I-Nun verbs פ״נ pe-nun
In verbs whose first root letter is נ (nun), that נ is invisible in many forms. Standing with no vowel before the next letter, it merges and remains only as a dot (dagesh) in that letter; in the imperative and infinitive it may drop off. That is why the root of וַיִּפַּח (he breathed, Gen 2:7) is נ-פ-ח. This page shows these changes one by one in words actually used in the Bible.
נ (nun) in the פ (first root) position
Colour key blue = added at the front · orange = added at the end · purple = a mark inside (dot · doubled letter · changed vowel) · underline = the word this page is about
1What I-Nun verbs are
Most Hebrew verb roots have three letters. Some have נ (nun) as the first letter — נָתַן (give) · נָפַל (fall) · נָשָׂא (lift) · נָגַשׁ (come near) · נָסַע (set out) · נָטַע (plant) · נָפַח (blow). These are I-Nun verbs.
Such a verb is “weak” because one root letter disappears from sight in some forms. When the first נ stands with no vowel right before the next root letter, it merges into that letter and remains only as a dot (dagesh). In the imperative and infinitive construct the first נ may drop off altogether.
So in וַיִּפַּח (Gen 2:7) only two root letters, פ and ח, can be seen. To find the word in a lexicon you must restore the lost נ and read the root as נ-פ-ח (blow). This page shows how, one real biblical word at a time.
2Where the name comes from — פ״ן Pe-Nun
Traditional Hebrew grammar names the root positions by the three letters of the model verb פָּעַל (pa‘al, “do”): first position = פ (pe), second = ע (‘ayin), third = ל (lamed).
A verb “with נ (nun) in the פ position” is therefore called Pe-Nun (פ״ן); ״ marks an abbreviation in Hebrew. English grammars also write I-Nun (Roman numeral I = first root letter).
3At a glance — four signs of an I-Nun verb
- Imperfect · wayyiqtolNo נ is seen; after the prefix יִ the second root letter has a dot — וַיִּפַּח (Gen 2:7). The dot marks where the נ merged.
- Imperative · infinitive constructIn many verbs the first נ drops off and the word is shorter — שָׂא (lift, Gen 13:14) · תֵּת (to give, Gen 4:12).
- Hiphil · NiphalAfter the prefixes הִ יַ נִ the נ also merges into a dot — הִצִּיל (Gen 31:16) · נִגַּשׁ (Gen 33:7).
- Perfect · participleHere a vowel follows the first נ, so the נ stays visible — נָפְלוּ (Gen 4:6) · נֹתֵן (Gen 9:12).
4Why the נ disappears and a dot appears
- 1. The starting shapeThe Qal imperfect shows “who” by a prefix (יִ he). With the root נ-פ-ל (fall) the starting shape is יִנְפֹּל (yin-pol).
- 2. The נ has no vowelThis נ has no vowel and closes the syllable right before פ.
- 3. The נ merges into the next letterA closing נ assimilates to the following sound, so “yin-pol” becomes “yip-pol.”
- 4. A doubled letter = a dotHebrew writes a doubled letter once, with a dot (dagesh) inside → יִפֹּל (yippol). It is the same process as in the Niphal imperfect; the difference is that here the merged נ is the first letter of the root.
5Paradigm — נפל (fall) and נתן (give)
The main Qal (basic stem) forms. The purple letter is the one carrying the dot of the merged נ. נתן also ends in נ, so it changes even more (see “Common irregular verbs”).
| Form | נפל fall | Reading | נתן give | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| perfect (he) | נָפַל | nafal | נָתַן | natan |
| perfect (I) | נָפַלְתִּי | nafalti | נָתַתִּי | natatti |
| imperfect (he) | יִפֹּל | yippol | יִתֵּן | yitten |
| wayyiqtol (and he) | וַיִּפֹּל | vayyippol | וַיִּתֵּן | vayyitten |
| imperative (2ms) | נְפֹל | nefol | תֵּן | ten |
| infinitive construct | נְפֹל | nefol | תֵּת | tet |
| participle (ms) | נֹפֵל | nofel | נֹתֵן | noten |
| Hiphil perfect (he) | הִפִּיל | hippil | — | — |
Whether the first נ drops in the imperative and infinitive construct depends on the verb. Verbs with an “o” imperfect like נפל (יִפֹּל) usually keep it; verbs with an “a” imperfect like נגשׁ נשׂא נסע, and נתן, lose it (גַּשׁ שָׂא תֵּן). נתן has no Hiphil, so that cell is empty.
6Imperfect · wayyiqtol — real examples from the Bible
All are Qal wayyiqtols in Genesis. The letter after וַיִּ (and he) has a dot, and only two root letters are visible. Restore the missing נ to find the root.
vayyippaḥ — and he breathed
וַיִּ (and he) + פַּ (dot = the merged נ) + ח. Only פ and ח are visible; restore the first נ and the root is נ-פ-ח (blow). The נ of the starting shape וַיִּנְפַּח merged into פ. The last letter ח is a guttural, so the final vowel is ַ (a).
YLVAnd YHWH God formed Adam of dust (aphar) from the ground (adamah), and breathed into his nostrils the breath (neshamah) of life, and Adam became a living soul (nephesh).
vayyiṭṭa‘ — and he planted
וַיִּ + טַּ (dot) + ע. The first נ of נ-ט-ע (plant) merged into ט — the same shape as וַיִּפַּח in 2:7. The final ע is also a guttural, hence ַ.
YLVAnd YHWH God planted a garden in Eden, from the east, and there he put Adam whom he had formed.
vayyitten — and he set (gave)
וַיִּ + תֵּ (dot) + ן (final form of נ). The first נ of נ-ת-ן (give, set) merged into ת. The final ן is the third root letter, still standing — this verb has נ at both ends.
YLVAnd God set them in the firmament of the heavens, to give light upon the earth,
vayyissa — and he lifted
וַיִּ + שָּׂ (dot) + א. The root is נ-שׂ-א (lift). Its last letter, א, is weak too and is silent (see “III-Aleph verbs”). “Lot lifted up his eyes.”
YLVAnd Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that all of it was well-watered — before YHWH destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah — like the garden of YHWH, like the land of Egypt, as you come to Zoar.
vayyiggash — and he came near
וַיִּ + גַּ (dot) + שׁ. The root נ-ג-שׁ (come near): Abraham draws near to YHWH.
YLVAnd Abraham drew near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
7Perfect · participle — the נ stays (sometimes only a final נ merges)
In the perfect and participle a vowel follows the first נ, so it has no reason to merge. But in נתן, whose last letter is also נ, the final נ merges before endings like “I” and “you.”
nafelu — (they) fell
נָ + פְל + וּ (they). The first נ has the vowel ָ, so it remains. “Why has your face fallen?” — “face” is a plural noun in Hebrew, so the form is “they.”
YLVAnd YHWH said to Cain, "Why has it burned to you, and why has your face fallen?
noten — giving (I am setting)
Qal participle: נֹ (“o” on the first letter) + תֵן. A vowel follows the first נ, so it does not merge: God “is giving” the sign of the covenant.
YLVAnd God said, "This is the sign (ot) of the covenant (berit) which I am giving between me and you and every living soul (nephesh) that is with you, for everlasting generations:
natatti — I have given
נָתַ + the ending תִּי (I). The starting shape is נָתַנְתִּי (natan-ti). The final root נ, with no vowel, met the “I” ending תִּי and merged into ת, which is doubled and dotted. The first נ stays; only the last one merged.
YLVAnd God said, "Behold, I have given to you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food.
8Imperative · infinitive construct — the first נ drops off
These forms have no prefix, so there is no place for the נ to merge into. In many verbs the first נ simply falls away; the infinitive construct often adds a ת at the end instead.
sa — lift (up)
Imperative (2ms). From נ-שׂ-א the first נ dropped, leaving only שׂ and א; the א is silent, so the word is just “sa.” “Lift up your eyes and look.”
YLVAnd YHWH said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift up now your eyes, and see from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,
gesh — stand back (move over)
Imperative. From נ-ג-שׁ (come near) the first נ dropped — the same root as וַיִּגַּשׁ in 18:23. The standard form is גַּשׁ; here it is joined to the next word by maqqef (־), and the vowel is ֶ (e).
YLVAnd they said, "Stand back!" And they said, "This one came in to sojourn, and he would indeed judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them." And they pressed hard against the man (ish), against Lot, and drew near to break the door.
tet — (will not) yield
Infinitive construct of נתן. The first נ dropped and the infinitive ending ת was added, giving תֵּנְת (tent); the final נ then merged into that ת, giving תֵּת. Of the three root letters only ת remains. “The ground will not yield its strength to you.”
YLVWhen you work (avad) the ground (adamah), it shall not continue to give its strength to you; a wanderer and a fugitive you shall be in the earth."
laset — to support (them)
לָ (to) + שֵׂא (נשׂא without its first נ) + ת (infinitive ending). The same root as שָׂא in 13:14. “The land could not support them.”
YLVFor their substance was too great for them to dwell together, and the land of their sojournings could not bear them because of their livestock.
9In the Hiphil and Niphal the נ merges too
After the Hiphil prefixes הִ יַ and the Niphal perfect נִ, the first נ again stands without a vowel before the next letter, so it merges into a dot.
vayyappel — and he caused (a deep sleep) to fall
Hiphil wayyiqtol: וַיַּ (and he — the Hiphil prefix has ַ) + פֵּ (dot = merged נ) + ל. The Hiphil of נ-פ-ל (fall) → “cause to fall.” The נ of וַיַּנְפֵּל merged.
YLVAnd YHWH God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept, and he took one of his ribs and closed up flesh (basar) in its place.
hitsil — (he) took away (rescued)
Hiphil perfect: הִ (Hiphil prefix) + צִּ (dot = merged נ) + יל (the Hiphil ִי). Root נ-צ-ל. The נ of הִנְצִיל (hin-tsil) merged into צ.
YLVFor all the riches which God has taken away from our father, it is ours and our children's; and now, all that God has said to you, do."
niggash — (he) came near
Niphal perfect: נִ (Niphal mark) + גַּ (dot) + שׁ. Root נ-ג-שׁ. The starting shape נִנְגַּשׁ has two נs; the second (the root’s first letter) merged into ג. The front נִ is the Niphal נ. This verb uses the Niphal for its perfect, still meaning “come near.”
YLVAnd Leah also came near, and her children, and they bowed themselves; and afterward Joseph came near, and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
vattinnatsel — and it (she) was preserved
Niphal wayyiqtol: וַתִּ (and she) + נָּ (dot) + צֵל. Here it is the reverse: the Niphal נ merged into the root’s first נ, so the dotted letter is נ itself (וַתִּנְנָצֵל → וַתִּנָּצֵל). The subject “my life” (נַפְשִׁי) is feminine, hence ת.
YLVAnd Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; "for I have seen God face to face, and my soul (nephesh) was delivered."
10A variation — the dot may be left out under a sheva
The dot of a merged נ is often left out when that letter carries a sheva (ְ). Here the same verbs appear with the dot in one form and without it in another.
vayyis’u — and (the waters) lifted
וַיִּ + שְׂ (sheva, no dot) + א + וּ (they). וַיִּשָּׂא in 13:10 had a dot in שׂ. Here the ending וּ reduced the vowel under שׂ to a sheva, and the dot is not written. The root is the same נ-שׂ-א.
YLVAnd the flood was forty days upon the earth, and the waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose up from upon the earth.
vayyis‘u — and they set out
Root נ-ס-ע (set out). The סְ with sheva has no dot. In 35:5 the same verb is written וַיִּסָּעוּ with the dot — that word stands at a pause, so its vowel is a long ָ and the dot shows.
YLVAnd they journeyed from Bethel; and there was still some distance of land to come to Ephrath; and Rachel gave birth, and she had hard labor in her bearing.
11Easy to confuse
Confusing it with the Niphal imperfect. Both have a dot in the letter after יִ. The Niphal יִפָּרֵד (Gen 2:10) shows all three root letters after the dot (פ-ר-ד) with the vowels “a–e.” The I-Nun וַיִּפַּח (2:7) shows only two. If only two root letters are visible, suspect a missing נ first.
Confusing it with the Piel. The Piel also dots a middle letter (וַיְקַדֵּשׁ and he sanctified, 2:3), but its prefix has a sheva (וַיְ), while the Qal of an I-Nun verb has וַיִּ (hireq + dot).
לָקַח (take) behaves the same way. Its first letter is ל, yet it merges like נ — וַיִּקַּח (and he took, 2:15). See “Common irregular verbs.”
A נ in front is not always a root letter. It may be the Niphal perfect נִ or the imperfect “we” prefix נִ. And a root נ is often not visible at all. So it helps always to check the root (lexical form) in the word analysis.