Full inflection tables for I-guttural roots in the Qal Imperfect.
Unlike the Perfect, the I-guttural produces significant and highly visible changes in the Imperfect.
| Person | Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3ms | יַעֲמֹד | Patach under prefix (not hireq); chateph-patach under ע |
| 3fs | תַּעֲמֹד | Same prefix vowel |
| 2ms | תַּעֲמֹד | |
| 2fs | תַּעַמְדִי | Chateph resolves to patach before the -ִי suffix |
| 1cs | אֶעֱמֹד | 1cs aleph prefix; seghol before ע; chateph-seghol under ע |
| 3mp | יַעַמְדוּ | Chateph resolves to patach before -וּ |
| 3fp | תַּעֲמֹ֫דְנָה | Patach prefix + chateph retained |
| 2mp | תַּעַמְדוּ | Same as 3mp |
| 1cp | נַעֲמֹד | Nun prefix; patach |
Key rule: When R1 is ח, ה, or ע, the composite shewa (chateph-patach) under the
guttural causes the prefix vowel to shift from hireq to patach. The 1cs is an
exception: the aleph prefix takes seghol (not hireq), and the ע takes chateph-seghol.
| Person | Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3ms | יַחֲלֹם | Patach under prefix; chateph under ח |
| 3fs | תַּחֲלֹם | |
| 2ms | תַּחֲלֹם | |
| 2fs | תַּחֲלְמִי | Chateph resolves |
| 1cs | אֶחֱלֹם | Seghol under aleph; chateph-seghol under ח |
| 3mp | יַחַלְמוּ | Chateph resolves to patach before suffix |
| 1cp | נַחֲלֹם | Patach prefix; chateph under ח |
| Person | Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3ms | יֹאמַר | Holem under prefix (not hireq or patach!) — aleph takes holem |
| 3fs | תֹּאמַר | |
| 2ms | תֹּאמַר | |
| 2fs | תֹּאמְרִי | |
| 1cs | אֹמַר | 1cs aleph prefix + holem; the aleph is the prefix |
| 3mp | יֹאמְרוּ | |
| 3fp | תֹּאמַ֫רְנָה | |
| 2mp | תֹּאמְרוּ | |
| 1cp | נֹאמַר | Nun prefix + holem |
Note on אָמַר: The aleph at R1 causes the prefix to take holem — not the
expected chateph + patach pattern. This is because aleph (א) can behave as a
quiescent letter rather than a true consonant. The entire paradigm uses the holem prefix.
יֹאמַר is the single most common Imperfect form in the Torah. Memorize it.
| Person | Strong (יִקְטֹל) | I-gutt. ע (יַעֲמֹד) | I-gutt. א (יֹאמַר) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms | יִקְטֹל | יַעֲמֹד | יֹאמַר |
| 3fs | תִּקְטֹל | תַּעֲמֹד | תֹּאמַר |
| 2ms | תִּקְטֹל | תַּעֲמֹד | תֹּאמַר |
| 2fs | תִּקְטְלִי | תַּעַמְדִי | תֹּאמְרִי |
| 1cs | אֶקְטֹל | אֶעֱמֹד | אֹמַר |
| 3mp | יִקְטְלוּ | יַעַמְדוּ | יֹאמְרוּ |
| 1cp | נִקְטֹל | נַעֲמֹד | נֹאמַר |
| R1 Guttural | Prefix Consonant | Prefix Vowel | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ח, ה, ע | י/ת/נ | patach | יַחֲלֹם, יַעֲמֹד |
| ח, ה, ע | א (1cs) | seghol | אֶעֱמֹד |
| א (quiescent) | all | holem | יֹאמַר |