The verb in Targumic Aramaic
The system is the one described for Biblical Aramaic in The verb in Biblical Aramaic: a root, a stem, the perfect, the imperfect, the imperative, the infinitive, two participles. This file gives the targumic forms, the differences from Biblical Aramaic, and how the targum renders the Hebrew verb, which is the key to its syntax.
References: Dalman 1905 (verbs §§ 55–75, with full paradigms of the "Judean" dialect of Onkelos and Jonathan); Berliner 1884 vol. 2; Golomb 1985 (for the Palestinian comparison); Fassberg 2012. Examples are from the public-domain Sefaria texts of Onkelos and Jonathan, quoted as printed; counts are unpointed word tokens in Onkelos (2026-10-17).
Checked 2026-10-18 against the comparative verb tables at the end of Dalman 1905 (Anhang, pp. 402–407: strong verb in all stems, hollow, geminate and III-y verbs, Onkelos beside Galilean), read from the page images, and against the pointed Sefaria Onkelos (counts of pointed forms made the same day). Dalman's Onkelos follows the Sabbioneta edition; the Sefaria text is another printed pointing, and the two differ in some vowels (both are given where they do).
1. Stems
| stem | perfect 3ms | imperfect 3ms | participle | infinitive | function | example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| peal | קְטַל | יִקְטוֹל | קָטֵל; pass. קְטִיל | מִקְטַל | basic | בְּרָא "he created" (Gen 1:1) |
| ithpeel | אִתְקְטֵיל | יִתְקְטֵיל | מִתְקְטֵיל | אִתְקְטָלָא | passive, reflexive of peal | יִתְאֲמַר "it will be said" (Gen 22:14) |
| pael | קַטֵּיל | יְקַטֵּיל | מְקַטֵּיל | קַטָּלָא | intensive, factitive | נַסִּי "he tested" (Gen 22:1); קַיִּים "he vowed" (Gen 28:20) |
| ithpaal | אִתְקַטַּל | יִתְקַטַּל | מִתְקַטַּל | אִתְקַטָּלָא | passive of pael | אִיטַּמַּר "he hid himself" (Gen 3:8) |
| aphel | אַקְטֵיל | יַקְטֵיל | מַקְטֵיל | אַקְטָלָא | causative | אַפְרֵשׁ "he separated" (Gen 1:4); אַסְקֵהּ "bring him up!" (Gen 22:2) |
| ittaphal | אִתַּקְטַל | יִתַּקְטַל | מִתַּקְטַל | אִתַּקְטָלָא | passive of aphel | (rare) |
| shaphel, ishtaphal | שֵׁיזֵיב "deliver", שַׁכְלֵיל "complete", שֵׁיצֵי "finish, destroy", שַׁלְהֵיב "burn" | a few old verbs | שֵׁיזֵיב (Exod 12:27) |
Checked 2026-10-18: Dalman 1905, Anhang VI.1, pp. 402–403: all the peal, ithpeel, pael, ithpaal, aphel and ittaphal forms of the table agree with his Onkelos column (model root כתב); the ittaphal infinitive was added from there. The shaphel row is not in his tables. Second pass 2026-10-18: Dalman 1905 §59.2, p. 251 (Onkelos has the shaphels שֵׁיזֵיב, שַׁכְלֵיל and שַׁלְהֵב), §60, p. 259 (שֵׁיזֵיב Exod 12:27 O) and §69.4, p. 308 (שֵׁיצֵי from יצא, with י for the old w); the two verbs of the row are confirmed, the other two were added. His ishtaphal examples (אִשְׁתֵּיזֵיב, p. 259) are from the Palestinian targums and the Talmud, not from Onkelos, so the ishtaphal in this row is not confirmed for Onkelos.
What changed since Biblical Aramaic:
- Aphel replaces haphel. The causative is אַ־; the ה of the prefix is gone in the imperfect and participle too (יַקְטֵיל, מַקְטֵיל, against BA יְהַקְטֵל, מְהַקְטֵל). Exceptions are lexicalised forms like הֵימִין "believe" (Exod 14:31 וְהֵימִינוּ) and הוֹדִי "praise" (Dalman 1905).
- The internal passives are gone. Peil and hophal no longer exist as finite forms; their work is done by ithpeel and ittaphal. Only the peal passive participle survives: כְּתִיב "written", גְּלֵי "revealed" (Gen 22:8 קֳדָם יְיָ גְּלֵי "before the LORD it is revealed").
- The reflexive prefix is אִתְ־ (BA הִתְ־), with assimilation of the t to a following ת, ט, ד and metathesis with the sibilants ש, ס, צ, ז (after צ the t becomes ט, after ז it becomes ד): אִיטַּמַּר (Gen 3:8) from ʾiṯṭammar, אִשְׁתְּבֵיק, אִסְתְּכֵי (Dalman 1905 §15.4b α, p. 103).
2. Peal of the strong verb
Model root קטל "kill". Vocalisation after Dalman 1905 and the printed text; the Babylonian-Yemenite reading differs in details (Phonology and orthography of Targumic Aramaic §2).
2.1 Perfect
| person | form | Onkelos example |
|---|---|---|
| 3 m. sg. | קְטַל | וְקַטְלֵהּ "and he killed him" (Gen 4:8, with the 3 ms object suffix); בְּרָא "he created" (Gen 1:1) |
| 3 f. sg. | קְטַלַת | הֲוַת "she/it was" (Gen 1:2); הֲוַת בְּאָדָם "it became in man" (Gen 2:7); וַאֲכָלַת "and she ate" (Gen 3:6); with i-verbs נְסֵיבַת "she took" |
| 2 m. sg. | קְטַלְתָּא, קְטַלְתְּ | רְחַמְתָּ "you love" (Gen 22:2) |
| 2 f. sg. | קְטַלְתְּ | |
| 1 sg. | קְטָלִית (Sefaria); קְטַלִית (Dalman; Berliner's "old targum") | יְהָבִית "I gave" (37× יהבית); עֲבָדִית "I did" (Exod 19:4); שְׁמָעִית; אֲמָרִית |
| 3 m. pl. | קְטַלוּ | שְׁמָעוּ "they heard" (Gen 3:8); אֲזָלוּ "they went" (Gen 22:8) |
| 3 f. pl. | קְטַלָא | |
| 2 m. pl. | קְטַלְתּוּן | חֲזִתּוּן "you saw" (Exod 19:4; the usual spelling is חֲזֵיתוּן, 4×) |
| 2 f. pl. | קְטַלְתִּין | יְדַעְתִּין "you (f.) know" (Gen 31:6) |
| 1 pl. | קְטַלְנָא |
Checked 2026-10-18: Dalman 1905, Anhang VI.1, p. 402. Corrected: the 3 f. sg. of Onkelos is קְטַלַת (Dalman כְּתַבַת, i-verbs סְלֵיקַת; the Sefaria text has וַאֲכָלַת, וּנְסֵיבַת); קִטְלַת is the Biblical Aramaic form. Disagreement: the 1 sg. has pataḥ in Dalman's Sabbioneta-based paradigm (כְּתַבִית) and qameṣ in the Sefaria pointing (יְהָבִית 36×, עֲבָדִית 11×, אֲמָרִית 11×). The 2 f. pl. row was added from Dalman.
Second pass 2026-10-18: Berliner 1884, vol. 2, p. 147, explains the 1 sg. disagreement: words that the old (Babylonian-pointed) targum read with pataḥ were later pointed with qameṣ; the Sabbioneta edition agrees with the marginal notes "old targum" of cod. de Rossi 7, while the text of that codex has qameṣ. His list includes יְהַבִית (Gen 9:3), and Dalman 1905 §69.5, p. 309, also gives יְהַבִית (Gen 1:29 O). Dalman 1894, p. 330, has the same כְּתַבִית. So the pataḥ is the older Babylonian reading and the qameṣ of the Sefaria text the later European one; both stay in the table.
The 1 sg. ־ִית (against BA ־ֵת) is shared with JPA and is one of the clearest dialect markers between Biblical and targumic Aramaic.
2.2 Imperfect
| person | form | Onkelos example |
|---|---|---|
| 3 m. sg. | יִקְטוֹל | יְהֵי "let there be" (Gen 1:3); יְהֵא "he will be" (Gen 28:20); יִתֵּן "he will give" (Gen 28:20) |
| 3 f. sg. | תִּקְטוֹל | |
| 2 m. sg. | תִּקְטוֹל | תִּרְחַם "you shall love" (Deut 6:5); תֵּימַר "you shall say" (Exod 3:14); תֵיכוּל "you shall eat" (Gen 2:17) |
| 1 sg. | אֶקְטוֹל (Sefaria); אִקְטוֹל (Dalman 1905, Berliner) | אֵימַר "I will say" (Gen 22:2); אֵתוּב "I will return" (Gen 28:21); אֶעְבֵּד (Gen 18:21) |
| 3 m. pl. | יִקְטְלוּן | יִשְׁלְטוּן "they shall rule" (Gen 1:26); יִשְׁתַּמְעוּן "they shall obey" (Gen 49:10) |
| 3 f. pl. | יִקְטְלָן | |
| 2 m. pl. | תִּקְטְלוּן | |
| 1 pl. | נִקְטוֹל | נַעֲבֵיד "let us make" (Gen 1:26) |
Checked 2026-10-18: Dalman 1905, Anhang VI.1, p. 402 (יִכְתּוֹב, תִּכְתּוֹב, אִכְתּוֹב, יִכְתְּבוּן, יִכְתְּבָן, תִּכְתְּבוּן, נִכְתּוֹב; also 2 f. sg. תִּכְתְּבִין and 2 f. pl. תִּכְתְּבָן). Second pass 2026-10-18: corrected the reading of Dalman's 1 sg.: the alef has ḥireq (אִכְתּוֹב, p. 402), not segol; Dalman 1894, p. 330, had pataḥ (אַכְתּוֹב). Berliner 1884, vol. 2, p. 135: the Babylonian system has no segol, and the Babylonian manuscripts, cod. de Rossi 7 and the Sabbioneta edition point the 1 sg. prefix with ḥireq (Gen 6:7; 9:5; 18:26; 23:4). Disagreement: the Sefaria text has segol (אֶעְבֵּד, אֶתְפְּרָע Gen 18:21). Both are given.
The prefix is י־ throughout (JBA has ל־ / נ־, The verb in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic). The BA peculiarity לֶהֱוֵא is gone: Onkelos writes יְהֵי, יְהֵא. The short jussive forms of BA have disappeared; plural imperfects always end in ־וּן.
2.3 Imperative, infinitive, participles
| form | m. sg. | f. sg. | m. pl. | example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| imperative | קְטוֹל | קְטוֹלִי | קְטוֹלוּ | שְׁמַע "hear!" (Deut 6:4); דְּבַר "take!" (Gen 22:2); אִיזֵל "go!" (Gen 12:1; 22:2) |
| infinitive | מִקְטַל | לְמֵימַר "saying" (308× למימר); לְמֵיכַל "to eat", לְמִלְבַּשׁ "to wear" (Gen 28:20); לְמִתְּבַר "to break" (Gen 6:6) | ||
| active participle | קָטֵיל | קָטְלָא | קָטְלִין | אָזֵל "going" (Gen 28:20); אָכְלִין "eating" (Gen 2:17); דְּרָחֵשׁ "that creeps" (Gen 1:26) |
| passive participle | קְטִיל | קְטִילָא | קְטִילִין | גְּלֵי "revealed" (Gen 22:8) |
Checked 2026-10-18: Dalman 1905, Anhang VI.1, p. 402 (imperative כְּתוֹב, כְּתוֹבִי, כְּתוֹבוּ, f. pl. כְּתוֹבָא; infinitive מִכְתַּב, also as infinitive absolute; participles כָּתֵיב, כָּתְבָא, כְּתִיב, כְּתִיבָא).
The infinitive absolute. Hebrew uses an infinitive absolute before a finite verb for emphasis (מוֹת תָּמוּת "you shall surely die"). Onkelos imitates it with the peal infinitive (miqṭal): מֵימַת תְּמוּת (Gen 2:17). Derived stems use their own infinitives in the same way.
3. The derived stems: attested forms
| stem | form | meaning | source |
|---|---|---|---|
| pael perf. | נַסִּי | tested | Gen 22:1 |
| pael perf. | קַיִּים … קְיָם | vowed a vow | Gen 28:20 |
| pael perf. | צַלִּי | prayed | Gen 22:14 |
| pael impf. | וּתְמַלֵּל | and you shall speak | Deut 6:7 |
| pael impf. + sf. | וּתְתָנִנוּן | and you shall repeat them | Deut 6:7 |
| pael impf. 1 sg. | וֶאֱמַלֵּל | and I will speak | Deut 32:1 |
| pael ptcp. | מְנַשְּׁבָא | blowing | Gen 1:2 |
| pael ptcp. | מְמַלְּלָא | speaking | Gen 2:7 |
| pael ptcp. | מְהַלֵּךְ | walking | Gen 3:8 |
| aphel perf. | אַפְרֵשׁ | separated | Gen 1:4 |
| aphel perf. 1 sg. + sf. | אַפֵּיקְתָּךְ | I brought you out | Exod 20:2 |
| aphel imp. + sf. | אַסְקֵהּ | offer him up | Gen 22:2 |
| aphel imp. pl. | אַצִיתוּ | listen! | Deut 32:1 |
| aphel impf. 1 sg. + sf. | אַחֲזִנָּךְ | I will show you | Gen 12:1 |
| aphel perf. 3 mp | וְהֵימִינוּ | and they believed | Exod 14:31 |
| ithpeel perf. | אִתְגְּלִי, אִתְגְּלֵי | was revealed, appeared | Exod 3:2; Gen 18:21 |
| ithpeel impf. | יִתְאֲמַר | it will be said | Gen 22:14 |
| ithpeel impf. 1 sg. | אֶתְפְּרַע | I will exact punishment | Gen 18:21 |
| ithpeel ptcp. | מִתְאֲכִיל | being consumed | Exod 3:2 |
| ithpaal perf. | אִיטַּמַּר | hid himself | Gen 3:8 |
| ithpaal perf. 3 mp | אִתְיְלִידוּ | were born | (8× אתילידו) |
The ithpeel and ithpaal together are frequent in Onkelos because they render the Hebrew niphal, pual, hophal and hithpael alike: אתקטלא "to be killed" (27×), אתגלי / ואתגלי "was revealed" (37×), אתיליד "was born", אתכניש "was gathered" (counts of unpointed forms, 2026-10-17).
4. Weak roots
| class | root | perfect | imperfect | infinitive | participle | notes (Onkelos) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-ʾ | אמר "say" | אֲמַר | יֵימַר; 1sg אֵימַר | מֵימַר | אָמַר | the most frequent verb: ואמר 639× |
| I-ʾ | אכל "eat" | אֲכַל | יֵיכוּל; 2ms תֵיכוּל | מֵיכַל | אָכֵיל; pl. אָכְלִין | Gen 2:17 |
| I-ʾ | אזל "go" | אֲזַל; 3mp אֲזָלוּ | יֵיזֵיל (Sefaria יֵזֵיל) | מֵיזַל, beside מְהָךְ from הלך | אָזֵיל | renders Hebrew הלך in most forms; the infinitive of הלך survives: לִמְהַךְ 10× against לְמֵיזַל 8× in Onkelos (counted 2026-10-18), and בִּמְהָכָךְ (Deut 6:7); the pael participle מְהַלֵּךְ (Gen 3:8) too |
| I-y | יהב "give" | יְהַב; 1sg יְהָבִית | יִתֵּן (from נתן) | מִתַּן | יָהֵיב | suppletion as in BA |
| I-y | יתב "sit" | יְתֵיב | יִתֵּיב | מִתַּב | יָתֵיב | בְּמִתְּבָךְ "in your sitting" (Deut 6:7) |
| I-n | נפק "go out" | נְפַק | יִפּוֹק | מִפַּק | נָפֵיק | aphel אַפֵּיק "bring out" (Exod 20:2) |
| I-n | נטר "guard" | נְטַר | יִטַּר | מִטַּר | נָטֵיר | וְיִטְרִינַנִּי "and he will guard me" (Gen 28:20) |
| II-w | קום "rise" | קָם; 3fs קָמַת | יְקוּם | מְקָם (Dalman); the Sefaria text has לְמֵיקַם | קָאֵים; pass. קִים | וְקָם (Gen 4:8); aphel אֲקִים / אֲקֵים "establish" (both in the Sefaria text) |
| II-w | תוב "return" | תָּב | יְתוּב | מְתַב | תָּאֵיב, pl. תָּיְבִין (Gen 18:21) | וְתָב יְיָ בְּמֵימְרֵהּ (Gen 6:6) |
| III-y | הוה "be" | הֲוָה; 3fs הֲוַת | יְהֵי, יְהֵא | מֶהֱוֵי | הָוֵי | וַהֲוָה (Gen 1:3, 5); בְּמֶהֱוֵיהוֹן (Gen 4:8) |
| III-y | חזא "see" | חֲזָא; 3fs חֲזָת; 1sg חֲזֵיתִי, חֲזֵית; 2mp חֲזֵיתוּן (once חֲזִתּוּן) | יֶחֱזֵי; 3mp יֶחֱזוֹן | מֶחֱזֵי | חָזֵי | חֲזָא יְיָ (Gen 1:4) |
| III-y | ברא "create" | בְּרָא; 1sg בְרֵאתִי (Gen 6:7) | ||||
| III-y | גלי "reveal" | גְּלָא | pass. ptcp. גְּלֵי | ithpeel אִתְגְּלִי "was revealed" | ||
| geminate | עלל "enter" | עַל; 3fs עַלַּת (Gen 18:21) | יֵיעוֹל | מֵיעַל | עָלֵיל | |
| doubly weak | אתי "come" | אֲתָא | יֵיתֵי | מֵיתֵי | אָתֵי (Gen 37:30) | עַד דְּיֵיתֵי מְשִׁיחָא "until the Messiah comes" (Gen 49:10) |
Checked 2026-10-18: Dalman 1905, Anhang VI.2–4, pp. 404–406 (hollow קוּם, geminate עלל, III-y חזא in Onkelos: all forms of these rows agree, with the additions in the table) and the pointed Sefaria Onkelos for the other rows (יֵימַר, מֵימַר, לְמִתַּן, יְהַב, יָהֵב, יְתֵיב, לְמִתַּב, יִפּוֹק, מִפַּק, יִטַּר, יְתוּב, יְהֵי, יְהֵא, לְמֶהֱוֵי, יֶחֱזֵי, יֵיתֵי, לְמֵיתֵי; counted 2026-10-18). Corrected: "go" — אזל does not replace הלך everywhere. Second pass 2026-10-18: Dalman 1905 §66.4, pp. 292–294 (I-n, Onkelos forms: נְפַק Gen 8:7, יִפּוֹק Exod 21:2, נָפֵיק Exod 4:14, absolute infinitive מִטַּר Deut 6:17 and מִתַּן Deut 15:10, 1 pl. נִטַּר Deut 6:25, impf. of נתן יִתֵּין Exod 21:4), p. 295 (aphel אַפֵּיק-: אַפֵּיקִית Lev 19:36; impf. יַפֵּיק), §67, pp. 298–301 (I-ʾ: Onkelos has regular forms throughout; אֲמַר Gen 29:21, יֵימַר Exod 22:8, 1 sg. אֵימַר Exod 3:13, infinitive מֵימַר Gen 9:8, participle אָמַר Exod 2:14; יֵיזֵיל Exod 10:24, absolute infinitive מֵיזַל Gen 31:30, participle אָזֵיל Exod 19:19, imperative אִיזֵיל Gen 22:2 with ḥireq after the Masorah; absolute infinitive מֵיכַל Gen 2:16; aphel הֵימִין "believe" as a haphel, הֵימִינוּ Exod 14:31) and §69, pp. 307–311 (I-y: the imperfect and infinitive drop the yod and double the second radical: יְהַב Gen 25:6, וִיתֵיב Gen 19:30, יִתֵּיב Lev 13:46, מִתַּב Gen 16:3, יָתֵיב Gen 14:12). All these forms agree with the table (consonants; Dalman's vowels where printed). Disagreement: Dalman's 1 sg. of יהב is יְהַבִית (p. 309, Gen 1:29), the table's יְהָבִית is the Sefaria pointing (see §2.1). Not in Dalman's lists for Onkelos (still Sefaria only): the peal infinitive of נפק and the participle of יהב.
5. How the targum renders the Hebrew verb
Onkelos maps the Hebrew verbal forms onto Aramaic ones systematically. This mapping is what a projection of Hebrew trees onto the targum needs (Targumic Aramaic in Mova: what it would need §4).
| Hebrew | Onkelos | example (Hebrew → Aramaic) | source |
|---|---|---|---|
| wayyiqtol (narrative past) | ו + perfect | וַיֹּאמֶר → וַאֲמַר; וַיַּרְא → וַחֲזָא | Gen 1:3–4 |
| qatal | perfect | בָּרָא → בְּרָא | Gen 1:1 |
| weqatal (future, command) | ו + imperfect | וְאָהַבְתָּ → וְתִרְחַם; וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם → וּתְתָנִנוּן; וְדִבַּרְתָּ → וּתְמַלֵּל | Deut 6:5–7 |
| yiqtol | imperfect | יִהְיֶה → יְהֵא | Gen 28:20 |
| jussive | imperfect | יְהִי → יְהֵי | Gen 1:3 |
| cohortative | imperfect | נַעֲשֶׂה → נַעֲבֵיד | Gen 1:26 |
| imperative | imperative | שְׁמַע → שְׁמַע; קַח → דְּבַר | Deut 6:4; Gen 22:2 |
| participle | participle | מְרַחֶפֶת → מְנַשְּׁבָא; הוֹלֵךְ → אָזֵל | Gen 1:2; 28:20 |
| infinitive construct with ב / ל | infinitive with suffix | בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ → בְּמִתְּבָךְ; לֵאמֹר → לְמֵימַר | Deut 6:7; Gen 28:20 |
| infinitive absolute + finite | peal infinitive + finite | מוֹת תָּמוּת → מֵימַת תְּמוּת | Gen 2:17 |
| niphal, pual, hophal, hithpael | ithpeel, ithpaal, ittaphal | וַיִּתְחַבֵּא → וְאִיטַּמַּר | Gen 3:8 |
| hiphil | aphel | וַיַּבְדֵּל → וְאַפְרֵשׁ | Gen 1:4 |
| piel | pael | נִסָּה → נַסִּי | Gen 22:1 |
| verbless clause | verbless clause | אָנֹכִי יְהוָה → אֲנָא יְיָ | Exod 20:2 |
The Hebrew wayyiqtol has no Aramaic counterpart; Onkelos writes the perfect after ו, and vocalises the ו as וַ־ before a guttural or shewa like Hebrew (וַאֲמַר, וַחֲזָא, וַהֲוָה). This is a spelling coincidence, not a waw-consecutive.
6. Tense and aspect
Because Onkelos follows the Hebrew forms, its tense system looks more "Hebrew" than the spoken dialects:
- the perfect is the narrative past (Hebrew wayyiqtol);
- the imperfect is future, modal and the rendering of weqatal;
- the participle is present (אָזֵל "I am going", Gen 28:20) and, as in BA, the predicate of הוה for durative past;
- the participle as a narrative tense, so common in the Talmuds, is rare in Onkelos.
Jonathan to the Prophets is freer and uses the participle more, especially in its expansions (וּמְקַבְּלִין דֵין מִן דֵין וְאָמְרִין "and they receive (permission) one from another and say", Tg Isa 6:3).
The Elamur team
This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/arc-x-targum/verbs/