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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