Hebrew and Aramaic Verbs

Stem (Hebrew)

A verb's stem indicates the type of action described, with specific reference to such things as voice, causation, transitivity, and reflexivity. In Hebrew, there are seven major stems, and many rare stems.

Hebrew Stem	Function
Qal	Generally indicates a simple action or state, with no element of causation. Although there is a rare passive form of the qal stem, the qal stem typically expresses action in the activeThe application, window, tab, or other screen element which is currently being used; sometimes called the "front" or "frontmost" screen element voice: that is, action in which the subject is the performer rather than the recipient of the action.
Passive Qal	Represented by the tag passiveQal; this is a rare form of the qal stem which expresses action in the passive voice: that is, action in which the subject is the recipient of the action being performed.
Nifal	Like qal, nifal generally indicates a simple action or state, with no element of causation. However, where the qal typically expresses action in the active voice, the nifal stem typically expresses action in the passive voice: that is, action in which the subject is the recipient of the action being performed. In addition, the nifal can sometimes express a middle or reflexive sense, in which the subject is somehow both performing and receiving the action being described.
Piel	Generally expresses an action which brings about a particular state. In other words, the object being acted upon is made to reflect a certain condition rather than being made to perform some action (as in the hifil stem). The piel stem typically expresses action in the active voice: that is, action in which the subject is the one performing the action.
Pual	Passive form of the piel. That is, it expresses an action which brings about a particular state, but rather than being the one performing the action, the subject of the verb is the one receiving the action or being acted upon.
Hitpael	Generally used as the reflexive or reciprocal counterpart to the piel stem. Like the piel, it expresses an action which brings about a particular state, but where the piel expresses action in the active voice, the hitpael expresses reflexive or reciprocal action, in which the subject is acting upon itself in some way
Hifil	Generally expresses causation. It differs from the piel in that the piel generally depicts the subject as acting to bring about a certain state or condition, while the hifil depicts the subject as causing a particular action to be performed, often by someone or something other than the subject himself. The hifil stem typically expresses action in the active voice: that is, action in which the subject is the one performing the action.
Hofal	Passive form of the hifil. That is, it expresses causation, but rather than depicting the subject as causing a particular action to be performed by someone else, the hofal depicts the subject as the one being made to perform the action. In several weak verbs with hollow roots, polel, polal, and hitpolel forms occur instead of the piel, pu'al, and hitpael forms. While different in form, they correspond generally in meaning with their counterparts
Polel	Formed by a reduplication of the final consonant, along with an "o" vowel in the first stem syllable, it is similar in meaning to the piel.
Polal	Formed by a reduplication of the final consonant, along with an "o" vowel in the first stem syllable, it is the passive of polel with a meaning similar to the pual.
Hitpolel	Formed by a reduplication of the final consonant, along with an "o" vowel in the first stem syllable with a "hit" prefix, it is the reflexive of polel with a meaning similar to the hitpael.
Poel	Similar to the polel, except it occurs in triliteral (3 letter) root stems usually with the geminate verbs (which have two repeated letters in the stem). This form takes an "o" vowel in the first syllable instead of the expected "e" vowel, with a meaning similar to the piel.
Poal	Formed by a reduplication of the final consonant of the root, it is the passive of the poel with a meaning similar to the pual.
Pilpel	Presumably consists of a doubling of a biconsonantal root (hollow verb) with a meaning similar to the piel.
Polpal	Passive of the pilpel with a meaning similar to the pual.
Hitpalpel	Reflexive of pilpel with a meaning similar to the hitpael.
Palel	Presumably consists of a reduplication of the final consonant from a triliteral root. The "i" vowel in the first syllable of a piel is changed to an "a" vowel. Its meaning is similar to the piel.
Pulal	Passive of palal with a meaning similar to the pual.
Nitpael	A mix of the nifal and hitpael stems, used regularly in Mishnaic Hebrew to express reflexive action.
Pealal (tag Hpealal)	Formed from a triconsonantal root where the last two consonants are doubled, its meaning is similar to the piel.
Pilel	Similar in meaning to the piel.
Hotpaal	Adds a "heh" with a kibbutz vowel to the root. It is a passive form of the hitpael.
Tifil	Adds a "tav" prefix to the verbal root.
Hishtafel	Occurs often, but with only one word chwh meaning "to bow, worship." It is similar in meaning to hitpael.
Nitpalel	Occurs in Middle Hebrew as a variation of the hitpalpel, it is the reflexive/passive of the pilpel for geminate verbs instead of the, hitpael.
Nitpoel and Hitpoel	Reflexive/passive of the poel, used instead of the hitpael in the strong and geminate verbs. In the BHS-W4 the hitpoel is parsed as hitpolel.

Stem (Aramaic)

There are also a number of Aramaic stems (listed in italics at the bottom of the Stem pop-up menu). Most of the Aramaic stems found in the Hebrew Bible are similar to their Hebrew counterparts.

Aramaic Stem	Function
Peal	Simple active stem similar to the Hebrew qal, and the peil is a passive form of the peal.
Pael	An intensive force and an active voice, similar to the Hebrew piel.
Aphel, Haphel, Saphel, Shaphel	All are causative in force and active in voice, much like the Hebrew hifil.
Ithpeel, Hithpeel, Ishtaphel, Hithaphel, Hishtaphel	All are reflexive or passive, like the Hebrew hitpael.
Ithpaal, Hithpaal	Have an intensive force and are passive or reflexive in voice.
Hophal	A causative passive or reflexive, like the Hebrew hofal.
Polel, Ithpoel, Hithpolel	All are similar to the Hebrew polel and hitpolel, being found in hollow root verbs.
Hithpalpel	Formed from a doubling of a biconsonantal root in hollow verbs and is similar to its Hebrew counterpart.
Hephal	Occurs in some verbs which have gutturals in the first and last syllables of the root.
Tiphel	Similar to the rare Hebrew tifil.
Poel (tag Apoel) Palpel	Variants of pael for some roots.
Ithpalpel, Ithpolel, Ittaphal	Passive forms of palpel, polel, and haphel/aphel.

Specialized Stem Tags in the Samaritan Pentateuch

Bqal: qal B

Bpiel: piel B or pa'el (second radical never geminated)

Bnifal: nifal B (geminated second radical)

Bhitpael: hitpael B (second radical never geminated)

passivePiel: passive piel

passiveHifal: passive hifal

Aspect

A verb's aspect generally designates how the action of the verb relates to the passage of time, especially with regard to completion, duration, or repetition. Hebrew verbs can be either perfect or imperfect in aspect. In addition, there are a number of other forms which, although not aspects in the proper sense, are grouped under the heading of aspect for the sake of simplicity. These include waw consecutives, imperatives, infinitive constructs, infinitive absolutes, participles, and passive participles.

Verb Aspect	Function
Perfect	Generally designates a completed action or a situation that is viewed as a single event. Perfects are generally translated as simple pasts "He ran" or as past perfects "He has run", but they may also be translated as presents or futures. The meaning of the perfect therefore has more to do with how an action took place than with when it took place. The perfect is most often treated as a past because it is easier to think of a past event as complete than it is to think of a present or future one as complete.
Imperfect	Generally designates an action which is continuous, incomplete, or open-ended. Rather than depicting an action as a single event, the imperfect depicts it as a continuing process. It is therefore typically translated as a present "He is running" or a future "He will be running, although it can sometimes be translated as a continuous past "He was running." The meaning of the imperfect therefore has more to do with how an action took place than with when it took place. The imperfect is most often treated as a present or future because it is easier to think of present or future events as incomplete and open-ended than it is to think of past actions that way
Waw Consecutive	A prefixed form of the verb preceded by the conjunction waw which typically introduces a subordinate clause. In other words, it represents an action as successive and subordinate to some preceding action or situation (hence the term "consecutive"). Waw consecutives are typically perfect in aspect
Imperative	Used to issue a command in the second person—that is, the command is directed at the person being spoken to. Hebrew imperatives agree in gender and number with those at whom they are directed.
Infinitive Construct	A verbal noun which is used in Hebrew in much the same way that English uses its infinitive "to go" and its gerund "going." It is often prefixed with the preposition le ("to").
Infinitive Absolute	A verbal noun which can serve a variety of functions in Biblical Hebrew. It may intensify a finite verb, serve to issue a command like an imperative, or function like a finite verb. In addition, it can sometimes serve an adverbial function.
Participle	A verbal adjective which can modify nouns or be used as a substantive in its own right. Because it functions as an adjective, the participle possesses gender, number, and state.
Passive Participle	A verbal adjective which is passive in voice. Because it functions as an adjective, the passive participle possesses gender, number, and state.

Person

The person a Hebrew verb takes expresses whether the subject of the action is the person or persons speaking (first person), the person or persons spoken to (second person), or the person, persons, or things being spoken about (third person).

Other

The "other" tags include the jussive and cohortative which do not fit into the above categories. These tags can only be accessed when perfect, imperfect or wawConsecutive are selected.

Other Tags	Function
Apocopated	Describes a form in which a final consonant or unaccented vowel is dropped from a word.
Consecutive	Applies to a perfect verb which is translated as imperfect because it follows an imperfect verb
Jussive Form	A shortened form of the imperfect.
Jussive Meaning	Used to issue a command in the third person—that is, the command is given to one person but is concerned with another. For example, the command "Let him go" is directed at the person being spoken to but is concerned with a third party.
Jussive Both	Used when a jussive form also carries a jussive meaning
Cohortative Form	Typically the imperfect form with an added heh.
Cohortative Meaning	Used to express a command in the first person—that is, the speaker is expressing a strong desire for himself or for his companions. In the singular, the cohortative has the effect of expressing personal resolve; for example: "I will go." In the plural, the cohortative expresses an exhortation by the speaker to his companions; for example: "Let us go."
Cohortative Both	Used when a cohortative form also carries a cohortative meaning
Cohortative Heh	Used in older databases for the cohortative form with or without the meaning.