# Chapter 31 — Stem Identification Drill (Weak Roots)

*BBH Chapter 31 · Piel Weak Verbs*

---

## Instructions

Below are 24 Hebrew verb forms from weak roots (ברך, גלה, צוה, חזק). For each form, identify:

1. **Stem** — Qal / Niphal / Hiphil / Piel
2. **Conjugation** — Perfect / Imperfect / Wayyiqtol / Imperative / Participle
3. **PGN** — Person-Gender-Number (where applicable)
4. **Root**

Leave the answer columns blank, then check your work against the answer key below.

**Key markers for weak roots:**

- **I-Guttural (ברך, חזק):** Piel R2 cannot take dagesh — watch for virtual doubling (longer vowel before R2 instead of dagesh); or in some forms, the guttural itself affects the surrounding vowels.
- **III-ה (גלה, צוה):** Piel perfect 3ms ends in ָּה (qamets + dagesh-he). Qal perfect 3ms ends in ָה (qamets-he, no dagesh). Hiphil prefix הִ with vowel chain identifies Hiphil. Niphal shows assimilated נ or נִ prefix.
- **Wayyiqtol:** waw + patach (וַ) + prefix; the dagesh in the prefix consonant marks wayyiqtol for Qal; Piel wayyiqtol keeps shewa under prefix.

---

## Exercise Table

| # | Hebrew | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | בֵּרַךְ | | | | |
| 2 | בָּרַךְ | | | | |
| 3 | גִּלָּה | | | | |
| 4 | גָּלָה | | | | |
| 5 | נִגְלָה | | | | |
| 6 | הִגְלָה | | | | |
| 7 | צִוָּה | | | | |
| 8 | חִזֵּק | | | | |
| 9 | חָזַק | | | | |
| 10 | יְבָרֵךְ | | | | |
| 11 | יְצַוֶּה | | | | |
| 12 | יִגְלֶה | | | | |
| 13 | יִגָּלֶה | | | | |
| 14 | יְגַלֶּה | | | | |
| 15 | יַגְלֶה | | | | |
| 16 | וַיְבָרֶךְ | | | | |
| 17 | וַיְצַו | | | | |
| 18 | וַיִּגֶּל | | | | |
| 19 | בָּרֵךְ | | | | |
| 20 | גַּל | | | | |
| 21 | גַּלֵּה | | | | |
| 22 | מְבָרֵךְ | | | | |
| 23 | מְגַלֶּה | | | | |
| 24 | גֹּלֶה | | | | |

---

## Answer Key

| # | Hebrew | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | בֵּרַךְ | Piel | Perfect | 3ms | ברך | I-guttural ב: virtual dagesh (tsere lengthened before R2); chirik–patach vowels |
| 2 | בָּרַךְ | Qal | Perfect | 3ms | ברך | No dagesh consideration; qamets–patach = standard Qal perfect |
| 3 | גִּלָּה | Piel | Perfect | 3ms | גלה | Dagesh in ל (R2) + III-ה contraction: ָּה ending; chirik under ג |
| 4 | גָּלָה | Qal | Perfect | 3ms | גלה | No dagesh in ל; qamets–qamets-he = Qal III-ה perfect 3ms |
| 5 | נִגְלָה | Niphal | Perfect | 3ms | גלה | נִ prefix + qamets under ל = Niphal III-ה perfect 3ms |
| 6 | הִגְלָה | Hiphil | Perfect | 3ms | גלה | הִ prefix + qamets = Hiphil III-ה perfect 3ms (no chirik-yod: III-ה contracts instead) |
| 7 | צִוָּה | Piel | Perfect | 3ms | צוה | III-ה root (ה contracts); dagesh in וּ (R2); chirik under צ = Piel |
| 8 | חִזֵּק | Piel | Perfect | 3ms | חזק | Guttural ח at R1; dagesh in ז (R2); chirik–tsere = Piel. ח cannot have dagesh but the R2 ז can |
| 9 | חָזַק | Qal | Perfect | 3ms | חזק | No dagesh in ז; qamets–patach = Qal perfect; ח guttural at R1 |
| 10 | יְבָרֵךְ | Piel | Imperfect | 3ms | ברך | Shewa + qamets (compensatory for R2 guttural) + tsere = Piel imperfect with I-guttural effect |
| 11 | יְצַוֶּה | Piel | Imperfect | 3ms | צוה | Shewa prefix + dagesh in וּ + III-ה ending (tsere-yod pattern) = Piel imperfect |
| 12 | יִגְלֶה | Qal | Imperfect | 3ms | גלה | Chirik prefix; no dagesh in ג; segol + III-ה = Qal III-ה imperfect |
| 13 | יִגָּלֶה | Niphal | Imperfect | 3ms | גלה | Chirik prefix; dagesh in ג (assimilated נ); qamets–segol = Niphal III-ה imperfect |
| 14 | יְגַלֶּה | Piel | Imperfect | 3ms | גלה | Shewa prefix; dagesh in ל (R2); segol + he = Piel III-ה imperfect |
| 15 | יַגְלֶה | Hiphil | Imperfect | 3ms | גלה | Patach prefix (יַ); no dagesh in ל; segol = Hiphil III-ה imperfect |
| 16 | וַיְבָרֶךְ | Piel | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | ברך | Waw + shewa under יְ (no dagesh in י = Piel wayyiqtol) + Piel imperfect vowels |
| 17 | וַיְצַו | Piel | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | צוה | Waw + shewa under יְ + III-ה root contracts (ה drops in wayyiqtol) = Piel wayyiqtol |
| 18 | וַיִּגֶּל | Qal | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | גלה | Waw + dagesh in יּ (wayyiqtol marker) + dagesh in ג (pausal apocope of III-ה) = Qal wayyiqtol |
| 19 | בָּרֵךְ | Piel | Imperative | 2ms | ברך | Qamets + tsere; no prefix. Piel imperative I-guttural pattern |
| 20 | גַּל | Qal | Imperative | 2ms | גלה | Apocopated form (III-ה drops); patach under ג = Qal imperative of III-ה root |
| 21 | גַּלֵּה | Piel | Imperative | 2ms | גלה | Patach + dagesh in ל + tsere + he = Piel imperative of III-ה |
| 22 | מְבָרֵךְ | Piel | Participle | ms | ברך | מְ prefix + qamets + tsere; I-guttural compensatory lengthening before R2 |
| 23 | מְגַלֶּה | Piel | Participle | ms | גלה | מְ prefix + dagesh in ל + III-ה ending = Piel participle of III-ה |
| 24 | גֹּלֶה | Qal | Participle | ms | גלה | Holem under ג; no מ prefix; III-ה ending = Qal active participle of III-ה |
