Chapter

8
The Imperative Mood ‫צִווּי‬
‫ברוך בשם‬

The Usage of the Hebrew Imperative Mood

8.1
Like the English Imperative, the Hebrew Imperative Mood is used:

• to express a direct command or request;

• to issue instruction, permission or exhortation;
• to beg for an answer;
• to seek for a direction.

8.2
Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

All of these are general usage of the Imperative. Prohibition in Hebrew is also
issued in the Imperative Mood.

8.3
The Hebrew language allows the use of other ways to express a sense of
immediate, specific commands by placing ‫ אָל‬before a verb in the Imperfect
‫ברוך השם‬

Tense.
2 Hebrew Verbal System

8.4
Form of the Imperative

a. Like many Indo-European languages, the subject of the Hebrew

Imperative sentence could only be uttered or written in the second
person both genders: singular as well as plural in the conjugation
for the Imperative Mood, hence the pronominal afformatives would
be confined to ‫( יו"נה‬you lady second person feminine singular,
masculine plural and feminine plural; but you man second person
masculine singular assumes zero vowel sufformative conjugation).
Therefore what we have is: Conjugation for the Imperative is
limited to second person both genders, singular and plural.

b. A distinction between dynamic and stative verbs shall be made in

‫ברוך בשם‬
the Qal Imperative Mood, the Qal Imperfect Tense and the Qal
Perfect Tense.

c. There would be no more distinction between dynamic and stative

verbs in non-Qal binyanim.

d. An Imperative may precede a verb in the Imperfect Tense or

Cohortative Mood, a construction that will create a purpose or
result clause. In this case, the Imperfect Tense will be marked
with the conjunction ְ‫ ו‬and enjoys a similar sense like "so that" in
English.

e. Multiple Imperative verbs may occur in succession. The context

Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

and backdrop of communication shall determine whether or not

NOTE:
Usually, Hebrew grammar textbooks explained that the Imperative mood
is formed by removing from the Imperfect Tense the pronominal prefixes of the
second person, singular and plural, both genders. Be that as it may. Since the basic
vowel scheme of the Imperative of all stems are really the same as the infinitive
‫ברוך בשם‬

construct of each binyan, it is far more logical and natural to teach that the Hebrew
Imperative would be formed by adding personal preformatives to the Infinitive
Construct of each derived stem of the verb.
 CHAPTER EIGHT: The Imperative Mood ‫צִווּי‬ 3

they are related consequentially or sequentially.

f. A verb in the Imperative Mood may be followed by a verb in the

Perfect Tense with Waw Conversive. The Perfect verb, in this
case, may carry the full force of the preceding Imperative.

g. In situation where the use of the Imperative might not be suitable,

Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

at times, as it could be considered as an impolite expression, the

Imperative Mood could be replaced by the use of the Imperfect
Tense. In the ‫( תנ"ך‬the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament) the
Infinitive Absolute is used in such cases.

8.5
Default vowels of the Imperative
The scheme of default vowels for the Imperative patterns after the
Infinitive Construct of each ‫בניין‬, both the strong and weak verbs as well
as monosyllable verbs. In a way, the the Imperative and the Imperfect are
the Infinitive deritives.

8.6
The Qal Imperative
Verb in Qal Imperative Mood A sample of default vowels
totes the same pair of vowels as using the root: ‫שְׁמֹר‬
the yoke used in Qal Infinitive ‫עָתִּיד‬ ‫צִווּי‬ ‫מי לִבְּנוֹת‬
Construct [ֹ○+ְ○] (‫שְׁוְָא‬+‫)חוֹלָםחָסֵר‬, ‫שְׁמֹר‬-ּ‫ת‬
ִ ‫שְׁמֹר‬ ‫אַתָּה שְׁמֹר‬
as the vowels expressed in the
‫שְׁמְרִי‬-ִּ‫ת‬ ‫שִׁמְרִי‬ ‫שְׁמֹר‬ ְּ‫אַת‬
word ‫ לִבְּנוֹת‬to build where the
ּ‫שְׁמְרו‬-ּ‫ת‬ִ ּ‫שִׁמְרו‬ ‫אַתֶּם שְׁמֹר‬
Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

consonant ְ‫ ל‬to is the prosthetic

preposition for Infinitive Construct ‫שְׁמֹרְנָה‬-ּ‫ת‬ ִ ‫אַתֶּן שְׁמֹר שְׁמֹרְנָה‬
in Hebrew, somewhat like the full
Infinitive in the English language which employs the preposition to to
depict the Infinitve: to sing, to walk, etc. The Infinitive Construct in
Hebrew, however, may be used without the preposition ְ‫ל‬, especially so
in Biblical Hebrew.
‫ברוך בשם‬
4 Hebrew Verbal System

8.7
A comparative scrutiny of the default vowel scheme in the Qal Infinitive
Construct, the Qal Imperative and the Qal Imperfect Tense for the word
‫שְׁמֹר‬, as a sample, would be enlightening.

8.8
The Qal Imperative:

(i) would load the same pair of default vowels the combination of
[ֹֹ○+ְ○] (‫חוֹלָם חָסֵר‬+‫)שְׁוָא‬, which is identical with the pair of
vowels used in Qal Infinitive Construct.

(ii) The deuce would be used in all strong verbs as well as weak
verbs. Only verbs headed by a weak consonant would it be
affected by the presence of contiguous [ְ○ְ○] (‫)שוואים‬, thus the
[ְ○] (‫ )שווא‬rules shall be applicable. Meanwhile, the pillion, stem
syllable would schlep the vowel [ֹ○] (‫ )חוֹלָם חָסֵר‬as stem vowel
for dynamic verbs; and [ַ○] (‫ )פַּ֫תַּח‬as stem vowel for stative
verbs in the Qal Imperative, as a distinction between these two
categories of versb.

(iii) In the preceding sampel of vowel template, the vowel [ִ○] (‫)היריק‬
under preformatives the ‫אית”ן‬, the pronominal preformatives,
came about as a result of contiguous [ְ○ְ○] (‫)שוואים‬, that is when
two ‫ שוואים‬coming together in a row, the first would be reduced
to [ִ○] (‫)היריק‬. For the [ְ○] (‫ )שווא‬under the pillion syllable, it
Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

is the result of conjugation by adding personal pronoun suffixes,

the ‫יו”נה‬, to the verbal root ‫שמר‬, as shown in the sample, which
invoked the process of abdication of the hind consonant and
shortening of the stem vowel. This occurs mostly in the vocalic
sufformative conjugation.

8.9
‫ברוך בשם‬

When the head consonant of a root is a weak consonant, rules for

contiguous ‫ שוואים‬shall be applicable to converse the [ְ○] (‫)שְׁוָא נָע‬
 CHAPTER EIGHT: The Imperative Mood ‫צִווּי‬ 5

(vocal shewa) underneath the head consonant to a ‫( חֲטָף שְׁוָא‬composite

shewa) accordingly: [ֲ○] (‫ )חֲטַף פַּתַח‬for [‫ )עַיִן( ]ע‬and [‫]○ֱ[ ;)חֵית( ]ח‬
(‫ )חֲטַף סֶגוֹל‬for [‫ )אָלֶף( ]א‬and [‫)הֵא( ]ה‬, at least most of the time.

8.10
Exception to this is rule would be ['‫ )לָמֶד( ]ל‬verbs (‫ל"ה‬, ‫ע‬/‫ל"ח‬, ‫)ל"א‬
and the few standard irregular verbs. In the case of a ‫ע‬/‫ ל"ח‬verb, the
stem vowel would be [ַ○] (‫)פַּ֫תַּח‬, as these verbs carried a ‫פַּ֫תַּח גְּנוּבָה‬
(pathach furtive) in the Infinitive Absolute. On the other hand, for ‫ל"א‬
(III-‫ )א‬verbs in the Qal Imperative, the pillion or stem vowel will be
lengthened to [ָ○] (‫)קמץ‬, as the vowels in the sample word: ‫( מְצָא‬you
go to) find out.

8.11
Vowel patterns for the Imperative of all binyamin would follow the two
default vowels given in the Infinitive Construct of each respective binyan.
As a general rule, the pillion or stem vowel is such that the active stem
would take the vowel [ֵ○] (‫—)צֵ֫רֵי‬including the Simple Passive binyan,

Imperative of '‫ ל‬verb

‫ל”ה‬ ‫ע‬/‫ל”ח‬ ‫ל”א‬ Inf Con stem
‫קְטֹל‬ ‫קָטוֹל‬ Qal
‫נִקְטוֹל‬
‫הבָּנֵה‬
ִ ‫הִמָּצֵא‬ ‫הִקָּטֵל‬ ‫הִקָּטוֹל‬ Niph’al
Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

‫גַּלֵּה‬ ‫שַׁלַּח‬ ‫מַצֵּא‬ ‫קַטֵּל‬ ‫קַטּוֹל‬ Pi’el

‫קֻטּׁל‬ Pu’al
‫הִתְקַטֵּל‬
‫הִתְגַּלֵּה‬ ‫תקַטֵּל‬
ְ ִ‫ה‬ Hithpa’el
or ‫הִתְקַטֹל‬
‫הַמְצֵא‬
‫הַשְׁלַח‬
‫הַגְלֵה‬ ‫צ֫יאִי‬
ִ ְ‫הַמ‬ ‫הַקְטִיל‬ ‫הַקְטֵל‬ Hiphil
‫ברוך בשם‬

‫הַשְׁלִ֫יחִי‬

‫הָקְטֵל‬ Hophal
6 Hebrew Verbal System

the Niph’al—while the passive and stative verbs and the irregular verbs
would load [ַ○] (‫ )פתח‬as theme vowel as well as the III-‫ע‬/‫ ח‬or ‫ע‬/‫ל"ח‬
verbs where the ‫( פַּ֫תַּח גְּנוּבָה‬pathach furtive) has been used in the
Infinitive Absolute. The vowel [ַ○] (‫ )פתח‬is also used in Qal Imperative
of Guttural I/II and Stative Verbs.

8.12
The Imperatives of non-Qal binyanim generally load [ֵ○] (‫ )צרי‬as stem
vowel for the Active ‫בניינים‬, such as the Pi’el, Hithpa’el, Hiphil, and

‫ברוך בשם‬
the Simple Passive the Niph’al. There is no Imperative in the Passive
stems, except Niph’al, but as far as the theme vowel is concern, Niph’al
Imperative is treated like an Active binyan where a [ֵ○] (‫ )צרי‬is used. By
the nature of the Passive binyanim (the Pu’al, Hophal, even the Niph’al),
it would be impossible to issue instruction or command in the passive
inflection.

Imperative in '‫ פ‬verbs

‫צווי‬ Stem
‫פ”י‬ ‫פ”נ‬ ‫פ”א‬ ‫ע‬/‫פ”ח‬ ‫לבנות‬
‫קל‬
Qal
‫אֱסֹר‬ ‫עֲמֹד‬ ‫קְטֹל‬ ‫קְטֹל‬
(dynamic)
‫אֱכֹל‬ Qal
‫חֲזֹק‬
‫אֱמֹר‬ (Stative)

‫הֵעָזֵב‬ ‫הִקָּטֵל‬ ‫הִקָּטֵל‬ Niph’al

‫הִוָּשֵׁב‬ ‫הִנָּצֵל‬ ‫קַטֵּל‬ ‫קַטֵּל‬
Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

Pi’el
Pu’al
‫הצֵּל‬ ַ
‫הִתְקַטֵּל‬ ‫הִתְקַטֵּל‬ Hithpa’el
‫הצִּ֫ילִי‬ַ
‫הַקְטֵל‬
‫ה ֹושִׁ֫יבִי‬ ‫הַעֲמִ֫ידִי‬
‫הַקְטִּ֫ילִי‬ ‫הַקְטִיל‬ Hiphil
‫הוֹשֵׁב‬ ‫הַעֲמֵד‬
‫ברוך בשם‬

Hophal
Hophal
 CHAPTER EIGHT: The Imperative Mood ‫צִווּי‬ 7

8.13
The guttural letters ‫ ←( אחהער‬read this way) do not take ‫ דגש‬and the
vowel beneath each one of them would cause changes to the vowel
Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

patterns in the ‫ ניקודים‬by way of compensatory lengthening (cl), which

allows the lengthening of the vowel under the preceding consonant as a
compensation for not assigning a ‫ דגש‬to the host consonant, or virtual
doubling (vd) where no lengthening of the vowel beneath the preceding
consonant while having rejected the ‫דגש‬.

8.14
Once the student has learned up the vowel templates of the the Infinitive
Construct of various binyanim (seven in all), he would be able to manage
other patterns of the verb: the imperative, the jussive, the Cohortative,
the imperfect, and the participle. Inflection of the Perfect tense is the
least difficult pattern of the Hebrew verb.

8.15
The Cohortative Mood
As for its meaning and usage, the Cohortative Cohortative
is used by a speaker to express his own will or affirmatives
determination, intention or desire to do a certain Plural Singular
action, reflectively, in the first person, thus the ‫ָה‬---ְ‫נ‬ ‫ָה‬---ֶ‫א‬
Cohortative is conjugated for the first person
only, both singular and plural, both genders,
using the same set of affixes ‫ אֶ—ָה‬to embed the Infinitive Construct of a
root for all ‫בניינים‬. The suffix [‫)הֵא( ]ה‬, however, would not be added to
Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

‫ ל"ה‬verbs, as this category of the verbs would have already been given
a [‫ )הֵא( ]ה‬by default and the consonant [‫ )הֵא( ]ה‬could not be doubled.
The rule of propretonic reduction of the first vowel in pluralization is
applicable as there would be a shift of accent in this case as the inflection
involves adding vocalic sufformatives to the verbal root the ‫שורש‬.
Whereas the prosthetic ‫ א‬is one from the ‫אית”ן‬, being the preformative
for the first person singular for both genders in the Imperfect Tense, and
‫ברוך בשם‬

[‫ )נוּן( ]נ‬would be used for the first person plural.

8 Hebrew Verbal System

8.16
Under certain condition, the stem Sample of conjugation for
vowel for Cohortative could take the the Cohortative Mood
vowel [ְ○] (‫ סֶגוֹל‬such as before of a
‫כְתֹב‬ root
laryngeal in ’‫ ל‬verbs).
8.17 ‫ָה‬--- ‫אֶכְהְבָה‬ ֶ‫א‬ I
These broad principles shall be ‫ָה‬--- ‫נִכְתְבָה‬ ְ‫נ‬ We
applicable to all derived stems of the
Hebrew verb: namely, the active and
passive of Qal, the Intensive forms (the Pi'el) and the Causative forms
(the Hiphil), both the strong as well the weak verbs.

More samples of how Cohortative is used in the ‫אית”ן‬:

Genesis 31:44
‫נִכְרְתָה בְרִית אֲנִי וָאָ֫תָּה‬
let us make a covenant, I and you (you and I).

Nehemiah 2:18
ּ‫נָקוּם וּבָנִינו‬
Let us rise up and build…

Numbers 21:22
ָ‫אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶך‬
Let me pass through you land

8.18
Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

The Jussive Mood

Like the Cohortative, the Jussive is used to express a wish or a desire
of the speaker but for the third person singular and plural both genders.
Often it is used along side the particle ‫ נָא‬for greater emphasis. It has
the same effect as the use of two of the English auxiliaries "let …" or
"May…".
‫ברוך בשם‬

Example:
Genesis 16:5
 CHAPTER EIGHT: The Imperative Mood ‫צִווּי‬ 9

‫יִשְׁפֹּט יִהוָה בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶיך‬

May the Lord judge between me and between you (between you and
I).

8.19
The great number of occurrence of verbs in the Jussive Mood in the
‫ תנ”ך‬come in the third person singular: but a small portion of the Jussive
come in the second person.

8.20
The same principle of conjugation and The Jussive
operative manner as those working in the ‫עָתִּיד‬ ‫מי‬
‫צִווּי‬
Cohortative Mood and the Imperative ‫שְׁמֹר‬ ‫שְׁמֹר‬-ִּ‫ת‬ ‫אַתָּה‬
would be applicable to the formation of ‫שִׁמְרִי‬ ‫י‬-ִ‫שְׁמְר‬-ִּ‫ת‬ ְּ‫אַת‬
a verb into Jussive mood by adding to ּ‫שִׁמְרו‬ ּ‫ו‬-‫שׁמְר‬-ִּ‫ת‬ ‫אַתֶּם‬
the root the pronominal prefix from the ‫שְׁמֹרְנָה‬ ‫נָה‬-ְ‫שְׁמֹר‬-ִּ‫ת‬ ‫אַתֶּן‬
‫ אית”ן‬for the third person singular and
plural, which vowels are already given
by defaults in the Infinitive Construct of each respective binyan.
Steffen Han 2011 January revised.
‫ברוך בשם‬
 10

The Imperative Mood: Compare the default vowels

with that of the Infinitive Construct of each binyan

Hophal Hiphil Hithpa’el Pu’al Pi’el Ni’phal Qal ‫בנייו‬

‫הָפְעַל‬ ‫הַפְעִיל‬ ‫הִתְפַּעֵל‬ ‫פֻּעַל‬ ‫פִּעֵל‬ ‫נִפְעַל‬ ‫קַל‬
Infinitive
‫הָקְטַל‬ ‫הַקְטִיל‬ ‫הִתְקַטֵּל‬ ‫קֻטֹּל‬ ‫קַטֵּל‬ ‫הִקָּטֵל‬ ‫קְטֹל‬
Construct
* ‫הַקְטֵל‬ ‫הִתְקַטֵּל‬ * ‫קַטֵּל‬ ‫הִקָּטֵל‬ ‫קְטֹל‬ 2ms
* ּ‫הַקְטִ֫ילו‬ ּ‫הִתְקַטְּלו‬ * ּ‫קַטְּלו‬ ּ‫הִקָּטְלו‬ ּ‫קִטְלו‬ 2mp
* ‫הַקְטִ֫ילִי‬ ‫הִתְקַטְּלִי‬ * ‫קַטְּלִי‬ ‫הִקָּֽטְלִי‬ ‫קִטְלִי‬ 2fs
* ‫הַקְטֵ֫לְנָה‬ ‫הִתְקַטֵּ֫לְנָה‬ * ‫קְטֹ֫לְנָה הִקָּטַ֫לְנָה קַטֵּ֫לְנָה‬ 2fp
* Verb forms that are passive by nature are not normally found in the Imperative.
The ‫ תנ”ך‬does not show the Pu’al Imperative of a stem, but there are two forms for
Hophal Imperatives: one in Jeremiah 49:8 and one in Ezekiel 32:19. In these two
cases the subject remained passive and the verbs showed the result of an action
performed against it.
Hebrew Verbal System

‫ברוך בשם‬
Steffen Han 2011 January revised.

‫ברוך בשם‬