14.2 3נ and 3ת with Silent Sheva Assimilate to Dagesh

A Dagesh Forte = pay attention! Something is different.

  • A Tav with a Silent Sheva assimilates to another Tav only
    • It becomes a Dagesh Forte in the following Tav
    • This occurs in all Qal Perfect 2nd person forms as well as 1cs
    • NOT כָּרַתְתָּ*, BUT כָּרַתָּ
  • A Nun with a Silent Sheva assimilates to anything
    • It becomes a Dagesh Forte in the next letter
    • This occurs in all Qal Perfect 1st and 2nd Person forms
      • NOT נַתַ֫נְתָּ*, BUT נַתַ֫תָּ
      • NOT נָתַנְנוּ*, BUT נַתַ֫נּוֹ
  • The Dagesh mark in the 2MS ending is usually a Lene, but when preceded by נ or ת it becomes a Forte (Why?106)

DAGESH FORTE

  • The Dagesh Forte is your clue that something is different
  • Often, it replaces a missing letter

  1. A Dagesh is a Forte if it is preceded by a vowel that is not a Sheva.↩︎