Qal Imperfect — I-Guttural (Pe-Guttural) Paradigms

Full inflection tables for I-guttural roots in the Qal Imperfect. Unlike the Perfect, the I-guttural produces significant and highly visible changes in the Imperfect.

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I-guttural (ע): עָמַד (stand) — Imperfect

Person	Form	Notes
3ms	יַעֲמֹד	Patach under prefix (not hireq); chateph-patach under ע
3fs	תַּעֲמֹד	Same prefix vowel
2ms	תַּעֲמֹד
2fs	תַּעַמְדִי	Chateph resolves to patach before the -ִי suffix
1cs	אֶעֱמֹד	1cs aleph prefix; seghol before ע; chateph-seghol under ע
3mp	יַעַמְדוּ	Chateph resolves to patach before -וּ
3fp	תַּעֲמֹ֫דְנָה	Patach prefix + chateph retained
2mp	תַּעַמְדוּ	Same as 3mp
1cp	נַעֲמֹד	Nun prefix; patach

Key rule: When R1 is ח, ה, or ע, the composite shewa (chateph-patach) under the guttural causes the prefix vowel to shift from hireq to patach. The 1cs is an exception: the aleph prefix takes seghol (not hireq), and the ע takes chateph-seghol.

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I-guttural (ח): חָלַם (dream) — Imperfect

Person	Form	Notes
3ms	יַחֲלֹם	Patach under prefix; chateph under ח
3fs	תַּחֲלֹם
2ms	תַּחֲלֹם
2fs	תַּחֲלְמִי	Chateph resolves
1cs	אֶחֱלֹם	Seghol under aleph; chateph-seghol under ח
3mp	יַחַלְמוּ	Chateph resolves to patach before suffix
1cp	נַחֲלֹם	Patach prefix; chateph under ח

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I-guttural (א): אָמַר (say) — Imperfect

Person	Form	Notes
3ms	יֹאמַר	Holem under prefix (not hireq or patach!) — aleph takes holem
3fs	תֹּאמַר
2ms	תֹּאמַר
2fs	תֹּאמְרִי
1cs	אֹמַר	1cs aleph prefix + holem; the aleph is the prefix
3mp	יֹאמְרוּ
3fp	תֹּאמַ֫רְנָה
2mp	תֹּאמְרוּ
1cp	נֹאמַר	Nun prefix + holem

Note on אָמַר: The aleph at R1 causes the prefix to take holem — not the expected chateph + patach pattern. This is because aleph (א) can behave as a quiescent letter rather than a true consonant. The entire paradigm uses the holem prefix. יֹאמַר is the single most common Imperfect form in the Torah. Memorize it.

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Strong Paradigm — Comparison

Person	Strong (יִקְטֹל)	I-gutt. ע (יַעֲמֹד)	I-gutt. א (יֹאמַר)
3ms	יִקְטֹל	יַעֲמֹד	יֹאמַר
3fs	תִּקְטֹל	תַּעֲמֹד	תֹּאמַר
2ms	תִּקְטֹל	תַּעֲמֹד	תֹּאמַר
2fs	תִּקְטְלִי	תַּעַמְדִי	תֹּאמְרִי
1cs	אֶקְטֹל	אֶעֱמֹד	אֹמַר
3mp	יִקְטְלוּ	יַעַמְדוּ	יֹאמְרוּ
1cp	נִקְטֹל	נַעֲמֹד	נֹאמַר

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Summary: I-Guttural Imperfect Prefix Vowels

R1 Guttural	Prefix Consonant	Prefix Vowel	Example
ח, ה, ע	י/ת/נ	patach	יַחֲלֹם, יַעֲמֹד
ח, ה, ע	א (1cs)	seghol	אֶעֱמֹד
א (quiescent)	all	holem	יֹאמַר