Lesson 22: Niphal
The primary characteristic of the niphal is a prefixed nun נ in the perfect and the partiple. Notice the qametz under the first letter of the root in the imperfect, with a daggesh. Together, the qal, niphal, piel, and hiphil, make up 97% of all verbs in the Hebrew Bible. Generally speaking, verbs in the niphal are the passive form of the qal verbs--if the verb is used in the qal. On occasion, niphals will have a reflexive sense to them. And sometimes, a verb appears in the niphal and is used in a normal, active sense rather than passive.
Perfect
Niphal | Qal | Person |
נִקְטַל | קָטַל | 3ms |
נִקְטְלָה | קָטְלָה | 3fs |
נִקְטַלְתָּ | קָטַלְתָּ | 2ms |
נִקְטַלְתְּ | קָטַלְתְּ | 2fs |
נִקְטַלְתִּי | קָטַלְתִּי | 1cs |
נִקְטְלוּ | קָטְלוּ | 3cp |
נִקְטַלְתֶּם | קְטַלְתֶּם | 2mp |
נִקְטַלְתֶּן | קְטַלְתֶּן | 2fp |
נִקְטַלְנוּ | קָטַלְנוּ | 1cp |
Imperfect
Niphal | Qal | Person |
יִקָּטֵל | יִקְטֹל | 3ms |
תִּקָּטֵל | תִּקְטֹל | 3fs |
תִּקָּטֵל | תִּקְטֹל | 2ms |
תִּקָּטְלִי | תִּקְטְלִי | 2fs |
אֶקָּטֵל | אֶקְטֹל | 1cs |
יִקָּטְלוּ | יִקְטְלוּ | 3mp |
תִּקָּטַלְנָה | תִּקְטֹלְנָה | 3fp |
תִּקָּטְלוּ | תִּקְטְלוּ | 2mp |
תִּקָּטַלְנָה | תִּקְטֹלְנָה | 2fp |
נִקָּטֵל | נִקְטֹל | 1cp |
Imperative
Imperative | Imperfect | Person |
הִקָּטֵל | תִּקָּטֵל | 2ms |
הִקָּטְלִי | תִּקָּטְלִי | 2fs |
הִקָּטְלוּ | תִּקָּטְלוּ | 2mp |
הִקָּטַלְנָה | תִּקָּטַלְנָה | 2fp |
Infinitives
Infinitive Construct | Imperative |
הִקָּטֵל | הִקָּטֵל |
Infinitive Absolute
Participle
Niphal | Qal | Person |
נִקְטָל | קֹטֵל | ms |
נִקְטֶלֶת | קֹטֶלֶת | fs |
נִקְטָלִים | קֹטְלִים | mp |
נִקְטָלוֹת | קֹטְלוֹת | fp |
Cohortative
Niphal | Qal | Person |
אֶקָּטְלָה | אֶקְטְלָה | 1cs |
נִקָּטְלָה | נִקְטְלָה | 1cp |
Jussive
Jussive | Imperfect | Person |
יִקָּטֵל | יִקָּטֵל | 3ms |
Reading
Please read pages 190-193 in Biblical Hebrew Step-by-Step.
Exercises
1. Memorize the Niphal paradigm.