# Qal Infinitive Absolute Paradigms

BBH Chapter 21 · Reference file

## Qal Infinitive Absolute — Strong Roots

The IA has one invariable form per root. It does not inflect for person, number, or gender, and it cannot take preposition prefixes or pronominal suffixes.

Root | IA Form | Pattern | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
שמר (guard) | שָׁמ֣וֹר | qamets + holem-waw + final cons. | Strong A-class; cf. IC שְׁמֹר (shewa)
כתב (write) | כָּת֣וֹב | qamets + holem-waw | Strong A-class
זכר (remember) | זָכ֕וֹר | qamets + holem-waw | Imperatival IA: Exo 20:8
פקד (visit) | פָּקֹ֨ד | qamets + holem (no waw) | Some strong IAs lack the waw; holem only
גאל (redeem) | גָּאֹ֖ל | qamets + holem | Leviticus legal formulas
אבד (perish) | אָבֹ֖ד | qamets + holem | Threat formula in Deuteronomy

> Key marker: Strong IA = qamets under R1 + holem (±waw) on R2. Contrast IC: shewa under R1 + holem. The vowel under R1 is the primary diagnostic.

## Strong B-class (Guttural R3)

Root | IA Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
שמע (hear) | שָׁמ֣וֹעַ | Qamets + holem-waw + patach before gutt. R3 (ע)
ידע (know) | יָדֹ֣עַ | Qamets + holem + patach at R3 (ע) — I-י retains y-shape
שלח (send) | שָׁלֹ֖חַ | Patach before gutt. ח at R3

## Qal Infinitive Absolute — III-ה Roots

The final ה is retained in the IA (contrast the IC, where ה → וֹת):

Root | IA Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
ראה (see) | רָאֹ֣ה | ה retained; qamets + holem
עשה (do) | עָשׂ֑וֹה / עָשׂ֥וֹ | ה sometimes dropped; qamets + holem-waw
היה (be) | הָי֧וֹ | ה retained
הלך (go) | הָל֣וֹךְ | I-י root; IA retains full form (contrast IC לֶ/כֶת)
ענה (answer) | עָנ֥וֹה | ה retained
בנה (build) | בָּנ֥וֹה | ה retained

> Key marker: III-ה IA ends in ה (or occasionally drops it). Contrast III-ה IC: ends in וֹת (holem-waw + taw). This ה/וֹת distinction is one of the clearest IA vs. IC diagnostics for III-ה roots.

## Qal Infinitive Absolute — Biconsonantal

Biconsonantal IA forms are short and identical to the bare IC:

Root | IA/IC Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
מות (die) | מ֥וֹת | Most common IA in OT (49×); holem-waw + taw
שוב (return) | שׁ֣וֹב | Full shureq; IA = IC (distinguish by context: IA not preceded by preposition)
בוא (come) | בּ֣וֹא | Holem-waw; aleph quiesces
קום (arise) | ק֣וּם | Full shureq

> Key marker: Biconsonantal IA is identical to the bare IC in form. The context distinguishes: IA is never preceded by a preposition and is typically paired with a finite verb of the same root.

## Qal Infinitive Absolute — I-י

I-י roots retain their full IA form (the yod and its vowel are present), in contrast to the contracted IC:

Root | IA Form | IC Form | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
הלך (go) | הָל֣וֹךְ | לֶ/כֶת | IA = full qamets + holem-waw; IC = contracted seghol-taw
יצא (go out) | יָצוֹא֙ | צֵאת | IA = yod shape; IC = tsere-aleph-taw
ידע (know) | יָדֹ֣עַ | לָ/דַ/עַת | IA = qamets + holem + patach (gutt.); IC = patach-ayin-taw
ישב (sit) | יָשׁ֥וֹב | לָ/שֶׁ/בֶת | IA retains yod; IC loses yod
ירד (go down) | יָרֹ֣ד | לָ/רֶ/דֶת |

> Key marker: I-י IA forms look like regular strong forms with the yod intact and qamets under R1. This distinguishes them sharply from the contracted I-י IC forms.

## Qal Infinitive Absolute — I-נ

The nun is retained in I-נ IA forms (contrast IC where nun often drops or assimilates):

Root | IA Form | IC Form | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
נתן (give) | נָת֤וֹן | תֵּת | IA = both nuns visible; IC = both nuns drop
נסע (set out) | נָס֣וֹעַ | נְסֹ֣עַ | IA = qamets + holem-waw
נפל (fall) | נָפֹ֥ל | נְפֹל | Nun retained in both, but vowel differs

> Key marker: I-נ IA retains the nun. The contrast with נתן's IC (תֵּת) is dramatic — the IA form (נָת֤וֹן) looks like a normal strong form.

## Qal Infinitive Absolute — I-aleph

Root | IA Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
אכל (eat) | אָכ֤וֹל | Qamets under aleph + holem-waw
אמר (say) | אָמ֤וֹר | Qamets under aleph (contrast IC: hateph-seghol → אֱמֹר)
אהב (love) | אָה֤וֹב |
אסף (gather) | אָס֤וֹף |

> Key marker: I-aleph IA has qamets under aleph (unlike the IC which has hateph-seghol). The holem-waw pattern on R2 is the same as strong A-class.

## Summary Table

Root Class | IC Form | IA Form | Key Difference
--- | --- | --- | ---
Strong A | שְׁמֹר | שָׁמ֣וֹר | IC: shewa R1; IA: qamets R1
Strong B (gutt.) | שְׁמֹ֣עַ | שָׁמ֣וֹעַ | IC: shewa R1; IA: qamets R1
III-ה | רְאוֹת | רָאֹ֣ה | IC: וֹת ending; IA: ה ending
Biconsonantal | מוּת / שׁוּב | מ֥וֹת / שׁ֣וֹב | Identical form — context distinguishes
I-י | לֶ/כֶת / צֵאת | הָל֣וֹךְ / יָצוֹא֙ | IC: contracted taw-form; IA: full yod-shape
I-נ | תֵּת | נָת֤וֹן | IC: nuns drop; IA: nuns retained
I-aleph | אֱכֹל | אָכ֤וֹל | IC: hateph R1; IA: qamets R1