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  • From: Rolf Furuli <furuli AT online.no>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] no to aspect
  • Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 15:38:11 +0100

Dear Isaac,

We may use verbs in Genesis , chapters 1 and 2, as examples.

Those who accept that Classical Hebrew is an aspectual language, accepts that YIQTOL is imperfective and QATAL is perfective.

The QATAL of 1:1 and 2:5 have past reference, and the two YIQTOLs of 2:5 and the one of 2:6 have past reference as well.

1:1 : BR) - perfective

2:5: HYH and ZMH - imperfective
2:5 M+R - perfective

2:6 (LH - imperfective

In addition to YIQTOL, I analyze WAYYIQTOL and WEYIQTIL as imperfective, and WEQATAL as perfective.

Both the QATAL of 1:2 and the YIQTOL of 2:6 have past reference.

1:2 )MR - imperfective

2:6 $QH - perfective

The conclusion of the comments above is that Classical Hebrew has only two conjugations. All prefix forms, with and without the conjunction WAW, are imperfective, and the suffix forms, with and without WAW, are perfective. Tense (=grammaticalized location in time) is nonexistent,


Best regards,

Rolf Furuli







Those who view Classical Hebrew as an aspectual language


Can we have examples for this as they appear the Hebrew bible?

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Feb 3, 2011, at 2:27 AM, Rolf Furuli wrote:

perfective and imperfective aspect respectively?




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