# Qal Perfect — I-נ and I-י Paradigms

Full inflection tables for I-נ (Pe-Nun) and I-י (Pe-Yod) roots in the Qal Perfect.
Both classes are essentially regular in the Perfect; the dramatic effects appear in the Imperfect (Ch16).

## Part 1 — I-נ (Pe-Nun): נָתַן (give)

Person | Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
3ms | נָתַן | Regular qamets-patach; nun at R1 is present
3fs | נָתְנָה | Shewa under R1 nun; nun present and visible
2ms | נָתַתָּ | Dagesh forte in ת (assimilation at R3 → R3 nun + ת suffix → ת with dagesh)
2fs | נָתַתְּ | Same assimilation at R3
1cs | נָתַתִּי | Dagesh in ת throughout suffix forms
3cp | נָתְנוּ | Shewa under R1; both nuns visible
2mp | נְתַתֶּם | R1 reduces; R3 assimilation: dagesh in ת
2fp | נְתַתֶּן | Same as 2mp; nun final
1cp | נָתַנּוּ | Dagesh in נ before נוּ (R3 + suffix nun → assimilation)

> Note: In the Perfect, the nun at R1 is present and visible. The interesting assimilation
> in נָתַן happens at R3 — the final nun assimilates into the suffix consonant ת (giving
> dagesh forte in ת). This is different from the Imperfect, where R1 nun assimilates forward.

## Part 1b — I-נ (Pe-Nun): נָפַל (fall)

Person | Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
3ms | נָפַל | Regular
3fs | נָפְלָה | Shewa under R1
2ms | נָפַלְתָּ | Regular — no assimilation (R3 = ל, not ן)
2fs | נָפַלְתְּ | Regular
1cs | נָפַלְתִּי | Regular
3cp | נָפְלוּ | Shewa under R1
2mp | נְפַלְתֶּם | R1 reduces
1cp | נָפַלְנוּ | Regular

> Note: Unlike נָתַן, נָפַל has a lamed at R3 (not a second nun), so there is no
> assimilation in the suffix forms. The Perfect of נָפַל is fully regular in pattern.

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

Person | Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
3ms | יָלַד | Regular qamets-patach; yod at R1 is present
3fs | יָלְדָה | Shewa under yod
2ms | יָלַדְתָּ | Regular — yod present throughout
2fs | יָלַדְתְּ | Regular
1cs | יָלַדְתִּי | Regular
3cp | יָלְדוּ | Shewa under yod
2mp | יְלַדְתֶּם | R1 yod reduces to shewa
2fp | יְלַדְתֶּן |
1cp | יָלַדְנוּ | Regular

## Part 2b — I-י (Pe-Yod): יָדַע (know)

Person | Form | Notes
--- | --- | ---
3ms | יָדַע | Regular; ע at R3 is a guttural (III-ע also)
3fs | יָדְעָה | Shewa under yod
2ms | יָדַעְתָּ | Patach furtive drops before suffix
2fs | יָדַעְתְּ |
1cs | יָדַעְתִּי |
3cp | יָדְעוּ | Shewa under yod
2mp | יְדַעְתֶּם | R1 reduces
1cp | יָדַעְנוּ |

> Key principle for I-י Perfect: The yod at R1 remains in the Perfect. It behaves
> like a regular consonant (qamets under it in the 3ms, shewa in reduced forms). The
> dramatic change — where the yod contracts with the prefix vowel — occurs only in the
> Imperfect (Ch16).

## Comparison Table

Person | Strong (קָטַל) | I-נ (נָתַן) | I-נ (נָפַל) | I-י (יָלַד) | I-י (יָדַע)
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | קָטַל | נָתַן | נָפַל | יָלַד | יָדַע
3fs | קָטְלָה | נָתְנָה | נָפְלָה | יָלְדָה | יָדְעָה
2ms | קָטַלְתָּ | נָתַתָּ | נָפַלְתָּ | יָלַדְתָּ | יָדַעְתָּ
1cs | קָטַלְתִּי | נָתַתִּי | נָפַלְתִּי | יָלַדְתִּי | יָדַעְתִּי
3cp | קָטְלוּ | נָתְנוּ | נָפְלוּ | יָלְדוּ | יָדְעוּ
2mp | קְטַלְתֶּם | נְתַתֶּם | נְפַלְתֶּם | יְלַדְתֶּם | יְדַעְתֶּם