Peh‑Nun Roots in the Past Tense
In the Hif’il binyan, roots that begin with nun (נ) behave differently in the past tense. Just as in the present tense, the nun tends to disappear (assimilate), and the following consonant is doubled with a dagesh.
The basic past tense pattern for Hif’il is:
הִ– + (root letters with appropriate vowels) + suffixes
For Peh‑Nun roots, the nun drops out, and the second root letter is strengthened.
Examples
-
נ.צ.ל → להציל (to save)
Past tense: הִצַּלְתִּי, הִצַּלְתָּ, הִצִּיל, הִצִּילָה, הִצַּלְנוּ, הִצַּלְתֶּם, הִצִּילוּ -
נ.ג.ש → להגיש (to serve, to present)
Past tense: הִגַּשְׁתִּי, הִגַּשְׁתָּ, הִגִּישׁ, הִגִּישָׁה, הִגַּשְׁנוּ, הִגַּשְׁתֶּם, הִגִּישׁוּ -
נ.ס.ע → להסיע (to transport, to drive someone)
Past tense: הִסַּעְתִּי, הִסַּעְתָּ, הִסִּיעַ, הִסִּיעָה, הִסַּעְנוּ, הִסַּעְתֶּם, הִסִּיעוּ
Why This Matters
Learners often expect to see the nun in every form of the verb, but in Hif’il past tense it disappears. Recognizing this assimilation helps avoid confusion and makes it easier to identify the correct forms when reading or listening.
Quick Summary for Learners
- In Hif’il past tense, nun disappears.
- The second root letter doubles with a dagesh.
- Pattern: הִ– + doubled consonant + suffixes.
- Examples: הִצִּיל, הִגִּישׁ, הִסִּיעַ.