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