infinitive absolute

An infinitive absolute is the less common of the two kinds of Hebrew infinitive.   more or video  It is generally easy to identify because it often has a holem between the second and third letters as here:

קָבוֹר

Also, infinitive absolutes will never have a prefix as is almost always the case with the infinitive construct which usually has a lamed prefix.  Any infinitive with any kind of affix must be an infinitive construct. The infinitive absolute is usually used to intensify the meaning of a YQTL verb (KHW 40.2a).

כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ מוֹת תָּמוּת׃

…because in the day you eat from it, you will surely die.The red is an infinitive absolute. It is translated into English by adding 'surely' before the verb 'die'. Thus, it intensifies the meaning of the verb. video

 

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Paradigm of Infinitive Absolute

Parsing	Hebrew	Gloss
Qal	קָטוֹל	kill
Nifal	הִקָּטֹל / נִקְטֹל	be killed
Hifil	הַקְטֵל	cause to kill
Hofal	הָקְטֵל	causing to be killed
Piel	קַטֵּל / קַטֹּל	slaughter
Pual	קֻטֹּל	be slaughtered
Hitpael	הִתְקַטֵּל	kill oneself