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Qal Imperfect — I-נ and I-י Paradigms

Full inflection tables for I-נ (Pe-Nun) and I-י (Pe-Yod) roots in the Qal Imperfect. Both classes show dramatic changes here — contrast with the largely regular Perfect (Ch14).

Part 1 — I-נ (Pe-Nun): נָתַן (give)

Person Form Notes
3ms יִתֵּן Nun assimilated → dagesh forte in ת; tsere under prefix syllable
3fs תִּתֵּן Same pattern
2ms תִּתֵּן Identical to 3fs
2fs תִּתְּנִי Shewa under ת before suffix; dagesh in ת
1cs אֶתֵּן Aleph prefix
3mp יִתְּנוּ Shewa + dagesh in ת; -וּ
3fp תִּתֵּ֫נָה Full form with נָה
2mp תִּתְּנוּ
1cp נִתֵּן Nun prefix; watch for potential confusion with root nun
Wayyiqtol 3ms וַיִּתֵּן Waw-consecutive + short form (same as long for I-נ)

Key: The nun at R1 has assimilated entirely into R2 by dagesh forte. The form יִתֵּן looks like it has only two root consonants (ת and ן). Recognizing the dagesh forte in R2 as the trace of the assimilated nun is the diagnostic skill for this class.

Part 1b — I-נ (Pe-Nun): נָפַל (fall)

Person Form Notes
3ms יִפֹּל Nun assimilated → dagesh forte in פ; holem
3fs תִּפֹּל
2ms תִּפֹּל
2fs תִּפְּלִי Dagesh in פ; shewa before suffix
1cs אֶפֹּל
3mp יִפְּלוּ Dagesh in פ
1cp נִפֹּל
Wayyiqtol 3ms וַיִּפֹּל

Note: The vowel in the root syllable (holem for נָפַל; tsere for נָתַן) follows the verb class of the root, not a universal rule. נָפַל is A-class (action verb); the holem under the prefix-R2 syllable reflects the holem thematic vowel.

Part 2 — I-י (Pe-Yod): יָלַד (give birth, beget)

Person Form Notes
3ms יֵלֵד Tsere under prefix (not hireq); yod R1 absent
3fs תֵּלֵד
2ms תֵּלֵד
2fs תֵּלְדִי Tsere prefix; shewa under R2 before suffix
1cs אֵלֵד Aleph prefix; tsere
3mp יֵלְדוּ Tsere prefix; shewa under R2
3fp תֵּלֵ֫דְנָה
2mp תֵּלְדוּ
1cp נֵלֵד Nun prefix; tsere
Wayyiqtol 3ms וַיֵּלֶד Tsere prefix + waw-consecutive; seghol in root (short form)

Key: The yod at R1 contracts with the prefix vowel to produce tsere. The prefix appears as a single long vowel (tsere) under the prefix consonant, with no yod visible. The Wayyiqtol 3ms shows the short form: tsere prefix + seghol in the root syllable.

Part 2b — I-י (Pe-Yod): יָדַע (know)

Person Form Notes
3ms יֵדַע Tsere prefix; III-ע also (patach under R2)
3fs תֵּדַע
2ms תֵּדַע
2fs תֵּדְעִי
1cs אֵדַע Aleph prefix; tsere
3mp יֵדְעוּ
1cp נֵדַע
Wayyiqtol 3ms וַיֵּדַע

Part 2c — I-י (Pe-Yod): יָשַׁב (sit, dwell)

Person Form Notes
3ms יֵשֵׁב Tsere prefix; tsere under R2 (stative class)
3fs תֵּשֵׁב
2ms תֵּשֵׁב
2fs תֵּשְׁבִי Tsere prefix; shewa under ש
1cs אֵשֵׁב
3mp יֵשְׁבוּ
1cp נֵשֵׁב
Wayyiqtol 3ms וַיֵּ֫שֶׁב Short form; seghol in root

Comparison Table

Person Strong (יִקְטֹל) I-נ (יִתֵּן) I-נ (יִפֹּל) I-י (יֵלֵד) I-י (יֵשֵׁב)
3ms יִקְטֹל יִתֵּן יִפֹּל יֵלֵד יֵשֵׁב
3fs תִּקְטֹל תִּתֵּן תִּפֹּל תֵּלֵד תֵּשֵׁב
2ms תִּקְטֹל תִּתֵּן תִּפֹּל תֵּלֵד תֵּשֵׁב
2fs תִּקְטְלִי תִּתְּנִי תִּפְּלִי תֵּלְדִי תֵּשְׁבִי
1cs אֶקְטֹל אֶתֵּן אֶפֹּל אֵלֵד אֵשֵׁב
3mp יִקְטְלוּ יִתְּנוּ יִפְּלוּ יֵלְדוּ יֵשְׁבוּ
1cp נִקְטֹל נִתֵּן נִפֹּל נֵלֵד נֵשֵׁב
Wayyiqtol 3ms וַיִּקְטֹל וַיִּתֵּן וַיִּפֹּל וַיֵּלֶד וַיֵּ֫שֶׁב

Contrast between I-נ and I-י: - I-נ shows hireq prefix + dagesh forte in R2 (the nun's trace) - I-י shows tsere prefix (no dagesh; the yod contracted) These are the two most visually distinctive Imperfect weak classes.