2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
:github_url: https://git.door43.org/Door43/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/verb.rst
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. _verb:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Verb
|
|
|
|
|
====
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summary
|
|
|
|
|
-------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A verb is the grammatical entity that describes the subject of a
|
|
|
|
|
sentence. A verb can describe either an action that the subject performs
|
|
|
|
|
or the state (or condition) of the subject.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Article
|
|
|
|
|
-------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A verb is a word in a sentence that describes either an action by the
|
|
|
|
|
subject of a sentence, or the subject itself. Therefore, the verb is
|
|
|
|
|
often the most important word in understanding a sentence or a clause.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Form
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In Biblical Hebrew, the root of a verb consists of three consonants,
|
|
|
|
|
sometimes called the tri-literal (meaning "three letters") root. In
|
|
|
|
|
"strong" verbs, the three root consonants always stay the same and are
|
|
|
|
|
easy to recognize, but "weak" verbs have one or more consonants that
|
|
|
|
|
disappear in certain forms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Verbs in Biblical Hebrew change form according to both conjugation
|
|
|
|
|
(:ref:`verb_perfect`,
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`verb_imperfect`,
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`infinitive_absolute`,
|
|
|
|
|
etc.) and stem formation
|
|
|
|
|
(:ref:`stem_niphal`,
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`stem_hiphil`,
|
|
|
|
|
etc.). Generally speaking, changes in verb forms happen by adding
|
|
|
|
|
prefixes/suffixes, by changing the vowels, or both. These changes in
|
|
|
|
|
form show the
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`stem`
|
|
|
|
|
formation of a verb with its conjugation, which includes the person
|
|
|
|
|
(:ref:`person_second`,
|
|
|
|
|
or
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`person_third`),
|
|
|
|
|
the gender
|
|
|
|
|
(:ref:`gender_masculine`
|
|
|
|
|
or
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`gender_feminine`),
|
|
|
|
|
the number
|
|
|
|
|
(:ref:`number_singular`
|
|
|
|
|
or
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`number_plural`),
|
|
|
|
|
and sometimes the state
|
|
|
|
|
(:ref:`state_absolute`
|
|
|
|
|
or
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`state_construct`).
|
|
|
|
|
The person, gender, and number of a verb always agree with the subject.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unlike English (but similar to other languages like Spanish), verbs in
|
|
|
|
|
Biblical Hebrew do not require a separate :ref:`pronoun_personal`
|
|
|
|
|
if the subject is not identified; this is because the form of the verb
|
|
|
|
|
itself includes the subject. A :ref:`suffix_pronominal`
|
|
|
|
|
attached to a verb can function as its object.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Types of verbs I
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A important way of distinguishing between different types of verbs is to
|
|
|
|
|
separate finite verbs from non-finite verbs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. _verb-finite-verbs:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finite verbs
|
|
|
|
|
^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finite verbs are verbs that have a subject and do not require any verbal
|
|
|
|
|
complement to form a complete sentence. Their form shows tense (:ref:`verb_perfect`,
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`verb_imperfect`,
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`verb_imperative`,
|
|
|
|
|
etc.), as well as person and number. Biblical Hebrew has 7 finite verb
|
|
|
|
|
forms – Suffix conjugation, prefix conjugation, Sequential suffix
|
|
|
|
|
conjugation, Sequential prefix conjugation, Imperative, Jussive, and
|
|
|
|
|
Cohortative.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. _verb-non-finite-verbs:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-finite verbs
|
|
|
|
|
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Properly speaking, non-finite verbs are verbal complements that require
|
|
|
|
|
a finite verb to form a complete sentence. Biblical Hebrew has three
|
|
|
|
|
non-finite verb forms, namely the :ref:`infinitive_absolute`,
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`infinitive_construct`,
|
|
|
|
|
and participles (both
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`participle_active`
|
|
|
|
|
and
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`participle_passive`).
|
|
|
|
|
Non-finite verbs can sometimes describe an action or an event in such a
|
|
|
|
|
way that the word functions like a
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`noun`.
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-06 17:15:04 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. note:: In Biblical Hebrew, the non-finite verb forms are sometimes used
|
|
|
|
|
as finite verbs.
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Types of verbs II
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grammarians often distinguish between different types of verbs. When
|
|
|
|
|
considering the best way to translate a sentence, it is helpful to
|
|
|
|
|
understand whether a verb is describing an action or a state of being.
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-07 15:45:10 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. _verb-dynamic-or-action-verbs:
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
Dynamic (or Action) verbs
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dynamic verbs describe a subject performing an action. The subject is
|
|
|
|
|
*doing* something.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 2KI 1:5
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
וַיָּשׁ֥וּבוּ הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים אֵלָ֑יו
|
|
|
|
|
**wayyashuvu** hammal'akhim 'elayw
|
|
|
|
|
**And-they-returned** the-messangers to-him
|
|
|
|
|
When the messengers **returned** to him
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
- JON 1:4
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
וַֽיהוָ֗ה **הֵטִ֤יל** רֽוּחַ־גְּדֹולָה֙ אֶל־הַיָּ֔ם
|
|
|
|
|
wayhwah **hetil** ruah-gedowlah 'el-hayyam
|
|
|
|
|
And-Yahweh **cast** wind-great on-the-sea
|
|
|
|
|
But Yahweh **sent** out a great wind on the sea
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. _verb-stative-or-non-action-verbs:
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
Stative (or Non-action) verbs
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
Rather than describing a specific action, stative verbs describe the
|
|
|
|
|
subject's state of being (the way the subject is). The subject is *not*
|
|
|
|
|
doing anything.
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
- GEN 48:10 –– stative verb "to be heavy"
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
וְעֵינֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ **כָּבְד֣וּ** מִזֹּ֔קֶן
|
|
|
|
|
we'ene yisra'el **kovdu** mizzoqen
|
|
|
|
|
And-the-eyes-of Israel **were-heavy** from-age
|
|
|
|
|
Now Israel's eyes **were failing** because of his age
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
- NUM 13:33 –– stative verb "to be"
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
וַנְּהִ֤י בְעֵינֵ֨ינוּ֙ כַּֽחֲגָבִ֔ים
|
|
|
|
|
**wannehi** ve'enenu kahagavim
|
|
|
|
|
**And-we-were** in-our-eyes like-grashoppers
|
|
|
|
|
In our own sight **we were** like grasshoppers
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. _verb-transitive-verbs:
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
Transitive Verbs
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
A transitive verb is an action verb which requires an object that
|
|
|
|
|
receives the verbal action. A sentence with a transitive verb is not
|
|
|
|
|
complete without the object. Stative verbs are never transitive.
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
- RUT 1:14 –– "And they lifted up" is unclear without an object. They
|
|
|
|
|
lifted up...\ *what?*
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
וַתִּשֶּׂ֣נָה קֹולָ֔ן
|
|
|
|
|
**wattissenah** qowlan
|
|
|
|
|
**And they lifted up** their voice
|
|
|
|
|
**Then they lifted up** their voices
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
- PRO 7:1 –– "[you must] keep" is unclear without an object. You must
|
|
|
|
|
keep...\ *what?*
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
שְׁמֹ֣ר אֲמָרָ֑י
|
|
|
|
|
**shemor** 'amaray
|
|
|
|
|
**keep** my-words
|
|
|
|
|
**keep** my words
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. _verb-intransitive-verbs:
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
Intransitive Verbs
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
An intransitive verb is a verb that does NOT require an object to
|
|
|
|
|
receive the verbal action. A sentence with an intransitive verb is
|
|
|
|
|
complete without an object. Dynamic verbs can be either transitive or
|
|
|
|
|
intransitive, but stative verbs are always intransitive.
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
- EXO 11:1
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה
|
|
|
|
|
**wayyomer** yehwah 'el-mosheh
|
|
|
|
|
**And-he-said** Yahweh to\_Moses
|
|
|
|
|
Then Yahweh **said** to Moses
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
- DAN 9:4
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
וָֽאֶתְפַּֽלְלָ֛ה לַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהַ֖י
|
|
|
|
|
**wa'ethpalelah** layhwah 'elohay
|
|
|
|
|
**And-I-prayed** to-Yahweh my-God
|
|
|
|
|
**I prayed** to Yahweh my God
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. _verb-linking-verbs:
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
Linking verbs
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
Linking verbs are verbs that link two
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`noun`,
|
|
|
|
|
or a noun and an
|
|
|
|
|
:ref:`adjective`.
|
|
|
|
|
Hebrew has very few linking verbs, so often a linking verb has to be
|
|
|
|
|
supplied in English.
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
- RUT 2:6 –– linking verb "is", not present in the Hebrew text
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
נַעֲרָ֤ה מֹֽואֲבִיָּה֙ הִ֔יא
|
|
|
|
|
na'arah mow'aviyyah hi
|
|
|
|
|
Young-woman Moabite she
|
|
|
|
|
She **is** the young Moabite woman
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
- 1SA 11:10 –– linking verb "seems", not present in the Hebrew text
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
כְּכָל־הַטֹּ֖וב בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃
|
|
|
|
|
kekhol-hattowv be'enekhem
|
|
|
|
|
like-all\_the-good in-your-eyes.
|
|
|
|
|
whatever **seems** good to you.
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Helping verbs
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hebrew does not use helping verbs, but English does. Often, it is
|
|
|
|
|
necessary to supply a helping verb in English to express the meaning of
|
|
|
|
|
a Hebrew verb.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Helping verbs in questions and negations
|
|
|
|
|
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 1SA 13:11 –– in English translation with helping verb "have" (not
|
|
|
|
|
present in the Hebrew text)
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ
|
|
|
|
|
meh 'asitha
|
|
|
|
|
What you-did?
|
|
|
|
|
What **have** you done?
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- EZR 5:5 –– in English translation with helping verb "did" (not
|
|
|
|
|
present in the Hebrew text)
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
וְלָא־בַטִּ֣לוּ הִמֹּ֔ו
|
|
|
|
|
wela-vattilu himmow
|
|
|
|
|
and-not\_they-stopped them
|
|
|
|
|
and they **did** not stop them
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Helping verbs to express possibility or desirability
|
|
|
|
|
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
English uses helping verbs to express varying degrees of possiblity or
|
|
|
|
|
desirability of verbs. This includes a vast range from strong
|
|
|
|
|
possibility (*He **can** do this* or *He **would** do this*) to weak
|
|
|
|
|
possibility (*He **might** do this* or *He **could** do this*) or from
|
|
|
|
|
strong desirability (*He **should** do this* or ***Let** him do this*)
|
|
|
|
|
to weak desirability (***May** he do this* or *He **wants** to do
|
|
|
|
|
this*). In Biblical Hebrew, this sense of possibility or desirability is
|
|
|
|
|
implied by the context and already present in the form of the verb
|
|
|
|
|
itself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- GEN 3:16 –– in English translation with helping verb "may" (not
|
|
|
|
|
present in Hebrew text)
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל׃
|
|
|
|
|
mikkol 'ets-haggan 'akhol tokhel
|
|
|
|
|
from-every tree-of\_the-garden eating you-eat
|
|
|
|
|
From every tree in the garden you **may** freely eat
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- JOB 38:34 –– in English translation with helping verb "may" (not
|
|
|
|
|
present in Hebrew text)
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
.. csv-table::
|
2018-03-06 14:24:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
|
2018-03-08 21:03:22 +00:00
|
|
|
|
וְֽשִׁפְעַת־מַ֥יִם תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃
|
|
|
|
|
weshif'ath-mayim tekhassekka
|
|
|
|
|
and-large-amount-of\_water cover-you
|
|
|
|
|
so that an abundance of rainwater **may** cover you
|