Participle Active¶
Summary¶
An active participle
is a non-finite verbal form with active voice
that can function as a verb (either a main verb or a verbal complement), an adjective, or a noun.
When used verbally, an active participle most often expresses continuous or imminent action.
Article¶
Participles are non-finite verbal forms that can change their form based on stem formation (like verbs) as well as person, gender, state, and definiteness (like both adjectives and nouns). Participles are very flexible in their grammatical use and can function as a verbal complement, a finite main verb, an adjective, or a noun. In most cases, the context will clearly show how the participle is being used in the sentence. The meaning of a participle is usually clear, even in cases where its specific grammatical function cannot be determined precisely.
Active participles express verbal action in active voice, meaning that the person/thing described by the participle performs the action expressed by the participle itself.
Form¶
Parsing |
Hebrew |
Transliteration |
Gloss |
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masculine singular Absolute |
קֹטֵל |
qotel |
killing / killer |
feminine singular Absolute |
קֹטֶלֶת / קֹטְלָה |
qotelet / qotelah |
killing / killer |
masculine plural Absolute |
קֹטְלִים |
qotelim |
killing / killers |
feminine plural Absolute |
קֹטְלוֹת |
qoteloth |
killing / killers |
Parsing |
Hebrew |
Transliteration |
Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular Absolute |
מַקְטִיל |
maqtil |
causing to kill |
feminine singular Absolute |
מַקְטֶלֶת |
maqteleth |
causing to kill |
masculine plural Absolute |
מַקְטִילִים |
maqtilim |
causing to kill |
feminine plural Absolute |
מַקְטִילוֹת |
maqtiloth |
causing to kill |
Parsing |
Hebrew |
Transliteration |
Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular Absolute |
מְקַטֵּל |
meqattel |
slaughtering |
feminine singular Absolute |
מְקַטֶּלֶת |
meqatteleth |
slaughtering |
masculine plural Absolute |
מְקַטְּלִים |
meqattelim |
slaughtering |
feminine plural Absolute |
מְקַטְּלוֹת |
meqatteloth |
slaughtering |
Function¶
It is helpful to classify participles according to their function in the sentence as a whole: as a verb (or verbal complement); as an adjective; or as a noun. Participles can function independently as their own grammatical entity, but they often introduce entire clauses that function either as adjectives or nouns.
Note
The subject of a verbal participle usually precedes the participle, in contrast to the normal conventions of Hebrew word order.
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‘odennu medabber ‘immam werahel ba’ah ‘im-hatson ‘asher le’aviha |
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וָֽאֱהִ֥י צָם֙ וּמִתְפַּלֵּ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַשָּׁמָֽיִם |
wa’ehi tsam umithpallel lifne ‘elohe hashamayim |
and-I-was fasting and-praying before God-of the-heavens |
I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. |
וַיָּ֣בֶן עֵלִ֔י כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה קֹרֵ֥א לַנָּֽעַר |
wayyaven ‘eli ki yehwah qore lanna’ar |
and-he-understood Eli that Yahweh was-calling to-the-boy |
Then Eli realized that Yahweh had called the boy. |
וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אִ֤ישׁ זָקֵן֙ עֹלֶ֔ה |
wattomer ‘ish zaqen ‘oleh |
and-she-said man old is-going-up |
She said, “An old man is coming up |
הִנֵּ֧ה אָנֹכִ֛י עֹשֶׂ֥ה דָבָ֖ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל |
hinneh ‘anokhi ‘oseh davar beyisra’el |
Behold I am-doing thing in-Israel |
See, I am about to do something in Israel |
Functions as an adjective¶
An adjectival participle
immediately follows the noun it describes, and matches that noun in gender, number, and definiteness.
An adjectival participle can either function as an adjective by itself or introduce an entire clause
that functions as an adjective (either attributive or predicative).
כִּ֚י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֵ֥שׁ אֹכְלָ֖ה |
ki yehwah ‘eloheykha ‘esh ‘okhelah |
for Yahweh your-God fire eating |
For Yahweh your God is a devouring fire |
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wattotse ha’arets deshe ‘esev mazria’ zera’ leminehu |
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Functions as a noun¶
A nominal participle
often takes the definite article (but not always),
and can either function as a noun by itself or introduce an entire clause that functions as a noun.
A nominal participle will appear in the construct state either when it takes a pronominal suffix
or when it is in a construct relationship with another noun in the absolute state.
וּלְכֹ֣ל׀ רוֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ |
ulekhol romes ‘al-ha’arets |
and-to-all crawlers on_the-earth |
and to everything that creeps upon the earth |
הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה וּבְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת |
hannogea’ ba’ish hazzeh uve’ishto moth yumath |
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Whoever touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death. |