | וַנְּדַבֵּר

> Key marker: וַיְ prefix (patach + shewa). Contrast Qal וַיִּ and Hiphil וַיַּ — the shewa under the prefix consonant is diagnostic of the Piel.

## Weqatal

Person | Piel
--- | ---
3ms | וְדִבֶּר
3fs | וְדִבְּרָה
2ms | וְדִבַּרְתָּ
1cs | וְדִבַּרְתִּי
3cp | וְדִבְּרוּ

> Key marker: וְ + Perfect form. Follows Perfect inflection exactly.

## Imperative

Form | Piel
--- | ---
2ms | דַּבֵּר
2fs | דַּבְּרִי
2mp | דַּבְּרוּ
2fp | דַּבֵּרְנָה

> Key marker: Patach (ַ) under R1 + Dagesh Forte in R2 + Tsere under R2 (2ms). Form is identical to the Infinitive Construct — context and prefixed prepositions distinguish them.

## Infinitive Construct

Form | Piel | Notes
--- | --- | ---
Base | דַּבֵּר | identical to Imperative 2ms
+ לְ | לְדַבֵּר |
+ בְּ | בְּדַבֵּר | temporal: "when speaking"

> Key marker: Patach under R1 + dagesh in R2 + Tsere. Prepositions (לְ, בְּ, כְּ) almost always signal the Inf. Construct rather than the Imperative.

## Infinitive Absolute

Form | Piel
--- | ---
Standard | דַּבֵּר

> Key marker: Same form as Imperative/Inf. Construct. Used in cognate constructions: דַּבֵּר יְדַבֵּר "he will certainly speak."

## Participle (Active)

Form | Piel
--- | ---
ms | מְדַבֵּר
fs | מְדַבֶּרֶת
mp | מְדַבְּרִים
fp | מְדַבְּרוֹת

> Key marker: מְ prefix + Patach under R1 + dagesh in R2 + Tsere under R2 (ms). The מְ prefix is shared with the Hiphil participle — the dagesh in R2 distinguishes Piel from Hiphil (no dagesh in Hiphil R2).

## Summary: Qal vs. Piel at a Glance

Conjugation | Qal marker | Piel marker
--- | --- | ---
Perfect 3ms | קָטַל | דִּ + dagesh + Tsere
Imperfect 3ms | יִקְטֹל (no dagesh in R2) | יְ + Patach + dagesh + Tsere
Wayyiqtol | וַיִּ prefix | וַיְ prefix
Weqatal | וְקָ | וְדִ
Imperative 2ms | no prefix | דַּ + dagesh + Tsere
Inf. Construct | קְטֹל | דַּבֵּר
Inf. Absolute | קָטוֹל | דַּבֵּר
Participle ms | קֹטֵל | מְדַבֵּר

The single most reliable Piel identifier: Dagesh Forte in R2 (the middle root consonant).