Lesson 22: Niphal
The primary characteristic of the niphal is a prefixed nun נ in the perfect and the partiple. Notice the qametz under the first letter of the root in the imperfect, with a daggesh. Together, the qal, niphal, piel, and hiphil, make up 97% of all verbs in the Hebrew Bible. Generally speaking, verbs in the niphal are the passive form of the qal verbs--if the verb is used in the qal. On occasion, niphals will have a reflexive sense to them. And sometimes, a verb appears in the niphal and is used in a normal, active sense rather than passive.
Perfect
| Niphal | Qal | Person |
| נִקְטַל | קָטַל | 3ms |
| נִקְטְלָה | קָטְלָה | 3fs |
| נִקְטַלְתָּ | קָטַלְתָּ | 2ms |
| נִקְטַלְתְּ | קָטַלְתְּ | 2fs |
| נִקְטַלְתִּי | קָטַלְתִּי | 1cs |
| נִקְטְלוּ | קָטְלוּ | 3cp |
| נִקְטַלְתֶּם | קְטַלְתֶּם | 2mp |
| נִקְטַלְתֶּן | קְטַלְתֶּן | 2fp |
| נִקְטַלְנוּ | קָטַלְנוּ | 1cp |
Imperfect
| Niphal | Qal | Person |
| יִקָּטֵל | יִקְטֹל | 3ms |
| תִּקָּטֵל | תִּקְטֹל | 3fs |
| תִּקָּטֵל | תִּקְטֹל | 2ms |
| תִּקָּטְלִי | תִּקְטְלִי | 2fs |
| אֶקָּטֵל | אֶקְטֹל | 1cs |
| יִקָּטְלוּ | יִקְטְלוּ | 3mp |
| תִּקָּטַלְנָה | תִּקְטֹלְנָה | 3fp |
| תִּקָּטְלוּ | תִּקְטְלוּ | 2mp |
| תִּקָּטַלְנָה | תִּקְטֹלְנָה | 2fp |
| נִקָּטֵל | נִקְטֹל | 1cp |
Imperative
| Imperative | Imperfect | Person |
| הִקָּטֵל | תִּקָּטֵל | 2ms |
| הִקָּטְלִי | תִּקָּטְלִי | 2fs |
| הִקָּטְלוּ | תִּקָּטְלוּ | 2mp |
| הִקָּטַלְנָה | תִּקָּטַלְנָה | 2fp |
Infinitives
| Infinitive Construct | Imperative |
| הִקָּטֵל | הִקָּטֵל |
Infinitive Absolute
Participle
| Niphal | Qal | Person |
| נִקְטָל | קֹטֵל | ms |
| נִקְטֶלֶת | קֹטֶלֶת | fs |
| נִקְטָלִים | קֹטְלִים | mp |
| נִקְטָלוֹת | קֹטְלוֹת | fp |
Cohortative
| Niphal | Qal | Person |
| אֶקָּטְלָה | אֶקְטְלָה | 1cs |
| נִקָּטְלָה | נִקְטְלָה | 1cp |
Jussive
| Jussive | Imperfect | Person |
| יִקָּטֵל | יִקָּטֵל | 3ms |
Reading
Please read pages 190-193 in Biblical Hebrew Step-by-Step.
Exercises
1. Memorize the Niphal paradigm.