Syriac Mon 21 Oct 19 (Updated Tue 15 Dec 20)

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