The Passive Participle and the Infinitive Absolute

The Passive Participle The passive participle is a verb that acts as an adjective. Passive participles describe action received by the subject. The subject does not perform the action. For example, “the abandoned house” and “the house that was abandoned” both have the verb to abandon acting as a passive participle to describe the house. As with active participles, passive participles inflect for number and gender. The meaning is generally one of completed action.

The Passive Participle Passive Participle Rootmsmpfsfp כּתבכָּתוּבכְּתוּבִיםכְּתוּבָהכְּתוּבוֹת written ידעיָדוּעיְדוּעִיםיְדוּעָהיְדוּעוֹת known אכלאָכוּלאֲכוּלִיםאֲכוּלָהאֲכוּלוֹת eaten סבבסָבוּבסְבוּבִיםסְבוּבָהסְבוּבוֹת surrounded בּנהבָּנוּיבְּנוּיִיםבְּנוּיָהבְּנוּיוֹת built שׁלחשָׁלוּחַשְׁלוּחִיםשְׁלוּחָהשְׁלוּחוֹת sent The vowel pattern for the passive participle is usually qametz-shureq (e.g., כָּתוּב ). The vowel pattern is rarely a defective qametz-qibbuts (e.g., כָּתֻב instead of כָּתוּב ). For the verb בָּנָה, the III- ה changes to a yod. For the verb שָׁלַח, the III-guttural takes a furtive patakh. The furtive patakh does not disrupt the qametz-shureq vowel pattern.

The Passive Participle Hollow verbs rarely appear in the passive participle form. The passive participle form of קָם (to arise) and שָׂם (to place) are attested in the masculine singular but not in the masculine plural, feminine singular, or feminine plural. Passive Participle Rootmsmpfsfp קםקוּם --- risen שׂםשָׂם --- placed

The Passive Participle Attributive meaning: הַשֵׁם כָּתוּב בַּסֵּפֶר The name written in the book Predicative meaning: כְּתוּבִים הַדָּבָרִים Written are the words (or) The words are written Substantive meaning: הַבָּחַרִים יִשְׁלְחוּ The chosen will send (or) The chosen ones will send (or) The ones who are chosen will send Attributive passive participles agree with the noun they modify in number, gender, and definiteness. The attributive follows the noun that it modifies. Predicative passive participles agree with the noun they modify in number and gender. The predicative participle does not match in definiteness. The predicative either precedes or follows the noun that it modifies. Substantive passive participles take on noun attributes. Notice the options available for translating the substantive form into idiomatic English in the examples above. The passive participle is most easily confused with the infinitive absolute, which we will study next.

The Passive Participle Before we tackle the Infinitive Absolute, let’s practice…..

The Infinitive Absolute The infinitive absolute has only one form since it is not inflected for person, number, or gender. Consider the following infinitive absolutes. Root Infinitive Absolute קטלקָטוֹל to kill גּאלגָּאוֹל to redeem אכלאָכוֹל to eat ידעיָדוֹעַ to know נטענָטוֹעַ to plant The infinitive absolute vowel pattern is qamets-full holem. A furtive patakh appears in III-guttural verbs such as יָדוֹעַ and נָטוֹעַ. Identification of the infinitive absolute verb form can still be made since there is no change to the qamets-full holem vowel pattern. In some cases, the full holem may be written defectively. For example, קָטוֹל may be written as קָטֹל.

The Infinitive Absolute The infinitive absolute has four primary uses: Emphasis: The infinitive absolute is placed next to the finite verb it modifies, either before (most common) or after, to emphasize the verbal concept. Note that both the infinitive absolute and the verb it modifies have the same root letters. When translating the infinitive absolute to emphasize a verbal concept, use the words such as indeed, surely, or certainly. This form is the most common use of the infinitive absolute. For example: Simultaneous: Two infinitive absolutes placed next to a finite verb have the meaning of simultaneous action. The action can be antithetical or complimentary. For example: יָדוֹעַ יָדַע אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה He did indeed know the law. סָבוֹב יָסֹבּוּ אֶת־הַבַּיִת They will surely surround the house. הָלְכוּ הָלוֹךְ וְדָבוֹר They walked, walking and talking. הָלְכוּ יָצוֹא וָשוֹב They walked back and forth.

The Infinitive Absolute Substitute: An infinitive absolute can substitute for a finite verb, describing action. In this case, the infinitive absolute stands alone as a substitute for a finite verb. For example: Imperative: Similar to the above example, an infinitive absolute can stand alone, replacing a finite imperative verb. For example: נָתוֹן אֹתָהּ בְּתוֹךְ הַחֵיכָל He set her in the midst of the palace. כָתוֹב עַל־הַלּוּחַ He will write on the tablet. זָכוֹר אֶת־מִצְוֹתַי Remember my commandments. הָלוֹךְ עִמּוֹ Go with him.