# Wayyiqtol and Weqatal Paradigms — BBH Chapter 17

## Wayyiqtol — Strong Verb (קטל)

The wayyiqtol is formed from the short imperfect (jussive base) with וַ + dagesh forte in the prefix consonant.

Person | Imperfect (base) | Wayyiqtol | Prefix letter
--- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | יִקְטֹל | וַיִּקְטֹל | יּ (dagesh forte)
3fs | תִּקְטֹל | וַתִּקְטֹל | תּ
2ms | תִּקְטֹל | וַתִּקְטֹל | תּ (= 3fs)
2fs | תִּקְטְלִי | וַתִּקְטְלִי | תּ
1cs | אֶקְטֹל | וָאֶקְטֹל | א (no dagesh; waw → וָ)
3mp | יִקְטְלוּ | וַיִּקְטְלוּ | יּ
3fp | תִּקְטֹלְנָה | וַתִּקְטֹלְנָה | תּ
2mp | תִּקְטְלוּ | וַתִּקְטְלוּ | תּ
2fp | תִּקְטֹלְנָה | וַתִּקְטֹלְנָה | תּ
1cp | נִקְטֹל | וַנִּקְטֹל | נּ

> Key marker: וַ + dagesh forte in the prefix consonant. The 1cs is the only exception: waw takes qamets (וָ) before aleph, which cannot take dagesh.

## Wayyiqtol — Weak Verb Forms

For roots that have a distinct short (jussive) Imperfect, the Wayyiqtol uses the short form.

### III-ה roots (e.g., בנה)

Person | Long Imperfect | Short Jussive | Wayyiqtol
--- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | יִבְנֶה | יִבֶּן | וַיִּבֶן
3fs | תִּבְנֶה | תִּבֶּן | וַתִּבֶן
2ms | תִּבְנֶה | תִּבֶּן | וַתִּבֶן
3mp | יִבְנוּ | — | וַיִּבְנוּ
1cs | אֶבְנֶה | — | וָאֶבֶן

> Key marker: The final ה is absent in the wayyiqtol. Compare: יִבְנֶה (Imperfect) vs. וַיִּבֶן (Wayyiqtol).

### Biconsonantal roots (e.g., קום)

Person | Long Imperfect | Wayyiqtol
--- | --- | ---
3ms | יָקוּם | וַיָּ֫קׇם
3fs | תָּקוּם | וַתָּ֫קׇם
3mp | יָקוּמוּ | וַיָּקֻמוּ
1cs | אָקוּם | וָאָ֫קׇם

> Key marker: Wayyiqtol uses the short form — qamets hatuf (ׇ) under the root consonant instead of the long shureq (וּ) of the imperfect.

### Biconsonantal — בוא (most frequent)

Person | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol
--- | --- | ---
3ms | יָבוֹא | וַיָּבֹא
3fs | תָּבוֹא | וַתָּבֹא
3mp | יָבֹאוּ | וַיָּבֹאוּ
1cs | אָבוֹא | וָאָבֹא

### I-יוד roots (e.g., הלך, ילד)

Person | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol
--- | --- | ---
3ms (הלך) | יֵלֵךְ | וַיֵּלֶךְ
3ms (ילד) | יֵלֵד | וַיֵּלֶד
3mp (הלך) | יֵלְכוּ | וַיֵּלְכוּ

> Key marker: Tsere under waw-consecutive prefix consonant: וַיֵּ– (not וַיִּ–).

### I-נ roots (e.g., נתן)

Person | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol
--- | --- | ---
3ms | יִתֵּן | וַיִּתֵּן
3fs | תִּתֵּן | וַתִּתֵּן
3mp | יִתְּנוּ | וַיִּתְּנוּ

> Key marker: Dagesh forte in R2 from nun assimilation — same in both Imperfect and Wayyiqtol.

### I-aleph roots (e.g., אמר — the most frequent wayyiqtol)

Person | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol
--- | --- | ---
3ms | יֹאמַר | וַיֹּאמֶר
3fs | תֹּאמַר | וַתֹּאמֶר
3mp | יֹאמְרוּ | וַיֹּאמְרוּ
1cs | אֹמַר | וָאֹמַר

> Key marker: Holem under prefix (not hireq); seghol under mem in wayyiqtol 3ms: וַיֹּאמֶר.

### Geminate roots (e.g., סבב)

Person | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol
--- | --- | ---
3ms | יִסֹּב / יָסֹב | וַיָּ֫סׇּב
3mp | יִסֹּבּוּ | וַיִּסֹּבּוּ

## Weqatal — Strong Verb (שמר)

The weqatal is morphologically identical to the perfect + conjunction וְ. Stress shifts to the ultima (final syllable) in multi-syllable forms.

Person | Perfect | Weqatal | Stress
--- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | שָׁמַר | וְשָׁמַר | no shift (monosyllabic stem)
3fs | שָׁמְרָה | וְשָׁמְרָה | —
2ms | שָׁמַ֫רְתָּ | וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֫ | shifts to tā
2fs | שָׁמַ֫רְתְּ | וְשָׁמַרְתְּ֫ |
1cs | שָׁמַ֫רְתִּי | וְשָׁמַרְתִּ֫י | shifts to tî
3cp | שָׁמְרוּ | וְשָׁמְרוּ | —
2mp | שְׁמַרְתֶּ֫ם | וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֫ם | waw → וּ before shewa
2fp | שְׁמַרְתֶּ֫ן | וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֫ן | waw → וּ before shewa
1cp | שָׁמַ֫רְנוּ | וְשָׁמַרְנוּ֫ | shifts to nû

> Key marker: Context — weqatal follows an imperfect, imperative, or jussive and carries future/consequential sense. Stress on the final syllable (distinguished from perfect's penultimate stress in oral reading).

## Weqatal with Weak Roots (selected)

### III-ה root (עשה)

Person | Perfect | Weqatal
--- | --- | ---
2ms | עָשִׂ֫יתָ | וְעָשִׂיתָ֫
1cs | עָשִׂ֫יתִי | וְעָשִׂיתִ֫י
3ms | עָשָׂה | וְעָשָׂה

### I-נ root (נתן)

Person | Perfect | Weqatal
--- | --- | ---
2ms | נָתַ֫תָּ | וְנָתַתָּ֫
1cs | נָתַ֫תִּי | וְנָתַתִּ֫י

## Summary

Form | Prefix | Dagesh in prefix? | Vowel under prefix | Stress
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Imperfect | יִ/תִּ/אֶ/נִ | — | hireq (usually) | penult
Wayyiqtol | וַ + | Yes (except aleph/resh) | like jussive/short Impf. | penult
Perfect | — | — | qamets (R1) | penult
Weqatal | וְ/וּ + | — | like perfect | ultima

### Quick ID mnemonic

- See וַ + dagesh? → Wayyiqtol (sequential past)
- See וְ + perfect pattern, future context? → Weqatal (sequential future)
- No waw prefix, imperfect pattern? → Simple Imperfect
- No waw prefix, perfect pattern, past context? → Perfect (qatal)