Hollow verbs ע״ו · ע״י ‘ayin-waw · ‘ayin-yod
In verbs whose middle root letter is ו or י, that letter is never sounded as a consonant. In some forms it remains only as a vowel letter וּ ִי וֹ (תָּמוּת you shall die, Gen 2:17); in others it disappears (וַיָּשֶׂם he put, 2:8). Because the middle looks empty they are called hollow verbs. This page shows the forms one by one in words actually used in the Bible.
ו or י in the ע (middle root) position
Colour key blue = added at the front · orange = added at the end · purple = a mark inside (dot · doubled letter · changed vowel) · underline = the word this page is about
1What hollow verbs are
Some verbs have ו (waw) or י (yod) as the middle root letter — ק-ו-ם (rise) · מ-ו-ת (die) · שׁ-ו-ב (return) · ב-ו-א (come, go in) · שׂ-י-ם (put).
This middle letter is never sounded as a consonant. In some forms it remains only as a vowel letter (וּ וֹ ִי); in others it is not seen at all. So the perfect “he rose” is קָם (qam) — only two letters. Because the middle looks empty, these are called hollow verbs.
In Genesis 2, וַיָּשֶׂם (and he put, 2:8) · תָּמוּת (you shall die, 2:17) · וַיָּבֵא (and he brought, 2:19) are all hollow verbs.
2Where the name comes from — ע״ו ‘Ayin-Waw · ע״י ‘Ayin-Yod
Traditional grammar names the root positions after the model verb פָּעַל (pa‘al); the middle position is ע (‘ayin). A verb with ו in the middle is ‘Ayin-Waw (ע״ו); with י, ‘Ayin-Yod (ע״י).
English grammars call them hollow verbs, or II-Waw / II-Yod. Lexicons usually list them not by the perfect קָם but by the infinitive construct קוּם, because the perfect does not show the middle letter.
3At a glance — four signs of a hollow verb
- Only two root letters are visibleIn the perfect, wayyiqtol and participle the middle letter is not seen — קָמָה (she rose, Gen 37:7) · וַיָּשֶׂם (Gen 2:8).
- Imperfect prefix vowel ָ (a)Not the strong verb’s יִ (yi) but יָ (ya) — תָּמוּת (you shall die, Gen 2:17).
- A vowel letter in the middleIn the imperfect, imperative and infinitive, וּ (u) · ִי (i) · וֹ (o) stands in the middle slot — קוּם (rise, Gen 13:17) · שִׂים (put, Gen 24:2).
- Hiphil: הֵ … ִיThe Hiphil perfect has הֵ (he) in front and ִי (i) in the middle — הֵבִיא (he brought, Gen 4:4).
4Paradigm — קוּם (rise) · שִׂים (put) · בּוֹא (come, go in)
One verb each with middle וּ, ִי and וֹ. Each cell gives the form and its reading. Purple marks the middle-letter slot.
| Form | קוּם rise | שִׂים put | בּוֹא come |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qal perfect (he) | קָם qam | שָׂם sam | בָּא ba |
| Qal perfect (I) | קַמְתִּי qamti | שַׂמְתִּי samti | בָּאתִי bati |
| Qal imperfect (he) | יָקוּם yaqum | יָשִׂים yasim | יָבוֹא yavo |
| jussive (let him) | יָקֹם yaqom | יָשֵׂם yasem | יָבֹא yavo |
| wayyiqtol (and he) | וַיָּקָם vayyaqom | וַיָּשֶׂם vayyasem | וַיָּבֹא vayyavo |
| imperative (2ms) | קוּם qum | שִׂים sim | בוֹא bo |
| infinitive construct | קוּם qum | שׂוּם sum | בוֹא bo |
| participle (ms) | קָם qam | שָׂם sam | בָּא ba |
| Hiphil perfect (he) | הֵקִים heqim | — | הֵבִיא hevi |
| Hiphil imperfect (he) | יָקִים yaqim | — | יָבִיא yavi |
In the wayyiqtol וַיָּקָם the final ָ is read as a short “o” (qamets hatuf), not “a”: the stress moved to the previous syllable, leaving the last syllable closed and short. The Qal perfect “he” and the participle look alike (קָם); the sentence decides. שִׂים also has the infinitive construct שׂוּם (לָשׂוּם Gen 45:7).
5Why the middle letter disappears — the sound reasons
- 1. ו and י are weak between vowelsו (w) and י (y) are very close to vowels. Squeezed between two vowels they lose their consonant sound and merge with them, so a shape like “qawama” becomes “qam” (קָם).
- 2. One long vowel remainsThe middle letter vanishes and a single long vowel (וּ ִי וֹ or ָ) is left. The וּ of the imperfect יָקוּם (yaqum) is not a consonant ו but the letter writing the vowel “u.”
- 3. The prefix is in an open syllableWith in effect only two consonants, the prefix י ת stands in an open syllable and its vowel lengthens to ָ (a) → יָקוּם · תָּמוּת.
- 4. Wayyiqtol and jussive are shortIn the wayyiqtol and jussive the stress moves forward or the ending shortens, so the middle long vowel shortens — יָקוּם (yaqum) → יָקֹם (yaqom) → וַיָּקָם (vayyaqom).
6Qal perfect · participle — only two root letters
qamah — (it, she) arose
Qal perfect (she): קָמ + ָה (she). The middle ו of ק-ו-ם is gone. In Joseph’s dream “my sheaf arose” — “sheaf” is feminine, hence “she.”
YLVfor behold, we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came round about and bowed down to my sheaf."
samti — I have set
Qal perfect (I): שַׂמְ + תִּי (I). The middle י of שׂ-י-ם is not seen; the closed syllable has short ַ. Jacob speaks of “this stone that I have set up as a pillar.”
YLVand this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be the house of God; and of all that you give me I will surely give a tenth to you."
ba — (it) has come
Qal perfect (he): from ב-ו-א the middle ו vanishes and the final א is silent (see “III-Aleph verbs”), so the sound is just “ba.” “The end of all flesh has come before me.” The same shape also serves as the participle (“coming”).
YLVAnd God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh (basar) has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.
metu — they died
Qal perfect (they): מֵת + וּ. מ-ו-ת (die) is a stative verb, so its perfect vowel is ֵ (e) (מֵת “he died, dead”). מֵת in 20:3 (“you are a dead man”) is the participle of the same shape.
YLVall in whose nostrils was the breath (neshamah) of the spirit (ruach) of life (chai), of all that was in the dry land, died.
7Qal imperfect · wayyiqtol — prefix ָ, middle vowel
The imperfect has a long vowel letter in the middle; the wayyiqtol shortens it. Both have the prefix vowel ָ (a).
tamut — you shall die
Qal imperfect (you): תָּ (you — vowel ָ) + מ + וּ (middle vowel) + ת. With the preceding מוֹת (infinitive absolute): “you shall surely die.” The same root has וֹ in the infinitive and וּ in the imperfect.
YLVbut of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die."
vayyasem — and he put
Qal wayyiqtol: וַיָּ (and he — vowel ָ) + שֶׂם. The middle י of שׂ-י-ם is shortened away and the vowel is ֶ (e). The imperfect יָשִׂים (yasim, 30:42) shows the ִי. “He put there the man whom he had formed.”
YLVAnd YHWH God planted a garden in Eden, from the east, and there he put Adam whom he had formed.
vayyaqom — and he rose
Qal wayyiqtol: וַיָּ + קָם. The final ָ is a short “o” (qamets hatuf), the shortened form of the וּ in the imperfect יָקוּם. “Cain rose up against Abel his brother.”
YLVAnd Cain said to Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
vayyavo — and he went in
Qal wayyiqtol: וַיָּ + בֹא. The middle וֹ of ב-ו-א is written as a single dot ֹ, and the final א is silent. “Noah went into the ark.”
YLVAnd Noah went in, and his sons and his woman (ishah) and the women (ishah) of his sons with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8Imperative · infinitive — the middle vowel is plain
qum — arise
Imperative (2ms): ק + וּ + ם, the same shape as the lexical form. “Arise, walk through the land.”
YLVArise, walk through the land, to its length and to its breadth, for to you I will give it.
sim — put
Imperative: שׂ + ִי (the middle י as the vowel “i”) + ם. Same root as וַיָּשֶׂם in 2:8. “Put your hand under my thigh.”
YLVAnd Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Put, I pray, your hand under my thigh,
bo — come (in)
Imperative: בֹּ (the middle וֹ written as a dot) + א (silent). “Come into the ark, you and all your house.”
YLVAnd YHWH said to Noah, "Come, you and all your house, into the ark, for you I have seen righteous before me in this generation.
mot — (surely) dying
Infinitive absolute: מ + וֹ + ת. Standing beside the imperfect תָּמוּת of the same root it strengthens the statement — “you shall surely die.”
YLVbut of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die."
9Hiphil · Hophal — הֵ … ִי, וּ
The Hiphil of a hollow verb has ִי (i) in the middle, the prefix הֵ (he) in the perfect, and ָ (a) under the imperfect prefix. The Hophal puts וּ (u) in front.
hevi — (he) brought
Hiphil perfect (he): הֵ (Hiphil) + ב + ִי + א. Qal בָּא is “come”; the Hiphil is “cause to come → bring.” “Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock.”
YLVAnd Abel, he also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And YHWH looked with favor to Abel and to his offering,
vayyave — and he brought
Hiphil wayyiqtol: וַיָּ + בֵא. The ִי of the Hiphil imperfect יָבִיא shortens to ֵ (e) in the wayyiqtol. It differs from the Qal wayyiqtol וַיָּבֹא (and he went in, 7:7) only in the middle vowel (ֵ vs ֹ). “He brought them to the man.”
YLVAnd YHWH God formed out of the ground (adamah) every living thing (chai) of the field and every bird of the heavens, and brought it to Adam to see what he would call it; and whatever Adam called it, the living soul (nephesh), that was its name.
vayvi’eha — and he brought her
וַיְ + בִא + ֶהָ (her). The “her” suffix is added to וַיָּבֵא (2:19). With the longer word the prefix vowel ָ reduces to a sheva (ְ) and the middle becomes ִ. He brings the woman to the man.
YLVAnd YHWH God built the rib which he had taken from Adam into a woman (ishah), and brought her to Adam.
haqimoti — I have established
Hiphil perfect (I): הֲ (Hiphil prefix, here “ha”) + קִמ + ֹ (linking vowel “o”) + תִי (I). The Hiphil perfect of a hollow verb inserts a linking “o” before endings like “I” and “you.” “The sign of the covenant which I have established.”
YLVAnd God said to Noah, "This is the sign (ot) of the covenant (berit) which I have established between me and all flesh (basar) that is upon the earth."
yumat — (he) shall be put to death
Hophal imperfect: י (he) + וּ (the Hophal “u”) + מָת. Qal מֵת is “die”; the Hiphil is “kill” (לְהָמִית 18:25); the Hophal is “be put to death.” With מוֹת before it: “he shall surely be put to death.”
YLVAnd Abimelech commanded (tzivvah) all the people, saying, "He that touches this man (ish) or his wife (ishah) shall surely be put to death."
10Polel and Hithpolel instead of Piel — the last letter doubled
A hollow verb cannot double its middle letter, so instead of the Piel and Hithpael it uses the Polel and Hithpolel, which write the last letter twice. Genesis 1–2 has one of each.
ye‘ofef — let (birds) fly
Polel imperfect: יְ (he) + עוֹ (“o” after the first letter) + פֵף (the last letter פ written twice). Root ע-ו-ף (fly); the Polel is “fly about.”
YLVAnd God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms, a living soul (nephesh); and let birds fly above the earth upon the face of the firmament of the heavens."
yitboshashu — (they were not) ashamed
Hithpolel imperfect: יִתְ (hit- prefix) + בֹּ (“o”) + שָׁשׁ (the last letter שׁ twice) + וּ (they). Root ב-ו-שׁ (be ashamed). With לֹא before it: “they were not ashamed.”
YLVAnd they were both naked, Adam and his woman (ishah), and they were not ashamed.
11Easy to confuse
A prefix vowel ָ should make you think of a hollow verb. The strong Qal imperfect has יִ (yi); a hollow verb has יָ (ya). Compare וַיָּשֶׂם (2:8) with the words that begin וַיִּ.
Qal and Hiphil wayyiqtol. Both begin וַיָּ; the middle vowel decides — Qal וַיָּבֹא (went in, 7:7) · Hiphil וַיָּבֵא (brought, 2:19). וַיָּשָׁב (he returned, 22:19) is Qal; וַיָּשֶׁב (he brought back, 14:16) is Hiphil.
וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ (2:15) is a hollow verb. The dotted נ makes it look like I-Nun, but the root is נ-ו-ח (rest). Its Hiphil has two forms — הֵנִיחַ (give rest) and, with doubled נ, הִנִּיחַ (put, place). Gen 2:15 is the second: “he put him in the garden of Eden.”
קָם may be perfect or participle. The Qal perfect “he” and the masculine singular participle look the same (שָׂם in 21:14 is the participle “putting”). Stress position and the sentence decide.