# Chapter 30 — Stem Identification Drill (Strong Roots)

*BBH Chapter 30 · Piel Strong Verbs*

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## Instructions

Below are 24 Hebrew verb forms, all from strong roots (קטל, דבר, שׁמר, כבד). For each form, identify:

1. **Stem** — Qal / Niphal / Hiphil / Hophal / Piel
2. **Conjugation** — Perfect / Imperfect / Wayyiqtol / Imperative / Infinitive Absolute / 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 to remember:**
- **Qal** — No prefix, basic vowel pattern (a-a in perfect; i/e vowels in imperfect)
- **Niphal** — נִ prefix in perfect; הִ + doubling in imperfect
- **Hiphil** — הִ prefix + ִ (chirik) vowel chain
- **Hophal** — הָ/הֻ prefix (o/u vowel) with no dagesh
- **Piel** — Dagesh forte in R2 (middle consonant) + distinctive vowel pattern (ִ–ֵ in perfect; ְ–ַ in imperfect)

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## Exercise Table

| # | Hebrew | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | קָטַל | | | | |
| 2 | קִטֵּל | | | | |
| 3 | הִקְטִיל | | | | |
| 4 | נִקְטַל | | | | |
| 5 | דִּבֶּר | | | | |
| 6 | דָּבַר | | | | |
| 7 | יְדַבֵּר | | | | |
| 8 | יִדְבַּר | | | | |
| 9 | יַדְבִּיר | | | | |
| 10 | יִדָּבֵר | | | | |
| 11 | וַיְדַבֵּר | | | | |
| 12 | וַיִּדְבַּר | | | | |
| 13 | וַיַּדְבֵּר | | | | |
| 14 | וַיִּדָּבֵר | | | | |
| 15 | דַּבֵּר | | | | |
| 16 | דְּבַר | | | | |
| 17 | הַדְבֵּר | | | | |
| 18 | הִדָּבֵר | | | | |
| 19 | דַּבֵּר | | | | |
| 20 | דָּבוֹר | | | | |
| 21 | מְדַבֵּר | | | | |
| 22 | דֹּבֵר | | | | |
| 23 | מַדְבִּיר | | | | |
| 24 | נִדְבָּר | | | | |

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## Answer Key

| # | Hebrew | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | קָטַל | Qal | Perfect | 3ms | קטל | Basic a–a vowel pattern; no prefix |
| 2 | קִטֵּל | Piel | Perfect | 3ms | קטל | Dagesh in ט (R2) + ִ–ֵ vowels = Piel perfect |
| 3 | הִקְטִיל | Hiphil | Perfect | 3ms | קטל | הִ prefix + chirik + yod (long i-vowel) |
| 4 | נִקְטַל | Niphal | Perfect | 3ms | קטל | נִ prefix assimilates in other forms; here visible |
| 5 | דִּבֶּר | Piel | Perfect | 3ms | דבר | Dagesh in ב (R2); ִ–ֶ vowel pattern |
| 6 | דָּבַר | Qal | Perfect | 3ms | דבר | No dagesh in ב; basic a–a Qal perfect |
| 7 | יְדַבֵּר | Piel | Imperfect | 3ms | דבר | Shewa prefix + dagesh in ב + tsere |
| 8 | יִדְבַּר | Qal | Imperfect | 3ms | דבר | Chirik prefix, no dagesh in ב, patach under ב |
| 9 | יַדְבִּיר | Hiphil | Imperfect | 3ms | דבר | Patach prefix (יַ) + chirik + yod |
| 10 | יִדָּבֵר | Niphal | Imperfect | 3ms | דבר | Dagesh in ד (assimilated נ) + qamets-tsere |
| 11 | וַיְדַבֵּר | Piel | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | דבר | Wayyiqtol waw + Piel imperfect (shewa + dagesh in ב) |
| 12 | וַיִּדְבַּר | Qal | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | דבר | Waw + dagesh in י (wayyiqtol) + Qal imperfect pattern |
| 13 | וַיַּדְבֵּר | Hiphil | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | דבר | Waw + patach (יַ) + Hiphil imperfect |
| 14 | וַיִּדָּבֵר | Niphal | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | דבר | Waw + assimilated-נ dagesh in ד + Niphal vowels |
| 15 | דַּבֵּר | Piel | Imperative | 2ms | דבר | Patach + dagesh in ב + tsere; no prefix; identical to #19 (Piel Inf. Abs.) |
| 16 | דְּבַר | Qal | Imperative | 2ms | דבר | Shewa under ד, patach under ב; no dagesh in ב |
| 17 | הַדְבֵּר | Hiphil | Imperative | 2ms | דבר | הַ prefix + Hiphil vowel chain |
| 18 | הִדָּבֵר | Niphal | Imperative | 2ms | דבר | הִ + dagesh (assimilated נ) + tsere |
| 19 | דַּבֵּר | Piel | Inf. Absolute | — | דבר | Identical in form to Piel Imperative 2ms (#15); context determines function |
| 20 | דָּבוֹר | Qal | Inf. Absolute | — | דבר | Qamets + holem waw = Qal Inf. Abs. pattern |
| 21 | מְדַבֵּר | Piel | Participle | ms | דבר | מְ prefix + dagesh in ב + tsere |
| 22 | דֹּבֵר | Qal | Participle | ms | דבר | Holem + tsere; no מ prefix = Qal act. ptc. pattern |
| 23 | מַדְבִּיר | Hiphil | Participle | ms | דבר | מַ prefix + chirik + yod = Hiphil ptc. |
| 24 | נִדְבָּר | Niphal | Participle | ms | דבר | נִ prefix + qamets = Niphal ptc. pattern |

> **Note on items 15 and 19:** דַּבֵּר is spelled identically whether it is the Piel Imperative 2ms ("Speak!") or the Piel Infinitive Absolute. For strong roots these two forms always overlap. Context — specifically whether the form functions as a command or as an adverbial intensifier alongside a finite verb — is the only distinguishing factor.
