: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`. .. note:: In Biblical Hebrew, the non-finite verb forms are sometimes used as finite verbs. 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. .. _verb-dynamic-or-action-verbs: Dynamic (or Action) verbs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dynamic verbs describe a subject performing an action. The subject is *doing* something. - 2KI 1:5 .. csv-table:: וַיָּשׁ֥וּבוּ הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים אֵלָ֑יו **wayyashuvu** hammal'akhim 'elayw **And-they-returned** the-messangers to-him When the messengers **returned** to him - JON 1:4 .. csv-table:: 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 .. _verb-stative-or-non-action-verbs: Stative (or Non-action) verbs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. - GEN 48:10 –– stative verb "to be heavy" .. csv-table:: 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 - NUM 13:33 –– stative verb "to be" .. csv-table:: וַנְּהִ֤י בְעֵינֵ֨ינוּ֙ כַּֽחֲגָבִ֔ים **wannehi** ve'enenu kahagavim **And-we-were** in-our-eyes like-grashoppers In our own sight **we were** like grasshoppers .. _verb-transitive-verbs: Transitive Verbs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. - RUT 1:14 –– "And they lifted up" is unclear without an object. They lifted up...\ *what?* .. csv-table:: וַתִּשֶּׂ֣נָה קֹולָ֔ן **wattissenah** qowlan **And they lifted up** their voice **Then they lifted up** their voices - PRO 7:1 –– "[you must] keep" is unclear without an object. You must keep...\ *what?* .. csv-table:: שְׁמֹ֣ר אֲמָרָ֑י **shemor** 'amaray **keep** my-words **keep** my words .. _verb-intransitive-verbs: Intransitive Verbs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. - EXO 11:1 .. csv-table:: וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה **wayyomer** yehwah 'el-mosheh **And-he-said** Yahweh to\_Moses Then Yahweh **said** to Moses - DAN 9:4 .. csv-table:: וָֽאֶתְפַּֽלְלָ֛ה לַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהַ֖י **wa'ethpalelah** layhwah 'elohay **And-I-prayed** to-Yahweh my-God **I prayed** to Yahweh my God .. _verb-linking-verbs: Linking verbs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. - RUT 2:6 –– linking verb "is", not present in the Hebrew text .. csv-table:: נַעֲרָ֤ה מֹֽואֲבִיָּה֙ הִ֔יא na'arah mow'aviyyah hi Young-woman Moabite she She **is** the young Moabite woman - 1SA 11:10 –– linking verb "seems", not present in the Hebrew text .. csv-table:: כְּכָל־הַטֹּ֖וב בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ kekhol-hattowv be'enekhem like-all\_the-good in-your-eyes. whatever **seems** good to you. 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) .. csv-table:: מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ meh 'asitha What you-did? What **have** you done? - EZR 5:5 –– in English translation with helping verb "did" (not present in the Hebrew text) .. csv-table:: וְלָא־בַטִּ֣לוּ הִמֹּ֔ו wela-vattilu himmow and-not\_they-stopped them and they **did** not stop them 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) .. csv-table:: 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 - JOB 38:34 –– in English translation with helping verb "may" (not present in Hebrew text) .. csv-table:: וְֽשִׁפְעַת־מַ֥יִם תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃ weshif'ath-mayim tekhassekka and-large-amount-of\_water cover-you so that an abundance of rainwater **may** cover you