BBH Chapter 33 — Pual Weak Verbs (פֻּעַל)¶
Apply Pual stem markers to weak root classes, especially II-guttural and II-resh (which cannot accept dagesh forte and require compensatory lengthening of the preceding vowel), and III-ה. Because the Pual's qibbuts + dagesh forte pattern is normally quite clear, the focus is on correctly handling roots that suppress one of those two diagnostics, and on distinguishing Pual from a Piel where vowels have reduced.
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Basics of Biblical Hebrew, Pratico & Van Pelt — Chapter 33
Before studying weak verbs in the Pual stem, be certain that you have memorized the Pual strong verb diagnostics from Chapter 32. As in the Piel stem, most Pual weak verbs maintain the strong verb diagnostics — Qibbuts (ֻ) under R1 and Dagesh Forte in R2. Only II-Guttural verbs exhibit significant changes in the Pual. The III-א and III-ה classes below maintain all of the Pual strong verb diagnostics.
Scope (§32.1): The Pual is studied in only three conjugations — Perfect, Imperfect, and Participle.
1. III-א (Lamed-Aleph) Verbs¶
The paradigm verb is מָצָא, translated "to be found" in the Pual. Final א quiesces in word-final position; the preceding vowel lengthens. All Pual strong verb diagnostics are preserved.
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | מֻצָּא | יְמֻצָּא | מְמֻצָּא |
| 3fs / fs | מֻצְּאָה | תְּמֻצָּא | מְמֻצָּאָה |
| 2ms / mp | מֻצֵּ֫אתָ | תְּמֻצָּא | מְמֻצָּאִים |
| 2fs / fp | מֻצֵּאת | תְּמֻצְּאִי | מְמֻצָּאוֹת |
| 1cs | מֻצֵּ֫אתִי | אֲמֻצָּא | |
| 3cp | מֻצְּאוּ | יְמֻצְּאוּ | |
| 2mp | מֻצֵּאתֶם | תְּמֻצֶּ֫אנָה | |
| 2fp | מֻצֵּאתֶן | תְּמֻצְּאוּ | |
| 1cp | מֻצֵּ֫אנוּ | תְּמֻצֶּ֫אנָה | |
| נְמֻצָּא |
Diagnostic: Qibbuts under R1 + Dagesh in R2 + silent final א (vowel before א lengthens in 3ms).
2. III-ה (Lamed-He) Verbs¶
The paradigm verb is גָּלָה, translated "to be uncovered, disclosed, made known" in the Pual. The final ה is a vowel letter; endings contract throughout. All strong verb diagnostics are present in every form.
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | גֻּלָּה | יְגֻלֶּה | מְגֻלֶּה |
| 3fs / fs | גֻּלְּתָה | תְּגֻלֶּה | מְגֻלָּה |
| 2ms / mp | גֻּלֵּ֫יתָ | תְּגֻלֶּה | מְגֻלִּים |
| 2fs / fp | גֻּלֵּית | תְּגֻלִּי | מְגֻלּוֹת |
| 1cs | גֻּלֵּ֫יתִי | אֲגֻלֶּה | |
| 3cp | גֻּלּוּ | יְגֻלּוּ | |
| 2mp | גֻּלֵּיתֶם | תְּגֻלֶּ֫ינָה | |
| 2fp | גֻּלֵּיתֶן | תְּגֻלּוּ | |
| 1cp | גֻּלֵּ֫ינוּ | תְּגֻלֶּ֫ינָה | |
| נְגֻלֶּה |
Diagnostic: Qibbuts under R1 + Dagesh in R2 + contracted ה endings throughout.
3. II-Guttural Verbs¶
Only II-Guttural verbs exhibit significant changes in the Pual. Because the guttural in R2 rejects Dagesh Forte, two patterns result: virtual doubling (guttural bears the stress without a dagesh) or compensatory lengthening (the vowel under R1 lengthens from Qibbuts to Holem).
| Strong | II-Guttural (Virtual Doubling) | II-Guttural (Compensatory Lengthening) |
|---|---|---|
| קֻטַּל | נֻחַם | בֹּרַךְ |
Virtual Doubling — נָחַם ("to be comforted, consoled")¶
All Pual strong verb diagnostics are present except the visible Dagesh Forte in R2. The guttural bears virtual doubling.
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | נֻחַם | יְנֻחַם | מְנֻחָם |
| 3fs / fs | נֻחֲמָה | תְּנֻחַם | מְנֻחֶ֫מֶת |
| 2ms / mp | נֻחַ֫מְתָּ | תְּנֻחַם | מְנֻחָמִים |
| 2fs / fp | נֻחַמְתְּ | תְּנֻחֲמִי | מְנֻחָמוֹת |
| 1cs | נֻחַ֫מְתִּי | אֲנֻחַם | |
| 3cp | נֻחֲמוּ | יְנֻחֲמוּ | |
| 2mp | נֻחַמְתֶּם | תְּנֻחַ֫מְנָה | |
| 2fp | נֻחַמְתֶּן | תְּנֻחֲמוּ | |
| 1cp | נֻחַ֫מְנוּ | תְּנֻחַ֫מְנָה | |
| נְנֻחַם |
Diagnostic: Qibbuts under R1 + no visible Dagesh in R2 (guttural) + Patach under R2 (virtual doubling).
Compensatory Lengthening — בָּרַךְ ("to be blessed")¶
Because ר rejects Dagesh Forte, Qibbuts under R1 lengthens to Holem. The Holem before ר is the sign of compensatory lengthening — not the Holem of a Qal active Participle.
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | בֹּרַךְ | יְבֹרַךְ | מְבֹרָךְ |
| 3fs / fs | בֹּרְכָה | תְּבֹרַךְ | מְבֹרֶ֫כֶת |
| 2ms / mp | בֹּרַ֫כְתָּ | תְּבֹרַךְ | מְבֹרָכִים |
| 2fs / fp | בֹּרַכְתְּ | תְּבֹרְכִי | מְבֹרָכוֹת |
| 1cs | בֹּרַ֫כְתִּי | אֲבֹרַךְ | |
| 3cp | בֹּרְכוּ | יְבֹרְכוּ | |
| 2mp | בֹּרַכְתֶּם | תְּבֹרַ֫כְנָה | |
| 2fp | בֹּרַכְתֶּן | תְּבֹרְכוּ | |
| 1cp | בֹּרַ֫כְנוּ | תְּבֹרַ֫כְנָה | |
| נְבֹרַךְ |
Diagnostic: Holem under R1 (compensatory lengthening) + no Dagesh in R2 (ר) + Patach under R2.
4. I-Guttural (Pe-Guttural) Verbs¶
When R1 is a guttural (א, ה, ח, ע), the Qibbuts is retained under R1 — unlike stems where R1 would carry a vocal shewa, the Pual's Qibbuts is a full vowel and the guttural takes it normally. Where a composite shewa would appear in other stems, the guttural uses a hateph vowel. The paradigm verb is עָמַד.
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | עֻמַּד | יְעֻמַּד | מְעֻמָּד |
| 3fs / fs | עֻמְּדָה | תְּעֻמַּד | מְעֻמֶּ֫דֶת |
| 2ms / mp | עֻמַּ֫דְתָּ | תְּעֻמַּד | מְעֻמָּדִים |
| 2fs / fp | עֻמַּדְתְּ | תְּעֻמְּדִי | מְעֻמָּדוֹת |
| 1cs | עֻמַּ֫דְתִּי | אֲעֻמַּד | |
| 3cp | עֻמְּדוּ | יְעֻמְּדוּ | |
| 2mp | עֻמַּדְתֶּם | תְּעֻמַּ֫דְנָה | |
| 2fp | עֻמַּדְתֶּן | תְּעֻמְּדוּ | |
| 1cp | עֻמַּ֫דְנוּ | תְּעֻמַּ֫דְנָה | |
| נְעֻמַּד |
Diagnostic: The I-guttural Pual is nearly identical to the strong Pual — the Qibbuts under R1 prevents the typical guttural adjustments. Note אֲ (hateph-patach) under the 1cs imperfect prefix (אֲעֻמַּד). The most commonly cited I-guttural Pual form in the OT is עֻנָּה (from ענה, also III-ה), "was afflicted" (Isa 53:4, 7).
5. III-ח/ע (Lamed-Guttural) Verbs¶
When R3 is ח or ע, the guttural demands an a-class vowel before it. Qibbuts under R1 and Dagesh Forte in R2 are fully intact — the weakness is only at R3. Patach furtive appears before a word-final ח or ע in an open syllable. The paradigm verb is שָׁלַח ("to be sent").
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | שֻׁלַּח | יְשֻׁלַּח | מְשֻׁלָּח |
| 3fs / fs | שֻׁלְּחָה | תְּשֻׁלַּח | מְשֻׁלַּ֫חַת |
| 2ms / mp | שֻׁלַּ֫חְתָּ | תְּשֻׁלַּח | מְשֻׁלָּחִים |
| 2fs / fp | שֻׁלַּחְתְּ | תְּשֻׁלְּחִי | מְשֻׁלָּחוֹת |
| 1cs | שֻׁלַּ֫חְתִּי | אֲשֻׁלַּח | |
| 3cp | שֻׁלְּחוּ | יְשֻׁלְּחוּ | |
| 2mp | שֻׁלַּחְתֶּם | תְּשֻׁלַּ֫חְנָה | |
| 2fp | שֻׁלַּחְתֶּן | תְּשֻׁלְּחוּ | |
| 1cp | שֻׁלַּ֫חְנוּ | תְּשֻׁלַּ֫חְנָה | |
| נְשֻׁלַּח |
Diagnostic: Qibbuts under R1 + Dagesh in R2 + Patach (a-class) before final ח; patach furtive appears in open final syllable (3ms, 3fs Participle).
6. I-נ (Pe-Nun) Verbs¶
In the Pual, the root נ of Pe-Nun verbs does not assimilate into R2 (contrast the Qal Imperfect, where נ assimilates). R1 = נ takes the Qibbuts normally; R2 takes the Dagesh Forte as in any strong Pual. The paradigm verb is נָתַן ("to be given").
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | נֻתַּן | יְנֻתַּן | נָתוּן / מְנֻתָּן |
| 3fs / fs | נֻתְּנָה | תְּנֻתַּן | מְנֻתֶּ֫נֶת |
| 2ms / mp | נֻתַּ֫נְתָּ | תְּנֻתַּן | נְתֻנִים |
| 2fs / fp | נֻתַּנְתְּ | תְּנֻתְּנִי | מְנֻתָּנוֹת |
| 1cs | נֻתַּ֫נְתִּי | אֲנֻתַּן | |
| 3cp | נֻתְּנוּ | יְנֻתְּנוּ | |
| 2mp | נֻתַּנְתֶּם | תְּנֻתַּ֫נְנָה | |
| 2fp | נֻתַּנְתֶּן | תְּנֻתְּנוּ | |
| 1cp | נֻתַּ֫נְנוּ | תְּנֻתַּ֫נְנָה | |
| נְנֻתַּן |
Diagnostic: Qibbuts under נ + Dagesh in R2 (ת). The frozen participial form נְתֻנִים ("given ones, assigned") appears as a technical term for the Levites in Num 3:9; 8:16.
7. I-י (Pe-Yod) Verbs¶
In the Pual, the root י of Pe-Yod verbs stays as R1 and takes the Qibbuts — unlike the Qal Imperfect, where the י drops. The forms are parallel to the strong Pual with י as R1. The paradigm verb is יָלַד ("to be born, begotten").
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | יֻלַּד | יְיֻלַּד | מְיֻלָּד |
| 3fs / fs | יֻלְּדָה | תְּיֻלַּד | מְיֻלֶּ֫דֶת |
| 2ms / mp | יֻלַּ֫דְתָּ | תְּיֻלַּד | מְיֻלָּדִים |
| 2fs / fp | יֻלַּדְתְּ | תְּיֻלְּדִי | מְיֻלָּדוֹת |
| 1cs | יֻלַּ֫דְתִּי | אֲיֻלַּד | |
| 3cp | יֻלְּדוּ | יְיֻלְּדוּ | |
| 2mp | יֻלַּדְתֶּם | תְּיֻלַּ֫דְנָה | |
| 2fp | יֻלַּדְתֶּן | תְּיֻלְּדוּ | |
| 1cp | יֻלַּ֫דְנוּ | תְּיֻלַּ֫דְנָה | |
| נְיֻלַּד |
Diagnostic: Qibbuts under י (R1) + Dagesh in ל (R2). The form יֻלַּד ("was born/begotten") is the most frequent I-י Pual form in the OT, appearing throughout the genealogies of Genesis (4:18, 26; 10:1; 11:10–26; 46:22 and passim).
8. Biconsonantal (II-ו/י) Verbs¶
Biconsonantal roots in the Pual are rare in the OT — the medial vowel letter (R2 = ו or י) cannot receive Dagesh Forte. Where a Biconsonantal root must express a passive idea, Biblical Hebrew typically uses the Niphal or Hophal instead. The Polal stem (§12 below) is the standard passive form for Biconsonantal roots in the derived stems. The paradigm forms below are reconstructed following expected phonological rules.
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | קוֹמַם | יְקוֹמַם | מְקוֹמָם |
| 3fs / fs | קוֹמְמָה | תְּקוֹמַם | מְקוֹמֶ֫מֶת |
| 2ms / mp | קוֹמַ֫מְתָּ | תְּקוֹמַם | מְקוֹמָמִים |
| 2fs / fp | קוֹמַמְתְּ | תְּקוֹמְמִי | מְקוֹמָמוֹת |
| 1cs | קוֹמַ֫מְתִּי | אֲקוֹמַם | |
| 3cp | קוֹמְמוּ | יְקוֹמְמוּ | |
| 2mp | קוֹמַמְתֶּם | תְּקוֹמַ֫מְנָה | |
| 2fp | קוֹמַמְתֶּן | תְּקוֹמְמוּ | |
| 1cp | קוֹמַ֫מְנוּ | תְּקוֹמַ֫מְנָה | |
| נְקוֹמַם |
The forms above follow the Polal pattern (passive of Polel), which is the standard passive for Biconsonantal roots in the derived stems. See §12 for the full Polal paradigm of רוּם.
9. Geminate (Ayin-Doubled) Verbs¶
Geminate roots (R2 = R3) in the Pual double the repeated consonant. The Dagesh Forte required by the Pual in R2 serves simultaneously as the geminate dagesh — the two functions merge into one dagesh. Qibbuts under R1 is fully intact. The paradigm verb is קָלַל ("to be cursed").
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | קֻלַּל | יְקֻלַּל | מְקֻלָּל |
| 3fs / fs | קֻלְּלָה | תְּקֻלַּל | מְקֻלֶּ֫לֶת |
| 2ms / mp | קֻלַּ֫לְתָּ | תְּקֻלַּל | מְקֻלָּלִים |
| 2fs / fp | קֻלַּלְתְּ | תְּקֻלְּלִי | מְקֻלָּלוֹת |
| 1cs | קֻלַּ֫לְתִּי | אֲקֻלַּל | |
| 3cp | קֻלְּלוּ | יְקֻלְּלוּ | |
| 2mp | קֻלַּלְתֶּם | תְּקֻלַּ֫לְנָה | |
| 2fp | קֻלַּלְתֶּן | תְּקֻלְּלוּ | |
| 1cp | קֻלַּ֫לְנוּ | תְּקֻלַּ֫לְנָה | |
| נְקֻלַּל |
Diagnostic: Qibbuts under R1 + single doubled consonant (R2 = R3) with strong dagesh. The Pual of הָלַל ("to be praised") follows the same pattern: הֻלַּל / יְהֻלַּל / מְהֻלָּל.
10. Summary¶
The diagnostic features of the Pual stem are: (1) Qibbuts under the first root consonant; (2) Dagesh Forte in the second root consonant; (3) Vocal Shewa under all Imperfect preformatives and Participle prefixes. Only II-Guttural weak verbs exhibit any significant changes in the Pual.
| Class | Perfect 3ms | Imperfect 3ms | Participle ms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | קֻטַּל | יְקֻטַּל | מְקֻטָּל |
| III-א (מצא) | מֻצָּא | יְמֻצָּא | מְמֻצָּא |
| III-ה (גלה) | גֻּלָּה | יְגֻלֶּה | מְגֻלֶּה |
| II-Guttural — Virtual Doubling (נחם) | נֻחַם | יְנֻחַם | מְנֻחָם |
| II-Guttural — Comp. Lengthening (ברך) | בֹּרַךְ | יְבֹרַךְ | מְבֹרָךְ |
11. Additional Information: The Polal Stem (§33.11)¶
The Polal stem is the passive counterpart of the Polel stem (Ch31 §13). It functions as the equivalent of the Pual for Biconsonantal verbal roots. Biconsonantal stems in the Polal/Polel are characterized by Holem Waw after the first root consonant and duplication of the second root consonant. The Polal forms of רוּם ("to be raised, lifted up, exalted") are presented below.
In the Perfect, the Polal is identical to the Polel except in the 3ms (רוֹמַם). In the Imperfect, several forms are also identical between the two stems (2fs, 3mp, 2mp).
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | רוֹמַם | יְרוֹמַם | מְרוֹמָם |
| 3fs / fs | רוֹמְמָה | תְּרוֹמַם | מְרוֹמֶ֫מֶת |
| 2ms / mp | רוֹמַ֫מְתָּ | תְּרוֹמַם | מְרוֹמָמִים |
| 2fs / fp | רוֹמַמְתְּ | תְּרוֹמְמִי | מְרוֹמָמוֹת |
| 1cs | רוֹמַ֫מְתִּי | אֲרוֹמַם | |
| 3cp | רוֹמְמוּ | יְרוֹמְמוּ | |
| 2mp | רוֹמַמְתֶּם | תְּרוֹמַ֫מְנָה | |
| 2fp | רוֹמַמְתֶּן | תְּרוֹמְמוּ | |
| 1cp | רוֹמַ֫מְנוּ | תְּרוֹמַ֫מְנָה | |
| נְרוֹמַם |