Verb Imperfect

Summary

An Imperfect verb is used generally to indicate an action that is not complete, or an action that either occurs in the present or will occur in the future. However, an Imperfect verb can also be used to describe other kinds of actions.

Article

In Biblical Aramaic the Imperfect conjugation is used generally to describe actions that are not completed or actions that occur in the present or future. However, the Imperfect conjugation is also used to describe several other kinds of actions as determined by the context. These include frequentive or durative actions, negative commands, indirect commands, potential actions, and actions of greater or lesser desirability (similar to Jussive verbs and Cohortative verbs).

The normal Imperfect conjugation with the conjunction waw (וְ “and”) as a prefix is different from the Sequential Imperfect, which utilizes a specialized form of the conjunction and contains a different meaning. Sometimes a verb with Imperfect conjugation occurs within a clause after another finite verb (as in Gen 49:27 below, supplying the linking verb to be). In these cases, the context must determine whether the Imperfect verb is functioning as a non-finite verb to complement the preceding main verb, or whether it is functioning as a second main verb.

Form

Pe’al Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing

Aramaic

Transliteration

Gloss

masculine singular third person

יִכְתֻּב

yikhtubh

he will write

feminine singular third person

תִּכְתֻּב

tikhtubh

she will write

masculine singular second person

תִּכְתֻּב

tikhtubh

you will write

feminine singular second person

תִּכְתְּבִין

tikhtebhiyn

you will write

common singular first person

אֶכְתֻּב

‘ekhtubh

I will write

masculine plural third person

יִכְתְּבוּן

yikhtebhun

they will write

feminine plural third person

יִכְתְּבָנ

yikhtebhan

they will write

masculine plural second person

תִּכְתְּבוּן

tikhtebhun

you will write

feminine plural second person

תִּכְתְּבָן

tikhtebhan

you will write

common plural first person

נִכְתֻּב

nikhtubh

we will write

Hithpe’el Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing

Aramaic

Transliteration

Gloss

masculine singular third person

יִתְכְּתֵב (or יִתְכְּתִב)

yithkethebh (or yithkethibh)

he will write himself

feminine singular third person

תִּתְכְּתֵב

tithkethebh

she will write herself

masculine singular second person

תִּתְכְּתֵב

tithkethebh

you will write yourself

feminine singular second person

תִּתְכַּתְבִין

tithkathbhiyn

you will write yourself

common singular first person

אֶתְכְּתֵב

‘ethkethebh

I will write myself

masculine plural third person

יִתְכַּתְבוּן

yithkathbhun

they will write themselves

feminine plural third person

יִתְכַּתְבָן

yithkathbhan

they will write themselves

masculine plural second person

תִּתְכַּתְבוּן

tithkathbhun

you will write yourselves

feminine plural second person

תִּתְכַּתְבָן

tithkathbhan

you will write yourselves

common plural first person

נִתְכְּתֵב

nithkethebh

we will write ourselves

Pa’el Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing

Aramaic

Transliteration

Gloss

masculine singular third person

יְכַתֵּב (or יְכַתִּב)

yekhattebh (or yekhattibh)

he will write down

feminine singular third person

תְּכַתֵּב

tekhattebh

she will write down

masculine singular second person

תְּכַתֵּב

tekhattebh

you will write down

feminine singular second person

תְּכַתְּבִין

tekhattebhiyn

you will write down

common singular first person

אֲכַתֵּב

‘ekhattebh

I will write down

masculine plural third person

יְכַתְּבוּן

yekhattebhun

they will write down

feminine plural third person

יְכַתְּבָן

yekhattebhan

they will write down

masculine plural second person

תְּכַתְּבוּן

tekhattebhun

you will write down

feminine plural second person

תְּכַתְּבָן

thekhattebhan

you will write down

common plural first person

נְכַתֵּב

nekhattebh

we will write down

Hithpa’al Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing

Aramaic

Transliteration

Gloss

masculine singular third person

יִתְכַּתַּב

yithkattabh

he will write himself down

feminine singular third person

תִּתְכַּתַּב

tithkattabh

she will write herself down

masculine singular second person

תִּתְכַּתַּב

tithkattabh

you will write yourself down

feminine singular second person

תִּתְכַּתְּבִין

tithkattebhiyn

you will write yourself down

common singular first person

אֶתְכַּתַּב

‘ethkattabh

I will write myself down

masculine plural third person

יִתְכַּתְּבוּן

yithkattebhun

they will write themselves down

feminine plural third person

יִתְכַּתְּבָן

yithkattebhan

they will write themselves down

masculine plural second person

תִּתְכַּתְּבוּן

tithkattebhun

you will write themselves down

feminine plural second person

תִּתְכַּתְּבָן

tithkattebhan

you will write yourselves down

common plural first person

נִתְכַּתַּב

nithkattabh

we will write ourselves down

Haphel Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing

Aramaic

Transliteration

Gloss

masculine singular third person

יְהַכְתֵּב (or יְהַכְתִּב)

yehakhtebh

he will cause to write

feminine singular third person

תְּהַכְתֵּב

tehakhtebh

she will cause to write

masculine singular second person

תְּהַכְתֵּב

tehakhtebh

you will cause to write

feminine singular second person

תְּהַכְתְּבִין

tehakhbebhiyn

you will cause to write

common singular first person

אֲהַכְתֵּב

‘ehakhtebh

I will cause to write

masculine plural third person

יְהַכְתְּבוּן

yehakhtebhun

they will cause to write

feminine plural third person

יְהַכְתְּבָן

yehakhtebhan

they will cause to write

masculine plural second person

תְּהַכְתְּבוּן

tehakhtebhun

you will cause to write

feminine plural second person

תְּהַכְתְּבָן

tehakhtebhan

you will cause to write

common plural first person

נְהַכְתֵּב

nehakhtebh

we will cause to write

Function

The Imperfect conjugation can indicate any of the following kinds of actions:

Actions in future time

Actions in present time

Frequentive or durative actions

These may be in past time, present time, future time, or without a specified time frame.

Direct negative commands (with לֹא to express an emphatic prohibition)

Potential actions

Actions of greater or lesser desirability

These may include instructions, requests, permissions, invitations, assurances, wishes, etc.