# Qal Perfect — I-Guttural (Pe-Guttural) Paradigms

Full inflection tables for I-guttural roots in the Qal Perfect.
Note: The Perfect is largely unaffected by the guttural at R1. The effects are most visible in the Imperfect (Ch16).

## I-guttural (ע): עָמַד (stand)

Person | Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
3ms | עָמַד | Regular qamets-patach; no change from strong
3fs | עָמְדָה | Shewa under ע (not dagesh — gutturals cannot take dagesh)
2ms | עָמַדְתָּ | Regular
2fs | עָמַדְתְּ | Regular
1cs | עָמַדְתִּי | Regular
3cp | עָמְדוּ | Shewa under R1
2mp | עֲמַדְתֶּם | Chateph-patach (not simple shewa) under ע
2fp | עֲמַדְתֶּן | Same as 2mp; nun final
1cp | עָמַדְנוּ | Regular

> Key principle: In the Perfect, the guttural at R1 cannot take a silent shewa —
> it takes a chateph (composite) shewa instead. But the patach/qamets vowel pattern
> of the root remains essentially the same as the strong paradigm. The Perfect is largely
> transparent for I-guttural roots; the major effects appear in the Imperfect.

## I-guttural (א): אָמַר (say)

Person | Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
3ms | אָמַר | Regular qamets-patach
3fs | אָמְרָה | Shewa under א; aleph takes silent shewa here (א can take silent shewa before consonant)
2ms | אָמַרְתָּ | Regular
2fs | אָמַרְתְּ | Regular
1cs | אָמַרְתִּי | Regular
3cp | אָמְרוּ | Shewa under א
2mp | אֲמַרְתֶּם | Chateph-patach under א
2fp | אֲמַרְתֶּן | Same
1cp | אָמַרְנוּ | Regular

## I-guttural (ח): חָשַׁב (think, plan)

Person | Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
3ms | חָשַׁב | Regular
3fs | חָשְׁבָה | Shewa under ח
2ms | חָשַׁבְתָּ | Regular
2fs | חָשַׁבְתְּ | Regular
1cs | חָשַׁבְתִּי | Regular
3cp | חָשְׁבוּ | Shewa under ח
2mp | חֲשַׁבְתֶּם | Chateph-patach under ח
1cp | חָשַׁבְנוּ | Regular

## Strong Paradigm — Comparison

Person | Strong (קָטַל) | I-gutt. ע (עָמַד) | I-gutt. א (אָמַר)
--- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | קָטַל | עָמַד | אָמַר
3fs | קָטְלָה | עָמְדָה | אָמְרָה
2ms | קָטַלְתָּ | עָמַדְתָּ | אָמַרְתָּ
2fs | קָטַלְתְּ | עָמַדְתְּ | אָמַרְתְּ
1cs | קָטַלְתִּי | עָמַדְתִּי | אָמַרְתִּי
3cp | קָטְלוּ | עָמְדוּ | אָמְרוּ
2mp | קְטַלְתֶּם | עֲמַדְתֶּם | אֲמַרְתֶּם
1cp | קָטַלְנוּ | עָמַדְנוּ | אָמַרְנוּ

> Observation: The only consistent difference from the strong paradigm is that:
> (1) R1 takes chateph-patach (not simple shewa) in forms where shewa normally appears, and
> (2) compensatory lengthening occurs when a dagesh forte would have been expected in R1.
> These are subtle; the I-guttural Perfect is one of the least-disruptive weak classes.