17.5 Perfect with וְ: Translating

The Perfect with ו usually results in an IMPERFECT translation

  • More Common: used as Perfect Vav Consecutive
  • Parsing code: Pwc (Perfect Waw Consecutive, also called the Weqatal from the 3ms form וְקָטַל)
  • Often used for the next event in a future narrative
  • Usually translated as IMPERFECT
    • Future: And I will study
    • Modal: And I would/could/should study or Let me study
    • Imperfective: And I am/was/will be studying
  • After an imperative, we usually will translate as another imperative:
    • Go and study!
  • Less Common (in fact relatively infrequently): translated as the regular perfect (past tense)
    • The Parsing code, in this case, would be the perfect code “+ ו”, as in QP3ms + ו
    • The accent MAY be a clue for the 2ms and 1cs
      • וְשָׁמַרְתִּ֫י = QPwc1cs - and I will guard
      • וְשָׁמַ֫רְתִּי = QP1cs + ו - and I guarded
    • Context is a better guide
  • For a smoother English translation, the “and” may need to be changed or omitted entirely
    • Hebrew: And I will study and I will run and I will guard
    • English: Then I will study, run, and guard