vav-conversive – Being Taught that We may Teach

A vav-conversive (also called a “vav-consecutive”) is a conjunction and is usually translated “and”. It is easily distinguished from a simple vav conjunction since it always has a vav with a patah under it and a dagesh in the following letter. more

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וְשָׁמָֽיִם a simple vav conjunction

וַיִּיצֶר a vav-conversive

The key point to remember is that a vav-conversive converts a YQTL from a future tense to past tense (these forms are often called a “preterite”). The following rules are helpful for identification:

It is only ever added to a YQTL verb.
The dagesh from the vav-conversive will never appear in the first letter of the verb.
A vav-conversive will shorten a verb every chance it gets (KHW 32.3a). See the third-ה paradigm for an example (KHW p448).

YQTL Qal:

Parsing	Hebrew	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיִּקְטֹל	(and) he killed
feminine singular third person	וַתִּקְטֹל	(and) she killed
masculine singular second person	וַתִּקְטֹל	(and) you killed
feminine singular second person	וַתִּקְטְלִי	(and) you killed
common singular first person	וָאֶקְטֹל	(and) I killed
masculine plural third person	וַיִקְטְלוּ	(and) they killed
feminine plural third person	וַתִּקְטֹלְנָה	(and) they killed
masculine plural second person	וַתִּקְטְלוּ	(and) you killed
feminine plural second person	וַתִּקְטֹלְנָה	(and) you killed
common plural first person	וַנִּקְטֹל	(and) we killed

YQTL Nifal:

Parsing	Hebrew	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיִּקָּטֵל	(and) he was killed
feminine singular third person	וַתִּקָּטֵל	(and) she was killed
masculine singular second person	וַתִּקָּטֵל	(and) you were killed
feminine singular second person	וַתִּקָּטְלִי	(and) you were killed
common singular first person	וָאֶקָּטֵל	(and) I was killed
masculine plural third person	וַיִּקָּטְלוּ	(and) they were killed
feminine plural third person	וַתִּקָּטַלְנָה	(and) they were killed
masculine plural second person	וַתִּקָּטְלוּ	(and) you were killed
feminine plural second person	וַתִּקָּטַלְנָה	(and) you were killed
common plural first person	וַנִּקָּטֵל	(and) we were killed

YQTL Hifil:

Parsing	Hebrew	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיַּקְטֵל	(and) he caused to kill
feminine singular third person	וַתַּקְטֵל	(and) she caused to kill
masculine singular second person	וַתַּקְטֵל	(and) you caused to kill
feminine singular second person	וַתַּקְטִילִי	(and) you caused to kill
common singular first person	וָאַקְטֵל	(and) I caused to kill
masculine plural third person	וַיַּקְטִילוּ	(and) they caused to kill
feminine plural third person	וַתַּקְטֵלְנָה	(and) they caused to kill
masculine plural second person	וַתַּקְטִילוּ	(and) you caused to kill
feminine plural second person	וַתַּקְטֵלְנָה	(and) you caused to kill
common plural first person	וַנַּקְטֵל	(and) we caused to kill

YQTL Hofal:

Parsing	Hebrew	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיָּקְטַל	(and) he was caused to kill
feminine singular third person	וַתָּקְטַל	(and) whe was caused to kill
masculine singular second person	וַתָּקְטַל	(and) you were caused to kill
feminine singular second person	וַתָּקְטְלִי	(and) you were caused to kill
common singular first person	וָאָקְטַל	(and) I was caused to kill
masculine plural third person	וַיָּקְטְלוּ	(and) they were caused to kill
feminine plural third person	וַתָּקְטַלְנָה	(and) they were caused to kill
masculine plural second person	וַתָּקְטְלוּ	(and) you were caused to kill
feminine plural second person	וַתָּקְטַלְנָה	(and) you were caused to kill
common plural first person	וַנָּקְטַל	(and) we were caused to kill

YQTL Piel:

Parsing	Hebrew	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיְּקַטֵּל	(and) he slaughtered
feminine singular third person	וַתְּקַטֵּל	(and) she slaughtered
masculine singular second person	וַתְּקַטֵּל	(and) you slaughtered
feminine singular second person	וַתְּקַטְּלִי	(and) you slaughtered
common singular first person	וָאֲקַטֵּל	(and) I slaughtered
masculine plural third person	וַיְּקַטְּלוּ	(and) they slaughtered
feminine plural third person	וַתְּקַטַּלְנָה	(and) they slaughtered
masculine plural second person	וַתְּקַטְּלוּ	(and) you slaughtered
feminine plural second person	וַתְּקַטַּלְנָה	(and) you slaughtered
common plural first person	וַנְּקַטֵּל	(and) we slaughtered

YQTL Pual:

Parsing	Hebrew	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיְּקֻטַּל	(and) he was slaughtered
feminine singular third person	וַתְּקֻטַּל	(and) she was slaughtered
masculine singular second person	וַתְּקֻטַּל	(and) you were slaughtered
feminine singular second person	וַתְּקֻטְּלִי	(and) you were slaughtered
common singular first person	וָאֲקֻטַּל	(and) I was slaughtered
masculine plural third person	וַיְּקֻטְּלוּ	(and) they were slaughtered
feminine plural third person	וַתְּקֻטַּלְנָה	(and) they were slaughtered
masculine plural second person	וַתְּקֻטְּלוּ	(and) you were slaughtered
feminine plural second person	וַתְּקֻטַּלְנָה	(and) you were slaughtered
common plural first person	וַנְּקֻטַּל	(and) we were slaughtered

YQTL Hitpael:

Parsing	Hebrew	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיְּתְקַטֵּל	(and) he killed himself
feminine singular third person	וַתִּתְקַטֵּל	(and) she killed herself
masculine singular second person	וַתִּתְקַטֵּל	(and) you killed yourself
feminine singular second person	וַתִּתְקַטְּלִי	(and) you killed yourself
common singular first person	וָאֶתְקַטֵּל	(and) I killed myself
masculine plural third person	וַיְּתְקַטְּלוּ	(and) they killed themselves
feminine plural third person	וַתִּתְקַטֵּלְנָה	(and) they killed themselves
masculine plural second person	וַתִּתְקַטְּלוּ	(and) you killed yourselves
feminine plural second person	וַתִּתְקַטֵּלְנָה	(and) you killed yourselves
common plural first person	וַנְּתְקַטֵּל	(and) we killed ourselves