Syriac
Consonants
Letter | Name | Pronounciation |
---|
ܐ | ʾŌlep* | |
ܒ | Bēṯ | |
ܓ | Gōmal | give not genis |
ܕ | Dōlaṯ* | |
ܗ | Hē* | |
ܘ | Waw* | |
ܙ | Zain* | |
ܚ | Ḥēṯ | hush |
ܛ | Ṭēṯ | Emphatic t, tongue raised |
ܝ | Yūḏ | |
ܟ | Kōp | |
ܠ | Lōmaḏ |
|
ܡ | Mīm | |
ܢ | Nūn | |
ܣ | Semkaṯ | |
ܥ | ʿĒ | Similar to ܐ, but sustained with throat constricted |
ܦ | Pē (Fē) | |
ܨ | Ṣōḏē* | Emphatic s with tongue raised like ܛ. |
ܩ | Qūp | Further back than k |
ܪ | Rīš* | |
ܫ | Šīn | |
ܬ | Taw* | |
Vowels
Letter | Pronounciation |
---|
ܰ | a |
ܳ | ō |
ܶ | e |
ܺ | i |
ܽ | ū |
Dipthongs
Letter | Pronounciation |
---|
ܘ ܰ | aw |
ܝ ܰ | ay |
ܝ ܳ | ōy |
ܝܘ ܶ | ew |
ܝ ܶ | ey |
ܝܘ ܺ | īw |
ܘܗ̱ܝ ܽ | ūī |
Independent personal pronouns
Full form
| Syriac |
| Hebrew | |
---|
3ms | ܗ̣ܽܘ | hū | הוּא | he/it |
---|
3fs | ܗ̣ܺܝ | hī | הִיא | she/it |
---|
2ms | ܐܰܢ̱ܬ | at | אַתָּה | you |
---|
2fs | ܐܰܢ̱ܬܝ | at | אַתְּ | you |
---|
1cs | ܐܶܢܳܐ | enō | אֲנִי, אָנֹכִי | I |
---|
3mp | ܗ̣ܶܢܽܘܢ | henūn | הֵם, הֵ֣מָּה | they |
---|
3fp | ܗ̣ܶܢܶܝܢ | henēn | הֵן, הֵ֣נָּה | they |
---|
2mp | ܐܰܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ | atūn | אַתֶּם | you |
---|
2fp | ܐܰܢ̱ܬܶܝܢ | atēn | אַתֶּן, אַתֵּ֣נָה | you |
---|
1cp | ܚܢܰܢ ܀ ܐܶܢܰܚܢܰܢ | ḥnan, enaḥnan | אֲנַ֣חְנוּ, נַ֣חְנוּ, אֲנוּ | we |
---|
Enclitic form
| Form 1 | 1b |
| Form 2 | |
---|
3ms | ܗ̱ܽܘ |
| -ū | ܘ ܀ - ܰ ܘ ܽ - | (-ū, -aw) |
---|
3fs | ܗ̱ܺܝ |
| -ī |
|
|
---|
2ms | ܐܰܢ̱ܬ | ܗ̱ܽܘ | at (-ū) | ܬ ܰ - | -at |
---|
2fs | ܐܰܢ̱ܬܝ | ܗ̱ܺܝ | at (-ī) | ܬܝ ܰ - | -at |
---|
1cs | ܐ̱ܢܳܐ |
| -nō | ܢܳܐ- | -nō |
---|
3mp | ܐܶܢܽܘܢ |
| enūn |
|
|
---|
3fp | ܐܶܢܶܝܢ |
| enēn |
|
|
---|
2mp | ܐܢ̱ܬܽܘܢ | ܐܶܢܽܘܢ | -tūn, (enūn) | ܬܽܘܢ - | -tūn |
---|
2fp | ܐܢ̱ܬܶܝܢ | ܐܶܢܶܝܢ | -tēn, (enēn) | ܬܶܝܢ - | -tēn |
---|
1cp | ܚ̱ܢܰܢ |
| -nan | ܢܰܢ - | -nan |
---|
Form 1 is used after participles, adjectives, nouns etc.
Form 1b used for ‘you are’
Demonstrative Pronouns
This, these
| | |
---|
ms | ܗܳܢܳܐ
(ܗܳܢ) | hōnō |
---|
fs | ܗܳܕܶܐ
(ܗܳܕ) | hōḏē |
---|
cp | ܗܳܠܶܝܢ | hōlēn |
---|
That, those
| | |
---|
ms | ܗ̇ܰܘ | haw
|
---|
fs | ܗ̇ܳܝ | hōy |
---|
mp | ܗ̇ܳܢܽܘܢ | hōnūn |
---|
fp | ܗ̇ܳܢܶܝܢ | hōnēn |
---|
Old mp | ܗܳܠܽܘܟ ܀ ܗܳܢܽܘܟ | hōlūk, hōnūk |
---|
Old fp | ܗܳܠܶܝܟ | hōlēk |
---|
Relative (the one/s which)
|
| |
---|
ms | ܐܰܝܢܳܐ | aynō |
---|
fs | ܐܰܝܕܳܐ | aydō |
---|
cp | ܐܰܝܠܶܝܢ | aylēn |
---|
Suffixed Personal Pronouns
| | |
| |
---|
3ms | ܶܗ - | -eh | ܘܗ̱ܝ ܰ - | -aw |
---|
3fs | ܳܗ̇- | -ōh | ܝܗ̇ ܶ - | -ēh |
---|
2ms | ܳܟ - | -ōḵ | ܝܟ ܰ - | -ayk |
---|
2fs | ܶܟܝ - | -eḵ | ܝܟܝ ܰ - | -ayk |
---|
1cs | ܝ - | -î | ܝ ܰ - | -ay |
---|
3mp | ܗܽܘܢ - | -hūn | ܝܗܽܘܢ ܰ - | -ayhūn |
---|
3fp | ܗܶܝܢ - | -hēn
| ܝܗܶܝܢ ܰ - | -ayhēn |
---|
2mp | ܟܽܘܢ - | -ḵūn | ܝܟܽܘܢ ܰ - | -aykūn |
---|
2fp | ܟܶܝܢ - | -ḵēn | ܝܟܶܝܢ ܰ - | -aykēn |
---|
1cp | ܰܢ - | -an | ܝܢ ܰ - | -ayn |
---|
Prepositions
ܒܕܽܘܠ – Two of these consonants leads to an a-class vowel being added to initial preposition. ܘܰܠ Otherwise, not vowel (perhaps vocal shewa).
Uses of ܕ
To mean ‘of’
As the relative word
To form subordinating conjucations
To mean ‘that’, introducing indirect speech like ὅτι
For purpose, ‘so that, in order that’, introducing a purpose clause.With type 1 suffix
ܒ- – in, with, through
ܠ- – to, for
ܡܶܢ – from
ܥܰܡ – with
ܕܺܝܠ- – belonging to
ܠܘܳܠ – towards, near, ‘chez’
ܐܰܝܟ – like
ܒܰܝܢܳܬ – between
ܠܘܽܘܒܰܠ – against, facing
ܠܦܽܘܬ – according to, correspondng to
ܒܶܣܬܰܕ – behind
ܒܳܬܰܕ – after
ܒܽܠ – all of
ܡܶܛܽܠ – because of
With type 2 suffix
ܩܕܳܡ – before
ܒܶܠܢܳܕ – without
ܬܚܽܘܬ – under
ܚܠܳܦ – instead of, on behalf of
ܒܰܠܚܽܘܕ – alone, only
ܨܶܝܕ – towards, near, ‘chez’
ܚܕܳܕ – around
ܒܰܝܢܰܝ – between
ܒܝܰܕ – through, by
ܥܰܠ – upon, against, on account of, concerning
ܐܻܝܬ – there is
ܠܰܝܬ – there is not
Verbs
Pʿal Perfect
|
Suffixes |
Example |
3ms |
nil |
nil |
ܫܩܰܠ |
šqal |
3fs | ܬ̣- | —aṯ | ܫܶܩܠܰܬ̣ |
šeqlaṯ |
2ms |
ܬ̇- |
—t |
ܫܩܰܠܬ̇ |
šqalt |
2fs |
ܬ̇ܝ- |
—t(y) |
ܫܩܰܠܬ̇ܝ |
šqalt |
1cs |
ܶܬ̣ |
—ēṯ |
ܫܶܩܠܶܬ̣ |
šeqlēṯ |
3mp |
ܩ- |
—(w)/nil |
ܫܩܰܠܘ , ܫܩܰܠ |
šqal |
3fp |
ܝ- |
—(y)/nil |
ܫܩܰܠܝ̈ , ܫܩܰܠ |
šqal |
2mp |
ܬܽܩܢ- |
—tūn |
ܫܩܰܠܬ̇ܽܘܢ |
šqaltūn |
2fp |
ܬܶܝܢ- |
—tēn |
ܫܩܰܠܬ̇ܶܝܢ |
šqaltēn |
1cp |
ܢ ܢܰܢ- |
—n, —nan |
ܫܩܰܠܢ , ܫܩܰܠܢܰܢ |
šqaln, -nan |
ܫܩܰܠ – he took
Pʿal Imperfect
|
Prefixes |
Example |
3ms |
ܢ — |
n — |
ܢܶܫܩܽܘܠ |
nešqūl |
3fs |
ܬ — |
t — |
ܬܶܫܩܽܘܠ |
tešqūl |
2ms |
ܬ — |
t — |
ܬܶܫܩܽܘܠ |
tešqūl |
2fs |
ܬ — ܝܺܢ |
t — în |
ܬܶܫܩܠܺܝܢ |
tešqlīn |
1cs |
ܐ — |
ʾe — |
ܐܶܫܩܽܘܠ |
ʾešqūl |
3mp |
ܢ — ܩܢ
|
n — ûn |
ܢܶܫܩܠܽܘܢ |
nešqlūn |
3fp |
ܢ —ܰܢ |
n — ôn |
ܢܶܫ̈ܩܠܳܢ |
nešqlōn |
2mp |
ܬ — ܩܢ |
t — ûn |
ܬܶܫܩܠܽܘܢ |
tešqlūn |
2fp |
ܬ —ܰܢ |
t — ôn |
ܬܶܫܩܠܳܢ |
tešqlōn |
1cp |
ܢ — |
n — |
ܢܶܫܩܽܘܠ |
nešqūl |
Used for the future, not incomplete as in Hebrew. This form also covers the Jussive. ‘He/She will/should, let him/her.’
n- not y- prefix in 3rd person. The old jussive, not imperfect took over, which is n-. Some ancient Syriac inscriptions have y- prefix and l- prefix for jussive. l- prefix found in Babylonian Talmud. L- becomes an n- through sound-shift.
No shewas, ignore grammers, they generally don’t exist.
Pʿal Participles
|
Pattern |
|
Pʿal Active |
Pʿal Passive |
ms |
nil |
nil |
ܫܳܩܶܠ |
šōqēl |
ܫܩܺܝܠ |
šqīl |
fs |
ܳܐ |
—ō |
ܫܳܩܠܳܐ |
šōqlō |
ܫܩܺܝܠܳܐ |
šqīlō |
mp |
ܝܺܢ |
—īn |
ܫܳܩܠܻܝܢ |
šōqlīn |
ܫܩܺܝܠܻܝܢ |
šqīlīn |
fp |
ܳܢ |
—ōn |
ܫܳܩ̈ܠܳܢ |
šōqlōn |
ܫܩܺܝ̈ܠܳܢ |
šqīlōn |
Fills the gap where you need the present tense.
Pʿal Imperatives
|
| | Example |
---|
2ms |
| | ܫܩܽܘܠ | šqūl |
---|
2fs |
| | ܫܩܽܘܠܝ |
|
---|
2mp |
| | ܫܩܽܘܠܽܘܢ, ܫܩܽܘܠܘ |
|
---|
2fp |
| | ܫ̈ܩܽܘܠܶܝܢ, ܫ̈ܩܽܘܠܝ |
|
---|
ܐܻܝܬ , ܗܘܳܐ and composite tenses
ܐܺܝܬ
ܐܺܝܬ – There is, c.f. יֵשׁ
ܐܺܝܬܰܘܗܝ – can also suggest there exists (c.f.
John 1.1)
ܐܺܝܬܶܝܗ̇
ܗܘܳܐ
Learn the paradigm for the verb ‘to be’
| Suffixes |
---|
3ms | (ܗ̱ܘܳܐ) | ܗܘܳܐ |
---|
3fs | (ܗ̱ܘܳܬ̣) | ܗܘܳܬ̣ |
---|
2ms | (ܗ̱ܘܰܝܬ̇) | ܗܘܰܝܬ̇ |
---|
2fs | (ܗ̱ܘܰܝܬ̇ܝ) | ܗܘܰܝܬ̇ܝ |
---|
1cs | (ܗ̱ܘܺܝܬ̣) | ܗܘܺܝܬ̣ |
---|
3mp | (ܗ̱ܘܰܘ) | ܗܘܰܘ |
---|
3fp | (ܗ̱̈ܘܰܝ) | ܗ̈ܘܰܝ |
---|
2mp | (ܗ̱ܘܰܝܬ̇ܘܽܢ) | ܗܘܰܝܬ̇ܘܽܢ |
---|
2fp | (ܗ̱ܘܰܝܬ̇ܶܝܢ) | ܗܘܰܝܬ̇ܶܝܢ |
---|
1cp | (ܗ̱ܘܰܝܢ) | ܗܘܰܝܢ |
---|
Imperfect
|
| Prefixes |
---|
3ms | (ܢܗܶܐ) | ܢܶܗܘܶܐ |
---|
3fs | (ܬܗܶܐ) | ܬܶܗܘܶܐ |
---|
2ms | (ܬܗܶܐ) | ܬܶܗܘܶܐ |
---|
2fs | (ܬܗܶܝܢ) | ܬܶܗܘܶܝܢ |
---|
1cs |
| ܐܶܗܘܶܐ |
---|
3mp | (ܢܗܽܘܢ) | ܢܶܗܘܐܽܘܢ |
---|
3fp |
| ܢܶܗܘ̈ܝܳܢ |
---|
2mp | (ܬܗܽܘܢ) | ܬܶܗܘܽܘܢ |
---|
2fp |
| ܬܶܗܘ̈ܝܳܢ |
---|
1cp |
| ܢܶܗܘܶܐ |
---|
Imperatives
|
|
|
---|
ms |
| ܗܘܺܐ |
---|
fs |
| ܗܘܳܝ |
---|
mp |
| ܗܘܰܘ |
---|
fp |
| ܗܘ̈ܳܝܶܝܢ |
---|
Pʿal Participles
| Passive | Active | | |
---|
ms | ܗܘܶܐ | ܗܳܘܶܐ |
---|
fs | ܗܰܘܝܳܐ | ܗܳܘܝܳܐ |
---|
mp | ܗܘܶܝܢ | ܗܳܘܝܳܢ |
---|
fp | ܗܰܘ̈ܝܳܢ | ܗܳܘ̈ܝܳܢ |
---|
Infinitive
ܡܶܗܘܳܐ
Compound forms
ܟܳܬܶܒ – he is writing, writes, will write, would write
ܟܳܬܶܒ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ – he was writing, wrote
ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܟܳܬܶܒ – He should write, let him write
Nouns
Emphatic form used for definite nouns. But came to be always used. The construct form in Syriac is generally redundant as they use ‘of’ instead. Peshitta OT more often uses construct form, otherwise it is more arcahaism. ܒ݁ܪ ܕ݁ܐ̱ܢܳܫܳܐ (son of man).
Two genders, numbers, butthree states.
Paradigm
| Singular | Plural |
---|
| A | C | E | A | C | E |
---|
M | - | - | -ô | -în | -ay | -ê |
F | -ô | -at | -tô | -ôn | -ôt | -ôtô |
M | ܡܠܶܟ | ܡܠܶܟ | ܡܰܠܟܳܐ | ܡ̈ܰܠܟܺܝܢ | ܡ̈ܰܠܟܰܝ | ܡ̈ܰܠܟܶܐ |
F | ܡܰܠܟܳܐ | ܡܠܟܰܬ | ܡܰܠܟܬܳܐ | ܡ̈ܰܠܟܳܢ | ܡ̈ܰܠܟܳܬ | ܡ̈ܰܠܟܳܬܳܐ |
The Syriac Verb
p‘al
Ground form. (Always has a-vowel in perfect, sometimes e vowel. Always e-vowel on imperfect)
’eṯp‘el
Passive ground form
pa‘‘el
Doubled
’eṯpa‘‘al
Passive doubled
’ap‘el
Causative
’ettap‘al
Passive causative
Many verbs are just in one form, e.g. to speak is doubled. p‘al is most common, fewer pa‘‘el, even fewer ’ap‘el. Doubled forms have not had letters doubled since early times. Passive all start ’et(t). Imperfect same as perfect, but added prefix, same vowels.
Shibbelets swap places with taw.
’eṯ + s > ’esṯ-
’eṯ + š > ’ešṯ-
’eṯ + z > ’ezd-
’eṯ + Ṣ > ’eṣṭ-
Weak verbs
Peculiarities in verbs beginning with ܢܢ and ܝ .
Nun tends to assimilate.
Gutturals
They differ. They like a-vowels.
ܐ
Not many verbs. They like e-vowels, and that often drops off and goes before.
Ayin ܝ ܘ
ܘ is much more common, like Hebrew.
Geminite/Double Ayin verbs
ܥܰܠ causes problems as it looks like ‘to go in’
ܚܶܒ to love
Final Yod/final-olaph verbs
These were final-yod verbs where yod dropped out.
Olaph signifies a-vowel. Like in Hebrew final-he vowels.
Adverbs and Regular Verbs with Object Suffixes
Adverbs forms with ܐ̈ܝܬ suffix
Four consonant verbs
Often take Greek verbs and steal four dominant sounds (categorical) ܩܰܬܪܶܓ