Chapter 19a – Pronominal Suffixes
Introduction
You already know that when a pronoun is the direct object
of a verb, it is commonly attached to the definite direct
object marker (‫נוּ‬.ָ‫)יִשְׁמֹר אֹת‬. There is, however, another
way of indicating this grammatical construction. The
pronoun may also be added directly to the verb as a
pronominal suffix (‫)יִשְׁמְרֵ נוּ‬.
‫נוּ‬.ָ‫יִשְׁמֹר אֹת‬
‫יִשְׁמְרֵ נוּ‬
‫שָׁפַט אֹתְָך‬
‫טְָך‬, ‫שְׁפ‬
‫א‬
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
he will keep us
he will keep us
he judged you
he judged you
Chapter 19b – Pronominal Suffixes
Reviewing Type 1 Suffixes
In general, verbs use Type 1 pronominal suffixes
with an objective translation value.
Type 1
Suffixes
Type 1
Alternate
Objective
Translation
‫בִי‬
‫ָך‬
‫ְך‬
‫וֹ‬
‫ָהּ‬
‫נוּ‬
‫כֶם‬
‫כֶן‬
‫הֶם‬
‫הֶן‬
‫נִי‬
me
1cs
2ms
2fs
3ms
3fs
1cp
2mp
2fp
3mp
3fp
‫א‬
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
you
you
‫הוּ‬
ָ‫ה‬
him (it)
her (it)
us
you
you
‫ם‬
‫ן‬
them
them
Chapter 19c – Pronominal Suffixes
Suffixes Attached to the Qal Perfect 3ms
Qal Perfect 3ms
1cs
2ms
2fs
3ms
3fs
1cp
2mp
2fp
3mp
3fp
‫א‬
‫ַנ ִי‬.‫ְקטָל‬
‫ְקט<לְָך‬
‫ְקטָלְֵך‬
‫ְקטָלוֹ‬
‫ְקטָלָהּ‬
‫ָנוּ‬.‫ְקטָל‬
‫ְקט<לְכֶם‬
‫לְכֶן‬,‫ְקט‬
‫ְקטָלָם‬
‫ְקטָלָן‬
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
Translation
he killed me
he killed you
he killed you
he killed him (it)
he killed her (it)
he killed us
he killed you
he killed you
he killed them
he killed them
Chapter 19d – Pronominal Suffixes
The Spelling of the Qal Perfect with Pronominal Suffixes
Qal Perfect
Without Suffixes
3ms
3fs
2ms
2fs
1cs
3cp
2mp
2fp
1cp
‫א‬
‫קָטַל‬
‫טְלָה‬,‫ק‬
ָ‫לְתּ‬.ַ‫קָט‬
ְ‫קָטַלְתּ‬
‫לְתִּי‬.ַ‫קָט‬
‫טְלוּ‬,‫ק‬
‫ְקטַלְתֶּם‬
‫ְקטַלְתֶּן‬
‫לְנוּ‬.ַ‫קָט‬
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
Qal Perfect
Before Suffixes
‫קְטָל‬
‫ת‬.ַ‫קְטָל‬
.‫קְטַ ְלתּ‬
‫י‬.ִ‫קְטַלְתּ‬
‫י‬.ִ‫קְטַלְתּ‬
‫וּ‬.‫קְטָל‬
‫קְטַלְנ>וּ‬
Chapter 19e – Pronominal Suffixes
Understanding the Process of Adding
Suffixes to Qal Perfect Verbs
1.
‫צְאָה‬,‫ת( מ‬.ַ‫ ) מְצָא‬+ ‫נוּ‬
➣
‫תְנוּ‬.ַ‫מְצָא‬
she (it) found us
2.
ָ‫עְתּ‬.‫( יַָד‬.‫ )יְַדעְתּ‬+
‫וֹ‬
➣
‫יְַדעְתּוֹ‬
you knew him
3.
‫תִּי‬.ַ‫י( נָת‬.ִ‫ )נְתַתּ‬+ ָ‫ה‬
➣
ָ‫יה‬.ִ‫נְתַתּ‬
I gave her (it)
You gave her (it)
4.
‫בְבוּ‬,‫ֻ( ס‬.‫ )סְבָב‬+ ‫נִי‬
➣
‫נ ִי‬.ֻ‫סְבָב‬
they surrounded me
5.
‫עְנוּ‬.‫ )יְַדעֲנ>וּ( יַָד‬+ ‫ם‬
➣
‫יְַדעֲנוּם‬
‫א‬
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
we knew them
Chapter 19f – Pronominal Suffixes
Nun-Suffixes with the Imperfect
There are three additional suffixes that occur on the
Imperfect with some frequency. These suffixes may be
called Nun-suffixes because of their distinctive forms.
Type 1
Suffix
Example
Translation
2ms
‫ָך‬
ָ‫ךּ‬.ֶ‫ךָּ ב‬.‫יִלְכְּ ֶד‬
he will capture you
3ms
‫וֹ‬/‫הוּ‬
‫נּוּ‬.ֶ‫ֶנּוּ ב‬.‫יִלְכְּד‬
he will capture him
‫בָהּ‬/ָ‫ה‬
‫נָּה‬.ֶ‫נָּה ב‬.‫יִלְכְּ ֶד‬
he will capture her
3fs
‫א‬
NunSuffix
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
Chapter 19g – Pronominal Suffixes
The Spelling of the Qal Imperfect with Pronominal Suffixes
Qal Imperfect
Without Suffixes
3ms
3fs
2ms
2fs
1cs
3mp
3fp
2mp
2fp
1cp
‫א‬
‫יְִקטֹל‬
‫תְִּקטֹל‬
‫תְִּקטֹל‬
‫תְִּקטְלִי‬
‫אְֶקטֹל‬
‫יְִקטְלוּ‬
‫לְנָה‬.‫תְִּק ֹט‬
‫תְִּקטְלוּ‬
‫לְנָה‬.‫תְִּק ֹט‬
‫נְִקטֹל‬
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
Qal Imperfect
Before Suffixes
‫יְִקטְל‬
‫תְִּקטְל‬
‫תְִּקטְל‬
‫תְִּקטְלִי‬
‫אְֶקטְל‬
‫יְִקטְלוּ‬
‫תְִּקטְלוּ‬
‫נְִקטְל‬
Chapter 19h – Pronominal Suffixes
Understanding the Process of Adding
Suffixes to Qal Imperfect Verbs
‫א‬
1.
‫יְִקטֹל‬
+
‫הוּ‬
➣
‫יְִקטְלֵהוּ‬
he will kill him
2.
‫יִשְׁמֹר‬
+
‫ָך‬
➣
‫יִשְׁמְָרָך‬
he will observe you
3.
‫יִשְׁלַח‬
+
‫ָך‬
➣
‫יִשְׁלָחֲָך‬
he will send you
4.
‫יְִראֶה‬
+
‫נָּה‬.ֶ‫ב‬
➣
‫נָּה‬.ֶ‫יְִרא‬
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
he will see her
Chapter 19i – Pronominal Suffixes
Adding Suffixes to the Qal Imperative
1. The Imperative 2ms form ‫ ְקטֹל‬is spelled ‫( קָטְל‬with
Qamets Hatuf) before a pronominal suffix.
‫שְׁמֹר‬
‫שְׁפֹט‬
+
+
‫ם‬
‫נִי‬
➣
➣
‫שָׁמְֵרם‬
‫שָׁפְטֵ נִי‬
(You) observe them!
(You) judge me!
2. The Imperative 2fs (‫ )ִקטְלִי‬and 2mp (‫)ִקטְלוּ‬, both ending in
a vowel, do not change before a pronominal suffix.
‫תִּפְשׂוּ‬
‫ִדְּרשׁוּ‬
+
+
‫ם‬
‫נִי‬
➣
➣
‫תִּפְשׂוּם‬
‫ִדְּרשׁוּ נִי‬
(You) seize them!
(You) seek me!
3. Imperatives with a Pathach stem vowel (‫ )שְׁמַע‬lengthen
Pathach to Qamets (‫ )שְׁמָע‬before pronominal suffixes.
‫שְׁמַע‬
‫גְּאַל‬
‫א‬
+
+
‫נִי‬
‫ָהּ‬
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
➣
➣
‫שְׁמָעֵ נִי‬
‫גְּאָלָהּ‬
(You) hear me!
(You) redeem her (it)!
Chapter 19j – Pronominal Suffixes
Parsing
When parsing verbs with pronominal suffixes, you will
need to identify the verb and the person,
gender and number of the suffix.
‫א‬
‫יָך‬.ִ‫נְתַתּ‬
Qal Perfect 1cs
‫ֶנּוּ‬.‫יִלְכְּד‬
Qal Imperfect 3ms
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
‫נָתַן‬
with 2ms suffix
‫לָכַד‬
with 3ms suffix
Chapter 19k – Pronominal Suffixes
Advanced Information: Summary of Pronominal Suffixes on
the Perfect
The following chart includes the basic and most frequently
attested spellings of pronominal suffixes on Perfect verbs.
In this chart, connecting vowels are included and suffixes
are placed in one of two categories: (1) those attached to
Perfect forms ending in a consonant; and (2) those
attached to Perfect forms ending in a vowel.
Suffixes after
Consonant
1cs
2ms
2fs
3ms
3fs
1cp
2mp
3fp
‫א‬
Objective
Translation
‫נִי‬/‫ ָאנִי‬/‫נִי‬.ַ‫ב‬
b ‫ב ֲָך‬/‫בְָך‬/‫ָך‬
‫בְֵך‬/‫בְָך‬
‫הוּ‬.ָ‫ב‬/‫הוּ‬/‫ו‬/‫וֹ‬
‫בָה‬/‫בָהּ‬
‫נוּ‬.ָ‫ב‬/‫נוּ‬
‫כֶם‬
‫נִי‬
‫ָך‬
‫ְך‬
‫וֹ‬/‫הוּ‬
ָ‫ה‬
‫נוּ‬
‫כֶם‬
–
–
you
‫בָם‬/‫בַם‬
‫בָן‬
‫ם‬
‫ן‬
them
2fp
3mp
Suffixes after
Vowel
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
me
you
you
him (it)
her (it)
us
you
them
Chapter 19l – Pronominal Suffixes
Advanced Information: Summary of Pronominal Suffixes on
the Imperfect
The following chart includes the basic and most frequently
attested spellings of pronominal suffixes on Imperfect
verbs. In this chart, connecting vowels are included.
Type 1 Suffixes
with Imperfect
1cs
2ms
2fs
3ms
3fs
1cp
2mp
‫נִי‬.ֵ‫ב‬/‫נִי‬.ַ‫ב‬/‫נִי‬
b ‫ב ֶָך‬/‫בֲָך‬/‫בְָך‬/‫ָך‬
‫בְֵך‬/‫ְך‬
‫הוּ‬.ֵ‫ב‬/‫הוּ‬
ָ‫ה‬/ָ‫ה‬.ֶ‫ב‬/‫בָהּ‬
‫נוּ‬.ֵ‫ב‬/‫נוּ‬
‫ְבכֶם‬
2fp
3mp
3fp
‫א‬
–
‫בֵם‬/‫ם‬
‫בָן‬
Basics of Biblical Hebrew
© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
Nun-Suffixes Objective
with Imperfect Translation
‫נִּי‬.ֶ‫ב‬
ָ‫ךּ‬.ֶ‫ב‬
me
you
you
‫נּוּ‬.ֶ‫ב‬
‫נָּה‬.ֶ‫ב‬
‫נּוּ‬.ֶ‫ב‬
him (it)
her (it)
us
you
you
them
them