Qal Perfect — Biconsonantal (II-י/ו) Paradigms

Full inflection tables for biconsonantal (hollow) roots in the Qal Perfect.
The middle vowel letter (ו or י) characterizes all forms.


Biconsonantal: קוּם (rise, stand up)

Person Form Notes
3ms קָם Qamets under R1; shureq (long ū) → shortens to qamets hatuf in some analyses; usually transcribed qam
3fs קָ֫מָה Qamets under R1 + ָה- ending
2ms קַ֫מְתָּ Patach under R1; no middle vowel letter in suffix forms
2fs קַ֫מְתְּ
1cs קַ֫מְתִּי
3cp קָ֫מוּ Qamets + -וּ
2mp קַמְתֶּם Patach
2fp קַמְתֶּן
1cp קַ֫מְנוּ Patach

Key: In the 3ms/3fs/3cp, the form shows qamets under R1 alone — there is no R2
consonant to follow it. In suffix forms (2ms, 1cs, 2mp, etc.), the middle vowel disappears
entirely and patach stands under R1.


Biconsonantal: שׁוּב (return)

Person Form Notes
3ms שָׁב Qamets under ש; no shureq in the perfect 3ms (contrast imperfect)
3fs שָׁ֫בָה Qamets + ָה-
2ms שַׁ֫בְתָּ Patach under ש in suffix forms
2fs שַׁ֫בְתְּ
1cs שַׁ֫בְתִּי
3cp שָׁ֫בוּ Qamets + -וּ
2mp שַׁבְתֶּם
1cp שַׁ֫בְנוּ

Biconsonantal: בּוֹא (come, go)

Person Form Notes
3ms בָּא Qamets under ב; aleph at R3 (III-א + Biconsonantal)
3fs בָּ֫אָה Qamets + aleph + ָה-
2ms בָּ֫את Qamets + aleph + ת (R3 aleph merges with ת suffix)
2fs בָּ֫את Same as 2ms (monosyllabic)
1cs בָּ֫אתִי
3cp בָּ֫אוּ Qamets + aleph + -וּ
2mp בָּ֫אתֶם
1cp בָּ֫אנוּ

Note on בּוֹא: This root is both biconsonantal and III-א. The aleph at R3 is present
throughout the paradigm but largely silent (quiescent). The forms are highly regular once
this is understood.


Strong Paradigm — Comparison

Person Strong (קָטַל) Bicons. (קָם) Bicons. (שָׁב) Bicons. (בָּא)
3ms קָטַל קָם שָׁב בָּא
3fs קָטְלָה קָמָה שָׁבָה בָּאָה
2ms קָטַלְתָּ קַמְתָּ שַׁבְתָּ בָּאתָ
2fs קָטַלְתְּ קַמְתְּ שַׁבְתְּ בָּאת
1cs קָטַלְתִּי קַמְתִּי שַׁבְתִּי בָּאתִי
3cp קָטְלוּ קָמוּ שָׁבוּ בָּאוּ
2mp קְטַלְתֶּם קַמְתֶּם שַׁבְתֶּם בָּאתֶם
1cp קָטַלְנוּ קַמְנוּ שַׁבְנוּ בָּאנוּ

Summary: The 3ms/3fs/3cp forms are monosyllabic (one consonant + one vowel).
Suffix forms add a patach under R1 and attach the normal suffix consonants directly.
There is no R2 consonant visible in any form.