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Hiphil Weak Verbs — I-נ (Pe-Nun) Paradigms

Full conjugation tables for Pe-Nun (I-נ) roots in the Hiphil stem. Representative roots: נָגַשׁ (bring near) and נָפַל (cause to fall) Each conjugation shows the strong root (קטל) alongside the weak paradigm for direct comparison. Attested forms drawn from MACULA Hebrew WLC.


In the Hiphil, I-נ roots show assimilation of the root נ (R1) into R2 throughout the entire paradigm — perfect, imperfect, wayyiqtol, imperative, infinitives, and participle alike. The Hiphil prefix (הִ, יַ, מַ, הַ) brings the נ into direct contact with R2, and the נ assimilates completely, leaving dagesh forte in R2 as its only trace. The root's first consonant is never visible in any Hiphil form.


Perfect (Qatal) — I-נ

The Pattern

The Hiphil perfect prefix הִ stands immediately before R1 (= נ). The נ assimilates into R2, leaving dagesh forte in R2: הִ + נ + גשׁ → הִגִּישׁ. The characteristic Hiphil chiriq-yod appears in the 3ms/3fs/3cp forms; in the 2ms/1cs the vowel shortens before the suffixes, as in the strong root.

Person Strong (קטל) I-נ (נגשׁ) I-נ (נפל)
3ms הִקְטִיל הִגִּישׁ הִפִּיל
3fs הִקְטִילָה הִגִּישָׁה הִפִּילָה
3cp הִקְטִילוּ הִגִּישׁוּ הִפִּילוּ
2ms הִקְטַלְתָּ הִגַּשְׁתָּ הִפַּלְתָּ
2fs הִקְטַלְתְּ הִגַּשְׁתְּ הִפַּלְתְּ
2mp הִקְטַלְתֶּם הִגַּשְׁתֶּם הִפַּלְתֶּם
2fp הִקְטַלְתֶּן הִגַּשְׁתֶּן הִפַּלְתֶּן
1cs הִקְטַלְתִּי הִגַּשְׁתִּי הִפַּלְתִּי
1cp הִקְטַלְנוּ הִגַּשְׁנוּ הִפַּלְנוּ

Key: Dagesh forte in R2 throughout the entire perfect — the only remaining trace of the assimilated נ.

Attested passages: - הִגִּישׁ (Amos 9:13) — "the one who plows shall overtake the reaper" - הִפִּיל (Gen 2:21) — "the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man" - הִגַּשְׁתֶּם (Mal 1:7) — "by offering polluted food upon my altar"


Imperfect (Yiqtol) — I-נ

The Pattern

The imperfect prefix (יַ, תַּ, אַ, נַ) stands before the assimilated נ. The נ assimilates into R2 exactly as in the perfect, leaving dagesh forte in R2. The standard Hiphil chiriq-yod appears in the penultimate syllable.

Person Strong (קטל) I-נ (נגשׁ) I-נ (נפל)
3ms יַקְטִיל יַגִּישׁ יַפִּיל
3fs תַּקְטִיל תַּגִּישׁ תַּפִּיל
3mp יַקְטִילוּ יַגִּישׁוּ יַפִּילוּ
3fp תַּקְטֵלְנָה תַּגֵּשְׁנָה תַּפֵּלְנָה
2ms תַּקְטִיל תַּגִּישׁ תַּפִּיל
2fs תַּקְטִילִי תַּגִּישִׁי תַּפִּילִי
2mp תַּקְטִילוּ תַּגִּישׁוּ תַּפִּילוּ
2fp תַּקְטֵלְנָה תַּגֵּשְׁנָה תַּפֵּלְנָה
1cs אַקְטִיל אַגִּישׁ אַפִּיל
1cp נַקְטִיל נַגִּישׁ נַפִּיל

Key: Patach prefix vowel + dagesh forte in R2 + chiriq-yod.

Attested passages: - יַפִּיל (Pro 19:15) — "slothfulness casts into a deep sleep" - יַגִּישׁ (Mal 1:8) — "when you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil?"


Wayyiqtol — I-נ

The Pattern

The wayyiqtol follows the same assimilation: dagesh forte in R2. The standard Hiphil wayyiqtol tsere appears in the final syllable of 3ms/3fs forms.

Person Strong (קטל) I-נ (נגשׁ) I-נ (נפל)
3ms וַיַּקְטֵל וַיַּגֵּשׁ וַיַּפֵּל
3fs וַתַּקְטֵל וַתַּגֵּשׁ וַתַּפֵּל
3mp וַיַּקְטִילוּ וַיַּגִּישׁוּ וַיַּפִּילוּ
3fp וַתַּקְטֵלְנָה וַתַּגֵּשְׁנָה וַתַּפֵּלְנָה
2ms וַתַּקְטֵל וַתַּגֵּשׁ וַתַּפֵּל
2fs וַתַּקְטֵל וַתַּגֵּשׁ וַתַּפֵּל
2mp וַתַּקְטִילוּ וַתַּגִּישׁוּ וַתַּפִּילוּ
2fp וַתַּקְטֵלְנָה וַתַּגֵּשְׁנָה וַתַּפֵּלְנָה
1cs וָאַקְטֵל וָאַגֵּשׁ וָאַפֵּל
1cp וַנַּקְטֵל וַנַּגֵּשׁ וַנַּפֵּל

Key: וַיַּ prefix + dagesh forte in R2 + tsere final.

Attested passages: - וַיַּגֵּשׁ (Gen 18:23) — "Abraham drew near and said" - וַיַּפֵּל (Gen 2:21) — "he caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man"


Weqatal — I-נ

The Pattern

Weqatal = וְ + perfect. Dagesh forte in R2 throughout, identical to the perfect pattern.

Person Strong (קטל) I-נ (נגשׁ) I-נ (נפל)
3ms וְהִקְטִיל וְהִגִּישׁ וְהִפִּיל
3fs וְהִקְטִילָה וְהִגִּישָׁה וְהִפִּילָה
3cp וְהִקְטִילוּ וְהִגִּישׁוּ וְהִפִּילוּ
2ms וְהִקְטַלְתָּ וְהִגַּשְׁתָּ וְהִפַּלְתָּ
2fs וְהִקְטַלְתְּ וְהִגַּשְׁתְּ וְהִפַּלְתְּ
2mp וְהִקְטַלְתֶּם וְהִגַּשְׁתֶּם וְהִפַּלְתֶּם
2fp וְהִקְטַלְתֶּן וְהִגַּשְׁתֶּן וְהִפַּלְתֶּן
1cs וְהִקְטַלְתִּי וְהִגַּשְׁתִּי וְהִפַּלְתִּי
1cp וְהִקְטַלְנוּ וְהִגַּשְׁנוּ וְהִפַּלְנוּ

Imperative — I-נ

The Pattern

The Hiphil imperative prefix הַ precedes the assimilated נ: dagesh forte in R2. The 2ms ends in tsere; longer forms take chiriq-yod.

Form Strong (קטל) I-נ (נגשׁ) I-נ (נפל)
2ms הַקְטֵל הַגֵּשׁ הַפֵּל
2fs הַקְטִילִי הַגִּישִׁי הַפִּילִי
2mp הַקְטִילוּ הַגִּישׁוּ הַפִּילוּ
2fp הַקְטֵלְנָה הַגֵּשְׁנָה הַפֵּלְנָה

Key: Dagesh forte in R2 across all imperative forms.

Attested passages: - הַגֵּשׁ (Gen 27:25) — "bring it to me, that I may eat of my son's game" - הַפֵּל (2 Sam 20:21) — "throw his head over the wall to us"


Infinitive Construct — I-נ

The Pattern

The Hiphil infinitive construct prefix הַ precedes the assimilated נ: dagesh forte in R2, followed by chiriq-yod. The form looks identical to the imperfect 3ms; the prefix vowel (patach הַ) and prepositional context distinguish it from the perfect 3ms (הִגִּישׁ, which has hiriq הִ).

Form Strong (קטל) I-נ (נגשׁ) I-נ (נפל)
Base הַקְטִיל הַגִּישׁ הַפִּיל
With לְ לְהַקְטִיל לְהַגִּישׁ לְהַפִּיל
With בְּ בְּהַקְטִיל בְּהַגִּישׁ בְּהַפִּיל

Key: Patach under הַ + dagesh forte in R2 + chiriq-yod. Distinguished from the perfect 3ms only by the prefix vowel: הַ (patach) vs. הִ (hiriq).

Attested passages: - לְהַגִּישׁ (Mal 1:7) — "by offering polluted food on my altar" - לְהַפִּיל (Num 33:54) — "to divide the land as an inheritance"


Infinitive Absolute — I-נ

The Pattern

The Hiphil infinitive absolute takes dagesh forte in R2 and ends in tsere.

Form Strong (קטל) I-נ (נפל)
Standard הַקְטֵל הַפֵּל

Participle — I-נ

The Pattern

The Hiphil participle prefix מַ precedes the assimilated נ: dagesh forte in R2, followed by chiriq-yod in the ms form. The assimilation is present in the participle just as in every other conjugation.

Form Strong (קטל) I-נ (נגשׁ) I-נ (נפל)
ms מַקְטִיל מַגִּישׁ מַפִּיל
fs מַקְטֶלֶת מַגֶּשֶׁת מַפֶּלֶת
mp מַקְטִילִים מַגִּישִׁים מַפִּילִים
fp מַקְטִילוֹת מַגִּישׁוֹת מַפִּילוֹת

Key: מַ + dagesh forte in R2 + chiriq-yod (ms).

Attested passages: - מַגִּישׁ (Mal 2:12) — "one who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts"


Summary — I-נ Hiphil at a Glance

Conjugation Strong (קטל) I-נ (נגשׁ) Key feature
Perfect הִקְטִיל הִגִּישׁ Hiriq הִ prefix + dagesh in R2
Imperfect יַקְטִיל יַגִּישׁ Patach prefix + dagesh in R2 + chiriq-yod
Wayyiqtol וַיַּקְטֵל וַיַּגֵּשׁ Dagesh in R2 + tsere final
Weqatal וְהִקְטִיל וְהִגִּישׁ Same as perfect
Imperative הַקְטֵל הַגֵּשׁ Patach הַ prefix + dagesh in R2 + tsere (2ms)
Inf. Construct הַקְטִיל הַגִּישׁ Patach הַ (vs. hiriq הִ in perfect) + dagesh in R2
Inf. Absolute הַקְטֵל הַגֵּשׁ Dagesh in R2 + tsere
Participle מַקְטִיל מַגִּישׁ מַ prefix + dagesh in R2 + chiriq-yod