Object suffixes on verbs כִּנּוּי kinnui
Hebrew can say “he created them” in one word — בְּרָאָם (Gen 5:2). A small tail ם, meaning “them,” has been attached to the verb. This tail is an object suffix. This page shows the tails (נִי me · ךָ you · הוּ him · הָ her · נוּ us · ם them) and the vowel changes they cause inside the verb, one by one, in words actually used in the Bible. On this page only the object suffix is orange; linking and changed vowels are purple.
the Hebrew grammatical name for a pronominal suffix — “a substitute name”
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 an object suffix is
When the object (“whom”) is a pronoun (me, you, him …), Hebrew usually does not write the pronoun separately but attaches it to the end of the verb as one word. This attached pronoun is an object suffix. הֲרָגוֹ (harago, Gen 4:25) is הָרַג (he killed) + וֹ (him): “he killed him.”
Counted from the OSHB morphology, finite verbs (perfect, imperfect, wayyiqtol, imperative, etc.) with a pronominal suffix occur 5,546 times in the Old Testament, 319 in Genesis alone — more if participles and infinitives are counted.
The shapes are largely the same as the noun suffixes for “my, your” (אָבִי my father), but on a verb they mean “me, you.”
2The name — כִּנּוּי kinnuy
Hebrew grammar calls a pronominal suffix כִּנּוּי (kinnuy), “a substitute name” — a short tail used in place of the name of a person or thing.
3At a glance — four signs of an object suffix
- The tailsנִי me · ךָ you (m) · ךְ you (f) · הוּ וֹ ו him · הָ הּ her · נוּ us · כֶם you (pl) · ם them (m) · ן them (f).
- After a perfect the linking vowel is “a”After a perfect (קָטַל) the tail is preceded by ַ · ָ (a) — עֲצָרַנִי (Gen 16:2 “has restrained me”).
- After an imperfect or imperative it is “e”After an imperfect, wayyiqtol or imperative the tail is preceded by ֵ · ֶ (e) — יַהַרְגֵנִי (Gen 4:14 “will kill me”).
- The imperfect נּ (energic nun)In the imperfect a dotted נּ may come before the tail — תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ (Gen 3:15 “you shall bruise him”).
4The tails — after a perfect · after an imperfect
The standard forms of the model verb קטל (kill) with “whom” attached. Left: the Qal perfect קָטַל (he killed); right: the Qal imperfect יִקְטֹל (he will kill).
| Whom | Perfect + suffix | Reading | Imperfect + suffix | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| me | קְטָלַנִי | qetalani | יִקְטְלֵנִי | yiqteleni |
| you (m) | קְטָלְךָ | qetalkha | יִקְטָלְךָ | yiqtolkha |
| you (f) | קְטָלֵךְ | qetalekh | יִקְטְלֵךְ | yiqtelekh |
| him | קְטָלוֹ | qetalo | יִקְטְלֵהוּ | yiqtelehu |
| her | קְטָלָהּ | qetalah | יִקְטְלֶהָ | yiqteleha |
| us | קְטָלָנוּ | qetalanu | יִקְטְלֵנוּ | yiqtelenu |
| them (m) | קְטָלָם | qetalam | יִקְטְלֵם | yiqtelem |
With a tail the stress moves toward the end and earlier vowels reduce — the first ָ of the perfect קָטַל becomes a sheva (קְ), and the ֹ of the imperfect יִקְטֹל becomes a sheva (טְ). After a perfect, “him” is written וֹ or הוּ (קְטָלָהוּ).
5Suffixes on the perfect — real examples from the Bible
All are words from Genesis. The orange tail is “whom”; the purple vowel before it is the linking vowel. The perfect endings for “who” (תִּי I, etc.) are not coloured.
bera’am — he created them
בָּרָא (he created) + the linking vowel אָ (a) + ם (them). With the suffix the stress moves back, so the first vowel בָּ reduces to בְּ (sheva). Gen 1:27 says the same as בָּרָא אֹתָם, writing “them” separately on the object marker אֵת.
YLVMale and female he created them, and he blessed them, and he called their name Man (adam) in the day they were created.
harago — (Cain) killed him
הָרַג (he killed) + וֹ (him). The first letter ה is a guttural, so it takes הֲ (ḥatef pataḥ) instead of a sheva. After a 3ms perfect, “him” is often the single וֹ (o).
YLVAnd Adam knew his woman (ishah) again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth: "For God has appointed for me another seed instead of Abel, because Cain killed him."
‘atsarani — (YHWH) has restrained me
עָצַר (he restrained) + the linking vowel רַ (a) + נִי (me). The first letter ע is a guttural, so ֲ (ḥatef pataḥ). “Me” on a verb is נִי (ni) — with a נ, unlike the noun suffix ִי (my).
YLVAnd Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, YHWH has restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray you, to my handmaid; perhaps I shall be built up from her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
netattikha — I have made you
נָתַתִּי (I gave, made) + ךָ (you). The perfect ending תִּי (I) ends in a vowel, so the suffix attaches directly with no linking vowel. The first vowel נָ has reduced to נְ.
YLVAnd your name shall no more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for a father of a multitude of nations I have made you.
yedativ — I have known him
יָדַעְתִּי (I knew) + ו (him). After תִּי, which ends in a vowel, “him” is the single letter ו. Unlike the plural ending וּ (they), this ו carries no vowel dot (תִּיו “-tiv”).
YLVFor I have known him, so that he may command (tzivvah) his children and his house after him, that they may keep the way of YHWH, to do righteousness and judgment (mishpat); so that YHWH may bring upon Abraham what he has spoken concerning him."
yeda‘ah — (no man) had known her
יָדַע (he knew) + the linking vowel עָ + הּ (her). The ה of “her” has a dot (mappiq), so it is sounded. That dot sets it apart from a plain final ה, which is only a vowel letter.
YLVAnd the young woman (na'arah) was very good of appearance, a virgin, and no man (ish) had known her; and she went down to the spring and filled her pitcher and came up.
mekharanu — he has sold us
מָכַר (he sold) + the linking vowel רָ + נוּ (us). Rachel and Leah speak of their father Laban. It looks like the 1cp perfect ending נוּ (we, as in מָצָאנוּ “we found” 26:32), so tell them apart by the linking vowel and the sense.
YLVAre we not reckoned by him as foreign women (ishah)? for he has sold us, and has also utterly devoured our money.
’akhalathu — (a beast) has devoured him
אָכְלָה (she ate) + הוּ (him). When a suffix is added to the “she” ending ָה, the original feminine ת reappears — אֲכָלָתְ. The subject “beast” (חַיָּה) is feminine, so the form is “she.”
YLVAnd now, come, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'An evil living thing (chai) has devoured him'; and we shall see what will become of his dreams."
zekhartani — remember me
זָכַרְתָּ (you remembered) + נִי (me). The “you” ending תָּ becomes תַּ before the suffix. Joseph speaks to the cupbearer; after כִּי אִם (only) it is a request.
YLVBut remember me with you, when it is well with you, and please do kindness with me; and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.
6Suffixes on the imperfect · wayyiqtol — real examples from the Bible
After an imperfect the linking vowel is “e” (ֵ · ֶ). Forms with a dotted נּ before the tail (energic nun) are shown too.
yahargeni — (anyone) will kill me
יַהֲרֹג (he will kill) + the linking vowel גֵ (e) + נִי (me). The same verb as הֲרָגוֹ (perfect + him) in 4:25. The two words show “a” as the linking vowel after a perfect, “e” after an imperfect.
YLVBehold, you have driven me this day from upon the face of the ground (adamah), and from your face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth, and it shall come to pass that anyone finding me will kill me."
yeshufekha — he shall bruise you
יָשׁוּף (he will bruise) + ךָ (you). “You (m)” attaches as ךָ right after a sheva. With the suffix the first vowel יָ reduced to יְ. The same verb as תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ that follows.
YLVAnd I will put enmity between you and the woman (ishah), and between your seed and Seed-H(Seed of YHWH) (zarah); He (masculine 3rd singular) shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
teshufennu — you shall bruise him
תָּשׁוּף (you will bruise) + פֶ (e) + נּוּ (him — with the energic נ). An original נְ + הוּ merged into נּוּ (the ה merged into נ and remains as a dot). This form belongs to the imperfect; its meaning is the same “him” as הוּ. It is told from נוּ (us) by the dot in נ.
YLVAnd I will put enmity between you and the woman (ishah), and between your seed and Seed-H(Seed of YHWH) (zarah); He (masculine 3rd singular) shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
tokhalennah — you shall eat of it
תֹּאכַל (you will eat) + לֶ + נָּה (her — with the energic נ). “Her” refers to the feminine noun “ground” (אֲדָמָה), so it is rendered “it.” The feminine partner of נּוּ “him.”
YLVAnd to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your woman (ishah) and have eaten of the tree which I commanded (tzivvah) you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it'; cursed is the ground (adamah) for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life (chai).
vayyanniḥehu — and he put him
A Hiphil wayyiqtol (root נ-ו-ח “rest, set down”; “and he put”) + the linking vowel חֵ (e) + הוּ (him). The wayyiqtol links with “e” like the imperfect. YHWH God “put him” in the garden of Eden.
YLVAnd YHWH God took Adam and put him in the garden of Eden to work (avad) it and to keep it.
vayvi’eha — and he brought her
Wayyiqtol וַיָּבֵא (and he brought, Hiphil — 2:19) + the linking vowel אֶ (e) + הָ (her). With the suffix the stress moves back, so יָּ reduces to יְ and בֵ to בִ. YHWH God “brought her” to Adam.
YLVAnd YHWH God built the rib which he had taken from Adam into a woman (ishah), and brought her to Adam.
yenaḥamenu — he will comfort us
Piel imperfect יְנַחֵם (he will comfort) + מֵ (e) + נוּ (us). Lamech’s words when naming Noah (נֹחַ). Unlike תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ (him) in 3:15, the נ of this נוּ has no dot, so it means “us.”
YLVAnd he called his name Noah, saying, "This one will comfort us from our work and from the toil of our hands, from the ground (adamah) which YHWH cursed."
7Suffixes on the imperative · participle · infinitive — real examples from the Bible
vekhivshuha — and subdue it
וְ (and) + the Qal masculine plural imperative כִּבְשׁוּ (subdue) + הָ (her — the feminine noun “earth”). Before the suffix the plural ending וּ is written short as שֻׁ (ֻ). A single suffix carries “the earth.”
YLVAnd God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing (chai) that creeps upon the earth."
shema‘enu — hear us
The Qal imperative שְׁמַע (hear) + the linking vowel עֵ (e) + נוּ (us). The imperative links with “e” like the imperfect. The sons of Heth speak to Abraham.
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."
hagmi’ini — let me sip
The Hiphil feminine singular imperative הַגְמִיאִי (cause to sip) + נִי (me): “let me sip.” The feminine imperative ends in the vowel ִי, so the suffix attaches directly.
YLVAnd the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Let me sip, I pray, a little water from your pitcher."
motse’i — one finding me
The Qal participle מֹצֵא (one finding) + י (my — a participle is used like a noun and takes the noun suffix ִי). The meaning is “one finding me.” יַהַרְגֵנִי (will kill me) at the end of the verse is a verb, so “me” is נִי. Both shapes stand in one verse.
YLVBehold, you have driven me this day from upon the face of the ground (adamah), and from your face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth, and it shall come to pass that anyone finding me will kill me."
mashḥitam — destroying them
The Hiphil participle מַשְׁחִית (one destroying) + תָ + ם (their → them). “Behold, I am destroying them” — the suffix on the participle carries the object “them.”
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.
le‘ovdah — to work it
לְ (to) + the Qal infinitive construct עֲבֹד (working) + דָ + הּ (her — referring to the garden, so “it”). Here the suffix on the infinitive is the object. The following וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ (and to keep it) has the same shape. עָ is read “o.”
YLVAnd YHWH God took Adam and put him in the garden of Eden to work (avad) it and to keep it.
’akhalkha — (in the day) you eat
The Qal infinitive construct אֱכֹל (eating) + ךָ (your). This time the suffix is the subject — “your eating,” that is, “you eat.” So on an infinitive, check in each sentence whether the suffix is “who” or “whom.”
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."
8What changes inside the verb when a tail is added
- 1. The stress moves backHebrew stress is usually on the last syllable. A tail lengthens the word, so the stress moves toward the tail.
- 2. Earlier vowels reduceVowels left far from the stress reduce to sheva — בָּרָא → בְּרָאָם (5:2), יָשׁוּף → יְשׁוּפְךָ (3:15), וַיָּבֵא → וַיְבִאֶהָ (2:22).
- 3. A linking vowel comes inBetween a verb ending in a consonant and a tail beginning with one comes a linking vowel: “a” after a perfect (עֲצָרַנִי), “e” after an imperfect or imperative (יַהַרְגֵנִי). After forms ending in a vowel (תִּי ִי) there is none (נְתַתִּיךָ).
- 4. Hidden letters reappearThe perfect “she” ending ָה was originally ַת; with a tail the ת shows again — אֲכָלָתְהוּ (37:20). The “you” ending תָּ becomes תַּ — זְכַרְתַּנִי (40:14).
- 5. The energic נ of the imperfectAfter an imperfect a נ may come before the tail, giving ֶנִּי ֶנּוּ ֶנָּה. The inserted נ and the first letter of the tail merge and leave a dot — תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ (3:15) · תֹּאכֲלֶנָּה (3:17). The meaning does not change.
9A suffix or אֵת + suffix — two ways to say the same thing
“Him · them” can be attached to the verb or written separately on the object marker אֵת. The meaning is the same.
Gen 1:27 בָּרָא אֹתוֹ … בָּרָא אֹתָם (he created him … he created them) — the suffix is written separately on אֵת. Gen 5:2 בְּרָאָם (he created them) — the same meaning in one word, attached to the verb.
So when אֹתוֹ אֹתָם stand after a verb, the verb itself usually has no object suffix; when the verb has a tail, אֵת is usually not written as well.
10Easy to confuse
“Me” נִי and “my” ִי: “me” on a verb is נִי (עֲצָרַנִי); “my” on a noun is ִי (אָבִי my father). Participles and infinitives take ִי like nouns (מֹצְאִי 4:14).
“Us” נוּ and “we” נוּ: the 1cp perfect ending (מָצָאנוּ we found) and the “us” tail (מְכָרָנוּ he sold us) look the same. Before “we” נוּ the perfect frame stays as it is; before “us” there is a linking vowel and the earlier vowels are reduced. The energic ֶנּוּ (with a dotted נ) is “him.”
“Him” ו and the plural ending וּ: the ו of יְדַעְתִּיו (18:19) has no dot and follows ִי, so it is “him.” וּ (waw with a dot) is “they.”
Suffixes on infinitives: as in לְעָבְדָהּ (2:15 “to work it” — object) and אֲכָלְךָ (2:17 “you eat” — subject), a suffix on an infinitive can be the object or the subject. The flow of the sentence decides.
11Where this appears in Genesis 1–2
All 7 places, found from the OSHB morphology. Tap one to go to that word’s notes.