Session 5 — Dagesh: Forte vs. Lene

BBH 2026.1 · Ch3 Review · 10 items

Instructions: For each word, a target letter with a dagesh is shown in the "Target" column. Identify whether the dagesh is Forte or Lene, and state the reason.

Diagnostic Rules:

Begadkephat letters: בּ גּ דּ כּ פּ תּ — only these can take Dagesh Lene.
If the target letter is not a Begadkephat → Forte (automatic).
If the target letter is a Begadkephat at word-initial position → Lene.
If the target letter follows a closed syllable or an assimilated letter → Forte.

#	Word	Target	Forte or Lene?	Reason
1	הַשָּׁמַיִם	שּׁ
✓	הַשָּׁמַיִם	שּׁ	Forte	Shin is not a Begadkephat letter → any dagesh in Shin must be Forte; article הַ assimilates into שּׁ
2	בְּרֵאשִׁית	בּ
✓	בְּרֵאשִׁית	בּ	Lene	Bet is a Begadkephat in word-initial position → Dagesh Lene (hard b sound)
3	כִּי	כּ
✓	כִּי	כּ	Lene	Kaf is a Begadkephat in word-initial position → Dagesh Lene (hard k sound)
4	הַמָּיִם	מּ
✓	הַמָּיִם	מּ	Forte	Mem is not a Begadkephat → any dagesh in Mem is Forte; article הַ assimilates into מּ
5	תּוֹרָה	תּ
✓	תּוֹרָה	תּ	Lene	Taw is a Begadkephat in word-initial position → Dagesh Lene (hard t sound)
6	מִשְׁפָּט	פּ
✓	מִשְׁפָּט	פּ	Forte	Pe is Begadkephat but follows the closed syllable מִשׁ (silent shewa under Shin) → Dagesh Forte, not Lene
7	גּוֹי	גּ
✓	גּוֹי	גּ	Lene	Gimel is a Begadkephat in word-initial position → Dagesh Lene (hard g sound)
8	וַיִּקְרָא	יּ
✓	וַיִּקְרָא	יּ	Forte	Yod is not a Begadkephat → any dagesh in Yod is Forte; the Wayyiqtol prefix וַיִּ‐ doubles the prefix yod
9	הַפָּנִים	פּ
✓	הַפָּנִים	פּ	Forte	Pe is Begadkephat but follows definite article הַ (assimilation) → Dagesh Forte, not Lene
10	דְּבַר	דּ
✓	דְּבַר	דּ	Lene	Dalet is a Begadkephat at the beginning of the stem (word-initial after the vocal shewa prefix) → Dagesh Lene (hard d sound)