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Verb Roots & Conjugation
Biblical Aramaic verbs are built on triconsonantal roots and conjugated through seven verb stems (binyanim). The Peal is the basic active stem.
| Stem | Hebrew Parallel | Function | Example (K-T-B) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peal (Pʿal) | Qal | Basic active | כְּתַב | he wrote |
| Pael | Piel | Intensive / factitive | כַּתֵּב | he inscribed |
| Aphel | Hiphil | Causative | הַכְתֵּב | he caused to write |
| Ithpeel | Niphal / Hithpael | Passive of Peal | הִתְכְּתֵב | it was written |
| Ithpaal | Hithpael | Reflexive / Passive of Pael | — | reflexive intensive |
| Ittaphal | Hophal | Passive of Aphel | — | caused to be written |
| Shaphel | (rare in Heb.) | Secondary causative | — | causative variant |
💡 The binyanim: Each stem modifies the meaning of the same triconsonantal root — shifting it between active, intensive, causative, passive, and reflexive senses. The Peal (basic active) is the most common; the derived stems build systematically on it, mirroring the Hebrew binyanim shown above.