# Chapter 29 — Stem-ID Drill (Weak Roots)

BBH Chapter 29 · Hophal Weak Verbs

This drill mixes 24 forms of weak roots (hollow and I-י) across all four stems learned through Chapter 29: Qal, Niphal, Hiphil, Hophal. For each item: (1) identify the stem, (2) parse the conjugation and PGN, (3) translate. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the answer row.

Weak Hophal key: In hollow and I-י roots, the Hophal is always marked by וּ (shureq) in the prefix slot: Perfect: הוּ · Imperfect: יוּ · Wayyiqtol: וַיּוּ · Participle: מוּ. Hiphil contrast: Perfect הֵ/הוֹ + chiriq-yod in stem · Imperfect: a-class prefix vowel + chiriq-yod. Niphal of hollow roots: uses full Niphal prefix נִ in Perfect; dagesh-forte in Imperfect/Wayyiqtol.
Item 11 note: The Niphal Imperfect 3ms of hollow root בוא uses יִוָּבֵא — the נ assimilates and the middle root ו is retained as a consonant with dagesh.

# | Hebrew Form | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Translation |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | בָּא |  |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Perfect · 3ms · בוא — he came · Hollow root contracts; qamets under בּ = Qal Perfect 3ms. No prefix vowel marker.
2 | הֵבִיא |  |  |  |  |  |
Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms · בוא — he brought · Hiphil hollow: הֵ prefix (tsere) + chiriq-yod in contracted stem.
3 | נָבוֹא |  |  |  |  |  |
Niphal · Perfect · 3ms · בוא — he entered / he came in (reflexive) · Niphal hollow Perfect: נָ prefix (qamets) + full stem with holem-waw. The נִ lengthens to נָ before the hollow root's long vowel.
4 | הוּבָא |  |  |  |  |  |
Hophal · Perfect · 3ms · בוא — he was brought · Hophal hollow: הוּ prefix (shureq) + long ā vowel in contracted stem. The שׁוּרֶק is the key marker.
5 | שָׁב |  |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Perfect · 3ms · שׁוב — he returned · Hollow root שׁוב contracts; qamets under שׁ = Qal Perfect 3ms.
6 | הֵשִׁיב |  |  |  |  |  |
Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms · שׁוב — he returned (it) / brought back · Hiphil hollow: הֵ prefix + chiriq-yod. Used of God restoring Israel or of returning objects.
7 | יָרַד |  |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Perfect · 3ms · ירד — he went down · I-י root; Qal Perfect retains the initial י; base qamets-patach vowels.
8 | הוֹרִיד |  |  |  |  |  |
Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms · ירד — he brought down · Hiphil I-י: הוֹ prefix (holem-waw compensating for dropped י) + chiriq-yod in stem. Contrast with Hophal הוּ prefix.
9 | יָבוֹא |  |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Imperfect · 3ms · בוא — he will come / he comes · Qal Imperfect hollow: qamets under prefix יָ + holem-waw in stem. Long ā under prefix is characteristic of hollow Qal Imperfect.
10 | יָבִיא |  |  |  |  |  |
Hiphil · Imperfect · 3ms · בוא — he will bring · Hiphil hollow Imperfect: a-class (qamets) under prefix יָ + chiriq-yod in contracted stem. Note: same qamets under prefix as Qal (#9), but chiriq-yod in stem distinguishes it as Hiphil.
11 | יִוָּבֵא |  |  |  |  |  |
Niphal · Imperfect · 3ms · בוא — he will come in / he will be brought in · Niphal Imperfect of hollow root: נ assimilates (dagesh-forte in ו, written יִוָּ); tsere in stem marks Niphal Imperfect. This is an unusual form due to the hollow root interacting with Niphal assimilation.
12 | יוּבָא |  |  |  |  |  |
Hophal · Imperfect · 3ms · בוא — he will be brought · Hophal Imperfect hollow: יוּ prefix (shureq) = definitive Hophal marker in weak roots. Long ā in contracted stem.
13 | יָשׁוּב |  |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Imperfect · 3ms · שׁוב — he will return / he returns · Qal Imperfect hollow: qamets under prefix יָ + shureq-waw in stem (שׁוּב). The holem-waw/shureq in the stem identifies the root as שׁוב.
14 | יָשִׁיב |  |  |  |  |  |
Hiphil · Imperfect · 3ms · שׁוב — he will bring back / restore · Hiphil hollow Imperfect: a-class under prefix יָ + chiriq-yod in contracted stem. Contrast Qal יָשׁוּב (shureq in stem) vs. Hiphil יָשִׁיב (chiriq-yod in stem).
15 | יוּשַׁב |  |  |  |  |  |
Hophal · Imperfect · 3ms · שׁוב — he will be brought back · Hophal hollow Imperfect: יוּ prefix (shureq). Contrast with Qal יָשׁוּב (qamets under prefix) and Hiphil יָשִׁיב.
16 | וַיָּבֹא |  |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · בוא — and he came · Qal Wayyiqtol hollow: וַ + dagesh-forte in prefix + qamets (וַיָּ) + contracted stem with holem. The holem in the stem = Qal.
17 | וַיָּבֵא |  |  |  |  |  |
Hiphil · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · בוא — and he brought · Hiphil Wayyiqtol hollow: וַיָּ prefix + tsere in contracted stem (instead of chiriq-yod, which shortens in Wayyiqtol). Compare Qal וַיָּבֹא (holem) vs. Hiphil וַיָּבֵא (tsere).
18 | וַיּוּבָא |  |  |  |  |  |
Hophal · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · בוא — and he was brought · Hophal Wayyiqtol hollow: וַיּוּ prefix — the characteristic שׁוּרֶק is retained even in Wayyiqtol. Long ā in contracted stem.
19 | קָם |  |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Perfect · 3ms · קום — he arose · Hollow root קום contracts to one syllable in Qal Perfect 3ms (קָם). Qamets under first consonant.
20 | הֵקִים |  |  |  |  |  |
Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms · קום — he established / raised up · Hiphil hollow: הֵ prefix (tsere) + chiriq-yod in contracted stem (הֵקִים). Frequently used of God establishing covenants, kings, and the tabernacle.
21 | הוּקַם |  |  |  |  |  |
Hophal · Perfect · 3ms · קום — he was raised up / was established · Hophal hollow: הוּ prefix (shureq) + contracted stem with patach. Exo 40:17: הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן — "the tabernacle was erected."
22 | יָלַד |  |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Perfect · 3ms · ילד — he fathered / he bore · I-י root; Qal Perfect retains initial י; base qamets-patach vowels. Common in genealogy narratives.
23 | הוֹלִיד |  |  |  |  |  |
Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms · ילד — he begat / caused to be born · Hiphil I-י: הוֹ prefix (holem-waw compensating for dropped י) + chiriq-yod. Formula of genealogy lists: "X הוֹלִיד Y."
24 | הוּלַד |  |  |  |  |  |
Hophal · Perfect · 3ms · ילד — he was born · Hophal I-י: הוּ prefix (shureq) + patach in stem. Compare Hiphil הוֹלִיד (holem-waw) vs. Hophal הוּלַד (shureq): o-class in both, but the precise vowel distinguishes the stems.