BBH Chapter 32 — Pual Strong Verbs (פֻּעַל)¶
Learn the Pual stem for strong verbs—the passive of Piel—in all conjugations. Identify the diagnostic qibbuts vowel under the first root consonant (in the perfect) and dagesh forte in the middle consonant as the twin markers of Pual. Contrast the Pual with the Niphal passive and Hophal passive, and understand when Hebrew authors prefer Pual to express the passive of an intensive or factitive action.
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Basics of Biblical Hebrew, Pratico & Van Pelt, Chapter 32
1. Function (§32.2)¶
The Pual (פֻּעַל) is the passive of the Piel stem. Because the Piel may be intensive, factitive, denominative, or iterative, the Pual expresses each of these with passive voice.
| Function | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Passive intensive | Undergoes the intensive action of the Piel | שֻׁבַּר — "he was shattered" ← Piel שִׁבֵּר "he shattered" |
| Passive factitive | Caused to become a state by another's action | יֻלַּד — "he was born/begotten" ← Piel יִלֵּד "she gave birth to" |
| Passive denominative | Derived from a noun, now passivized | |
| Passive iterative | Repeated action now passivized |
Key diagnostic: The Pual is identified by two co-occurring markers: (1) Qibbuts (ֻ) under R1 and (2) Daghesh Forte in R2. The Piel's characteristic Daghesh Forte in R2 is retained; the vowel under R1 shifts from i-class (Piel: Hireq or Patach) to u-class (Pual: Qibbuts).
Note — when R2 = ר: The letter ר rejects Daghesh Forte. When R2 is ר, the missing dagesh triggers compensatory lengthening: Qibbuts under R1 lengthens to Holem (ֹ). For example: מְבֹרָךְ ("blessed," Pual Participle of ברך) shows Holem under מְבֹ rather than the expected Qibbuts, and ר has no dagesh.
2. Scope¶
BBH's primary treatment covers Perfect, Imperfect, and Participle. The full paradigm below adds Wayyiqtol, Weqatal, Infinitive Construct, and Infinitive Absolute for reference — these forms are infrequent in the OT but occur.
Note: The Pual has no Imperative — passive stems do not take imperatival forms.
3. Pual Perfect (§32.3–32.4)¶
The Pual Perfect is listed below with the Piel Perfect for comparison. The vowel under R1 (Qibbuts vs. Hireq) is the decisive difference.
| PGN | Piel | Pual |
|---|---|---|
| 3ms | קִטֵּל | קֻטַּל |
| 3fs | קִטְּלָה | קֻטְּלָה |
| 2ms | קִטַּ֫לְתָּ | קֻטַּ֫לְתָּ |
| 2fs | קִטַּלְתְּ | קֻטַּלְתְּ |
| 1cs | קִטַּ֫לְתִּי | קֻטַּ֫לְתִּי |
| 3cp | קִטְּלוּ | קֻטְּלוּ |
| 2mp | קִטַּלְתֶּם | קֻטַּלְתֶּם |
| 2fp | קִטַּלְתֶּן | קֻטַּלְתֶּן |
| 1cp | קִטַּ֫לְנוּ | קֻטַּ֫לְנוּ |
Diagnostics: 1. Qibbuts under R1 in every form — this is the key distinguisher from the Piel (which has Hireq under R1). 2. Daghesh Forte in R2 throughout, as in the Piel. 3. Stem vowel is Patach (except 3fs and 3cp where it reduces before the suffix).
Strong verb summary form: קֻטַּל
4. Pual Imperfect (§32.5–32.6)¶
| PGN | Piel | Pual |
|---|---|---|
| 3ms | יְקַטֵּל | יְקֻטַּל |
| 3fs | תְּקַטֵּל | תְּקֻטַּל |
| 2ms | תְּקַטֵּל | תְּקֻטַּל |
| 2fs | תְּקַטְּלִי | תְּקֻטְּלִי |
| 1cs | אֲקַטֵּל | אֲקֻטַּל |
| 3mp | יְקַטְּלוּ | יְקֻטְּלוּ |
| 3fp | תְּקַטֵּ֫לְנָה | תְּקֻטַּ֫לְנָה |
| 2mp | תְּקַטְּלוּ | תְּקֻטְּלוּ |
| 2fp | תְּקַטֵּ֫לְנָה | תְּקֻטַּ֫לְנָה |
| 1cp | נְקַטֵּל | נְקֻטַּל |
Diagnostics: 1. Vocal Shewa under the Imperfect preformative — as in the Piel. 2. Qibbuts under R1 — this distinguishes Pual from Piel (Piel has Patach under R1 in the Imperfect). 3. Daghesh Forte in R2 — as in the Piel.
Strong verb summary form: יְקֻטַּל
5. Pual Wayyiqtol¶
The Pual Wayyiqtol is formed with the וַיְ prefix (waw + Patach + the imperfect preformative). The same prefix is used in the Piel; the Qibbuts under R1 distinguishes Pual from Piel.
| PGN | Pual Wayyiqtol |
|---|---|
| 3ms | וַיְקֻטַּל |
| 3fs | וַתְּקֻטַּל |
| 2ms | וַתְּקֻטַּל |
| 2fs | וַתְּקֻטְּלִי |
| 1cs | וָאֲקֻטַּל |
| 3mp | וַיְקֻטְּלוּ |
| 3fp | וַתְּקֻטַּ֫לְנָה |
| 2mp | וַתְּקֻטְּלוּ |
| 2fp | וַתְּקֻטַּ֫לְנָה |
| 1cp | וַנְּקֻטַּל |
Strong verb summary form: וַיְקֻטַּל
6. Pual Weqatal¶
The Pual Weqatal is the Perfect form preceded by conjunctive waw (וְ). It carries the same Qibbuts-under-R1 + Daghesh-in-R2 signature as the Perfect.
| PGN | Pual Weqatal |
|---|---|
| 3ms | וְקֻטַּל |
| 3fs | וְקֻטְּלָה |
| 2ms | וְקֻטַּ֫לְתָּ |
| 2fs | וְקֻטַּלְתְּ |
| 1cs | וְקֻטַּ֫לְתִּי |
| 3cp | וְקֻטְּלוּ |
| 2mp | וְקֻטַּלְתֶּם |
| 2fp | וְקֻטַּלְתֶּן |
| 1cp | וְקֻטַּ֫לְנוּ |
Strong verb summary form: וְקֻטַּל
7. Pual Infinitive Construct¶
The Pual Infinitive Construct is identical in form to the Perfect 3ms. With pronominal suffixes it takes the same suffix pattern as the Piel Infinitive Construct.
| Form | Pual |
|---|---|
| Infinitive Construct | קֻטַּל |
| With ל | לְקֻטַּל |
8. Pual Infinitive Absolute¶
The Pual Infinitive Absolute uses Holem under R2 (the standard infinitive absolute pattern), with Qibbuts retained under R1.
| Form | Pual |
|---|---|
| Infinitive Absolute | קֻטֹּל |
9. Pual Participle (§32.7–32.8)¶
| Piel | Pual | |
|---|---|---|
| ms | מְקַטֵּל | מְקֻטָּל |
| fs | מְקַטֶּ֫לֶת | מְקֻטֶּ֫לֶת |
| mp | מְקַטְּלִים | מְקֻטָּלִים |
| fp | מְקַטְּלוֹת | מְקֻטָּלוֹת |
Diagnostics: 1. מ prefix with Vocal Shewa — as in the Piel and Hiphil Participle. 2. Qibbuts under R1 — distinguishes Pual from Piel (Piel has Patach under R1). 3. Daghesh Forte in R2 throughout.
Strong verb summary form: מְקֻטָּל
10. Summary Chart¶
| Conjugation | 3ms form |
|---|---|
| Perfect | קֻטַּל |
| Imperfect | יְקֻטַּל |
| Wayyiqtol | וַיְקֻטַּל |
| Weqatal | וְקֻטַּל |
| Infinitive Construct | קֻטַּל |
| Infinitive Absolute | קֻטֹּל |
| Participle ms | מְקֻטָּל |
11. Pual vs. Hophal — Distinguishing Two Passive Stems¶
Both the Pual and Hophal are passive stems with Participles beginning with מ and a u-class vowel. The differences are systematic:
| Feature | Pual | Hophal |
|---|---|---|
| Passive of | Piel | Hiphil |
| Universal marker | Qibbuts under R1 + Daghesh in R2 | u-class vowel under the prefix consonant |
| Perfect | No prefix + Qibbuts on R1 | הוּ or הֻ prefix |
| Imperfect | יְ (shewa) prefix + Qibbuts under R1 | יוּ or יֻ prefix |
| Participle | מְ + Qibbuts under R1 + Daghesh in R2 | מוּ or מֻ — no daghesh in R2 |
| Daghesh in R2? | Yes | No (unless root assimilation) |
| Example Perfect | קֻטַּל | הוּמַת |
| Example Imperfect | יְקֻטַּל | יוּמַת |
| Example Participle | מְקֻטָּל | מוּמָת |
Quick test: The Daghesh Forte in R2 is the decisive separator — it is present in the Pual (inherited from the Piel) and absent in the Hophal.
12. Conjunctive Daghesh (§32.11)¶
A Conjunctive Daghesh is a Daghesh Forte placed in the initial consonant of a word to connect it to the preceding word and smooth pronunciation. It typically occurs when the preceding word ends in an unaccented ֶה or ָה and the following word begins with an accented syllable. Examples:
- וְזֶה־שְּׁמוֹ — "and this is his name" (the Daghesh in שׁ is conjunctive)
- לְכָה־נָּא — "come now" (the Daghesh in נ is conjunctive)