Qatal (the Perfect) — Full Paradigm
שָׁמַר “he kept” in all persons: the suffix conjugation, its endings, and what it means.
Qatal (קָטַל) is the suffix conjugation in Biblical Hebrew. It usually describes completed action — past tense in narrative, but also present or even future in certain contexts (especially the "Qatal of certainty" or prophetic perfect). This article gives the full paradigm of שָׁמַר (shāmar, "he kept / guarded").
The basic pattern
Qatal is built from a three-consonant root with vowels between/after the consonants. The base pattern for a strong verb is קָטַל (qāṭal).
For the root שׁ.מ.ר (sh-m-r):
- 3rd m. sg.: שָׁמַר (shāmar) — he kept
Full Qatal paradigm of שָׁמַר
| Person / Gender | Hebrew | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | שָׁמַרְתִּי | shāmartî | I kept |
| 2nd m. sg. | שָׁמַרְתָּ | shāmartā | you (m.) kept |
| 2nd f. sg. | שָׁמַרְתְּ | shāmart | you (f.) kept |
| 3rd m. sg. | שָׁמַר | shāmar | he kept |
| 3rd f. sg. | שָׁמְרָה | shāmərāh | she kept |
| 1st pl. | שָׁמַרְנוּ | shāmartû | we kept |
| 2nd m. pl. | שְׁמַרְתֶּם | shmartem | you (m.) kept |
| 2nd f. pl. | שְׁמַרְתֶּן | shmarten | you (f.) kept |
| 3rd m. pl. | שָׁמְרוּ | shāmərû | they (m.) kept |
| 3rd f. pl. | שָׁמְרוּ | shāmərû | they (f.) kept |
💡 Pattern: Masculine singular = קָטַל. Feminine singular = קָטְלָה. 1st/2nd persons add suffixes to קָטַלְתּ + suffix. 3rd plural = קָטְלוּ.
How the suffixes work
| Person | Suffix | Added to stem | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | ־תִּי (-tî) | שָׁמַרְ + תִּי | שָׁמַרְתִּי |
| 2nd m. sg. | ־תָּ (-tā) | שָׁמַרְ + תָּ | שָׁמַרְתָּ |
| 2nd f. sg. | ־תְּ (-t) | שָׁמַרְ + תְּ | שָׁמַרְתְּ |
| 3rd f. sg. | ־ָה (-āh) | שָׁמְר + ָה | שָׁמְרָה |
| 1st pl. | ־נוּ (-nû) | שָׁמַרְ + נוּ | שָׁמַרְנוּ |
| 2nd m. pl. | ־תֶּם (-tem) | שְׁמַרְ + תֶּם | שְׁמַרְתֶּם |
| 2nd f. pl. | ־תֶּן (-ten) | שְׁמַרְ + תֶּן | שְׁמַרְתֶּן |
| 3rd pl. | ־וּ (-û) | שָׁמְר + וּ | שָׁמְרוּ |
⚠️ Note: In the 2nd person plural forms, the vowel of the first syllable reduces from ā to ə: שְׁמַרְתֶּם. This happens because the accent moves toward the suffix.
Qatal with object suffixes
Qatal forms can also take object suffixes. A common example:
| Hebrew | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| שְׁמַרְתִּיךָ | shmartîkhā | I kept you (m.) |
| שָׁמְרוּהוּ | shāmərûhû | they kept him |
| שָׁמַרְתָּהּ | shāmartāh | you (m.) kept her |
These are advanced forms; learn the basic paradigm first.
When Qatal is not past tense
Although Qatal usually means past, it can express:
- Prophetic perfect: A future event described as already completed for certainty.
- כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה... (koh ʾāmar yehwah) — "Thus says YHWH..." (often prophetic present/future)
- Performative present: An action done by speaking.
- בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה (bārûkh ʾattāh) — "Blessed are you" (I bless you)
- Stative present: Verbs describing a state.
- יָדַעְתִּי (yadaʿtî) — "I know" (not "I knew")
✅ Key takeaways
- Qatal = suffix conjugation, usually past tense.
- The base pattern is קָטַל.
- Suffixes show person, gender, and number.
- 3rd f. sg. ends in ־ָה; 3rd pl. ends in ־וּ.
- Qatal can sometimes express present or future in prophetic/performative contexts.
✏️ Practice
- What is the 3rd m. sg. Qatal of שׁ.מ.ר?
- Conjugate "we kept" in Qatal.
- What suffix marks 2nd f. sg.?
- How do 2nd person plural forms differ in voweling from 2nd sg.?
- Translate: שָׁמְרוּ אֶת־הַמִּצְוָה.
Answers
- שָׁמַר (shāmar).
- שָׁמַרְנוּ (shāmarnû).
- ־תְּ (-t): שָׁמַרְתְּ (shāmart).
- The first syllable vowel reduces: שָׁמַרְתָּ → שְׁמַרְתֶּם.
- "They kept the commandment."