Segolate nouns סֶגּוֹל segol
Genesis 1–2 is full of nouns that look alike: אֶרֶץ (earth), חֹשֶׁךְ (darkness), עֶרֶב (evening), בֹּקֶר (morning), זֶרַע (seed), צֶלֶם (image). All have two syllables, stress on the first, and usually the vowel ֶ (segol) in the second. These are segolate nouns. They were originally one syllable ending in two consonants, and a “helping vowel” was put in to pronounce them. When a suffix such as “his” is added, the original shape shows again. This page shows why, word by word.
Named after the vowel ֶ, “segol” — סֶגּוֹל, “a cluster (of grapes),” from its three dots.
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 a segolate noun is
A segolate noun is a two-syllable noun stressed on the first syllable, with a short helping vowel (usually ֶ segol) in the second: אֶרֶץ (’E-rets “earth”), נֶפֶשׁ (NE-fesh “living being”), חֹשֶׁךְ (ḤO-shekh “darkness”).
They are very common. Genesis 1–2 alone has אֶרֶץ חֹשֶׁךְ עֶרֶב בֹּקֶר דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב זֶרַע שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ רֶמֶשׂ צֶלֶם יֶרֶק עֵדֶן קֶדֶם אֶבֶן עֵזֶר and more.
They are learned as a group because they change shape in a special way. With “his,” זֶרַע (seed) becomes זַרְעוֹ (his seed) and צֶלֶם (image) becomes צַלְמוֹ (his image) — completely different vowels. The rules on this page let you trace such forms back to the dictionary form.
2Where the name comes from — סֶגּוֹל segol
These nouns usually have the vowel ֶ (segol) in the second syllable, sometimes in both — אֶרֶץ רֶמֶשׂ — so they are named after it.
סֶגּוֹל (segol) means “a cluster (of grapes),” from the three dots of ֶ gathered like grapes.
Nouns of the same build whose second vowel is not ֶ (זֶרַע נַעַר שֹׁהַם) are also called segolates. The name refers to the structure — one original syllable plus a helping vowel — not to the look.
3At a glance — three marks of a segolate
- 1. Two syllables, first stressedThe stress is on the next-to-last syllable (mil‘el); the accent in the biblical text stands on the first syllable — אֶ֔רֶץ (Gen 1:10), חֹ֖שֶׁךְ (1:2), נֶ֣פֶשׁ (1:20).
- 2. A short helping vowel in the secondUsually ֶ (segol); next to a guttural, ַ (pataḥ) — זֶרַע (1:11).
- 3. With a suffix it returns to one syllableזֶרַע → זַרְעוֹ (its seed, 1:11) · צֶלֶם → בְּצַלְמוֹ (in his image, 1:27).
4Why they look this way — originally one syllable
Everything about segolates comes from one fact: they were originally one syllable ending in two consonants.
- 1. The starting shapeThe starting shape of מֶלֶךְ (king) was the single syllable *malk (an asterisk marks a reconstructed shape not written in the Bible). Two consonants, ל and ך, stand together at the end.
- 2. Two final consonants are hard to sayHebrew avoids two consonants together at the end of a word, so a short helping vowel ֶ (e) was put between them → *malek.
- 3. The first vowel follows suitThe first vowel “a” assimilated to the following “e,” giving מֶלֶךְ (melekh).
- 4. The stress stays where it wasThe stress stayed on the first syllable, where the original vowel was; a helping vowel never takes the stress. So segolates are stressed on the first syllable.
- 5. When a suffix is addedA suffix beginning with a vowel, such as וֹ (his), leaves no consonant cluster at the end (mal-ko). No helping vowel is needed, and the original vowel shows → מַלְכּוֹ (malko, “his king”).
5Paradigm — the three types (qatl, qitl, qutl)
Segolates fall into three types according to their original first vowel. These are the standard grammar models. Cells where the original vowel shows are purple; endings are orange.
| “a” type (*qatl) מֶלֶךְ king | “i” type (*qitl) סֵפֶר book | “u” type (*qutl) קֹדֶשׁ holiness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| starting shape | *malk | *sipr | *qudsh |
| absolute | מֶלֶךְ melekh | סֵפֶר sefer | קֹדֶשׁ qodesh |
| “his …” | מַלְכּוֹ malko | סִפְרוֹ sifro | קָדְשׁוֹ qodsho |
| plural | מְלָכִים melakhim | סְפָרִים sefarim | קֳדָשִׁים qodashim |
| plural construct “… of” | מַלְכֵי malkhe | סִפְרֵי sifre | קָדְשֵׁי qodshe |
In the “u” type קָדְשׁוֹ the ָ is not “a” but a short “o” (qamets ḥatuf), because it stands in an unstressed closed syllable. All three types build the plural on the same frame ְ + ָ + ending (מְלָכִים).
6The three types — real examples from the Bible
The forms of the table as they actually appear in the Bible.
melekh — a king
The absolute of the “a” type (*malk). מֶ (first syllable, stressed) + לֶךְ (helping vowel ֶ + final consonant). The original “a” has become “e.”
YLVAnd these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before a king reigned over the sons of Israel.
malkhe — kings of
The plural construct, “kings of.” מַלְ (mal — the original “a” reappears) + ֵי (plural construct ending). With the ending there is no final cluster, so no helping vowel is needed and the original *malk shows through.
YLVAnd I will bless her, and moreover I will give to you a son from her; and I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall be from her."
melakhim — kings
The absolute plural. מְ (sheva) + לָ (la) + כ + ִים (masculine plural). Segolate plurals use the two-syllable frame ְ + ָ. It occurs in Gen 14:9, “four kings against five.”
YLVwith Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar — four kings against the five.
sefer — the book (of)
The “i” type (*sipr), with first vowel ֵ (e). In Gen 5:1, זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם (this is the book of the generations of Adam), it is a construct, but a segolate’s singular construct is usually the same as its absolute. The plural is סְפָרִים (sefarim, 1 Kgs 21:8).
YLVThis is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day God created man (adam), in the likeness of God he made him.
qivro — his tomb
קֶבֶר (tomb, “i” type *qibr) + וֹ (his). With the suffix the original “i” reappears in קִבְ (qiv). The absolute קֶבֶר alone does not show the type; the suffixed form does.
YLV"Hear us, my lord: you are a prince of God in our midst; in the choicest of our graves bury your dead; no man (ish) of us shall withhold from you his grave from burying your dead."
qodsho — his holiness
קֹדֶשׁ (holiness, “u” type *qudsh) + וֹ (his). The original “u” survives as a short “o,” written with qamets ḥatuf: קָדְ (qod). Though written ָ, it is read “qodsho,” not “qadsho.”
YLVGlory in his holy name; let the heart of those who seek YHWH rejoice.
7Segolates in Genesis 1–2 — real examples from the Bible
Note the first-syllable stress (where the accent stands in the OSHB text) and the original vowel that reappears with a suffix. Purple marks the stressed syllable or the original vowel.
’erets — land
“a” type (*’arts). אֶ (stressed — the zaqef stands over א in the text) + רֶץ (helping vowel + final consonant). Gen 1:10, “called the dry land Earth.”
YLVAnd God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering of the waters he called Seas; and God saw that it was good.
veḥoshekh — and darkness
“u” type. וְ (and) + חֹ (ḥo — stressed; the tifḥa is under ח) + שֶׁךְ (helping vowel ֶ). The first vowel ֹ (o) marks the “u” type; בֹּקֶר (morning, 1:5) is the same.
YLVAnd the earth was formlessness and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the spirit (ruach) of God was hovering upon the face of the waters.
betselem — in the image of
בְּ (in) + צֶלֶם (image, “a” type *tsalm). In בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים (in the image of God) it is a construct, yet looks like the absolute. The stress is on the first syllable צֶ (merkha in the text).
YLVAnd God created the man (adam) in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
betsalmo — in his image
Just before, in the same verse. בְּ (in) + צַלְ (tsal — the original “a”) + וֹ (his). With the suffix the helping vowel disappears and *tsalm shows through. צֶלֶם and צַלְמוֹ stand side by side in one verse.
YLVAnd God created the man (adam) in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
zar‘o — its seed
זֶרַע (seed) + וֹ (his/its). The original “a” reappears in זַרְ (zar). It occurs in אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ (whose seed is in it).
YLVAnd God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, herb yielding seed, fruit tree making fruit after its kind, in which is its seed, upon the earth"; and it was so.
8With a guttural — ַ instead of ֶ
Gutturals (א ה ח ע) favour the vowel ַ (a). If the second or third root letter is a guttural, the helping vowel is ַ (pataḥ) instead of ֶ.
Third letter a guttural — זֶרַע (zera‘ “seed,” Gen 1:11): the helping vowel before the final ע is ַ.
Second letter a guttural — נַעַר in הַנַּעַר (hanna‘ar “the boy,” Gen 21:12): because of the middle ע both vowels are ַ. The “u” type הַשֹּׁהַם (hashshoham “the onyx,” Gen 2:12) likewise has ַ second because of the middle ה.
If the last letter is a silent א, the helping vowel stays ֶ — דֶּשֶׁא (deshe’ “vegetation,” 1:11).
9When the middle letter is ו or י
A segolate with ו as its middle root letter takes the shape ָוֶ (a-ve) — מָוֶת (mavet “death,” Deut 19:6). In the construct or with suffixes ָוֶ contracts to וֹ (o) — מוֹת (mot “the death of,” Gen 25:11, “after the death of Abraham”).
בְּתוֹךְ (betokh “in the midst of”) in Genesis 1:6 and 2:9 is built the same way: the dictionary form is תָּוֶךְ (tavekh “midst”), becoming תּוֹךְ in the construct.
With י in the middle the shape is ַיִ (a-yi) — בַּיִת (bayit “house”), עַיִן (‘ayin “eye, spring”). These too are segolates.
10In pause — the first vowel becomes ָ
At major pauses (silluq, atnaḥ) a segolate lengthens its first vowel to ָ. Gen 1:29 has זֶרַע (revia‘) and זָרַע (atnaḥ) in a single verse; אֶרֶץ likewise becomes אָרֶץ in pause (Exod 15:12). See Pausal forms.
11Easy to confuse
Two segols do not always make a segolate. If the stress is on the last syllable, it is not one. Check that the accent stands on the first syllable.
Suffixed forms are not listed separately in a lexicon. Look up זַרְעוֹ (his seed) under זֶרַע, צַלְמוֹ (his image) under צֶלֶם, קִבְרוֹ (his tomb) under קֶבֶר. Remember that the original vowels (a, i, o) appear in the absolute as ֶ ֵ ֹ.
The ָ of קָדְשׁוֹ is “o.” In the suffixed forms of the “u” type, ָ is always a short “o” (qamets ḥatuf; see Syllables, stress and meteg).
The singular construct hardly changes. Other nouns reduce their vowels in the construct (רָקִיעַ → רְקִיעַ), but a segolate’s singular construct is usually the same as the absolute (בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים 1:27 · סֵפֶר 5:1). Whether it means “… of” is known from its relation to the next word.