Ch14 Weak-Form ID Drill — Qal Perfect Weak Verbs

BBH Chapter 14 · 40 forms

Instructions: For each form, give: (a) Weak Class, (b) Person, (c) Number, (d) Gender, (e) Root (3ms lexical form).
Part A: forms are grouped by weak class with a diagnostic hint. Part B: mixed — identify the class first.

Part A — By Weak Class

Group 1: III-ה

Diagnostic: 3ms ends in ָה- (vowel letter, not suffix); hireq-yod before 2ms/1cs suffix.
#FormWeak ClassPers.Num.Gen.Root
1עָשָׂה
✓עָשָׂהIII-ה3smעשהFinal ה = vowel letter
2רָאִיתָ
✓רָאִיתָIII-ה2smראהHireq-yod before 2ms suffix
3גָּלְתָה
✓גָּלְתָהIII-ה3sfגלה3fs ending תָה- (not ָה-)
4עָשׂוּ
✓עָשׂוּIII-ה3pcעשהFinal ה drops before וּ-
5עֲלִיתֶם
✓עֲלִיתֶםIII-ה2pmעלהHireq-yod before 2mp תֶּם-

Group 2: III-א

Diagnostic: silent aleph at R3; qamets before א in 3ms; 3cp ends in ָאוּ-.
#FormWeak ClassPers.Num.Gen.Root
6מָצָא
✓מָצָאIII-א3smמצאSilent aleph; qamets before א
7קָרְאָה
✓קָרְאָהIII-א3sfקראIII-א 3fs: ָאָה-
8חָטָאתִי
✓חָטָאתִיIII-א1scחטאIII-א 1cs; aleph quiesces
9מָצְאוּ
✓מָצְאוּIII-א3pcמצאIII-א 3cp: ָאוּ-
10מְצָאתֶם
✓מְצָאתֶםIII-א2pmמצאIII-א 2mp

Group 3: III-ח/ע (Lamed-Guttural)

Diagnostic: patach furtive before final ח or ע in 3ms/3fs (word-final open syllable only).
#FormWeak ClassPers.Num.Gen.Root
11שָׁמַעַ
✓שָׁמַעַIII-gutt.3smשמעPatach furtive before ע
12שָׁלַחַ
✓שָׁלַחַIII-gutt.3smשלחPatach furtive before ח
13שָׁמַעְתִּי
✓שָׁמַעְתִּיIII-gutt.1scשמעClosed syllable; no patach furtive
14שָׁמְעוּ
✓שָׁמְעוּIII-gutt.3pcשמע3cp; guttural in closed syllable
15שְׁלַחְתֶּם
✓שְׁלַחְתֶּםIII-gutt.2pmשלח2mp

Group 4: I-Guttural (Pe-Guttural)

Diagnostic: R1 is ה/ח/ע/א — reduces to chateph before vocalic suffixes. Nearly identical to strong verb in Perfect.
#FormWeak ClassPers.Num.Gen.Root
16אָמַר
✓אָמַרI-gutt.3smאמרI-gutt.; virtually like strong
17עָמַדְתָּ
✓עָמַדְתָּI-gutt.2smעמד2ms; regular
18אָמַרְתִּי
✓אָמַרְתִּיI-gutt.1scאמר1cs; regular
19אֲמַרְתֶּם
✓אֲמַרְתֶּםI-gutt.2pmאמרChateph-patach under aleph in reduced form
20עָמְדוּ
✓עָמְדוּI-gutt.3pcעמד3cp; R1 reduces

Group 5: I-נ and I-י

Diagnostic: both are largely regular in the Perfect (unlike the Imperfect). I-נ: watch for R3 assimilation dagesh in נָתַן. I-י: regular suffix pattern.
#FormWeak ClassPers.Num.Gen.Root
21נָתַן
✓נָתַןI-נ3smנתןI-נ regular in Perfect
22נָתְנָה
✓נָתְנָהI-נ3sfנתן3fs; I-נ regular
23יָלַדְתָּ
✓יָלַדְתָּI-י2smילדI-י regular in Perfect
24יָלְדוּ
✓יָלְדוּI-י3pcילד3cp
25יָדַעְתִּי
✓יָדַעְתִּיI-י1scידעI-י regular; 1cs

Group 6: Biconsonantal

Diagnostic: short monosyllabic 3ms (קָם, שָׁב); patach in suffix forms (שַׁבְתֶּם).
#FormWeak ClassPers.Num.Gen.Root
26קָם
✓קָםBiconsonantal3smקוםShort 3ms form; qamets
27שָׁבָה
✓שָׁבָהBiconsonantal3sfשוב3fs
28בָּאתָ
✓בָּאתָBiconsonantal2smבוא2ms
29קָמוּ
✓קָמוּBiconsonantal3pcקום3cp
30שַׁבְתֶּם
✓שַׁבְתֶּםBiconsonantal2pmשוב2mp

Group 7: Geminate

Diagnostic: dagesh forte in R2 (R2 = R3); monosyllabic 3ms like Biconsonantal, but two identical root consonants distinguish it.
#FormWeak ClassPers.Num.Gen.Root
31סָבַב
✓סָבַבGeminate3smסבבDagesh forte in R2; double-bet
32תַּמּוּ
✓תַּמּוּGeminate3pcתמם3cp; dagesh forte in double-mem
33סַבֹּתָ
✓סַבֹּתָGeminate2smסבב2ms
34תָּם
✓תָּםGeminate3smתמםContracted form; compare to Biconsonantal קָם
35סָבָּה
✓סָבָּהGeminate3sfסבב3fs; dagesh forte in final bet

Part B — Mixed Forms

Identify the Weak Class first, then parse completely.
#FormWeak ClassPers.Num.Gen.Root
36הָיִיתִי
✓הָיִיתִיIII-ה1scהיה1cs of היה; hireq-yod + תִּי-
37נָפְלָה
✓נָפְלָהI-נ3sfנפלI-נ regular in Perfect 3fs
38מָת
✓מָתBiconsonantal3smמותShort 3ms of מות; tsere form
39בָּאנוּ
✓בָּאנוּBiconsonantal1pcבוא1cp of בוא
40שָׁמְעָה
✓שָׁמְעָהIII-gutt.3sfשמע3fs; no patach furtive in closed syllable
Discussion Questions
  1. Forms #26 (קָם, Biconsonantal) and #34 (תָּם, Geminate) are both Qal Perfect 3ms and have a similar shape. What is the only reliable way to distinguish them? What root knowledge do you need?
  2. Compare #6 (מָצָא, III-א) and #26 (קָם, Biconsonantal). Both are Qal Perfect 3ms with qamets. How would you tell which class each belongs to? What are the visual cues?
  3. Forms #1 (עָשָׂה, III-ה, 3ms) and a hypothetical Qal Perfect 3fs of a strong root (e.g., שָׁמְרָה) both end in ָה-. How do you distinguish the III-ה 3ms from a strong 3fs? What is the key difference?
  4. In Group 5, forms #21 (נָתַן, I-נ) and #23 (יָלַדְתָּ, I-י) are both regular in the Perfect. When will the difference between I-נ and I-י become important? What form will first reveal the I-נ assimilation pattern?
  5. The I-guttural perfect (#16–20) looks nearly identical to strong roots. Why does the I-guttural class cause more significant changes in the Imperfect (Ch16) than in the Perfect? What phonological property of the Imperfect triggers the change?