Stem Hophal

Summary

The Hophal stem is the passive form of the Haphel, and it generally expresses the passive voice of the meaning of a verb in the Haphel stem.

Article

The Hophal stem is the passive form of the Haphel stem formation in Biblical Aramaic. The Hophal stem is usually indicated by either a הָ or הֻ prefix to the Verb. (The ה changes in the participle and Imperfect forms.) The Hophal stem usually expresses the passive voice of the meaning of a verb in the Haphel stem. In English, passive voice is expressed using the helping verb “to be.” In Biblical Aramaic, the passive nature of the verbal action is expressed by the Hophal form of the verb itself without any helping verbs.

Note

It is recommended to always check a dictionary or lexicon for the meaning of a specific verb, because this stem may express many different kinds of action in different contexts.

Form

Paradigm

Note

every form in the Hophal can have either a qamets hatuf or a qibbuts under the first letter (so הָ or הֻ). Here the qamets hatuf is used throughout.

Hophal Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Aramaic	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	הֻכְתַּב (or הָכְתַּב)	hukhtabh (or hokhtabh)	he was caused to write
feminine singular third person	הֻכְתְּבַת	hukhtebhath	she was caused to write
masculine singular second person	הֻכְתַּבְתָּ	hukhtabhta	you were caused to write
feminine singular second person	הֻכְתַּבְתִּי	hukhtabhtiy	you were caused to write
common singular first person	הֻכְתְּבֵת	hukhtebheth	I was caused to wtie
masculine plural third person	הֻכְתַּבוּ	hukhtabhu	they were caused to write
feminine plural third person	הֻכְתַּבָה	hukhtabhah	they were caused to write
masculine plural second person	הֻכְתַּבְתּוּן	hukhtabhtun	you were caused to write
feminine plural second person	הֻכְתַּבְתֵּן	hukhtabhten	you were caused to write
common plural first person	הֻכְתַּבְנָא	hukhtabhna’	we were caused to write

Hophal Participle (passive voice) Paradigm

Parsing	Aramaic	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular	מְכַתַּב	mekhattabh	being caused to write
feminine singular	מְכַתְּבָה	mekhattebhah	being caused to write
masculine plural	מְכַתְּבִין	mekhattebhiyn	being caused to write
feminine plural	מְכַתְּבָן	mekhattebhan	being caused to write

Function

Expresses the passive voice of the Hiphil stem

For most verbs that appear in Haphel stem in Biblical Aramaic, the Hophal stem expresses the same kind of simple or causative action as the Hiphil stem, but in passive voice. A good example is the verb בּוֹא. In the Pe’al stem, the verb בּוֹא means “to come” or “to go” (:ref:simple<stem-action-simple>` action, active voice). But in the Haphel stem, the verb בּוֹא means “to bring” (causative action, active voice). Thus, in the Hophal stem, the verb בּוֹא means “to be brought” (causative action, passive voice).

The Hophal stem of בּוֹא, meaning “to be brought”; in the Haphel stem, means “to bring”, for example:

The Hophal stem of נָגַד, meaning “to be declared”; in the Haphel stem, means “to declare”, for example: