Conjunction waw וָו הַחִבּוּר waw haḥibbur
The most frequent word in Hebrew is a single letter, ו (waw). It is never written alone; joined to the front of a word it means “and.” Nearly every sentence of Genesis 1 begins with it. This page shows how waw changes shape with the next letter, what it means besides “and,” and how it differs from the narrative waw of the wayyiqtol, in words actually used in the Bible.
Hebrew grammars call it וָו הַחִבּוּר (vav haḥibbur), “the joining waw”
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 the conjunction waw is
The conjunction waw joins word to word and clause to clause. Its basic sense is “and,” but by context it is also “but, now, so, that is.” It attaches to nouns, verbs, prepositions and small words alike.
It is extremely common. Counted from the OSHB morphology, 35,483 words in the Old Testament carry the conjunction waw even without the wayyiqtol (וַיִּקְטֹל, “and he did”); with the 15,034 wayyiqtols, more than 50,000.
2Where the name comes from — וָו
וָו (vav) is the name of the letter ו, and as a word it means “hook, peg” (the hooks on the pillars in Exod 38:28 are וָוִים). The letter looks like a hook, and its work is to hook two words together — a fitting name.
Hebrew grammars call the conjunction וָו הַחִבּוּר (vav haḥibbur). חִבּוּר (ḥibbur) is “joining”: “the joining waw.” English “conjunction” likewise is Latin for “binding together.”
Sound: ancient Hebrew ו is generally held to have been “w”; modern Hebrew reads it “v.” The transliterations on this page use “v.”
3At a glance — the six shapes of waw
- Ordinary — וְ (ve)וְחֹשֶׁךְ (Gen 1:2).
- Before ב מ פ — וּ (u)וּבֵין (Gen 1:4) · וּמִלְאוּ (Gen 1:22) · וּפֶתַח (Gen 6:16).
- Before a sheva — וּ (u)וּרְבוּ (Gen 1:22) · וּנְקֵבָה (Gen 1:27).
- Before יְ — וִ (vi)וִיהִי (Gen 1:6).
- Before a hateph — its matching vowel וַ וֶוַאֲנִי (Gen 6:17) · וֶאֱמֶת (Gen 24:49).
- Right before the stress in word pairs — וָ (va)תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ (Gen 1:2) · טוֹב וָרָע (Gen 2:9).
4The shapes of waw — by the next sound
There is one waw, but its vowel depends on the very next sound. All the words below are used in Genesis.
| Next sound | Waw | Bible word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ordinary letter | וְ | וְחֹשֶׁךְ (1:2) | veḥoshekh | and darkness |
| lip sound ב | וּ | וּבֵין (1:4) | uven | and between |
| lip sound מ | וּ | וּמִלְאוּ (1:22) | umil’u | and fill |
| lip sound פ | וּ | וּפֶתַח (6:16) | ufetaḥ | and the door |
| letter with sheva | וּ | וּרְבוּ (1:22) | urevu | and multiply |
| יְ with sheva | וִ | וִיהִי (1:6) | vihi | and let there be |
| hateph patah ֲ | וַ | וַאֲנִי (6:17) | va’ani | and I |
| hateph segol ֱ | וֶ | וֶאֱמֶת (24:49) | ve’emet | and truth |
| right before the stress (pair) | וָ | וָבֹהוּ (1:2) | vavohu | and void |
The rules are nearly those of the prefixed prepositions בְּ כְּ לְ (see “Prepositions”). Two differences: waw becomes וּ before a sheva and before ב מ פ, and it does not swallow the article (וְהָאָרֶץ).
5The shapes of waw — real examples from the Bible
Look at the ו at the front (blue), its vowel, and the very next letter.
veḥoshekh — and darkness
וְ (and) + חֹשֶׁךְ (darkness). The most common shape, וְ (ve). With only a sheva, it is read together with the next word.
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.
uven — and between
וּ + בֵין (between). The next letter ב is a lip sound, so וְ becomes וּ (u). ב מ פ are made with both lips, and the conjunction shifts to the rounded “u.”
YLVAnd God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided between the light and between the darkness.
umil’u — and fill
וּ + מִלְאוּ (fill). Before the lip sound מ, וּ. פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ “be fruitful, and multiply, and fill” — commands linked by waw.
YLVAnd God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply in the earth."
ufetaḥ — and the door of
וּ + פֶתַח (door). Before the third lip sound פ, also וּ. So we see וּ before all three: ב מ פ.
YLVA roof you shall make for the ark, and to a cubit you shall finish it from above; and the door of the ark you shall set in its side; lower, second, and third decks you shall make it.
urevu — and multiply
וּ + רְבוּ (multiply). The next letter ר has a sheva, so וּ. Two shevas cannot begin a word, so the waw becomes the vowel letter וּ (u) instead.
YLVAnd God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply in the earth."
uneqevah — and female
וּ + נְקֵבָה (female). נ has a sheva, so וּ: זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה “male and female.”
YLVAnd God created the man (adam) in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
vihi — and let it be
וְ + יְהִי (let there be) → וִיהִי. Before יְ with sheva, the waw becomes וִ (vi), and the י loses its sheva and becomes part of the “i” sound. It differs from וַיְהִי (and it was) in 1:3, 1:5 (see “Easy to confuse”).
YLVAnd God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide between waters and waters."
va’ani — and I
וַ + אֲנִי (I). The next letter has a hateph patah (ֲ), so the waw takes the matching vowel ַ (a).
YLVAnd I, behold, I am bringing the flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh (basar) in which is the spirit (ruach) of life (chai) from under the heavens; everything that is in the earth shall expire.
ve’emet — and truth
וֶ + אֱמֶת (truth). Before a hateph segol (ֱ) it takes the matching ֶ (e): חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת “kindness and truth.”
YLVAnd now, if you will do kindness and truth with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left."
vavohu — and void
וָ + בֹהוּ (emptiness): תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ “formless and void.” Between two paired words, when the very next syllable carries the stress, the waw becomes וָ (va, long a). Note that it is not וּ even before ב.
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.
vara‘ — and evil
וָ + רָע (evil): טוֹב וָרָע “good and evil.” A one-syllable word, so the next syllable is stressed: וָ. Common in word pairs.
YLVAnd YHWH God made to sprout from the ground (adamah) every tree pleasant to sight and good for food, and the tree of life (chai) in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
6Why the shape changes
- 1. וְ is a very short soundWith only a sheva, waw is a half-syllable that leans on the next sound, so it adapts easily.
- 2. Avoiding two shevasוְ + רְבוּ would start a word with two shevas. To avoid it, Hebrew turns the waw into the vowel letter וּ (u). A preposition in the same place becomes ִ (בִּרְקִיעַ), but the letter ו can itself sound “u,” so it becomes וּ.
- 3. Rounding before lip soundsב מ פ are lip sounds; “u” is also made with rounded lips, so a “u” before them flows smoothly.
- 4. “vi” before יְוְ + יְ: the waw takes ִ, and the sheva of יְ disappears, so the י becomes part of the “i” sound: וִיהִי.
- 5. Long before the stressIn a pair of words (תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, טוֹב וָרָע), when the very next syllable is stressed, the waw takes the long pretonic vowel ָ: וָ.
7What waw does — not only “and”
(1) “And” joining words: זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה (male and female, 1:27), הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ (the heavens and the earth, 2:4). In a list each item often has its own waw (לְאֹתֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים וּלְיָמִים וְשָׁנִים 1:14).
(2) “And” joining clauses: command to command (פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ 1:22), one event to the next.
(3) “Now, while” — background: a clause beginning with waw + a noun (or pronoun) steps aside from the main line of events and describes the setting (וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה 1:2, וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה 2:6).
(4) “But” — contrast: against what precedes (וּמֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת … לֹא תֹאכַל “but from the tree of the knowledge … you shall not eat,” 2:17).
(5) Carrying the verb’s time forward: waw + perfect (weqatal) continues a command or future, “and … shall” (וְהָיוּ 1:14, וְדָבַק 2:24); waw + jussive or cohortative is “and let …” (וְיִרְדּוּ 1:26, “and let them rule”).
Which sense applies is decided not by the waw itself but by what follows it (noun, perfect, imperfect) and by the context.
8The senses of waw — real examples from the Bible
veha’arets — now the earth
וְ + הָאָרֶץ. The clause begins with waw + a noun, not with a narrative wayyiqtol. Such a clause does not advance the events; it paints the background: “Now the earth was formless and void.”
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.
ve’ed — but a mist
וְ + אֵד (mist). After 2:5 (“no rain … no man”), waw + noun adds background: “but a mist went up from the earth.” It reads as “and” or, against what precedes, “but.”
YLVAnd a mist went up from the earth and watered all the face of the ground (adamah).
ume‘ets — but from the tree of
וּ (but) + מֵ (from) + עֵץ (tree). It stands against 2:16 (“of every tree you may eat”), so this waw is “but”: “but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat.” וּ before מ.
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."
vehayu — and let them be
וְ + הָיוּ (they were, perfect). Waw on a perfect often continues a preceding command or future: “and they shall be, let them be” (the weqatal). It carries on יְהִי (let there be): “and let them be for signs.”
YLVAnd God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens, to divide between the day and between the night; and let them be for signs (ot) and for appointed times (moadim), and for days and years;
vedavaq — and he shall cling
וְ + דָבַק (he clung, perfect). It continues יַעֲזָב (shall leave, imperfect): “and shall cling to his wife.” The weqatal carries the future or habitual on.
YLVTherefore a man (ish) shall leave his father and his mother and cleave to his woman (ishah), and they shall become one flesh (basar).
vehinneh — and behold
וְ + הִנֵּה (behold): “God saw all that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” Waw goes before small words like this too, linking the thought.
YLVAnd God saw all that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
9Waw does not swallow the article
The prepositions בְּ כְּ לְ swallow the article’s ה (לָאוֹר), but waw does not: וְ + הָאָרֶץ → וְהָאָרֶץ (1:2), with the ה still visible.
Waw before a preposition: both stack at the front of the word — וּלְמִקְוֵה (1:10, “and the gathering of”), וּבַלַּיְלָה (1:18, “and in the night” — waw + בְּ + hidden article). The order is always waw → preposition → (article) → noun.
10The confusing partner — the וַ of the wayyiqtol
Almost every “and he did” in Genesis 1 is not the plain conjunction but a wayyiqtol. The shape tells them apart.
vayyomer — and he said
Wayyiqtol: וַ (va) + a dot in the next letter י + אמֶר. This is not the plain conjunction but a separate narrative verb form. Its sign is וַ (patah) together with a dot in the next letter. The conjunction on this page is וְ (sheva), וּ, וִ or וָ, and puts no dot in the next letter.
YLVAnd God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
vayhi — and there was
The wayyiqtol וַיְהִי. The dot is dropped because י has a sheva, but וַ (patah) shows it is a wayyiqtol. Compare וִיהִי (and let it be) in 1:6: וַ + יְ is narrative (“there was”); וִ + י is a wish or command (“let there be”).
YLVAnd God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
11Easy to confuse
וַ + a dot = wayyiqtol — when וַ (patah) is followed by a letter with a dot, as in וַיֹּאמֶר (1:3), it is the narrative wayyiqtol. The conjunction puts no dot in the next letter. (On a letter with sheva such as יְ the dot may drop, but the patah of וַ remains: וַיְהִי.)
וַ is not always a wayyiqtol — the conjunction before a hateph patah is also וַ (וַאֲנִי 6:17). Then the next letter has no dot, and what follows is not an imperfect verb.
Not every וּ is the conjunction — וּ at the end of a word (the end of רְבוּ) is the verb ending “you (pl), they.” The conjunction is always at the front.
וָ is not the article הָ — the וָ of וָבֹהוּ is a waw lengthened by the stress; it has no sense of “the.”
A root ו — a few words have ו as their first root letter (וָלָד child). Check whether a word remains after removing it.
12Where this appears in Genesis 1–2
All 86 places, found from the OSHB morphology. Tap one to go to that word’s notes.