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Verb tenses
- Past Tense (Pa'al) — Full Conjugation
- Future Tense (Pa'al)
- Future Person Prefixes (א-ת-י-נ)
- The Imperative (Tzivui)
- Present-Tense Weak Roots (Overview)
- Past of Lamed-Hey Verbs
- "to be" in the Past (hayah)
- "to be" in the Future (yihyeh)
- Pe-Nun Verbs (assimilating nun)
- Pe-Yod/Vav Verbs (yoshev, yored)
- Hollow Verbs (kam, ba, gar)
Binyanim
Connectors
Numbers dates time
Syntax
Prepositions
Construct state
Roots patterns
Possession
Gender number
Definiteness
Conditionals
Vocabulary usage
Relative clauses
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Necessity & Permission: tzarich / asur / mutar
חוֹבָה וְהֶתֵּר: צָרִיךְ, אָסוּר, מֻתָּר
To say what you **have to**, what is **forbidden**, and what is **allowed**, Hebrew uses three little words before an infinitive: צָרִיךְ (*need/must*), אָסוּר (*forbidden*), and מֻתָּר (*allowed/permitted*). צָרִיךְ behaves like an adjective and AGREES with the subject — צָרִיךְ (m.), צְרִיכָה (f.), צְרִיכִים / צְרִיכוֹת (pl.): אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לָלֶכֶת, הִיא צְרִיכָה לָלֶכֶת. אָסוּר and מֻתָּר are usually impersonal — they stay in one form and the person who is affected is added with לְ־: אָסוּר לְעַשֵּׁן (*it is forbidden to smoke*), מֻתָּר לִי לְעַשֵּׁן? (*am I allowed to smoke?*). All three are followed by the infinitive (לִ־ form).
Key rule
צָרִיךְ agrees with the subject (צָרִיךְ/צְרִיכָה/צְרִיכִים/צְרִיכוֹת); אָסוּר and מֻתָּר are impersonal with לְ־ for the person — all three take the infinitive.
Examples
- אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לָלֶכֶת עַכְשָׁו.אֲנִי צְרִיכָה לָלֶכֶת עַכְשָׁו.
A male speaker says צָרִיךְ; צְרִיכָה is the feminine form — צָרִיךְ agrees with the subject's gender.
- הִיא צְרִיכָה לִלְמֹד לַמִּבְחָן.הִיא צָרִיךְ לִלְמֹד לַמִּבְחָן.
With a feminine subject (הִיא) the form must be צְרִיכָה, not the masculine צָרִיךְ.
- אָסוּר לְעַשֵּׁן כָּאן.אֲסוּרָה לְעַשֵּׁן כָּאן.
Before an infinitive אָסוּר is impersonal and stays masculine-singular; it does not agree with anything.
Common mistakes
Not agreeing צָרִיךְ with the subject
הַיְּלָדוֹת צָרִיךְ לָנוּחַ.הַיְּלָדוֹת צְרִיכוֹת לָנוּחַ.צָרִיךְ inflects like a present form; a feminine-plural subject needs צְרִיכוֹת.
Making אָסוּר/מֻתָּר agree before an infinitive
מֻתֶּרֶת לְעַשֵּׁן בַּחוּץ.מֻתָּר לְעַשֵּׁן בַּחוּץ.With an infinitive these are impersonal and stay in the base masculine-singular form.
Impersonal: efshar / i-efshar / kedai
אֶפְשָׁר / אִי־אֶפְשָׁר / כְּדַאי (סְתָמִי)
אֶפְשָׁר means *one can / it is possible* and כְּדַאי means *it is worthwhile / a good idea*. Both are **impersonal** — they never change form and never take a subject pronoun. They are followed by the infinitive: אֶפְשָׁר לֶאֱכֹל כָּאן (*one can eat here*), כְּדַאי לְהַזְמִין מֵרֹאשׁ (*it's worth booking in advance*). To say who, add the preposition לְ־: כְּדַאי לְךָ לָנוּחַ (*you'd better rest*). The negative of אֶפְשָׁר is אִי־אֶפְשָׁר (*it's impossible / you can't*). אֶפְשָׁר ...? is also the polite everyday way to ask permission: אֶפְשָׁר לְקַבֵּל אֶת הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן? (*may I have the bill?*).
Key rule
אֶפְשָׁר ('one can/possible'), its negative אִי־אֶפְשָׁר, and כְּדַאי ('worthwhile') are impersonal — invariable, no subject pronoun, plus an infinitive (and לְ־ for the person).
Examples
- אֶפְשָׁר לְשַׁלֵּם בְּכַרְטִיס?אֲנִי אֶפְשָׁר לְשַׁלֵּם בְּכַרְטִיס?
אֶפְשָׁר is impersonal — it cannot take a subject pronoun like אֲנִי.
- כְּדַאי לְךָ לְהַזְמִין מֵרֹאשׁ.אַתָּה כְּדַאי לְהַזְמִין מֵרֹאשׁ.
The person is added with לְךָ, not as a subject (אַתָּה).
- אִי־אֶפְשָׁר לִקְרֹא אֶת זֶה.לֹא אֶפְשָׁר לִקְרֹא אֶת זֶה.
The negative of אֶפְשָׁר is the set phrase אִי־אֶפְשָׁר, not לֹא אֶפְשָׁר.
Common mistakes
Adding a subject pronoun to אֶפְשָׁר/כְּדַאי
אֲנִי כְּדַאי לָנוּחַ.כְּדַאי לִי לָנוּחַ.These words are impersonal; the person is expressed with לְ־ (לִי), never as a subject.
Negating אֶפְשָׁר with לֹא
לֹא אֶפְשָׁר לְהִכָּנֵס.אִי־אֶפְשָׁר לְהִכָּנֵס.The fixed negative is אִי־אֶפְשָׁר; לֹא אֶפְשָׁר is not idiomatic.
Definiteness in Smichut (the on the Second Noun)
יִדּוּעַ הַסְּמִיכוּת
In a construct phrase (smichut) of two nouns, you make the whole thing definite (*the*) by putting הַ־ on the **SECOND** noun only — never on the first. So בֵּית סֵפֶר = *a school*, but בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר = *the school*. Likewise עוּגַת שׁוֹקוֹלָד = *a chocolate cake*, עוּגַת הַשּׁוֹקוֹלָד = *the chocolate cake*. The first noun (the *nismach*) can never carry הַ־; its definiteness is borrowed from the second noun (the *somech*). This feels backwards to English speakers, who would expect *the* at the very front. The rule: one הַ־, and it goes on the last noun of the construct chain.
Key rule
To make a smichut definite, put הַ־ only on the LAST noun (בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר); the first/bound noun never carries the article.
Examples
- בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר גָּדוֹל.הַבֵּית סֵפֶר גָּדוֹל.
Definiteness goes on the second noun (הַסֵּפֶר); the bound noun בֵּית never takes הַ־.
- אָכַלְנוּ אֶת עוּגַת הַשּׁוֹקוֹלָד.אָכַלְנוּ אֶת הָעוּגַת שׁוֹקוֹלָד.
'The chocolate cake' marks הַ־ on שׁוֹקוֹלָד, not on the bound עוּגַת.
- כּוֹס הַתֵּה עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן.הַכּוֹס תֵּה עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן.
Put הַ־ on the second noun (הַתֵּה) to mean 'the cup of tea'.
Common mistakes
Putting הַ־ on the first (bound) noun
הַבֵּית סֵפֶר סָגוּר הַיּוֹם.בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר סָגוּר הַיּוֹם.The bound noun never carries הַ־; definiteness is marked on the second noun.
Double definiteness (הַ־ on both nouns)
הַבֵּית הַסֵּפֶר חָדָשׁ.בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר חָדָשׁ.A smichut is marked definite once, only on the last noun.
The Construct (Nismach) Form of the First Noun
צוּרַת הַנִּסְמָךְ
In a construct phrase the FIRST noun often changes its shape. Feminine nouns ending in ־ָה swap that to ־ַת: שָׁעָה → שְׁעַת (שְׁעַת הַשִּׁיא *rush hour*), עוּגָה → עוּגַת (עוּגַת גְּבִינָה *cheesecake*). Some nouns reduce their vowels: בַּיִת → בֵּית (בֵּית סֵפֶר), מִשְׁפָּחָה → מִשְׁפַּחַת. Many short nouns don't change at all (כּוֹס, סֵפֶר). The second noun keeps its normal form. So the construct (smichut) is built from a special, slightly shortened FIRST noun plus a normal second noun.
Key rule
The first noun of a construct takes the bound form — most notably feminine ־ָה → ־ַת (עוּגָה→עוּגַת), with some irregulars (בַּיִת→בֵּית); the second noun stays normal.
Examples
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב עוּגַת גְּבִינָה.אֲנִי אוֹהֵב עוּגָה גְּבִינָה.
As the bound noun, עוּגָה becomes עוּגַת (־ָה → ־ַת) in the construct.
- זֹאת שְׂפַת הָאֵם שֶׁלִּי.זֹאת שָׂפָה הָאֵם שֶׁלִּי.
'Mother tongue' needs the construct שְׂפַת, not the free form שָׂפָה.
- בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת קָרוֹב.בַּיִת הַכְּנֶסֶת קָרוֹב.
בַּיִת takes the irregular construct form בֵּית.
Common mistakes
Leaving the feminine ־ָה ending in the construct
עֲבוֹדָה בַּיִת קָשָׁה הַיּוֹם.עֲבוֹדַת בַּיִת קָשָׁה הַיּוֹם.A feminine bound noun changes ־ָה → ־ַת: עֲבוֹדָה → עֲבוֹדַת ('homework').
Using the free form בַּיִת instead of construct בֵּית
בַּיִת מַרְקַחַת בַּפִּנָּה.בֵּית מַרְקַחַת בַּפִּנָּה.בַּיִת has the irregular construct בֵּית ('pharmacy' = בֵּית מַרְקַחַת).
Construct of Plurals (-im → -ei)
סְמִיכוּת רַבִּים (־ֵי)
When the FIRST noun of a construct is a masculine plural ending in ־ִים, that ending becomes ־ֵי in the construct: בָּתִּים → בָּתֵּי (בָּתֵּי סֵפֶר *schools*), יַלְדֵי (יַלְדֵי הַגַּן *the kindergarten children*), אַנְשֵׁי (אַנְשֵׁי עֵסֶק *business people*). Feminine plurals in ־וֹת usually stay the same: עוּגוֹת שׁוֹקוֹלָד (*chocolate cakes*). So the typical sign of a plural construct is the ־ֵי ending on the first noun. The second noun behaves exactly as in the singular construct: put הַ־ on it to make the whole thing definite (יַלְדֵי הַגַּן).
Key rule
A masculine-plural first noun changes ־ִים → ־ֵי in the construct (יְלָדִים→יַלְדֵי); feminine ־וֹת plurals stay the same; definiteness still goes only on the last noun.
Examples
- יַלְדֵי הַגַּן יָצְאוּ לְטִיּוּל.יְלָדִים הַגַּן יָצְאוּ לְטִיּוּל.
The plural bound noun takes ־ֵי: יְלָדִים → יַלְדֵי.
- בָּעִיר יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה בָּתֵּי קָפֶה.בָּעִיר יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה בָּתִּים קָפֶה.
'Cafés' uses the plural construct בָּתֵּי, not the free plural בָּתִּים.
- אֵלֶּה אַנְשֵׁי הַצָּבָא.אֵלֶּה אֲנָשִׁים הַצָּבָא.
אֲנָשִׁים → אַנְשֵׁי in the plural construct.
Common mistakes
Keeping the full ־ִים in a plural construct
אֲנָשִׁים הַעֲבוֹדָה עֲסוּקִים.אַנְשֵׁי הָעֲבוֹדָה עֲסוּקִים.Masculine plural ־ִים becomes ־ֵי on the bound noun.
Wrongly changing a feminine ־וֹת plural
חֲנֻיֵּי הַסְּפָרִים סְגוּרוֹת.חֲנֻיּוֹת הַסְּפָרִים סְגוּרוֹת.Feminine plural ־וֹת stays the same in the construct.
Vowel Changes in the Plural
שִׁנּוּיֵי תְּנוּעָה בָּרַבִּים
Adding the plural ending often changes the vowels inside the word, because the stress moves to the end. A long kamatz (a) frequently reduces to a shva (a quick *e* / nothing): דָּבָר → דְּבָרִים (*things*), מָקוֹם → מְקוֹמוֹת (*places*), זָקֵן → זְקֵנִים (*old men*). Sometimes the vowel changes quality: שָׁנָה → שָׁנִים (*years*). So you can't just stick ־ִים/־וֹת onto the singular and keep the same vowels — listen for the reduced first syllable. These shifts are regular once you see the pattern: the syllable two before the stress weakens.
Key rule
Adding the plural ending shifts the stress and usually reduces an earlier vowel — typically kamatz → shva (דָּבָר→דְּבָרִים, מָקוֹם→מְקוֹמוֹת).
Examples
- יֵשׁ לִי הַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים לַעֲשׂוֹת.יֵשׁ לִי הַרְבֵּה דָּבָרִים לַעֲשׂוֹת.
דָּבָר → דְּבָרִים: the first kamatz reduces to a shva when the plural is added.
- בִּקַּרְנוּ בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת יָפִים.בִּקַּרְנוּ בְּכַמָּה מָקוֹמוֹת יָפִים.
מָקוֹם → מְקוֹמוֹת with the first vowel reduced to shva.
- הַזְּקֵנִים יָשְׁבוּ בַּגַּן.הַזָּקֵנִים יָשְׁבוּ בַּגַּן.
זָקֵן → זְקֵנִים: the kamatz of the singular reduces in the plural.
Common mistakes
Keeping the singular kamatz in the plural
יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה דָּבָרִים.יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים.The plural shifts the stress and reduces the first vowel: דָּבָר → דְּבָרִים.
Not reducing the vowel of מָקוֹם
הָלַכְנוּ לְכַמָּה מָקוֹמוֹת.הָלַכְנוּ לְכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת.מָקוֹם → מְקוֹמוֹת with reduction of the initial vowel.
Mixed-Gender Agreement → Masculine
הַתְאָמָה בִּקְבוּצָה מְעֹרֶבֶת → זָכָר
When a group includes both males and females — even just one man among many women — Hebrew uses the **masculine plural** for verbs, adjectives, and pronouns. So a class of girls plus one boy are הַתַּלְמִידִים (m.pl.), they go הֵם הוֹלְכִים, and they are חֲכָמִים. Only an all-female group takes the feminine plural (הֵן הוֹלְכוֹת). This is the default 'mixed = masculine' rule. It also applies when you address a mixed group: שָׁלוֹם לְכֻלָּם, and to 'you all' (אַתֶּם, not אַתֶּן, for a mixed crowd).
Key rule
A mixed-gender group takes masculine-plural agreement (verbs, adjectives, pronouns); the feminine plural is used only for an all-female group.
Examples
- דָּנָה וְיוֹסִי הָלְכוּ וְהֵם עֲיֵפִים.דָּנָה וְיוֹסִי הָלְכוּ וְהֵן עֲיֵפוֹת.
A mixed pair (a woman and a man) takes masculine plural: הֵם עֲיֵפִים, not הֵן עֲיֵפוֹת.
- הַתַּלְמִידִים בַּכִּתָּה חֲכָמִים.הַתַּלְמִידוֹת בַּכִּתָּה חֲכָמִים.
For a mixed class use the masculine noun/adjective; הַתַּלְמִידוֹת would mean only girls.
- אַתֶּם מוּכָנִים לָצֵאת?אַתֶּן מוּכָנִים לָצֵאת?
Addressing a mixed group uses אַתֶּם (m.pl.) with a masculine adjective.
Common mistakes
Using feminine plural because women are the majority
תֵּשַׁע בָּנוֹת וּבֵן אֶחָד — הֵן שְׂמֵחוֹת.תֵּשַׁע בָּנוֹת וּבֵן אֶחָד — הֵם שְׂמֵחִים.Even one male makes the group masculine; Hebrew doesn't count the majority.
Mixing feminine pronoun with masculine adjective
הֵן עֲיֵפִים.הֵם עֲיֵפִים.Pronoun and adjective must match: a mixed group is masculine throughout (הֵם … עֲיֵפִים).
Demonstrative Agreement (Gender & Number)
הַתְאָמַת הָרֶמֶז בְּמִין וּבְמִסְפָּר
The demonstratives *this/these* agree with their noun: זֶה (m.sg.), זֹאת (f.sg.), אֵלֶּה (pl., both genders). So זֶה סֵפֶר (*this is a book*, m.), זֹאת מַחְבֶּרֶת (*this is a notebook*, f.), אֵלֶּה סְפָרִים (*these are books*). When the demonstrative comes AFTER a definite noun (the attributive use), both the noun and the demonstrative take הַ־ and the demonstrative still agrees: הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה (*this book*), הַמַּחְבֶּרֶת הַזֹּאת (*this notebook*), הַסְּפָרִים הָאֵלֶּה (*these books*). Pick the demonstrative by the noun's gender and number.
Key rule
Demonstratives agree: זֶה (m.sg.) / זֹאת (f.sg.) / אֵלֶּה (pl.); after a definite noun they take הַ־ and follow it (הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה, הַסְּפָרִים הָאֵלֶּה).
Examples
- זֹאת מַחְבֶּרֶת חֲדָשָׁה.זֶה מַחְבֶּרֶת חֲדָשָׁה.
מַחְבֶּרֶת is feminine, so the demonstrative must be זֹאת, not זֶה.
- הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה מְעַנְיֵן.הַסֵּפֶר זֶה מְעַנְיֵן.
The attributive demonstrative takes הַ־ to match the definite noun: הַזֶּה.
- הַסְּפָרִים הָאֵלֶּה יְקָרִים.הַסְּפָרִים הַזֶּה יְקָרִים.
A plural noun needs the plural demonstrative הָאֵלֶּה, not the singular הַזֶּה.
Common mistakes
Using זֶה with a feminine noun
זֶה תְּמוּנָה יָפָה.זֹאת תְּמוּנָה יָפָה.תְּמוּנָה is feminine; the demonstrative must agree as זֹאת.
Omitting הַ־ on the attributive demonstrative
הָאִישׁ זֶה גָּבוֹהַּ.הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה גָּבוֹהַּ.After a definite noun the demonstrative also takes הַ־ (definiteness agreement).
Dual & Paired Body Parts (feminine agreement)
זוּגִי בְּאֵיבְרֵי הַגּוּף
Body parts that naturally come in pairs use the dual ending ־ַיִם: עֵינַיִם (*eyes*), אָזְנַיִם (*ears*), יָדַיִם (*hands*), רַגְלַיִם (*legs/feet*), כָּתֵפַיִם (*shoulders*). Even though they look 'dual', they function as **feminine plural** for agreement: עֵינַיִם יָפוֹת (*beautiful eyes*, f.pl.), יָדַיִם נְקִיּוֹת (*clean hands*). So adjectives and verbs take the feminine-plural form (־וֹת). To say one of the pair, use the feminine singular: עַיִן אַחַת (*one eye*), יָד אַחַת (*one hand*). These paired words are nearly always feminine.
Key rule
Paired body parts take the dual ending ־ַיִם but agree as FEMININE PLURAL (עֵינַיִם יְרֻקּוֹת, יָדַיִם נְקִיּוֹת); 'one of the pair' is feminine singular (עַיִן אַחַת).
Examples
- יֵשׁ לָהּ עֵינַיִם יְרֻקּוֹת.יֵשׁ לָהּ עֵינַיִם יְרֻקִּים.
עֵינַיִם is feminine plural, so the adjective is יְרֻקּוֹת, not the masculine יְרֻקִּים.
- הָרַגְלַיִם שֶׁלִּי כּוֹאֲבוֹת.הָרַגְלַיִם שֶׁלִּי כּוֹאֲבִים.
רַגְלַיִם takes feminine-plural verb agreement (כּוֹאֲבוֹת).
- שְׁטֹף אֶת הַיָּדַיִם — הֵן מְלֻכְלָכוֹת.שְׁטֹף אֶת הַיָּדַיִם — הֵם מְלֻכְלָכִים.
Hands are feminine plural; the pronoun is הֵן and the adjective מְלֻכְלָכוֹת.
Common mistakes
Masculine adjective with a paired body part
יָדַיִם חֲזָקִים.יָדַיִם חֲזָקוֹת.Paired body parts are feminine plural; the adjective takes ־וֹת.
Masculine verb agreement
הָרַגְלַיִם שֶׁלִּי כּוֹאֲבִים.הָרַגְלַיִם שֶׁלִּי כּוֹאֲבוֹת.Use the feminine-plural verb form for these nouns.
Proper Nouns & Inherent Definiteness
שֵׁמוֹת פְּרָטִיִּים וְיִדּוּעַ מֻבְנֶה
Proper names — people, cities, countries — are already definite WITHOUT הַ־: דָּנָה, תֵּל אָבִיב, יִשְׂרָאֵל. You don't add the article. Because they count as definite, two things follow: (1) when a name is a direct object, you put אֶת before it — רָאִיתִי אֶת דָּנָה (*I saw Dana*), אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אֶת תֵּל אָבִיב; and (2) an adjective describing a name still takes הַ־ — דָּנָה הַגְּבוֹהָה (*tall Dana*). A few place names happen to include הַ־ as part of the name (הָאָרֶץ, הַכֹּתֶל, הַיַּרְקוֹן), but ordinary names do not.
Key rule
Proper nouns are definite without הַ־; as direct objects they take אֶת (רָאִיתִי אֶת דָּנָה), and their adjectives take הַ־ (דָּנָה הַגְּבוֹהָה).
Examples
- רָאִיתִי אֶת דָּנָה בַּשּׁוּק.רָאִיתִי דָּנָה בַּשּׁוּק.
A proper name as a direct object is definite, so it needs אֶת.
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אֶת תֵּל אָבִיב.אֲנִי אוֹהֵב תֵּל אָבִיב.
City names are definite objects and take אֶת.
- גַּרְתִּי בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁנָה.גַּרְתִּי בְּהַיִּשְׂרָאֵל שָׁנָה.
The country name יִשְׂרָאֵל is definite without הַ־; don't add the article.
Common mistakes
Dropping אֶת before a name object
פָּגַשְׁתִּי רוֹן אֶתְמוֹל.פָּגַשְׁתִּי אֶת רוֹן אֶתְמוֹל.Names are definite objects and require the marker אֶת.
Adding הַ־ to a personal name
הַדָּנָה בָּאָה.דָּנָה בָּאָה.Personal names are already definite; הַ־ is not added.
Binyan Pi'el — Present
בִּנְיַן פִּעֵל — הוֹוֶה
Pi'el is the second verb template you learn. In the present (beinoni) it has a מְ prefix and the middle root letter is 'strengthened' (in older spelling it carried a dagesh). The four forms of 'to speak' (root d-b-r) are: מְדַבֵּר (m.sg.), מְדַבֶּרֶת (f.sg.), מְדַבְּרִים (m.pl.), מְדַבְּרוֹת (f.pl.). Many very common verbs are Pi'el: מְדַבֵּר (speaks), מְבַקֵּשׁ (asks/requests), מְסַפֵּר (tells), מְשַׁלֵּם (pays), מְקַבֵּל (receives). The easiest way to spot a Pi'el present verb is the מְ at the front plus the -e- vowels (mCaCeC). Like all present forms, it agrees only in gender and number, never in person.
Key rule
Pi'el present = מְ prefix + meCaCeC pattern (מְדַבֵּר / מְדַבֶּרֶת / מְדַבְּרִים / מְדַבְּרוֹת), agreeing only in gender and number.
Examples
- אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר עִבְרִית.אֲנִי דַּבֵּר עִבְרִית.
The Pi'el present needs the מְ prefix: מְדַבֵּר; דַּבֵּר without it is the imperative form, not the present.
- הִיא מְסַפֶּרֶת סִפּוּר.הִיא מְסַפֵּר סִפּוּר.
A feminine singular subject needs the f.sg. form מְסַפֶּרֶת, not the masculine מְסַפֵּר.
- הֵם מְבַקְּשִׁים עֶזְרָה.הֵם מְבַקֵּשׁ עֶזְרָה.
A masculine plural subject needs the plural form מְבַקְּשִׁים.
Common mistakes
Dropping the מְ prefix in the present
הוּא דַּבֵּר בַּטֵּלֵפוֹןהוּא מְדַבֵּר בַּטֵּלֵפוֹןThe Pi'el present always begins with מְ; without it you get the imperative or bare stem, not 'is speaking'.
Using מַ (Hif'il prefix) instead of מְ
אֲנִי מַסַפֵּר סִפּוּראֲנִי מְסַפֵּר סִפּוּרPi'el present takes מְ + meCaCeC; מַ with the second-syllable -i- belongs to Hif'il (מַתְחִיל).
Binyan Pi'el — Past & Future
פִּעֵל — עָבָר וְעָתִיד
Once you know the Pi'el present, you can build its past and future. The past has no prefix and uses -i- in the first syllable: דִּבַּרְתִּי (I spoke), דִּבַּרְתָּ (you spoke), דִּבֵּר (he spoke), דִּבְּרוּ (they spoke). The future uses the normal person prefixes (א/ת/י/נ) plus the מְ-less Pi'el shape with -a-…-e-: אֲדַבֵּר (I will speak), תְּדַבֵּר, יְדַבֵּר, נְדַבֵּר. So for 'to tell' (s-p-r): סִפַּרְתִּי (I told), אֲסַפֵּר (I will tell). The middle root letter stays doubled throughout. Notice that, unlike the present, the past and future already show the person in their endings/prefixes, so the pronoun can be dropped.
Key rule
Pi'el past = CiCeC + person suffixes (דִּבַּרְתִּי, דִּבֵּר); Pi'el future = prefix (shva) + CaCeC (אֲדַבֵּר, יְדַבֵּר) — the middle radical stays doubled.
Examples
- אֶתְמוֹל דִּבַּרְתִּי עִם הַמּוֹרֶה.אֶתְמוֹל מְדַבַּרְתִּי עִם הַמּוֹרֶה.
The past has no מְ prefix: דִּבַּרְתִּי; the מְ belongs only to the present.
- מָחָר אֲדַבֵּר אִתָּהּ.מָחָר אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר אִתָּהּ מָחָר.
For a clear future, use the future form אֲדַבֵּר; the present מְדַבֵּר reads as 'now', not 'tomorrow'.
- הִיא סִפְּרָה לִי הַכֹּל.הִיא סִפֵּר לִי הַכֹּל.
A feminine 3rd-person past needs דִּבְּרָה-type ending: סִפְּרָה, not the masculine סִפֵּר.
Common mistakes
Keeping the מְ prefix in the past
אֲנִי מְדִבַּרְתִּידִּבַּרְתִּיThe מְ is exclusive to the present; the past is built on the bare CiCeC stem + suffix.
Using a Pa'al vowel pattern in the Pi'el past
הוּא דָּבַר אִתִּיהוּא דִּבֵּר אִתִּיPi'el past is CiCeC (דִּבֵּר); דָּבַר is the (non-existent here) Pa'al shape.
Binyan Hitpa'el — Present
בִּנְיַן הִתְפַּעֵל — הוֹוֶה
Hitpa'el is the reflexive/reciprocal binyan — you do something to yourself, or people do it to each other. In the present its forms begin with מִתְ: מִתְלַבֵּשׁ (gets dressed), מִתְרַחֵץ (washes himself), מִתְרַגֵּשׁ (gets excited), מִתְכַּתֵּב (corresponds). The four forms of 'to get dressed' (l-b-sh) are: מִתְלַבֵּשׁ (m.sg.), מִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת (f.sg.), מִתְלַבְּשִׁים (m.pl.), מִתְלַבְּשׁוֹת (f.pl.). Many Hitpa'el verbs describe feelings and changes of state: מִתְרַגֵּשׁ (gets excited), מִתְעַצְבֵּן (gets annoyed), מִתְעַיֵּף (gets tired). The clue is the מִתְ prefix; like every present form it agrees only in gender and number.
Key rule
Hitpa'el present = מִתְ prefix + mitCaCeC (מִתְלַבֵּשׁ / מִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת / מִתְלַבְּשִׁים / מִתְלַבְּשׁוֹת); meaning is usually reflexive, reciprocal or a change of state.
Examples
- אֲנִי מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בַּבֹּקֶר.אֲנִי לוֹבֵשׁ אֶת עַצְמִי בַּבֹּקֶר.
Hitpa'el מִתְלַבֵּשׁ already means 'dress oneself'; you don't add 'myself' with the Pa'al לוֹבֵשׁ.
- הִיא מִתְרַגֶּשֶׁת מְאֹד.הִיא מִתְרַגֵּשׁ מְאֹד.
A feminine singular subject needs the f.sg. form מִתְרַגֶּשֶׁת.
- הֵם מִתְכַּתְּבִים כָּל שָׁבוּעַ.הֵם מִתְכַּתֵּב כָּל שָׁבוּעַ.
A plural reciprocal subject needs the plural form מִתְכַּתְּבִים.
Common mistakes
Adding 'myself' to a Hitpa'el that is already reflexive
אֲנִי מִתְרַחֵץ אֶת עַצְמִיאֲנִי מִתְרַחֵץThe מִתְ already encodes 'oneself'; adding את עצמי is redundant.
Using מַתְ (Hif'il-like) instead of מִתְ
הוּא מַתְלַבֵּשׁהוּא מִתְלַבֵּשׁThe Hitpa'el present prefix is מִתְ with a chirik, not מַ.
Binyan Hitpa'el — Past & Future
הִתְפַּעֵל — עָבָר וְעָתִיד
The Hitpa'el past begins with הִתְ (instead of the present's מִתְ): הִתְלַבַּשְׁתִּי (I got dressed), הִתְלַבֵּשׁ (he got dressed), הִתְלַבְּשׁוּ (they got dressed). The future keeps the ת of the binyan but adds the normal person prefixes: אֶתְלַבֵּשׁ (I'll get dressed), תִּתְלַבֵּשׁ, יִתְלַבֵּשׁ, נִתְלַבֵּשׁ. So for 'get excited' (r-g-sh): הִתְרַגַּשְׁתִּי (I got excited), אֶתְרַגֵּשׁ (I'll get excited). The infinitive shows the same shape: לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ. Because the past and future already mark the person, you can drop the pronoun. The meaning stays reflexive/reciprocal as in the present.
Key rule
Hitpa'el past = הִתְ + hitCaCeC + suffixes (הִתְלַבַּשְׁתִּי, הִתְלַבֵּשׁ); future = prefix + תְ + …CaCeC (אֶתְלַבֵּשׁ, יִתְלַבֵּשׁ).
Examples
- הִתְלַבַּשְׁתִּי וְיָצָאתִי.מִתְלַבַּשְׁתִּי וְיָצָאתִי.
The past prefix is הִתְ, not the present's מִתְ.
- מָחָר אֶתְרַגֵּשׁ מְאֹד.מָחָר יִתְרַגֵּשׁ מְאֹד (for 'I').
1cs future is אֶתְרַגֵּשׁ; the יִ prefix is 3rd person.
- הִיא הִתְרַגְּשָׁה מֵהַהַפְתָּעָה.הִיא הִתְרַגֵּשׁ מֵהַהַפְתָּעָה.
A 3fs past needs the -ah ending: הִתְרַגְּשָׁה.
Common mistakes
Using the present prefix מִתְ in the past
אֲנִי מִתְלַבַּשְׁתִּי אֶתְמוֹלאֲנִי הִתְלַבַּשְׁתִּי אֶתְמוֹלThe past begins with הִתְ; מִתְ is reserved for the present.
Using a 3rd-person prefix for the 1cs future
אֲנִי יִתְרַגֵּשׁ מָחָראֲנִי אֶתְרַגֵּשׁ מָחָרThe 1cs future prefix is אֶ, giving אֶתְרַגֵּשׁ.
Hitpa'el Letter-Swap with Sibilants
הִתְהַפְּכוּת הַתָּי"ו
When a Hitpa'el verb has a sibilant ('hissing') letter as its first root letter, the ת of the prefix swaps places with it. So you don't say הִתְסַכֵּל but הִסְתַּכֵּל (looks at). With שׁ the order swaps to שׁת: לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ (to use), מִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ. With ז there is an extra change — the ת becomes ד: לְהִזְדַּקֵּן (to grow old), מִזְדַּקֵּן. With צ the ת becomes ט: לְהִצְטַלֵּם (to be photographed). These are very common verbs, so it's worth memorising the four cases: ס/שׂ/שׁ → swap, ז → זד, צ → צט.
Key rule
In Hitpa'el, a first-root sibilant swaps with the ת: ס/שׂ/שׁ → metathesis (הִסְתַּכֵּל, הִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ); ז → זד (הִזְדַּקֵּן); צ → צט (הִצְטַלֵּם).
Examples
- אֲנִי מִסְתַּכֵּל עַל הַתְּמוּנָה.אֲנִי מִתְסַכֵּל עַל הַתְּמוּנָה.
With initial ס the ת swaps: מִסְתַּכֵּל, not the unmetathesised מִתְסַכֵּל.
- אֲנַחְנוּ מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בַּמַּחְשֵׁב.אֲנַחְנוּ מִתְשַׁמְּשִׁים בַּמַּחְשֵׁב.
With initial שׁ the order is שׁת: מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים.
- הַסָּבְתָּא הִזְדַּקְּנָה יָפֶה.הַסָּבְתָּא הִתְזַקְּנָה יָפֶה.
With initial ז the ת becomes ד and swaps: הִזְדַּקְּנָה.
Common mistakes
No metathesis with an initial ס/שׁ
אֲנִי מִתְסַכֵּל בַּמַּרְאָהאֲנִי מִסְתַּכֵּל בַּמַּרְאָהA first-root sibilant forces the ת to move behind it: מִסְתַּכֵּל.
Keeping ת instead of ד after ז
הוּא הִתְזַקֵּןהוּא הִזְדַּקֵּןAfter ז the ת voices to ד and swaps: הִזְדַּקֵּן.
Binyan Hif'il — Present
בִּנְיַן הִפְעִיל — הוֹוֶה
Hif'il is the causative binyan — it means 'cause to' or 'make something happen'. In the present it begins with מַ and has an -i- vowel (a long ee) before the last root letter: מַדְלִיק (turns on/lights), מַתְחִיל (begins/starts), מַסְבִּיר (explains), מַרְגִּישׁ (feels). The four forms of 'to turn on' (d-l-k) are: מַדְלִיק (m.sg.), מַדְלִיקָה (f.sg.), מַדְלִיקִים (m.pl.), מַדְלִיקוֹת (f.pl.). Notice the feminine singular ends in -ah (מַדְלִיקָה), not -et. The shape to recognise is מַ + …-i- (maCCiC). Many everyday verbs are Hif'il, and as a present form it agrees only in gender and number.
Key rule
Hif'il present = מַ prefix + maCCiC with an -i- before the last root letter (מַדְלִיק / מַדְלִיקָה / מַדְלִיקִים / מַדְלִיקוֹת); f.sg. ends in -ah.
Examples
- אֲנִי מַדְלִיק אֶת הָאוֹר.אֲנִי מְדַלֵּק אֶת הָאוֹר.
'Turn on the light' is Hif'il מַדְלִיק; מְדַלֵּק would be a Pi'el shape with the wrong prefix and vowels.
- הִיא מַתְחִילָה לַעֲבֹד.הִיא מַתְחֶלֶת לַעֲבֹד.
The Hif'il f.sg. ends in -ah: מַתְחִילָה, not the -et ending מַתְחֶלֶת.
- הֵם מַסְבִּירִים אֶת הַשִּׁעוּר.הֵם מַסְבִּיר אֶת הַשִּׁעוּר.
A plural subject needs the plural form מַסְבִּירִים.
Common mistakes
Using the Pi'el prefix מְ instead of Hif'il מַ
אֲנִי מְתְחִיל לַעֲבֹדאֲנִי מַתְחִיל לַעֲבֹדHif'il present takes מַ with a patach: מַתְחִיל.
Giving the f.sg. an -et ending
הִיא מַתְחֶלֶתהִיא מַתְחִילָהUnlike Pi'el/Hitpa'el, the Hif'il f.sg. ends in -ah: מַתְחִילָה.
Binyan Hif'il — Past & Future
הִפְעִיל — עָבָר וְעָתִיד
The Hif'il past begins with הִ and has an -i- before the last root letter in the 3rd person: הִדְלַקְתִּי (I turned on), הִדְלִיק (he turned on), הִדְלִיקָה (she turned on), הִדְלִיקוּ (they turned on). Notice the -i- shows up in הִדְלִיק but the 1st/2nd-person forms have -a- (הִדְלַקְתִּי). The future uses the normal person prefixes with -a- and -i-: אַדְלִיק (I'll turn on), תַּדְלִיק, יַדְלִיק, נַדְלִיק. So for 'to begin' (t-ch-l): הִתְחַלְתִּי (I began), אַתְחִיל (I'll begin). The prefix vowel in the future is a (patach): אַ/תַּ/יַ/נַ. The causative meaning stays the same.
Key rule
Hif'il past = הִ + hiCCiC (3rd person הִדְלִיק) / -a- short stem in 1st-2nd (הִדְלַקְתִּי); future = a-prefix + long-i (אַדְלִיק, יַדְלִיק).
Examples
- אֶתְמוֹל הִדְלַקְתִּי אֶת הַתַּנּוּר.אֶתְמוֹל הִדְלִיקְתִּי אֶת הַתַּנּוּר.
The 1cs past uses the short -a- stem: הִדְלַקְתִּי, not the long-i הִדְלִיקְתִּי.
- מָחָר אַתְחִיל דִּיאֵטָה.מָחָר אֲתְחִיל דִּיאֵטָה.
The 1cs Hif'il future prefix is אַ (patach): אַתְחִיל.
- הִיא הִסְבִּירָה הַכֹּל.הִיא הִסְבֵּרָה הַכֹּל.
The 3fs past keeps the long-i: הִסְבִּירָה.
Common mistakes
Using the long-i stem in the 1st/2nd-person past
הִדְלִיקְתִּי אֶת הָאוֹרהִדְלַקְתִּי אֶת הָאוֹרBefore consonantal suffixes the stem shortens to -a-: הִדְלַקְתִּי.
Using a non-a prefix vowel in the future
אֲנִי אֲתְחִילאֲנִי אַתְחִילHif'il future prefixes carry a patach: אַתְחִיל.
Binyan Nif'al — Present
בִּנְיַן נִפְעַל — הוֹוֶה
Nif'al is often the passive or 'middle' counterpart of Pa'al — things that happen to the subject, or that have no outside doer. In the present it begins with נִ: נִכְנָס (enters), נִמְצָא (is located / is found), נִרְאֶה (looks/seems), נִשְׁאָר (stays/remains). The four forms of 'to enter' (k-n-s) are: נִכְנָס (m.sg.), נִכְנֶסֶת (f.sg.), נִכְנָסִים (m.pl.), נִכְנָסוֹת (f.pl.). The shape to recognise is נִ + …-a- (niCCaC). Many of these verbs are intransitive and don't take a direct object — you 'enter into' (נִכְנָס לְ) rather than 'enter something'. As a present form it agrees only in gender and number.
Key rule
Nif'al present = נִ prefix + niCCaC (נִכְנָס / נִכְנֶסֶת / נִכְנָסִים / נִכְנָסוֹת); meaning is usually passive, middle or intransitive — often with a preposition, not את.
Examples
- אֲנִי נִכְנָס לַחֶדֶר.אֲנִי נִכְנָס אֶת הַחֶדֶר.
נִכְנָס is intransitive and takes לְ; it does not take the object marker את.
- הִיא נִכְנֶסֶת לַכִּתָּה.הִיא נִכְנָס לַכִּתָּה.
A feminine singular subject needs the f.sg. form נִכְנֶסֶת.
- הַמַּפְתֵּחַ נִמְצָא בַּמְּגֵרָה.הַמַּפְתֵּחַ מוֹצֵא בַּמְּגֵרָה.
'Is located/found' is the Nif'al נִמְצָא; מוֹצֵא is the active Pa'al 'finds (something)'.
Common mistakes
Adding את to an intransitive Nif'al verb
אֲנִי נִכְנָס אֶת הַבַּיִתאֲנִי נִכְנָס לַבַּיִתנִכְנָס governs לְ; intransitive Nif'al verbs do not take a direct object with את.
Using the active Pa'al instead of the middle Nif'al
הַחַלּוֹן פּוֹתֵחַ לְבַדהַחַלּוֹן נִפְתָּח לְבַדWhen the thing happens by itself, use the middle Nif'al נִפְתָּח, not the transitive פּוֹתֵחַ.
Binyan Nif'al — Past & Future
נִפְעַל — עָבָר וְעָתִיד
The Nif'al past begins with נִ, like the present, so context tells them apart: נִכְנַסְתִּי (I entered), נִכְנַס (he entered), נִכְנְסָה (she entered), נִכְנְסוּ (they entered). The future is special — it begins with אֶ/תִּ/יִ/נִ and adds a doubled letter, giving forms like אֶכָּנֵס (I'll enter), תִּכָּנֵס, יִכָּנֵס, נִכָּנֵס. The infinitive shows the same shape: לְהִכָּנֵס. So for 'to remain' (sh-a-r): נִשְׁאַרְתִּי (I stayed), אֶשָּׁאֵר (I'll stay). Notice the future has a 'strong' middle and a -ē- vowel, and the prefix is the normal future prefix. The passive/middle meaning stays the same across tenses.
Key rule
Nif'al past = נִ + niCCaC + suffixes (נִכְנַסְתִּי, נִכְנַס); future = prefix + geminated stem with -ē- (אֶכָּנֵס, יִכָּנֵס) — infinitive לְהִכָּנֵס.
Examples
- אֶתְמוֹל נִכְנַסְתִּי מְאֻחָר.אֶתְמוֹל נִכְנֶסֶת מְאֻחָר (for 'I').
נִכְנֶסֶת is the present f.sg.; the 1cs past is נִכְנַסְתִּי.
- מָחָר אֶשָּׁאֵר בַּבַּיִת.מָחָר אֲנִי נִשְׁאָר בַּבַּיִת מָחָר.
For a clear future use אֶשָּׁאֵר; the present נִשְׁאָר reads as 'now/generally'.
- הִיא נִכְנְסָה לַחֶדֶר.הִיא נִכְנַס לַחֶדֶר.
A 3fs past needs the -ah ending: נִכְנְסָה.
Common mistakes
Using a present form for a clear past/future
אֶתְמוֹל אֲנִי נִכְנֶסֶת מְאֻחָראֶתְמוֹל אֲנִי נִכְנַסְתִּי מְאֻחָרWith 'yesterday' you need the past נִכְנַסְתִּי, not the present נִכְנֶסֶת.
Using a Pa'al-style future instead of Nif'al
מָחָר יִכְנֹס לַחֶדֶרמָחָר יִכָּנֵס לַחֶדֶרNif'al 3ms future is יִכָּנֵס with a geminated stem and -ē-.
The Seven Binyanim (Overview)
שִׁבְעַת הַבִּנְיָנִים
Every Hebrew verb belongs to one of seven 'binyanim' (verb templates). You can group them by meaning: PA'AL (כּוֹתֵב) is the basic active; PI'EL (מְדַבֵּר) is often intensive/active; HIF'IL (מַדְלִיק) is causative ('cause to'); HITPA'EL (מִתְלַבֵּשׁ) is reflexive/reciprocal ('to/for oneself'); NIF'AL (נִכְנָס) is often passive or middle. Two more, PU'AL and HUF'AL, are the passive partners of Pi'el and Hif'il and you'll meet them later. A single root can appear in several binyanim with related meanings — for example l-b-sh: לוֹבֵשׁ 'wears' (Pa'al), מַלְבִּישׁ 'dresses someone' (Hif'il), מִתְלַבֵּשׁ 'gets dressed' (Hitpa'el). Learning the binyan of a verb tells you both how to conjugate it and roughly what it means.
Key rule
There are seven binyanim; the five core ones are Pa'al (active), Pi'el (often intensive), Hif'il (causative), Hitpa'el (reflexive), Nif'al (passive/middle) — and one root can run through several with related meanings.
Examples
- "כָּתַב" בְּפָעַל וְ"הִכְתִּיב" בְּהִפְעִיל בָּאִים מֵאוֹתוֹ שֹׁרֶשׁ."כָּתַב" וְ"הִכְתִּיב" בָּאִים מִשָּׁרָשִׁים שׁוֹנִים.
Both are from k-t-v; Pa'al 'wrote' and Hif'il 'dictated (made write)' show the same root in two binyanim.
- יֵשׁ שִׁבְעָה בִּנְיָנִים בְּעִבְרִית.יֵשׁ חֲמִשָּׁה בִּנְיָנִים בְּעִבְרִית.
There are seven binyanim in all; five are common, plus the two internal passives Pu'al and Huf'al.
- הִתְפַּעֵל הוּא הַבִּנְיָן הַחוֹזֵר אֶל עַצְמוֹ.הִפְעִיל הוּא הַבִּנְיָן הַחוֹזֵר אֶל עַצְמוֹ.
Hitpa'el is the reflexive binyan; Hif'il is causative.
Common mistakes
Thinking there are five binyanim, not seven
יֵשׁ חֲמִשָּׁה בִּנְיָנִיםיֵשׁ שִׁבְעָה בִּנְיָנִיםFive are common in speech, but the full system has seven, including the passives Pu'al and Huf'al.
Swapping the causative and reflexive labels
הִתְפַּעֵל הוּא הַבִּנְיָן הַגּוֹרֵםהִפְעִיל הוּא הַבִּנְיָן הַגּוֹרֵםHif'il is causative ('cause to'); Hitpa'el is reflexive/reciprocal.
Root + Pattern (Mishkal/Binyan)
שֹׁרֶשׁ וּמִשְׁקָל
Hebrew words are built from two parts: a ROOT (shoresh, usually three consonants giving the meaning) and a PATTERN (a fixed shape of vowels and extra letters). For verbs the pattern is called a binyan; for nouns and adjectives it's called a mishkal. Pour one root into different patterns and you get a whole family of words. From k-t-b: כּוֹתֵב 'writer/writes', מִכְתָּב 'letter', כְּתֹבֶת 'address', מַכְתֵּבָה 'desk'. From the noun-pattern maCCeC you can predict tool/place words; from CaCCan you predict 'a person who does X' (שַׁקְרָן 'liar', from sh-k-r). Recognising both pieces — root and pattern — lets you guess the meaning of a new word and even build new words yourself.
Key rule
A Hebrew word = ROOT (meaning) poured into a PATTERN (binyan for verbs, mishkal for nouns); the same root across patterns yields a family of related words.
Examples
- מֵהַשֹּׁרֶשׁ כ־ת־ב וּמִמִּשְׁקָלִים שׁוֹנִים נוֹצְרוּ כּוֹתֵב, מִכְתָּב וּכְתֹבֶת.כּוֹתֵב, מִכְתָּב וּכְתֹבֶת בָּאִים מִשָּׁרָשִׁים שׁוֹנִים.
All three share the root k-t-v; they differ only in the pattern (mishkal/binyan).
- הַמִּשְׁקָל קוֹבֵעַ אֶת הַתְּנוּעוֹת, וְהַשֹּׁרֶשׁ קוֹבֵעַ אֶת הַמַּשְׁמָעוּת.הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ קוֹבֵעַ אֶת הַתְּנוּעוֹת.
The pattern (mishkal) supplies the vowels/shape; the root supplies the core meaning.
- "שַׁקְרָן" בָּא מֵהַשֹּׁרֶשׁ שׁ־ק־ר בְּמִשְׁקַל הַ"בַּעַל מִקְצוֹעַ"."שַׁקְרָן" אֵין לוֹ שֹׁרֶשׁ.
שַׁקְרָן is sh-k-r in the agent pattern CaCCan; the pattern marks 'a person who habitually does X'.
Common mistakes
Thinking the pattern carries the core meaning
הַמִּשְׁקָל נוֹתֵן אֶת הַמַּשְׁמָעוּתהַשֹּׁרֶשׁ נוֹתֵן אֶת הַמַּשְׁמָעוּתThe root carries the lexical meaning; the pattern shapes its grammatical category and nuance.
Failing to strip pattern letters before finding the root
הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ שֶׁל "מַפְתֵּחַ" הוּא מ־פ־תהַשֹּׁרֶשׁ שֶׁל "מַפְתֵּחַ" הוּא פ־ת־חThe מ is a mishkal prefix; the root is p-t-ch.
Segolate Nouns
שֵׁמוֹת סֶגוֹלִיִּים
Segolate nouns are a big family of two-syllable nouns stressed on the FIRST syllable, usually with two 'e' (segol) vowels: מֶלֶךְ (king), סֵפֶר (book), יֶלֶד (child), בֹּקֶר (morning), שֶׁמֶשׁ (sun). Their special feature is what happens in the plural: the vowels change and the stress moves. The pattern becomes CCaCim/CCaCot: מֶלֶךְ → מְלָכִים, סֵפֶר → סְפָרִים, יֶלֶד → יְלָדִים, בֹּקֶר → בְּקָרִים. So you can't just add -im to the singular; you have to reshape the word. Once you know the three sub-types (e-e like מֶלֶךְ, e with tzere like סֵפֶר, o like בֹּקֶר), the plurals become predictable.
Key rule
Segolate nouns are stressed on the first syllable (מֶלֶךְ, סֵפֶר, בֹּקֶר); in the plural they reshape to CCaCim/CCaCot with the stress on the ending (מְלָכִים, סְפָרִים, בְּקָרִים).
Examples
- סֵפֶר אֶחָד, אֲבָל שְׁלוֹשָׁה סְפָרִים.סֵפֶר אֶחָד, אֲבָל שְׁלוֹשָׁה סֵפֶרִים.
The plural of the segolate סֵפֶר is סְפָרִים, not the unchanged סֵפֶרִים.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַמְּלָכִים.הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַמֶּלֶכִים.
The plural reshapes to מְלָכִים with stress on the ending, not מֶלֶכִים.
- יֶלֶד אֶחָד וְהַרְבֵּה יְלָדִים.יֶלֶד אֶחָד וְהַרְבֵּה יֶלֶדִים.
The plural of יֶלֶד is יְלָדִים; the first vowel reduces to a shva.
Common mistakes
Adding -im without reshaping the segolate
שְׁנֵי סֵפֶרִיםשְׁנֵי סְפָרִיםSegolates reshape in the plural to CCaCim: סְפָרִים, not סֵפֶרִים.
Keeping the first-syllable stress in the plural
מֶלֶכִיםמְלָכִיםThe plural stress moves to the ending and the first vowel reduces: מְלָכִים.
she- as "that" (Complementizer)
שֶׁ־ כְּמִלַּת שִׁעְבּוּד
To say sentences like 'I think THAT he is right' or 'I know THAT she came', Hebrew uses the little prefix שֶׁ־ ('she-'), which attaches directly to the front of the next word. It works after verbs of saying, thinking, knowing, hoping and feeling: אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב שֶׁ… (I think that…), הִיא אָמְרָה שֶׁ… (she said that…), אֲנִי שָׂמֵחַ שֶׁ… (I'm glad that…). Unlike in English, where 'that' is a separate word you can often drop, the Hebrew שֶׁ is one written unit with the word after it and it is NOT optional — you must say it. After שֶׁ comes a complete normal sentence, with its own subject and verb.
Key rule
Use שֶׁ־, attached to the next word, to mean 'that' after verbs/adjectives of thinking, saying, knowing and feeling; it is obligatory and is followed by a full finite clause.
Examples
- אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב שֶׁהוּא צוֹדֵק.אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב הוּא צוֹדֵק.
'That' is obligatory in Hebrew: you must attach שֶׁ before the clause.
- הִיא אָמְרָה שֶׁהִיא עֲיֵפָה.הִיא אָמְרָה שֶׁ הִיא עֲיֵפָה.
שֶׁ is written joined to the next word: שֶׁהִיא, not as a separate word.
- אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאַתָּה עָסוּק.אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ אַתָּה עָסוּק.
After יוֹדֵעַ ('know') the content clause needs שֶׁ.
Common mistakes
Dropping 'that' the way English allows
אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב הוּא צוֹדֵקאֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב שֶׁהוּא צוֹדֵקHebrew never omits the complementizer; שֶׁ is obligatory before the clause.
Writing שֶׁ as a separate word
אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁ אַתָּה צוֹדֵקאֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאַתָּה צוֹדֵקשֶׁ is a prefix written joined to the following word, with no space.
"Because": ki / ki she-
כִּי (סִבָּה)
To give a reason — 'because…' — Hebrew uses כִּי. It joins two sentences: first the result, then כִּי, then the reason. For example: אֲנִי עָיֵף כִּי עָבַדְתִּי כָּל הַיּוֹם — 'I'm tired because I worked all day.' כִּי always comes between the two clauses, never at the very start of the whole sentence, and it is followed by a full sentence with its own subject and verb. A common alternative with the same meaning is בִּגְלַל שֶׁ ('because'), but be careful: plain בִּגְלַל (without שֶׁ) is followed by a NOUN (בִּגְלַל הַגֶּשֶׁם, 'because of the rain'), while כִּי and בִּגְלַל שֶׁ are followed by a clause.
Key rule
Use כִּי between two clauses to give a reason ([result] כִּי [reason]); use בִּגְלַל + noun for 'because of', and בִּגְלַל שֶׁ / כִּי + clause for 'because'.
Examples
- אֲנִי עָיֵף כִּי עָבַדְתִּי כָּל הַיּוֹם.אֲנִי עָיֵף בִּגְלַל עָבַדְתִּי כָּל הַיּוֹם.
Before a clause use כִּי (or בִּגְלַל שֶׁ); plain בִּגְלַל must be followed by a noun, not a verb.
- נִשְׁאַרְנוּ בַּבַּיִת כִּי יָרַד גֶּשֶׁם.כִּי יָרַד גֶּשֶׁם נִשְׁאַרְנוּ בַּבַּיִת.
כִּי cannot open the whole sentence; the reason clause comes after the result.
- אֲנִי לֹא בָּא כִּי אֲנִי חוֹלֶה.אֲנִי לֹא בָּא כִּי אֲנִי הוּא חוֹלֶה.
The clause after כִּי is a normal nominal sentence with no copula word.
Common mistakes
Using בִּגְלַל + verb instead of כִּי/בִּגְלַל שֶׁ
נִשְׁאַרְתִּי בַּבַּיִת בִּגְלַל יָרַד גֶּשֶׁםנִשְׁאַרְתִּי בַּבַּיִת כִּי יָרַד גֶּשֶׁםPlain בִּגְלַל takes a noun; before a clause use כִּי or בִּגְלַל שֶׁ.
Fronting the reason with כִּי
כִּי הָיָה חַם הָלַכְנוּ לַיָּםהָלַכְנוּ לַיָּם כִּי הָיָה חַםכִּי cannot open the sentence; the reason clause comes second.
"When": kshe-
כְּשֶׁ־ (זְמַן)
To say 'when' linking two events in time — 'When I arrived, she was sleeping' — Hebrew uses כְּשֶׁ־ ('ksha-'), written joined to the next word. It is built from כְּ ('as/like') + שֶׁ ('that'). You put it at the front of the time clause: כְּשֶׁהִגַּעְתִּי, הִיא יָשְׁנָה. The כְּשֶׁ-clause can come first (then a comma, then the main clause) or second. Be careful: כְּשֶׁ is for statements ('when X happened'); for the question 'When?' you use a different word, מָתַי. Both clauses keep their own normal verbs and tenses.
Key rule
Use כְּשֶׁ־ (joined to the next word) for 'when' linking events in a statement; keep מָתַי only for the question 'when?', and use normal tense in both clauses.
Examples
- כְּשֶׁהִגַּעְתִּי הַבַּיְתָה, אִמָּא בִּשְּׁלָה.מָתַי הִגַּעְתִּי הַבַּיְתָה, אִמָּא בִּשְּׁלָה.
For 'when' in a statement use כְּשֶׁ; מָתַי is only for the question 'when?'.
- אֲנִי שָׂמֵחַ כְּשֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה אוֹתְךָ.אֲנִי שָׂמֵחַ כְּשֶׁ אֲנִי רוֹאֶה אוֹתְךָ.
כְּשֶׁ is written joined to the next word, with no space.
- כְּשֶׁאַגִּיעַ, אֲנִי אֲטַלְפֵּן אֵלֶיךָ.כְּשֶׁהִגַּעְתִּי, אֲנִי אֲטַלְפֵּן אֵלֶיךָ.
For a future event use the future inside the clause: כְּשֶׁאַגִּיעַ.
Common mistakes
Using מָתַי for 'when' in a statement
מָתַי הִגַּעְתִּי, אֲכַלְנוּכְּשֶׁהִגַּעְתִּי, אֲכַלְנוּמָתַי is interrogative only; the subordinator 'when' is כְּשֶׁ.
Writing כְּשֶׁ as a separate word
כְּשֶׁ הִגַּעְתִּי הַבַּיְתָהכְּשֶׁהִגַּעְתִּי הַבַּיְתָהכְּשֶׁ is a prefix joined to the following word with no space.
"If": im (Real Conditions)
אִם (תְּנַאי מְצִיאוּתִי)
To talk about something that may really happen — 'If it rains, we'll stay home' — Hebrew uses אִם ('if'). It opens the condition: אִם יֵרֵד גֶּשֶׁם, נִשָּׁאֵר בַּבַּיִת. The 'if' clause usually comes first, then a comma, then the result; often the result begins with אָז ('then'): אִם תִּרְצֶה, אָז נֵצֵא. For real or likely conditions you typically use the FUTURE in both parts (אִם תָּבוֹא, אֲשַׂמַּח). Don't confuse אִם ('if') with אוֹ ('or') — they look similar but mean different things. אִם is one separate word and is never written joined to the next word.
Key rule
Use אִם for real/likely 'if'; put the condition first (often with אָז in the result), and prefer the future tense in both clauses for future conditions.
Examples
- אִם יֵרֵד גֶּשֶׁם, נִשָּׁאֵר בַּבַּיִת.אוֹ יֵרֵד גֶּשֶׁם, נִשָּׁאֵר בַּבַּיִת.
'If' is אִם; אוֹ means 'or' and changes the meaning entirely.
- אִם תָּבוֹא מָחָר, נֵצֵא יַחַד.אִם אַתָּה בָּא מָחָר, נֵצֵא יַחַד.
For a future condition Hebrew uses the future in the if-clause: אִם תָּבוֹא.
- אִם תִּרְצֶה, אָז נֵלֵךְ לַסֶּרֶט.אִם תִּרְצֶה אָז אָז נֵלֵךְ לַסֶּרֶט.
The result may start with אָז ('then'), but only once.
Common mistakes
Confusing אִם ('if') with אוֹ ('or')
אוֹ תָּבוֹא, נֵצֵאאִם תָּבוֹא, נֵצֵא'If' is אִם; אוֹ means 'or'.
Confusing אִם ('if') with עִם ('with')
אֲנִי לֹא בָּטוּחַ עִם זֶה נָכוֹןאֲנִי לֹא בָּטוּחַ אִם זֶה נָכוֹןEmbedded 'whether/if' is אִם; עִם means 'with'.
Purpose: kedei + Infinitive
כְּדֵי + שֵׁם הַפֹּעַל
To say WHY you do something — the purpose, 'in order to' — Hebrew uses כְּדֵי followed by the infinitive (the 'to do' form): אֲנִי לוֹמֵד כְּדֵי לְהַצְלִיחַ — 'I study in order to succeed.' Use כְּדֵי + infinitive when the SAME person does both actions. If the purpose involves a DIFFERENT subject ('so that he succeeds'), you say כְּדֵי שֶׁ + a finite verb: אֲנִי מַסְבִּיר כְּדֵי שֶׁתָּבִין ('I explain so that you understand'). In speech you can often just use לְ + infinitive alone for purpose (בָּאתִי לִרְאוֹת אוֹתְךָ), but כְּדֵי makes the purpose explicit and clear.
Key rule
Use כְּדֵי + infinitive for purpose with the same subject, and כְּדֵי שֶׁ + a finite verb when the subject of the purpose is different; do not confuse it with causal כִּי.
Examples
- אֲנִי לוֹמֵד הַרְבֵּה כְּדֵי לְהַצְלִיחַ בַּמִּבְחָן.אֲנִי לוֹמֵד הַרְבֵּה כִּי לְהַצְלִיחַ בַּמִּבְחָן.
Purpose ('in order to') is כְּדֵי + infinitive; כִּי means 'because' and takes a clause.
- הוּא חוֹסֵךְ כֶּסֶף כְּדֵי לִקְנוֹת מְכוֹנִית.הוּא חוֹסֵךְ כֶּסֶף כְּדֵי קוֹנֶה מְכוֹנִית.
After כְּדֵי comes the infinitive לִקְנוֹת, not a present-tense form.
- נָתַתִּי לוֹ מַפְתֵּחַ כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהִכָּנֵס.נָתַתִּי לוֹ מַפְתֵּחַ כְּדֵי לְהִכָּנֵס.
Different subject ('so that HE can enter') needs כְּדֵי שֶׁ + a finite verb.
Common mistakes
Using כְּדֵי + a finite verb for the same subject
אֲנִי לוֹמֵד כְּדֵי אֶצְלִיחַאֲנִי לוֹמֵד כְּדֵי לְהַצְלִיחַWith one subject, כְּדֵי takes the infinitive, not a finite verb.
Omitting שֶׁ when the subject changes
הִסְבַּרְתִּי כְּדֵי תָּבִיןהִסְבַּרְתִּי כְּדֵי שֶׁתָּבִיןA different subject in the purpose clause requires כְּדֵי שֶׁ + a finite verb.
Building a Short Paragraph
בְּנִיַּת פִּסְקָה קְצָרָה
Once you know individual connectors, the next skill is stringing sentences into a smooth short paragraph instead of a list of choppy statements. The everyday glue words at A2 are: וְ ('and'), אֲבָל ('but'), כִּי ('because'), אָז ('so/then'), and the time words אַחַר כָּךְ / אַחֲרֵי זֶה ('afterwards'), קֹדֶם ('first'), בַּסּוֹף ('finally'). A good paragraph opens with a topic sentence, links events in order, adds reasons and contrasts, and closes. For example: בַּבֹּקֶר קַמְתִּי מֻקְדָּם. קֹדֶם שָׁתִיתִי קָפֶה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָצָאתִי לָעֲבוֹדָה, אֲבָל אֵחַרְתִּי כִּי הָיָה פְּקָק. The aim is flow and order, not big words.
Key rule
Link sentences into a paragraph with a small toolkit — וְ, אֲבָל, כִּי, אָז, and sequencers (קֹדֶם, אַחַר כָּךְ, בַּסּוֹף) — ordering topic → events/reasons/contrast → close.
Examples
- קֹדֶם שָׁתִיתִי קָפֶה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָצָאתִי לָעֲבוֹדָה.שָׁתִיתִי קָפֶה. יָצָאתִי לָעֲבוֹדָה.
Sequencers (קֹדֶם … וְאַחַר כָּךְ) connect the events instead of two bare, choppy sentences.
- אֵחַרְתִּי כִּי הָיָה פְּקָק, אֲבָל בַּסּוֹף הִגַּעְתִּי.אֵחַרְתִּי. הָיָה פְּקָק. הִגַּעְתִּי.
כִּי gives the reason and אֲבָל adds the contrast, turning three fragments into one flowing sentence.
- רָצִיתִי לָצֵאת, אֲבָל יָרַד גֶּשֶׁם, אָז נִשְׁאַרְתִּי בַּבַּיִת.רָצִיתִי לָצֵאת אֲבָל אָז אֲבָל נִשְׁאַרְתִּי.
Use each connector once in its slot — אֲבָל for contrast, אָז for the result — not stacked.
Common mistakes
Choppy sentences with no connectors
קַמְתִּי. אָכַלְתִּי. יָצָאתִי.קַמְתִּי, אָכַלְתִּי וְיָצָאתִי.A paragraph should link events with connectors and sequencers, not list bare sentences.
Overusing וְ for everything
רָצִיתִי לָצֵאת וְיָרַד גֶּשֶׁם וְנִשְׁאַרְתִּירָצִיתִי לָצֵאת, אֲבָל יָרַד גֶּשֶׁם, אָז נִשְׁאַרְתִּיVary connectors: אֲבָל for contrast and אָז for result, not endless וְ.
Numbers 11–100
מִסְפָּרִים 11–100
After 1–10 you build the teens and tens. The teens combine a unit with עֶשְׂרֵה (feminine) or עָשָׂר (masculine): for feminine counting אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה (11), שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה (12), שְׁלוֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה (13)… and for masculine אַחַד עָשָׂר, שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר, שְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר… The tens have one form each: עֶשְׂרִים (20), שְׁלוֹשִׁים (30), אַרְבָּעִים (40), חֲמִשִּׁים (50), שִׁשִּׁים (60), שִׁבְעִים (70), שְׁמוֹנִים (80), תִּשְׁעִים (90), מֵאָה (100). For in-between numbers you join the ten and the unit with וְ: עֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת (21), שְׁלוֹשִׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם (32). The unit inside still has gender, but the tens themselves don't change.
Key rule
Teens = unit + עֶשְׂרֵה (f.) / עָשָׂר (m.); tens are invariable single words; for 21–99 join ten + וְ + the (gendered) unit.
Examples
- יֵשׁ בַּכִּתָּה אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה תַּלְמִידוֹת.יֵשׁ בַּכִּתָּה אַחַד עָשָׂר תַּלְמִידוֹת.
תַּלְמִידוֹת is feminine, so the teen takes עֶשְׂרֵה: אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה.
- קָנִיתִי שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר סְפָרִים.קָנִיתִי שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה סְפָרִים.
סְפָרִים is masculine, so 12 is שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר, not the feminine שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה.
- הוּא בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת.הוּא בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים אֶחָד.
Compound numbers join the unit with וְ: עֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת.
Common mistakes
Wrong-gender teen
אַחַד עָשָׂר תַּלְמִידוֹתאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה תַּלְמִידוֹתThe teen must match the noun's gender; feminine uses עֶשְׂרֵה, masculine עָשָׂר.
Inventing a gendered ten
שְׁלוֹשִׁימָה כִּסְאוֹתשְׁלוֹשִׁים כִּסְאוֹתTens (20–90) are single invariable words and never take a gender ending.
Number + Counted Noun
מִסְפָּר + שֵׁם נִסְפָּר
When you count things ('three books', 'five girls'), the number comes BEFORE the noun, the noun is PLURAL, and the number agrees in gender with the noun. So masculine: שְׁלוֹשָׁה סְפָרִים ('three books'), and feminine: שָׁלוֹשׁ בָּנוֹת ('three girls'). Notice the trap: the masculine number actually carries the -ah ending (שְׁלוֹשָׁה, אַרְבָּעָה, חֲמִשָּׁה) while the feminine number is the shorter bare form (שָׁלוֹשׁ, אַרְבַּע, חָמֵשׁ) — the opposite of what you'd expect. This pattern applies to 3–10 (and the units inside bigger numbers). The number 'two' has special construct forms before the noun: שְׁנֵי (m.) / שְׁתֵּי (f.).
Key rule
Count with [number + plural noun]; the number agrees by gender, but watch the polarity — masculine 3–10 take -ָה (שְׁלוֹשָׁה) and feminine are bare (שָׁלוֹשׁ); 'two' is שְׁנֵי (m.)/שְׁתֵּי (f.) before a noun.
Examples
- קָנִיתִי שְׁלוֹשָׁה סְפָרִים.קָנִיתִי שָׁלוֹשׁ סְפָרִים.
סְפָרִים is masculine, so the number takes the -ָה form: שְׁלוֹשָׁה.
- יֵשׁ לִי שָׁלוֹשׁ אֲחָיוֹת.יֵשׁ לִי שְׁלוֹשָׁה אֲחָיוֹת.
אֲחָיוֹת is feminine, so the number is the bare form: שָׁלוֹשׁ.
- רָאִיתִי שְׁנֵי יְלָדִים בַּגַּן.רָאִיתִי שְׁנַיִם יְלָדִים בַּגַּן.
Before a masculine noun 'two' is the construct שְׁנֵי, not the free form שְׁנַיִם.
Common mistakes
Reversed gender polarity (3–10)
שָׁלוֹשׁ סְפָרִיםשְׁלוֹשָׁה סְפָרִיםMasculine nouns take the -ָה number form; feminine nouns take the bare form — the opposite of the visual cue.
Singular counted noun
חֲמִשָּׁה כַּדּוּרחֲמִשָּׁה כַּדּוּרִיםFrom two upward the counted noun is plural.
"One" Follows Its Noun
"אֶחָד" אַחֲרֵי הַשֵּׁם
The number 'one' behaves differently from all the other numbers. While 2, 3, 4… come BEFORE the noun, the word for 'one' comes AFTER it, like an adjective: סֵפֶר אֶחָד ('one book'), מַחְבֶּרֶת אַחַת ('one notebook'). It also agrees in gender: אֶחָד for masculine, אַחַת for feminine. Because Hebrew has no word for 'a/an', adding אֶחָד after the noun is how you stress 'just one / a single one': רַק כִּסֵּא אֶחָד ('only one chair'). Don't put it before the noun (not *אֶחָד סֵפֶר) and don't make the noun plural — with 'one' the noun stays singular.
Key rule
Unlike other numbers, 'one' follows its noun like an adjective, keeps the noun singular, and agrees in gender: סֵפֶר אֶחָד (m.) / מַחְבֶּרֶת אַחַת (f.).
Examples
- יֵשׁ לִי סֵפֶר אֶחָד.יֵשׁ לִי אֶחָד סֵפֶר.
'One' follows the noun: סֵפֶר אֶחָד, not before it.
- קָנִיתִי מַחְבֶּרֶת אַחַת.קָנִיתִי מַחְבֶּרֶת אֶחָד.
מַחְבֶּרֶת is feminine, so 'one' is אַחַת.
- נִשְׁאַר רַק כִּסֵּא אֶחָד.נִשְׁאֲרוּ רַק כִּסְאוֹת אֶחָד.
With 'one' the noun stays singular: כִּסֵּא אֶחָד.
Common mistakes
Putting 'one' before the noun
אֶחָד סֵפֶרסֵפֶר אֶחָד'One' is adjective-like and follows the noun, unlike 2+.
Wrong gender of 'one'
מַחְבֶּרֶת אֶחָדמַחְבֶּרֶת אַחַת'One' agrees in gender; feminine is אַחַת.
Telling Time (Full)
הַשָּׁעָה (מְפֹרָט)
To tell time in detail, start with הַשָּׁעָה ('the hour/o'clock') + the feminine number for the hour: הַשָּׁעָה שָׁלוֹשׁ ('it's three'). For minutes past the hour, add וְ ('and') + the minutes: שָׁלוֹשׁ וְעֶשֶׂר ('ten past three'); for the half use וָחֵצִי ('half past'): שָׁלוֹשׁ וָחֵצִי. For minutes TO the next hour you use the upcoming hour + מִינוּס or the pattern רֶבַע לְ ('quarter to'): רֶבַע לְאַרְבַּע ('quarter to four'). Quarter past is וָרֶבַע: שָׁלוֹשׁ וָרֶבַע. Remember the hour uses the FEMININE number because שָׁעָה is feminine. To ask, you say מָה הַשָּׁעָה? ('what time is it?').
Key rule
Say the hour with הַשָּׁעָה + a feminine number; add minutes with וְ (וָרֶבַע, וָחֵצִי) for 'past' and רֶבַע/דַּקּוֹת לְ for 'to' the next hour.
Examples
- הַשָּׁעָה שָׁלוֹשׁ וָרֶבַע.הַשָּׁעָה שְׁלוֹשָׁה וָרֶבַע.
שָׁעָה is feminine, so the hour uses the feminine number שָׁלוֹשׁ.
- עַכְשָׁו אַרְבַּע וָחֵצִי.עַכְשָׁו אַרְבַּע וְחֵצִי שָׁעָה.
'Half past' is the set phrase וָחֵצִי, not וְחֵצִי שָׁעָה.
- הַשָּׁעָה רֶבַע לְאַרְבַּע.הַשָּׁעָה רֶבַע מִן אַרְבַּע.
'Quarter to' uses לְ + the next hour: רֶבַע לְאַרְבַּע.
Common mistakes
Masculine number for the hour
הַשָּׁעָה שְׁלוֹשָׁההַשָּׁעָה שָׁלוֹשׁשָׁעָה is feminine, so the hour takes the feminine number.
Wrong 'to' construction
רֶבַע מִן אַרְבַּערֶבַע לְאַרְבַּעMinutes 'to' the hour use לְ + the upcoming hour.
Halfway there — imagine actually using all of this.
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Months & Dates
חֳדָשִׁים וְתַאֲרִיכִים
Israel uses both the Gregorian (civil) calendar and the Hebrew (Jewish) calendar. The Gregorian months keep international-style names: יָנוּאָר, פֶבְּרוּאָר, מַרְס, אַפְּרִיל, מַאי, יוּנִי, יוּלִי, אוֹגוּסְט, סֶפְּטֶמְבֶּר, אוֹקְטוֹבֶּר, נוֹבֶמְבֶּר, דֵּצֶמְבֶּר. To give a date, use the ordinal day + בְּ + month: הַשִּׁשָּׁה בְּמַרְס ('the sixth of March'). The day number for dates is usually said as a masculine ordinal (because it refers to יוֹם, 'day', which is masculine). The Hebrew-calendar months (תִּשְׁרֵי, חֶשְׁוָן, כִּסְלֵו…) are used for holidays and Hebrew dates. To ask a date: מָה הַתַּאֲרִיךְ הַיּוֹם? ('what's today's date?').
Key rule
Give a civil date as [masculine ordinal day] + בְּ + [Gregorian month] (הַשִּׁשָּׁה בְּמַרְס); use בְּ for 'in [month]', and reserve the Hebrew-calendar months for holidays and Hebrew dates.
Examples
- הַיּוֹם הַשִּׁשָּׁה בְּמַרְס.הַיּוֹם שֵׁשׁ בְּמַרְס.
The day in a date is an ordinal (הַשִּׁשָּׁה 'the sixth'), not the cardinal שֵׁשׁ.
- יוֹם הַהֻלֶּדֶת שֶׁלִּי בְּיוּלִי.יוֹם הַהֻלֶּדֶת שֶׁלִּי יוּלִי.
'In July' needs the preposition בְּ: בְּיוּלִי.
- נִפָּגֵשׁ בָּרִאשׁוֹן בְּאַפְּרִיל.נִפָּגֵשׁ בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה בְּאַפְּרִיל.
The date's ordinal is masculine (agreeing with יוֹם): הָרִאשׁוֹן, not the feminine הָרִאשׁוֹנָה.
Common mistakes
Using a cardinal instead of an ordinal for the day
הַיּוֹם שֵׁשׁ בְּמַרְסהַיּוֹם הַשִּׁשָּׁה בְּמַרְסThe day of the month is normally an ordinal (הַשִּׁשָּׁה).
Omitting בְּ before the month
נוֹלַדְתִּי יוּלִינוֹלַדְתִּי בְּיוּלִי'In [month]' requires the preposition בְּ.
et with Demonstratives & Names
אֶת עִם רֶמֶז וְשֵׁמוֹת
You already know that **אֶת** marks a *definite* direct object: רָאִיתִי אֶת הַסֵּפֶר 'I saw the book'. The tricky part is that some objects are *automatically* definite even without the article הַ־. **Proper names** (people, cities, brands) are inherently definite: רָאִיתִי אֶת דָּנָה 'I saw Dana'. **Demonstratives** used as objects — זֶה / זֹאת / אֵלֶּה ('this/these') — are also definite: אֲנִי רוֹצֶה אֶת זֶה 'I want this'. So whenever the thing being acted on is a name or a 'this/that', you still need אֶת in front of it, even though there is no הַ־ to see. Learners who only look for הַ־ tend to drop אֶת here — but a name or a 'this' is just as definite as 'the book'.
Key rule
Proper names and the demonstratives זֶה/זֹאת/אֵלֶּה are inherently definite, so as direct objects they take אֶת even though they have no visible הַ־.
Examples
- רָאִיתִי אֶת דָּנָה בַּשּׁוּק.רָאִיתִי דָּנָה בַּשּׁוּק.
A personal name is definite, so the direct object takes אֶת.
- אֲנִי רוֹצֶה אֶת זֶה, בְּבַקָּשָׁה.אֲנִי רוֹצֶה זֶה, בְּבַקָּשָׁה.
The demonstrative pronoun זֶה as object is definite and needs אֶת.
- הִיא אוֹהֶבֶת אֶת תֵּל אָבִיב.הִיא אוֹהֶבֶת תֵּל אָבִיב.
A city name is inherently definite — the object marker אֶת is required.
Common mistakes
Dropping et before a proper name
אֲנִי מַכִּיר רוּתִי.אֲנִי מַכִּיר אֶת רוּתִי.Names are inherently definite, so a name as a direct object requires אֶת.
Dropping et before a standalone demonstrative
תֵּן לִי זֶה.תֵּן לִי אֶת זֶה.זֶה/זֹאת/אֵלֶּה as object pronouns are definite and take אֶת.
Inflecting be- and im
נְטִיַּת בְּ־ וְעִם
Hebrew prepositions don't stay the same in front of a pronoun — they swallow it and become one word. You already met לִי, לְךָ ('to me, to you'). The same happens with **בְּ־** ('in / at') and **עִם** ('with'). For בְּ the pronoun forms are בִּי, בְּךָ, בָּךְ, בּוֹ, בָּהּ, בָּנוּ, בָּכֶם, בָּהֶם 'in me / in you / in him…'. For 'with', the everyday word is עִם, but its *inflected* forms are built on a different stem: אִתִּי, אִתְּךָ, אִתָּךְ, אִתּוֹ, אִתָּהּ, אִתָּנוּ, אִתְּכֶם, אִתָּם 'with me / with you / with him…'. So you say הוּא בָּא אִתִּי 'he came with me', never עִם אֲנִי. Learning these as set words is the key.
Key rule
Before a pronoun, בְּ becomes בִּי/בְּךָ/בּוֹ… and 'with' switches to the suppletive stem אִתִּי/אִתְּךָ/אִתּוֹ… — never עִם followed by a free pronoun.
Examples
- הוּא בָּא אִתִּי לַקּוֹלְנוֹעַ.הוּא בָּא עִם אֲנִי לַקּוֹלְנוֹעַ.
'With me' is the inflected אִתִּי, not עִם + the free pronoun.
- אַתְּ רוֹצָה לָבוֹא אִתָּנוּ?אַתְּ רוֹצָה לָבוֹא עִם אֲנַחְנוּ?
'With us' is אִתָּנוּ; עִם cannot take a free pronoun.
- הִתְאַהַבְתִּי בָּהּ מִיָּד.הִתְאַהַבְתִּי בְּהִיא מִיָּד.
The verb governs בְּ; 'in/with her' is the inflected בָּהּ.
Common mistakes
Using im + a free pronoun
תָּבוֹא עִם אֲנִי?תָּבוֹא אִתִּי?Before a pronoun 'with' uses the suppletive stem: אִתִּי, never עִם + a free pronoun.
Sticking be- onto a free pronoun
אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בְּהוּא.אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בּוֹ.בְּ takes a suffix to form בּוֹ ('in him/it'); it is not placed before a free pronoun.
Inflecting al and el
נְטִיַּת עַל וְאֶל
Two very common prepositions, **עַל** ('on / about') and **אֶל** ('to / toward'), inflect on a *plural-looking* base — they add a hidden 'plural' ending before the pronoun, so you see a yod in the middle. For עַל: עָלַי, עָלֶיךָ, עָלַיִךְ, עָלָיו, עָלֶיהָ, עָלֵינוּ, עֲלֵיכֶם, עֲלֵיהֶם 'on/about me, you, him…'. For אֶל, the same shape: אֵלַי, אֵלֶיךָ, אֵלַיִךְ, אֵלָיו, אֵלֶיהָ, אֵלֵינוּ, אֲלֵיכֶם, אֲלֵיהֶם 'to me, to you…'. So 'he looks at me' is הוּא מִסְתַּכֵּל עָלַי, and 'come to me' is בּוֹא אֵלַי. The forms are irregular, so it's best to learn them as a set.
Key rule
עַל and אֶל inflect on a plural-style base with a yod throughout: עָלַי/עָלֶיךָ/עָלָיו… and אֵלַי/אֵלֶיךָ/אֵלָיו…; learn the eight forms as a set.
Examples
- חָשַׁבְתִּי עָלֶיךָ כָּל הַיּוֹם.חָשַׁבְתִּי עַל אַתָּה כָּל הַיּוֹם.
'About you' is the inflected עָלֶיךָ, not עַל + a free pronoun.
- בּוֹא אֵלַי מָחָר.בּוֹא אֶל אֲנִי מָחָר.
'To me' is אֵלַי; אֶל cannot take a free pronoun.
- הָאַחְרָיוּת עָלָיו.הָאַחְרָיוּת עַל הוּא.
'On him' is the irregular עָלָיו (alav).
Common mistakes
Using al + a free pronoun
חָשַׁבְתִּי עַל אַתָּה.חָשַׁבְתִּי עָלֶיךָ.Before a pronoun עַל inflects to עָלֶיךָ; it is not followed by a free pronoun.
Using el + a free pronoun
בּוֹא אֶל אֲנִי.בּוֹא אֵלַי.'To me' is the inflected אֵלַי; אֶל never precedes a free pronoun.
Inflecting min ("from me…")
נְטִיַּת מִן
The prefix **מִ־ / מֵ־** ('from') comes from the older word **מִן**, and that older form reappears when you attach a pronoun. The forms double the נ and are quite distinctive: מִמֶּנִּי ('from me'), מִמְּךָ ('from you', m.), מִמֵּךְ ('from you', f.), מִמֶּנּוּ ('from him' *and also* 'from us' — context decides), מִמֶּנָּה ('from her'), מִכֶּם / מִכֶּן ('from you', pl.), מֵהֶם / מֵהֶן ('from them'). These forms do double duty: they mean 'from' (יָצָאתִי מִמֶּנּוּ 'I came out of it') and they make comparisons ('than': גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנִּי 'bigger than me'). Note that מִמֶּנּוּ is ambiguous — it can be 'from him' or 'from us'.
Key rule
Before a pronoun 'from' uses the מִן-based paradigm with doubled נ: מִמֶּנִּי, מִמְּךָ, מִמֶּנּוּ (='from him' AND 'from us'), מִמֶּנָּה, מִכֶּם, מֵהֶם — used for both 'from' and comparative 'than'.
Examples
- קִבַּלְתִּי מַתָּנָה יָפָה מִמֶּנּוּ.קִבַּלְתִּי מַתָּנָה יָפָה מִ הוּא.
'From him' is the inflected מִמֶּנּוּ, not מִ + a free pronoun.
- הִיא גְּבוֹהָה מִמֶּנִּי.הִיא גְּבוֹהָה מִ אֲנִי.
Comparative 'taller than me' uses the inflected מִמֶּנִּי.
- אַל תְּפַחֵד מִמֶּנָּה.אַל תְּפַחֵד מִ הִיא.
'Of her' (governed by פָּחַד מִן) is the inflected מִמֶּנָּה.
Common mistakes
Using mi- + a free pronoun
פָּחַדְתִּי מִ הוּא.פָּחַדְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ.Before a pronoun 'from' uses the inflected מִמֶּנּוּ, never the prefix + a free pronoun.
Comparative with a free pronoun
הִיא יוֹתֵר חֲכָמָה מֵאֲנִי.הִיא יוֹתֵר חֲכָמָה מִמֶּנִּי.The 'than' in a comparison takes the inflected מִמֶּנִּי before a pronoun.
Object Pronouns — Full Set
כִּנּוּיֵי מוּשָׂא — מְלֵאִים
When the direct object is a pronoun ('me, you, him, her, us, them'), Hebrew attaches it to the object marker אֶת, giving a single word: אוֹתִי ('me'), אוֹתְךָ ('you', m.), אוֹתָךְ ('you', f.), אוֹתוֹ ('him/it'), אוֹתָהּ ('her/it'), אוֹתָנוּ ('us'), אֶתְכֶם / אֶתְכֶן ('you', pl.), אוֹתָם / אוֹתָן ('them'). So 'she loves me' is הִיא אוֹהֶבֶת אוֹתִי, and 'I saw them' is רָאִיתִי אוֹתָם. Notice the two 'you-plural' forms are slightly different (אֶתְכֶם / אֶתְכֶן), and that the masculine/feminine plural 'them' split is אוֹתָם / אוֹתָן. Learn the whole set as a paradigm — these are everywhere in conversation.
Key rule
A pronoun direct object attaches to אֶת: אוֹתִי, אוֹתְךָ/אוֹתָךְ, אוֹתוֹ, אוֹתָהּ, אוֹתָנוּ, אֶתְכֶם/אֶתְכֶן, אוֹתָם/אוֹתָן — note the אֶת- vowel survives only in the 2nd-person plural.
Examples
- הִיא אוֹהֶבֶת אוֹתִי.הִיא אוֹהֶבֶת אֲנִי.
A pronoun object is the inflected אוֹתִי, not the subject pronoun אֲנִי.
- רָאִיתִי אוֹתוֹ אֶתְמוֹל.רָאִיתִי אֶת הוּא אֶתְמוֹל.
'Him' as an object is the single word אוֹתוֹ, not אֶת + a free pronoun.
- אֲנִי מַכִּיר אוֹתָךְ הֵיטֵב.אֲנִי מַכִּיר אוֹתְךָ הֵיטֵב.
Speaking to a woman, 'you' is the feminine object אוֹתָךְ, not the masculine אוֹתְךָ.
Common mistakes
Using a subject pronoun as object
הִיא אוֹהֶבֶת אֲנִי.הִיא אוֹהֶבֶת אוֹתִי.A direct-object pronoun is the inflected אוֹתִי, not the subject form אֲנִי.
Splitting et and the pronoun
רָאִיתִי אֶת הוּא.רָאִיתִי אוֹתוֹ.Pronoun objects fuse with אֶת into one word: אוֹתוֹ.
shel — Full Inflection
נְטִיַּת "שֶׁל" מְלֵאָה
**שֶׁל** ('of') is how Hebrew shows possession: הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁל דָּנָה 'Dana's book'. When the owner is a pronoun, שֶׁל takes a suffix and becomes one word: שֶׁלִּי ('my'), שֶׁלְּךָ ('your', m.), שֶׁלָּךְ ('your', f.), שֶׁלּוֹ ('his'), שֶׁלָּהּ ('her'), שֶׁלָּנוּ ('our'), שֶׁלָּכֶם / שֶׁלָּכֶן ('your', pl.), שֶׁלָּהֶם / שֶׁלָּהֶן ('their'). These always come *after* the noun, and the noun usually has הַ־: הַחֶדֶר שֶׁלִּי 'my room', הַחֲבֵרִים שֶׁלָּהֶם 'their friends'. This is the everyday, all-purpose way to say 'my/your/his…' — learn the full set.
Key rule
Possessive pronouns are שֶׁל + suffix, placed AFTER the (usually definite) noun and agreeing with the OWNER: הַ___ שֶׁלִּי/שֶׁלְּךָ/שֶׁלּוֹ/שֶׁלָּהּ/שֶׁלָּנוּ/שֶׁלָּכֶם/שֶׁלָּהֶם.
Examples
- הַחֶדֶר שֶׁלִּי קָטָן.שֶׁלִּי הַחֶדֶר קָטָן.
The possessive שֶׁלִּי follows the noun, not precedes it.
- אֵיפֹה הַמַּפְתְּחוֹת שֶׁלְּךָ?אֵיפֹה הַמַּפְתְּחוֹת שֶׁלָּךְ? (to a man)
Speaking to a man, 'your' is שֶׁלְּךָ; שֶׁלָּךְ is the feminine.
- הַסְּפָרִים שֶׁלָּהּ עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן.הַסְּפָרִים שֶׁלָּהֶם עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן. (meaning 'her books')
שֶׁל agrees with the owner: 'her' is שֶׁלָּהּ regardless of how many books.
Common mistakes
Putting the possessive before the noun
שֶׁלִּי הַחֶדֶר נָקִי.הַחֶדֶר שֶׁלִּי נָקִי.The שֶׁל-phrase comes after the noun in Hebrew.
shel + a free pronoun
הַחֲבֵרִים שֶׁל הֵם.הַחֲבֵרִים שֶׁלָּהֶם.Before a pronoun שֶׁל inflects to a single word (שֶׁלָּהֶם), not שֶׁל + a free pronoun.
Smichut vs. shel
סְמִיכוּת מוּל "שֶׁל"
Hebrew has two ways to link two nouns: the bound **construct (smichut)**, where two nouns sit directly together (בֵּית סֵפֶר 'a school', literally 'house of book'), and the analytic phrase with **שֶׁל** ('of'), where the words stay separate (הַבַּיִת שֶׁל דָּנָה 'Dana's house'). Smichut is used for fixed, conceptual pairs and compound names — בֵּית חוֹלִים 'hospital', עוּגַת שׁוֹקוֹלָד 'chocolate cake', מוֹרֵה הַמָּתֵמָטִיקָה 'the math teacher'. שֶׁל is the everyday, flexible way to show real ownership, especially with a specific owner: הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁל הַיֶּלֶד 'the child's book'. As a rule of thumb: lasting category or type → smichut; who owns this particular thing → שֶׁל.
Key rule
Use bound smichut for fixed compounds, types, and titles (בֵּית סֵפֶר, כּוֹס מַיִם); use the analytic שֶׁל for actual possession by a specific owner (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁל דָּנָה).
Examples
- אֲנִי לוֹמֵד בְּבֵית הַסֵּפֶר.אֲנִי לוֹמֵד בַּבַּיִת שֶׁל הַסֵּפֶר.
'School' is the fixed compound בֵּית סֵפֶר (smichut); a שֶׁל phrase here means something else entirely.
- הַמְּכוֹנִית שֶׁל אַבָּא חֲדָשָׁה.מְכוֹנִית אַבָּא חֲדָשָׁה.
Real ownership by a specific person uses שֶׁל; a bare construct here is unnatural.
- שָׁתִיתִי כּוֹס מַיִם.שָׁתִיתִי כּוֹס שֶׁל מַיִם.
'A glass of water' (type/contents) is the construct כּוֹס מַיִם, not a שֶׁל phrase.
Common mistakes
Using shel for a fixed compound
אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לַבַּיִת שֶׁל הַסֵּפֶר.אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר.Lexicalized concepts like 'school' are construct (בֵּית סֵפֶר); שֶׁל cannot replace them.
Putting the article on the first noun of a construct
הַבֵּית סֵפֶר גָּדוֹל.בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר גָּדוֹל.In smichut the article attaches to the SECOND noun: בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר.
The Directional -ah (he ha-megama)
הֵ"א הַמְּגַמָּה
Hebrew has a special ending **ָה- (-ah)** added to the end of a place word to mean 'toward / to (that place)', without any separate preposition. The most common example is **הַבַּיְתָה** 'homeward / (to) home' (from בַּיִת 'house'). It also appears in directions: צָפוֹנָה 'northward', דָּרוֹמָה 'southward', יָמִינָה 'to the right', שְׂמֹאלָה 'to the left', and in a few place names: יְרוּשָׁלַיְמָה 'to Jerusalem'. The stress usually stays on the original syllable, and you do NOT add לְ or אֶל — the ending already means 'to/toward'. So 'I'm going home' is אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ הַבַּיְתָה (never לְהַבַּיְתָה).
Key rule
The unstressed suffix ָה- means 'to/toward' by itself (הַבַּיְתָה 'home', יָמִינָה 'to the right'); never add לְ or אֶל, and don't coin it for arbitrary nouns.
Examples
- אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ הַבַּיְתָה.אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לְהַבַּיְתָה.
The directional ending already means 'home(ward)'; you don't add לְ.
- תִּפְנֶה יָמִינָה אַחֲרֵי הָרַמְזוֹר.תִּפְנֶה לְיָמִינָה אַחֲרֵי הָרַמְזוֹר.
יָמִינָה means 'to the right' on its own — no preposition.
- בָּאנוּ הַבַּיְתָה מְאֻחָר.בָּאנוּ בַּבַּיִת מְאֻחָר.
Motion 'came home' is הַבַּיְתָה; בַּבַּיִת is static 'at home'.
Common mistakes
Adding le-/el to the directional form
אֲנִי נוֹסֵעַ לְהַבַּיְתָה.אֲנִי נוֹסֵעַ הַבַּיְתָה.The ending ָה- already means 'to/toward'; adding לְ is redundant and wrong.
Using the static form for motion
בָּאתִי בַּבַּיִת מְאֻחָר.בָּאתִי הַבַּיְתָה מְאֻחָר.'Came home' is motion → הַבַּיְתָה; בַּבַּיִת means the static 'at home'.
Colloquial Commands (Future Form)
צִוּוּי דִּבּוּרִי
Hebrew has a formal command form (the imperative: כְּתֹב!, סְגֹר!), but in everyday speech Israelis almost never use it. Instead, they give commands using the regular future tense: תִּכְתֹּב! ('write!', literally 'you will write'), תִּסְגֹּר! ('close!'), תָּבוֹא! ('come!'). The future form covers all the genders and numbers you already know: תִּכְתֹּב to a man, תִּכְתְּבִי to a woman, תִּכְתְּבוּ to a group. This is the natural, friendly way to tell someone to do something. The true imperative still appears in writing, signs, recipes and set phrases (סְלַח לִי, שֵׁב), and it sounds a bit more direct or formal — so it is worth recognizing, but the future is what you should produce when speaking.
Key rule
In everyday speech, give commands with the 2nd-person FUTURE (תִּכְתֹּב!, תִּסְגְּרִי!, תָּבוֹאוּ!), not the formal imperative — and negate any command with אַל + future (אַל תִּכְתֹּב), never לֹא.
Examples
- תִּסְגֹּר בְּבַקָּשָׁה אֶת הַחַלּוֹן.סְגֹר בְּבַקָּשָׁה אֶת הַחַלּוֹן.
In conversation the future תִּסְגֹּר is the natural command; the bare imperative סְגֹר sounds stiff or curt.
- תָּבוֹאִי הֵנָּה רֶגַע!בּוֹאִי תָּבוֹאִי הֵנָּה רֶגַע!
The colloquial command to a woman is the single future form תָּבוֹאִי; you don't stack two command forms.
- תַּגִּידוּ, אֵיפֹה הַתַּחֲנָה?הַגִּידוּ, אֵיפֹה הַתַּחֲנָה?
Israelis open with the future תַּגִּידוּ ('tell me/say'); the imperative הַגִּידוּ is literary and unidiomatic here.
Common mistakes
Using the formal imperative in casual speech
סְגֹר אֶת הַדֶּלֶת!תִּסְגֹּר אֶת הַדֶּלֶת!Spoken Hebrew gives commands with the future; the bare imperative can sound abrupt or overly formal.
Negating a command with לֹא instead of אַל
לֹא תִּדְאַג!אַל תִּדְאַג!Commands (both registers) are negated with אַל + future; לֹא + future means a plain prediction.
Asking & Giving Directions
אֵיךְ מַגִּיעִים?
To ask the way in Hebrew you usually start with אֵיךְ מַגִּיעִים לְ…? ('how does one get to…?') or אֵיפֹה…? ('where is…?'). The core direction words are יָמִינָה ('to the right'), שְׂמֹאלָה ('to the left'), and יָשָׁר ('straight'). Notice that יָמִינָה and שְׂמֹאלָה end in the directional -ָה, which means 'toward', so you don't add a preposition. Useful verbs are לִפְנוֹת ('to turn' — תִּפְנֶה יָמִינָה 'turn right'), לָלֶכֶת ('to go/walk'), and לְהַמְשִׁיךְ ('to continue'). Position words help too: לְיַד ('next to'), מוּל ('opposite'), אַחֲרֵי ('after'), לִפְנֵי ('before'), בֵּין ('between'), בַּפִּנָּה ('on the corner'). You answer with a chain of future-form commands: תֵּלֵךְ יָשָׁר, תִּפְנֶה יָמִינָה, וְזֶה שָׁם.
Key rule
Ask with אֵיפֹה…? / אֵיךְ מַגִּיעִים לְ…?, answer with chained future commands (תֵּלֵךְ יָשָׁר, תִּפְנֶה יָמִינָה), and use the directional forms יָמִינָה / שְׂמֹאלָה with NO preposition.
Examples
- סְלִיחָה, אֵיךְ מַגִּיעִים לַתַּחֲנָה הַמֶּרְכָּזִית?סְלִיחָה, אֵיךְ מַגִּיעַ לַתַּחֲנָה הַמֶּרְכָּזִית?
The impersonal 'how does one get' uses the plural מַגִּיעִים, not the singular מַגִּיעַ.
- תִּפְנֶה יָמִינָה בָּרַמְזוֹר.תִּפְנֶה לְיָמִינָה בָּרַמְזוֹר.
יָמִינָה already means 'to the right' (directional -ָה), so you don't add לְ.
- תֵּלֵךְ יָשָׁר עַד הַכִּכָּר.תֵּלֵךְ יָשָׁרָה עַד הַכִּכָּר.
יָשָׁר ('straight') is invariable here; it doesn't take a feminine -ָה ending.
Common mistakes
Adding לְ before the directional forms
תִּפְנֶה לְיָמִינָהתִּפְנֶה יָמִינָהThe -ָה ending on יָמִינָה/שְׂמֹאלָה already means 'toward', so no preposition is needed.
Using singular מַגִּיעַ in the impersonal question
אֵיךְ מַגִּיעַ לָעִיר הָעַתִּיקָה?אֵיךְ מַגִּיעִים לָעִיר הָעַתִּיקָה?The impersonal 'how do you get to' uses the 3rd-plural מַגִּיעִים.
Polite Requests
בַּקָּשׁוֹת מְנֻמָּסוֹת
Israeli speech can sound very direct, but there are easy ways to make a request polite. The simplest is to add בְּבַקָּשָׁה ('please') to a future-form command: תִּסְגֹּר בְּבַקָּשָׁה אֶת הַחַלּוֹן. To ask permission or possibility, start with אֶפְשָׁר…? ('is it possible…? / may I…?') + an infinitive: אֶפְשָׁר לְקַבֵּל מַיִם? ('may I have some water?'). To ask someone's ability or willingness, use תּוּכַל / תּוּכְלִי…? ('could you…?', literally 'will you be able to…?') + infinitive: תּוּכַל לַעֲזֹר לִי? You can soften even more with אוּלַי ('maybe') or סְלִיחָה ('excuse me') at the start. Say תּוֹדָה ('thank you') after, and תּוֹדָה רַבָּה for extra warmth. These few frames cover most everyday polite asking.
Key rule
Soften a request with בְּבַקָּשָׁה on a future command, or use the frames אֶפְשָׁר…? + infinitive ('may I…?') and תּוּכַל/תּוּכְלִי…? + infinitive ('could you…?'), optionally opening with סְלִיחָה / אוּלַי.
Examples
- אֶפְשָׁר לְקַבֵּל כּוֹס מַיִם, בְּבַקָּשָׁה?אֶפְשָׁר מְקַבֵּל כּוֹס מַיִם, בְּבַקָּשָׁה?
אֶפְשָׁר is followed by the infinitive לְקַבֵּל, never by a conjugated present form.
- תּוּכַל לַעֲזֹר לִי רֶגַע?תּוּכַל עוֹזֵר לִי רֶגַע?
After תּוּכַל ('could you') you use the infinitive לַעֲזֹר, not the present participle.
- סְלִיחָה, תּוּכְלִי לְהַגִּיד לִי מָה הַשָּׁעָה?סְלִיחָה, תּוּכַל לְהַגִּיד לִי מָה הַשָּׁעָה? (to a woman)
Addressing a woman needs the feminine תּוּכְלִי; תּוּכַל is masculine.
Common mistakes
Following אֶפְשָׁר with a conjugated verb
אֶפְשָׁר אֲנִי מְקַבֵּל קָפֶה?אֶפְשָׁר לְקַבֵּל קָפֶה?אֶפְשָׁר is impersonal and is always followed by an infinitive.
Using the present participle after תּוּכַל
תּוּכַל עוֹזֵר לִי?תּוּכַל לַעֲזֹר לִי?תּוּכַל ('could you') takes an infinitive: לַעֲזֹר.
Dropping the Subject Pronoun (Past)
הַשְׁמָטַת הַנּוֹשֵׂא בְּעָבָר
In the past tense, the verb ending already tells you who did the action: -תִּי means 'I', -תָּ means 'you (m.)', -תְּ means 'you (f.)', -נוּ means 'we', and so on. Because of this, in the first and second person Hebrew normally drops the subject pronoun. You say כָּתַבְתִּי, not אֲנִי כָּתַבְתִּי, for 'I wrote'; הָלַכְנוּ, not אֲנַחְנוּ הָלַכְנוּ, for 'we went'. The pronoun is added back only for emphasis or contrast (אֲנִי כָּתַבְתִּי, לֹא הוּא — 'I wrote it, not him'). The third person is different: הוּא and הִיא are usually kept, because the bare verb does not always make the subject clear.
Key rule
In the 1st/2nd-person past, drop the subject pronoun — the suffix already shows who acted (כָּתַבְתִּי, not אֲנִי כָּתַבְתִּי); keep it only for emphasis, and normally keep 3rd-person הוּא/הִיא.
Examples
- אֶתְמוֹל הָלַכְתִּי לַיָּם.אֶתְמוֹל אֲנִי הָלַכְתִּי לַיָּם.
The ending -תִּי already means 'I', so the pronoun אֲנִי is normally dropped in neutral speech.
- גָּמַרְנוּ אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה מֻקְדָּם.אֲנַחְנוּ גָּמַרְנוּ אֲנַחְנוּ אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה.
-נוּ marks 'we'; repeating אֲנַחְנוּ is redundant and unnatural.
- מָה אָכַלְתְּ בַּבֹּקֶר?מָה אַתְּ אָכַלְתְּ בַּבֹּקֶר?
-תְּ already encodes 'you (f.)', so the pronoun is normally omitted in a question.
Common mistakes
Always supplying the 1st-person pronoun
אֲנִי קַמְתִּי, אֲנִי אָכַלְתִּי וַאֲנִי יָצָאתִיקַמְתִּי, אָכַלְתִּי וְיָצָאתִיThe suffix -תִּי already means 'I'; stacking אֲנִי on every verb sounds heavy and non-native.
Repeating the pronoun after the verb
הָלַכְנוּ אֲנַחְנוּ לַחֲנוּתהָלַכְנוּ לַחֲנוּתHebrew does not double the subject; -נוּ is the only subject marker needed.
Placing Time Expressions
מִקּוּם בִּטּוּיֵי זְמַן
Time words like אֶתְמוֹל (yesterday), מָחָר (tomorrow), הַיּוֹם (today) and בַּבֹּקֶר (in the morning) are flexible in Hebrew. You can put them at the very start of the sentence — אֶתְמוֹל הָלַכְתִּי לָעֲבוֹדָה — or at the end — הָלַכְתִּי לָעֲבוֹדָה אֶתְמוֹל. Both are correct. Starting with the time word is very common and natural; it sets the scene. Importantly, fronting the time word does NOT change the rest of the order: the subject and verb stay as they are (you do not invert them the way German does). A good default is: time + subject/verb + the rest, or subject/verb + rest + time.
Key rule
Put a time expression at the start or the end of the clause (both natural); fronting it does NOT invert subject and verb — keep the normal SVO order.
Examples
- אֶתְמוֹל הָלַכְתִּי לַקּוֹלְנוֹעַ.הָלַכְתִּי אֶתְמוֹל לַקּוֹלְנוֹעַ אֶתְמוֹל.
Pick one position for the time word; don't place אֶתְמוֹל twice.
- אֲנִי לוֹמֵד עִבְרִית כָּל יוֹם.אֲנִי כָּל יוֹם לוֹמֵד עִבְרִית.
The unmarked spot for this time phrase is clause-final; mid-clause here is marked/awkward at A2.
- מָחָר הַיְלָדִים יֵלְכוּ לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר.מָחָר יֵלְכוּ הַיְלָדִים לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר.
Fronting מָחָר must NOT invert subject and verb; keep הַיְלָדִים before the verb.
Common mistakes
Inverting subject and verb after a fronted time word
מָחָר יֵלֵךְ דָּנִי לָעֲבוֹדָהמָחָר דָּנִי יֵלֵךְ לָעֲבוֹדָהHebrew is not V2; fronting a time adverb keeps the normal subject-before-verb order.
Placing the time word twice
אֶתְמוֹל קָנִיתִי חָלָב אֶתְמוֹלאֶתְמוֹל קָנִיתִי חָלָבA single time phrase appears once, either at the front or at the end.
Relative Clauses with she-
מִשְׁפְּטֵי זִקָּה (שֶׁ־)
To say 'the man WHO works here', 'the book THAT I read', or 'the city WHERE I live', Hebrew uses one little word for all of them: שֶׁ־ ('that/which/who'). It attaches to the front of the following word, just like a prefix: הָאִישׁ שֶׁעוֹבֵד פֹּה ('the man who works here'). Unlike English, שֶׁ can never be dropped — you must always say it. It works for people and things alike, masculine and feminine, singular and plural, so you don't change its form. The relative clause comes right after the noun it describes.
Key rule
Use invariant שֶׁ־ (attached as a prefix) for who/which/that after any noun; it is obligatory and never dropped — הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁקָּרָאתִי, not הַסֵּפֶר קָרָאתִי.
Examples
- הָאִישׁ שֶׁעוֹבֵד פֹּה נֶחְמָד.הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר עוֹבֵד פֹּה הוּא נֶחְמָד מְאוֹד אֲשֶׁר.
Use everyday שֶׁ; אֲשֶׁר is literary, and it appears once at the clause start, not twice.
- הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁקָּרָאתִי הָיָה מְעַנְיֵן.הַסֵּפֶר קָרָאתִי הָיָה מְעַנְיֵן.
שֶׁ is obligatory; Hebrew has no zero relative like English 'the book I read'.
- הַיַּלְדָּה שֶׁמְּדַבֶּרֶת אִתִּי הִיא אֲחוֹתִי.הַיַּלְדָּה שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר אִתִּי הִיא אֲחוֹתִי.
The verb inside agrees with the head noun (feminine): מְדַבֶּרֶת, not מְדַבֵּר.
Common mistakes
Dropping the relativizer (English zero relative)
הָאֹכֶל בִּשַּׁלְתִּי טָעִיםהָאֹכֶל שֶׁבִּשַּׁלְתִּי טָעִיםHebrew never omits שֶׁ; unlike English, the relative pronoun is obligatory.
Inflecting שֶׁ for gender or number
הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁהִיא עוֹבֶדֶת (as the relativizer)הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁעוֹבֶדֶתשֶׁ is invariant; you don't add a pronoun to mark gender on the relativizer itself.
Impersonal "they/one" (3pl)
סְתָמִי בְּגוּף שְׁלִישִׁי רַבִּים
When English says 'they say', 'people think', or 'one doesn't do that' — without meaning any specific people — Hebrew uses a masculine plural verb with NO subject at all: אוֹמְרִים שֶׁ… ('they say that…'), חוֹשְׁבִים שֶׁ… ('people think that…'), לֹא עוֹשִׂים אֶת זֶה ('one doesn't do that'). There is no word for 'they', 'one', or 'people' here; the bare plural verb carries the impersonal meaning. This is extremely common in everyday Hebrew for general statements, rules, customs and rumours. Just use the plural verb (masculine) and leave the subject out.
Key rule
For generic 'they/one/people', use a bare masculine-plural verb with NO subject: אוֹמְרִים שֶׁ…, פֹּה לֹא מְעַשְּׁנִים — adding a pronoun would make it mean specific people.
Examples
- אוֹמְרִים שֶׁמָּחָר יֵרֵד גֶּשֶׁם.הֵם אוֹמְרִים שֶׁמָּחָר יֵרֵד גֶּשֶׁם. (for generic 'they say')
The generic 'they say' uses a subjectless plural verb; adding הֵם points to specific people.
- פֹּה לֹא מְעַשְּׁנִים.פֹּה אֶחָד לֹא מְעַשֵּׁן.
Generic prohibition uses the impersonal plural; there is no 'one' word and the verb is plural.
- אֵיךְ אוֹמְרִים "thank you" בְּעִבְרִית?אֵיךְ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר "thank you" בְּעִבְרִית?
For the generic 'how does one say', the subjectless plural אוֹמְרִים is the idiom; the 'you' version asks about a specific person.
Common mistakes
Adding הֵם for the generic 'they'
הֵם אוֹמְרִים שֶׁזֶּה אָסוּר (meaning 'it's said')אוֹמְרִים שֶׁזֶּה אָסוּרThe impersonal needs NO subject; הֵם turns it into specific 'they'.
Using a singular verb for the impersonal
פֹּה לֹא מְעַשֵּׁןפֹּה לֹא מְעַשְּׁנִיםThe s'tami construction is always masculine plural, even for a single rule.
Comparison: yoter … mi-
הַשְׁוָאָה: יוֹתֵר … מִ־
To say 'bigger', 'more interesting', 'taller' than something, Hebrew puts the word יוֹתֵר ('more') with the adjective and uses מִ־ ('than'): הוּא גָּבוֹהַּ יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנִּי, or more commonly הוּא יוֹתֵר גָּבוֹהַּ מִמֶּנִּי ('he is taller than me'). The adjective itself does not change shape — Hebrew has no '-er' ending; you simply add יוֹתֵר. For 'less', use פָּחוֹת in the same way: הִיא פָּחוֹת עֲסוּקָה מִמֶּנִּי ('she is less busy than me'). The 'than' word מִ־ attaches to the next word and inflects with pronouns (מִמֶּנִּי 'than me', מִמְּךָ 'than you').
Key rule
Compare with יוֹתֵר (or פָּחוֹת) + the unchanged adjective and introduce the standard with מִ־ (מִמֶּנִּי before a pronoun): הוּא יוֹתֵר גָּבוֹהַּ מִמֶּנִּי.
Examples
- הָאָח שֶׁלִּי יוֹתֵר גָּבוֹהַּ מִמֶּנִּי.הָאָח שֶׁלִּי גָּבוֹהֵר מִמֶּנִּי.
Hebrew has no '-er' suffix; use יוֹתֵר + the plain adjective.
- הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה יוֹתֵר מְעַנְיֵן מֵהַשֵּׁנִי.הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה יוֹתֵר מְעַנְיֵן הַשֵּׁנִי.
The standard of comparison needs מֵ ('than'): מֵהַשֵּׁנִי.
- הִיא יוֹתֵר גְּדוֹלָה מֵאָחִיהָ.הִיא יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל מֵאָחִיהָ.
The adjective still agrees with the feminine subject: גְּדוֹלָה.
Common mistakes
Suffixing the adjective like English '-er'
גָּדוֹלֵר / חֲכָמֵריוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל / יוֹתֵר חָכָםHebrew has no comparative ending; you always use יוֹתֵר + the plain adjective.
Omitting מִ before the standard
הוּא יוֹתֵר גָּבוֹהַּ אֲנִיהוּא יוֹתֵר גָּבוֹהַּ מִמֶּנִּי'Than' must be expressed by מִ־, and before a pronoun it becomes מִמֶּנִּי.
Superlative: hachi / be-yoter
הַפְלָגָה: הֲכִי / בְּיוֹתֵר
To say 'the biggest', 'the most interesting', 'the best', Hebrew has two ways. The everyday way is הֲכִי ('most') + adjective, placed after the definite noun: הַסֵּפֶר הֲכִי מְעַנְיֵן ('the most interesting book'), הַיֶּלֶד הֲכִי גָּבוֹהַּ ('the tallest boy'). The more formal/written way is the adjective + בְּיוֹתֵר: הַסֵּפֶר הַמְּעַנְיֵן בְּיוֹתֵר. In both, the noun is usually definite (with הַ־), and the adjective still agrees in gender and number. For 'the best' you can say הֲכִי טוֹב or use הַטּוֹב בְּיוֹתֵר.
Key rule
Form the superlative with הֲכִי + adjective after a definite noun (הַסֵּפֶר הֲכִי טוֹב) or, more formally, with the definite adjective + בְּיוֹתֵר (הַסֵּפֶר הַטּוֹב בְּיוֹתֵר); the noun must be definite and the adjective still agrees.
Examples
- זֹאת הַמִּסְעָדָה הֲכִי טוֹבָה בָּעִיר.זֹאת הַמִּסְעָדָה יוֹתֵר טוֹבָה בָּעִיר.
A superlative needs הֲכִי (or בְּיוֹתֵר); יוֹתֵר alone is a comparative.
- הוּא הַתַּלְמִיד הֲכִי חָכָם בַּכִּתָּה.הוּא תַּלְמִיד הֲכִי חָכָם בַּכִּתָּה.
The superlative noun must be definite: הַתַּלְמִיד, not bare תַּלְמִיד.
- זֹאת הַשְּׁאֵלָה הֲכִי קָשָׁה בַּמִּבְחָן.זֹאת הַשְּׁאֵלָה הֲכִי קָשֶׁה בַּמִּבְחָן.
The adjective agrees with the feminine noun: קָשָׁה.
Common mistakes
Using יוֹתֵר for a superlative
הַמִּסְעָדָה יוֹתֵר טוֹבָה בָּעִיר (meaning 'the best')הַמִּסְעָדָה הֲכִי טוֹבָה בָּעִיר'The most' is הֲכִי / בְּיוֹתֵר; יוֹתֵר alone only forms a comparative.
Dropping the definite article on the noun
הוּא תַּלְמִיד הֲכִי חָכָםהוּא הַתַּלְמִיד הֲכִי חָכָםSuperlatives require a definite head noun.
Negating with ein (Literary/Existential)
שְׁלִילָה בְּ"אֵין"
You already know אֵין as 'there isn't' (אֵין חָלָב — 'there's no milk') and in אֵין לִי ('I don't have'). אֵין has a second job: it negates the present tense in a more formal or written style, replacing לֹא. Compare everyday הוּא לֹא יוֹדֵעַ ('he doesn't know') with the formal הוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ. Here אֵין takes a pronoun ending: אֵינֶנִּי / אֵינִי ('I am not…'), אֵינְךָ ('you are not…'), אֵינוֹ ('he is not…'), אֵינָהּ ('she is not…'), אֵינָם ('they are not…'). In speech you'll almost always use לֹא; אֵין-negation is for formal writing, signs, and set phrases.
Key rule
אֵין negates existence ('there isn't') and, in formal register, the present tense — taking pronoun endings (אֵינוֹ, אֵינָהּ, אֵינֶנִּי) where speech would use לֹא; past and future are always negated with לֹא.
Examples
- אֵין חָלָב בַּמְּקָרֵר.לֹא חָלָב בַּמְּקָרֵר.
Existential negation ('there's no milk') is אֵין, not לֹא.
- הוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אֶת הַתְּשׁוּבָה.הוּא אֵין יוֹדֵעַ אֶת הַתְּשׁוּבָה.
In formal present-negation אֵין takes a 3ms suffix: אֵינוֹ, not bare אֵין.
- אֵינֶנִּי בָּטוּחַ בָּזֶה.אֵין אֲנִי בָּטוּחַ בָּזֶה.
Use the inflected אֵינֶנִּי for 'I am not'; אֵין + free pronoun is non-standard.
Common mistakes
Using לֹא for existential negation
לֹא חָלָב בַּבַּיִתאֵין חָלָב בַּבַּיִת'There is no…' is אֵין; לֹא negates verbs and predicates, not existence.
Using bare אֵין + free pronoun for present-negation
אֵין אֲנִי מֵבִיןאֵינֶנִּי מֵבִיןFormal present-negation uses the inflected אֵינ- forms (אֵינֶנִּי), not אֵין + a free pronoun.
Negative Commands with al
שְׁלִילַת צִוּוּי: אַל
To tell someone 'Don't…!', Hebrew does NOT negate the command form (the imperative). Instead it uses the word אַל followed by the FUTURE tense: אַל תֵּלֵךְ! ('don't go!', to a man), אַל תֵּלְכִי! (to a woman), אַל תֵּלְכוּ! (to a group). So you take the 2nd-person future and put אַל in front. Be careful not to confuse אַל with לֹא: לֹא negates statements ('he is not going' = הוּא לֹא הוֹלֵךְ), while אַל negates commands ('don't go!' = אַל תֵּלֵךְ). אַל is only for telling people not to do something.
Key rule
Form 'don't…!' with אַל + the 2nd-person FUTURE (אַל תֵּלֵךְ / תֵּלְכִי / תֵּלְכוּ), never by negating the imperative; keep אַל (commands) separate from לֹא (statements).
Examples
- אַל תֵּלֵךְ עַכְשָׁו!לֹא לֵךְ עַכְשָׁו!
Negative commands use אַל + future, not לֹא + the imperative.
- אַל תֵּלְכִי בְּלִי מְעִיל!אַל תֵּלֵךְ בְּלִי מְעִיל! (to a woman)
Use the feminine future after אַל when addressing a woman: תֵּלְכִי.
- אַל תִּדְאַג, הַכֹּל בְּסֵדֶר.אַל דּוֹאֵג, הַכֹּל בְּסֵדֶר.
אַל selects the future תִּדְאַג, not the present participle דּוֹאֵג.
Common mistakes
Negating the imperative with לֹא
לֹא לֵךְ!אַל תֵּלֵךְ!Hebrew prohibitions use אַל + future, not לֹא + the command form.
Using אַל with the present tense
אַל דּוֹאֵגאַל תִּדְאַגאַל selects the 2nd-person future, never the present participle.
Negating the Past & Future
שְׁלִילַת עָבָר וְעָתִיד
Negating past and future verbs is easy: you put לֹא directly in front of the verb. Past: לֹא הָלַכְתִּי ('I didn't go'), הִיא לֹא בָּאָה ('she didn't come'). Future: לֹא אֵלֵךְ ('I won't go'), הֵם לֹא יָבוֹאוּ ('they won't come'). There is no helper word like English 'did' or 'will not' to worry about — just לֹא + the verb. Note: לֹא is for statements (past and future). For a command 'don't!' you use a different word, אַל; and for 'there isn't' you use אֵין. So past and future statements always take plain לֹא.
Key rule
Negate past and future verbs by placing לֹא directly before the verb (לֹא הָלַכְתִּי, לֹא אֵלֵךְ) — no 'did'/'will' auxiliary; reserve אַל for commands and אֵין for existence.
Examples
- אֶתְמוֹל לֹא הָלַכְתִּי לָעֲבוֹדָה.אֶתְמוֹל לֹא עָשִׂיתִי הָלַכְתִּי לָעֲבוֹדָה.
Hebrew has no do-support; just לֹא + the past verb, with no extra עָשִׂיתִי.
- הִיא לֹא בָּאָה אֶל הַמְּסִבָּה.הִיא בָּאָה לֹא אֶל הַמְּסִבָּה.
לֹא comes directly before the verb, not before the object.
- מָחָר לֹא אֵלֵךְ לַשִּׁעוּר.מָחָר אַל אֵלֵךְ לַשִּׁעוּר. (as a statement)
A future statement uses לֹא; אַל is only for commands.
Common mistakes
Importing English do-support
לֹא עָשִׂיתִי לָלֶכֶתלֹא הָלַכְתִּיHebrew has no 'did'; you simply put לֹא before the past verb.
Periphrastic 'will not be …-ing'
לֹא אֶהְיֶה הוֹלֵךְ מָחָרלֹא אֵלֵךְ מָחָרThe future is one conjugated verb; no 'will be going' structure exists.
Past Tense (Pa'al) — Full Conjugation
עָבָר פָּעַל — נְטִיָּה מְלֵאָה
Unlike the present, the Hebrew past tense changes for every person — not just for gender and number. You build it on one fixed stem (for the root כ-ת-ב it is כָּתַב, 'he wrote') and add a personal ending. The set of endings is: כָּתַבְתִּי (I wrote), כָּתַבְתָּ / כָּתַבְתְּ (you m./f.), כָּתַב / כָּתְבָה (he/she), כָּתַבְנוּ (we), כְּתַבְתֶּם / כְּתַבְתֶּן (you pl.), כָּתְבוּ (they). Because the ending already tells you who did the action, in the first and second persons you usually drop the subject pronoun: כָּתַבְתִּי is enough — you don't need אֲנִי כָּתַבְתִּי. Learn these endings as a fixed kit; they attach to every regular Pa'al verb.
Key rule
Take the 3ms base (כָּתַב) and add the past suffixes -תִּי, -תָּ/-תְּ, ∅/-ָה, -נוּ, -תֶּם/-תֶּן, -וּ; the vowel reduces before -ָה and -וּ (כָּתְבָה, כָּתְבוּ).
Examples
- אֶתְמוֹל כָּתַבְתִּי מִכְתָּב.אֶתְמוֹל כָּתַב מִכְתָּב.
For 'I wrote' you need the 1sg ending -תִּי: כָּתַבְתִּי, not the bare 3ms כָּתַב.
- הִיא כָּתְבָה הוֹדָעָה.הִיא כָּתַבָה הוֹדָעָה.
Before the 3fs ending -ָה the middle vowel reduces to shva: כָּתְבָה, not כָּתַבָה.
- הֵם כָּתְבוּ בַּמַּחְבֶּרֶת.הֵם כָּתַבוּ בַּמַּחְבֶּרֶת.
Before the 3pl ending -וּ the vowel also reduces: כָּתְבוּ, not כָּתַבוּ.
Common mistakes
Using the 3ms base for 'I'
אֶתְמוֹל כָּתַב מִכְתָּב (meaning 'I wrote')אֶתְמוֹל כָּתַבְתִּי מִכְתָּבThe past needs a personal ending; 'I' requires -תִּי, while כָּתַב alone means 'he wrote'.
Keeping the full vowel before -ָה / -וּ
הִיא כָּתַבָה / הֵם כָּתַבוּהִיא כָּתְבָה / הֵם כָּתְבוּBefore the vowel endings -ָה (3fs) and -וּ (3pl) the second root vowel reduces to shva.
Future Tense (Pa'al)
עָתִיד פָּעַל
The Hebrew future is a prefix tense: instead of adding to the end, you put a letter at the FRONT of the verb to show who will do it. For the root כ-ת-ב the forms are: אֶכְתֹּב (I will write), תִּכְתֹּב (you m. / she will write), תִּכְתְּבִי (you f.), יִכְתֹּב (he will write), נִכְתֹּב (we will write), תִּכְתְּבוּ (you pl.), יִכְתְּבוּ (they will write). The four prefix letters are א, ת, י, נ — remembered with the mnemonic word אֵיתָ"ן. Notice that one form, תִּכְתֹּב, covers both 'you (m.)' and 'she', so context tells them apart. The future also doubles as a polite request and a soft command.
Key rule
Mark the future with a front prefix from אֵיתָ"ן (א/ת/י/נ); add -ִי for 2fs and -וּ for plural, dropping the theme vowel before them — and remember תִּכְתֹּב serves both 'you m.' and 'she'.
Examples
- מָחָר אֶכְתֹּב אֶת הַדּוֹחַ.מָחָר תִּכְתֹּב אֶת הַדּוֹחַ. (meaning 'I will write')
'I will' takes the א-prefix: אֶכְתֹּב, not the ת-prefix.
- הוּא יִסְגֹּר אֶת הַחֲנוּת בְּשֶׁבַע.הוּא תִּסְגֹּר אֶת הַחֲנוּת בְּשֶׁבַע.
'He will' takes the י-prefix: יִסְגֹּר; ת is for 'you/she'.
- אַתְּ תִּכְתְּבִי לִי הוֹדָעָה?אַתְּ תִּכְתֹּב לִי הוֹדָעָה?
'You (f.)' adds the suffix -ִי and drops the theme vowel: תִּכְתְּבִי.
Common mistakes
Using ת- for 'I will' instead of א-
מָחָר תִּכְתֹּב מִכְתָּב (meaning 'I will write')מָחָר אֶכְתֹּב מִכְתָּבThe 1sg future prefix is א (אֶכְתֹּב); ת marks 'you' or 'she'.
Using ת- for 'he will'
הוּא תִּלְמַד מָחָרהוּא יִלְמַד מָחָר'He will' takes the י-prefix; ת is reserved for 2nd person and 3fs.
Future Person Prefixes (א-ת-י-נ)
תְּחִילִיּוֹת הֶעָתִיד
Every Hebrew future verb starts with one of four letters that tell you WHO will do the action: א for 'I', ת for 'you' and 'she', י for 'he' and 'they', נ for 'we'. A famous trick is to remember the made-up word אֵיתָ"ן (Eitan) — its letters א-י-ת-ן are exactly these four prefixes. Two of them split by gender with an extra ending: 'you (f.)' adds -ִי (תִּכְתְּבִי) and the plurals add -וּ (תִּכְתְּבוּ, יִכְתְּבוּ). The one thing to watch is that ת covers BOTH 'you (m.)' and 'she', so you tell them apart from context. Learning these four prefixes unlocks the future of every verb in every binyan.
Key rule
The future person is shown by a front prefix from אֵיתָ"ן — א=I, ת=you/she, י=he/they, נ=we — plus -ִי for 'you (f.)' and -וּ for plurals; the same four prefixes work in every binyan.
Examples
- אֲנִי אֶפְתַּח אֶת הַחַלּוֹן.אֲנִי תִּפְתַּח אֶת הַחַלּוֹן.
'I' must take the א-prefix: אֶפְתַּח, not the ת-prefix.
- אַתָּה תִּשְׁמֹר עַל הַתִּיק.אַתָּה יִשְׁמֹר עַל הַתִּיק.
'You (m.)' takes ת: תִּשְׁמֹר; י would mean 'he'.
- הִיא תִּלְמַד רְפוּאָה.הִיא יִלְמַד רְפוּאָה.
'She' shares the ת-prefix with 'you (m.)': תִּלְמַד.
Common mistakes
Using ת- for 'I'
אֲנִי תִּלְמַדאֲנִי אֶלְמַדThe 1sg prefix is א; ת belongs to 'you' and 'she'.
Using י- for 'you (m.)'
אַתָּה יִשְׁמֹראַתָּה תִּשְׁמֹר'You (m.)' takes ת; י marks 'he' or 'they'.
The Imperative (Tzivui)
צִוּוּי
The imperative is how you tell someone directly to do something: 'Write!', 'Sit!', 'Come!'. In Hebrew it has three forms — one for a man, one for a woman, one for a group: כְּתֹב! (m.), כִּתְבִי! (f.), כִּתְבוּ! (pl.). The easiest way to build it is to take the matching future form and drop the front prefix: תִּכְתֹּב → כְּתֹב, תִּכְתְּבִי → כִּתְבִי, תִּכְתְּבוּ → כִּתְבוּ. In everyday spoken Hebrew people very often just use the future form itself as a softer command (תִּכְתֹּב לִי = 'write to me'), and the true imperative can sound firm or even abrupt. For a NEGATIVE command you never use the imperative — you use אַל + future (אַל תִּכְתֹּב).
Key rule
Build the imperative by dropping the ת-prefix from the 2nd-person future (כְּתֹב/כִּתְבִי/כִּתְבוּ); use the plain future as a polite alternative, and for 'don't!' use אַל + future, never the imperative.
Examples
- כְּתֹב אֶת הַשֵּׁם שֶׁלְּךָ כָּאן.כְּתֹבְתָּ אֶת הַשֵּׁם שֶׁלְּךָ כָּאן.
The masculine imperative is the bare כְּתֹב; -תָּ is a past-tense ending and has no place here.
- כִּתְבִי לִי כְּשֶׁתַּגִּיעִי.כְּתֹב לִי כְּשֶׁתַּגִּיעִי. (to a woman)
Addressing a woman needs the feminine imperative כִּתְבִי, not the masculine כְּתֹב.
- כִּתְבוּ אֶת הַתַּשׁוּבוֹת בַּמַּחְבֶּרֶת.כְּתֹב אֶת הַתַּשׁוּבוֹת בַּמַּחְבֶּרֶת. (to a class)
Addressing a group requires the plural imperative כִּתְבוּ.
Common mistakes
Adding a past-tense ending to the imperative
כְּתֹבְתָּ כָּאןכְּתֹב כָּאןThe imperative takes no personal suffix in the masculine singular; it is the bare form.
Using the masculine imperative for a woman or group
כְּתֹב (to a woman)כִּתְבִיThe imperative agrees with the addressee: -ִי for a woman, -וּ for a group.
Present-Tense Weak Roots (Overview)
הוֹוֶה בִּגְזָרוֹת (סְקִירָה)
Most Hebrew verbs follow a clean pattern, but some roots contain 'weak' letters — gutturals (א, ה, ח, ע) or the letters נ, י, ו — that slightly reshape the verb. These special families are called גְּזָרוֹת (gzarot, 'verb classes'). In the PRESENT tense the differences are usually small and easy to hear: a guttural third letter changes the ending sound (שׁוֹמֵעַ instead of *שׁוֹמֵע, with a 'pataḥ ganuv'), a final ה gives the -eh/-ah pattern (רוֹצֶה/רוֹצָה), and middle-vav 'hollow' verbs look very short (גָּר, קָם). You don't need to master every class at once — just recognize that these everyday verbs are members of regular families, not random exceptions, so the same change repeats across many verbs.
Key rule
Weak root letters (gutturals, נ, י, ו) reshape verbs predictably; in the present this mostly shows up as the -eh/-ah ending (רוֹצֶה), a furtive pataḥ before a final guttural (שׁוֹמֵעַ), or short 'hollow' forms (גָּר, קָם).
Examples
- אֲנִי שׁוֹמֵעַ מוּזִיקָה.אֲנִי שׁוֹמֵע מוּזִיקָה.
A final guttural ע takes a furtive pataḥ: שׁוֹמֵעַ, pronounced 'shomea'.
- הִיא רוֹצָה לָלֶכֶת.הִיא רוֹצֶת לָלֶכֶת.
Final-ה roots form the feminine present in -ah: רוֹצָה, not *רוֹצֶת.
- הוּא גָּר בְּתֵל אָבִיב.הוּא גּוֹאֵר בְּתֵל אָבִיב.
Hollow (middle-vav) verbs have a short present without a מ/וֹ infix: גָּר, not *גּוֹאֵר.
Common mistakes
Dropping the furtive pataḥ on a final guttural
אֲנִי שׁוֹמֵעאֲנִי שׁוֹמֵעַRoots ending in ח/ע take a furtive pataḥ in the present (שׁוֹמֵעַ, יוֹדֵעַ, נוֹסֵעַ).
Using the strong feminine -et on a final-ה verb
הִיא רוֹצֶתהִיא רוֹצָהFinal-ה verbs take -ah in the feminine present, not the strong ending -et.
Past of Lamed-Hey Verbs
עָבָר לְמֵד־הֵ"א
Verbs whose root ends in ה — like רצה (want), קנה (buy), עשה (do), היה (be), שתה (drink) — are extremely common, and their PAST tense follows its own neat pattern. The ה turns into an -i- or -a- sound before the endings: רָצִיתִי (I wanted), רָצִיתָ / רָצִית (you), רָצָה / רָצְתָה (he/she), רָצִינוּ (we), רָצוּ (they). The thing to notice is that the third-person-masculine form keeps the ה (רָצָה, קָנָה), but as soon as you add a personal ending, the ה disappears and you get a -ִי vowel: רָצִיתִי, not *רָצָהְתִּי. These are everyday verbs, so this pattern is worth drilling early.
Key rule
Final-ה verbs drop the ה before endings and link with -ִי (רָצִיתִי, רָצִינוּ); the 3ms keeps -ָה (רָצָה), the 3fs is -תָה (רָצְתָה), and the 3pl is -וּ (רָצוּ).
Examples
- אֶתְמוֹל רָצִיתִי לָנוּחַ.אֶתְמוֹל רָצָהְתִּי לָנוּחַ.
The ה drops and links with -ִי before the ending: רָצִיתִי, not *רָצָהְתִּי.
- הִיא קָנְתָה שִׂמְלָה חֲדָשָׁה.הִיא קָנָה שִׂמְלָה חֲדָשָׁה.
The 3fs of a final-ה verb is -תָה: קָנְתָה; קָנָה is the masculine form.
- הֵם עָשׂוּ טָעוּת.הֵם עָשָׂהוּ טָעוּת.
The 3pl simply adds -וּ to the short stem: עָשׂוּ, with no ה.
Common mistakes
Keeping the ה before a consonant ending
רָצָהְתִּי, קָנָהְתָּרָצִיתִי, קָנִיתָThe final ה drops and is replaced by the linking vowel -ִי before -תִי/-תָ etc.
Using the masculine 3ms for 'she'
הִיא קָנָההִיא קָנְתָהThe 3fs of final-ה verbs is -תָה (קָנְתָה), not the bare -ָה.
"to be" in the Past (hayah)
הָיָה (עָבָר שֶׁל "לִהְיוֹת")
Hebrew has no word for 'is/are' in the present — you just say אֲנִי סְטוּדֶנְט ('I [am a] student'). But in the PAST you DO need a verb, and that verb is הָיָה (to be). So 'I am a student' becomes 'I was a student' = הָיִיתִי סְטוּדֶנְט. Its forms are: הָיִיתִי (I was), הָיִיתָ / הָיִית (you), הָיָה / הָיְתָה (he/she), הָיִינוּ (we), הָיוּ (they). You use it for past states ('I was tired'), past locations ('we were at the beach'), and 'there was/were' (הָיָה / הָיוּ). This is one of the first things that lets you tell a story about the past, so it is worth memorizing as a unit.
Key rule
Use הָיָה to supply the 'was/were' that the present omits: for past states, locations, 'there was/were', and past possession (where the verb agrees with the thing owned, not the owner).
Examples
- אֶתְמוֹל הָיִיתִי עָיֵף.אֶתְמוֹל אֲנִי עָיֵף.
A past state needs the past copula הָיִיתִי; the bare nominal sentence is present-only.
- הִיא הָיְתָה מוֹרָה לְמָתֵמָטִיקָה.הִיא הָיָה מוֹרָה לְמָתֵמָטִיקָה.
The 3fs is הָיְתָה; הָיָה is masculine.
- הָיוּ הַרְבֵּה אֲנָשִׁים בַּמְּסִבָּה.הָיָה הַרְבֵּה אֲנָשִׁים בַּמְּסִבָּה.
With a plural subject the existential 'there were' is הָיוּ, agreeing in number.
Common mistakes
Omitting הָיָה for a past state
אֶתְמוֹל אֲנִי חוֹלֶהאֶתְמוֹל הָיִיתִי חוֹלֶהThe present has no copula, but the past requires הָיָה to mark 'was'.
Using the owner's form for past possession
הָיִיתִי כֶּלֶב (meaning 'I had a dog')הָיָה לִי כֶּלֶבPossession uses הָיָה + לְ, and the verb agrees with the thing owned, not the owner.
"to be" in the Future (yihyeh)
יִהְיֶה (עָתִיד שֶׁל "לִהְיוֹת")
Just as the past needs הָיָה for 'was', the FUTURE needs יִהְיֶה for 'will be'. The present has no 'is', but the future does. Forms: אֶהְיֶה (I will be), תִּהְיֶה / תִּהְיִי (you), יִהְיֶה / תִּהְיֶה (he/she), נִהְיֶה (we), יִהְיוּ (they). You use it for future states ('I will be ready'), future 'there will be' (יִהְיֶה / יִהְיוּ), future possession ('I will have' = יִהְיֶה לִי), and the very common phrase 'it'll be okay' — יִהְיֶה בְּסֵדֶר. As in the past, in future possession the verb agrees with the thing you'll have, not with you: יִהְיֶה לִי כֶּלֶב, but יִהְיוּ לִי שְׁנֵי כְּלָבִים.
Key rule
Use יִהְיֶה for 'will be' — future states, locations, 'there will be', and future possession (verb agrees with the owned thing); the famous phrase is יִהְיֶה בְּסֵדֶר.
Examples
- מָחָר אֶהְיֶה מוּכָן.מָחָר אֲנִי מוּכָן. (meaning 'I will be ready')
A future state needs the future copula אֶהְיֶה; the bare nominal sentence is present.
- הִיא תִּהְיֶה רוֹפְאָה.הִיא יִהְיֶה רוֹפְאָה.
The 3fs is תִּהְיֶה (ת-prefix); יִהְיֶה is masculine.
- יִהְיוּ הַרְבֵּה אוֹרְחִים בָּאֵרוּעַ.יִהְיֶה הַרְבֵּה אוֹרְחִים בָּאֵרוּעַ.
Plural subject → plural 'there will be': יִהְיוּ.
Common mistakes
Omitting יִהְיֶה for a future state
מָחָר אֲנִי מוּכָןמָחָר אֶהְיֶה מוּכָןLike the past, the future needs an explicit copula; the present omission does not carry over.
Using the owner's form for future possession
אֶהְיֶה כֶּלֶב (meaning 'I will have a dog')יִהְיֶה לִי כֶּלֶבFuture possession is יִהְיֶה + לְ; the verb agrees with the thing owned, not the owner.
Pe-Nun Verbs (assimilating nun)
גִּזְרַת פ"ן
Some Hebrew verbs have נ as their FIRST root letter — נ-פ-ל (fall), נ-ג-ע (touch), נ-ס-ע (travel), נ-ת-ן (give). In the present and past they look normal (נוֹפֵל, נָפַל), but in the FUTURE and the infinitive that first נ tends to vanish and 'press' into the next letter, which then gets a strong dot (dagesh). So נ-פ-ל gives future יִפֹּל (he will fall), not *יִנְפֹּל; the נ disappears and the פ doubles. Same with לִגֹּעַ (to touch) and יִגַּשׁ (he will approach). The verb נ-ת-ן (give) is the star of this class and is so common you should memorize it: אֶתֵּן, תִּתֵּן, יִתֵּן, נִתֵּן (I/you/he/we will give).
Key rule
When נ is the first root letter, it assimilates (disappears + dagesh) in the FUTURE and infinitive of Pa'al — נפל → יִפֹּל, לִפֹּל — while present (נוֹפֵל) and past (נָפַל) keep it; learn נתן (אֶתֵּן, תֵּן, לָתֵת) as the model.
Examples
- הַסֵּפֶר יִפֹּל מֵהַשֻּׁלְחָן.הַסֵּפֶר יִנְפֹּל מֵהַשֻּׁלְחָן.
In the future the initial נ assimilates and the פ doubles: יִפֹּל, not *יִנְפֹּל.
- אֲנִי אֶתֵּן לְךָ אֶת זֶה.אֲנִי אֶנְתֵּן לְךָ אֶת זֶה.
The future of נתן drops the initial נ: אֶתֵּן, not *אֶנְתֵּן.
- תֵּן לִי בְּבַקָּשָׁה אֶת הַמֶּלַח.נְתֹן לִי בְּבַקָּשָׁה אֶת הַמֶּלַח.
The imperative of נתן is תֵּן, with the נ gone — not the regular-looking *נְתֹן.
Common mistakes
Keeping the נ in the future
הַכּוֹס יִנְפֹּלהַכּוֹס תִּפֹּלIn the future the initial נ assimilates and the next letter doubles (and the subject כּוֹס is feminine → תִּפֹּל).
Regularizing the future of נתן
אֲנִי אֶנְתֹּןאֲנִי אֶתֵּןנתן drops the initial נ in the future: אֶתֵּן, תִּתֵּן, יִתֵּן.
Pe-Yod/Vav Verbs (yoshev, yored)
גִּזְרַת פ"י/פ"ו
A group of very common verbs has י (historically ו) as their first root letter: י-ש-ב (sit/live), י-ר-ד (go down), י-ד-ע (know), י-צ-א (go out), י-ל-ד (give birth). In the present they look like normal Pa'al verbs starting with יוֹ־: יוֹשֵׁב, יוֹרֵד, יוֹדֵעַ, יוֹצֵא. But in the FUTURE and the infinitive that first letter drops out and the verb starts with a long צֵירֵי vowel instead: יֵשֵׁב (he will sit), יֵרֵד (he will go down), and the infinitives become לָשֶׁבֶת, לָרֶדֶת, לָדַעַת, לָצֵאת. The imperative is short and snappy too: שֵׁב! (sit!), רֵד! (go down!), צֵא! (get out!). Because these are everyday survival verbs, their irregular infinitives are worth memorizing one by one.
Key rule
Pe-yod verbs (ישב, ירד, ידע, יצא) keep the יוֹ־ in the present (יוֹשֵׁב) but drop the first radical in the future, taking a long tzere prefix (יֵשֵׁב), and have irregular infinitives to memorize (לָשֶׁבֶת, לָרֶדֶת, לָדַעַת, לָצֵאת).
Examples
- אֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב לְיַד הַחַלּוֹן.אֲנִי יֵשֵׁב לְיַד הַחַלּוֹן. (meaning present 'I sit')
The present keeps the יוֹ־: יוֹשֵׁב; יֵשֵׁב is the future.
- מָחָר נֵשֵׁב בַּגִּנָּה.מָחָר נֵיֵשֵׁב בַּגִּנָּה.
The future drops the first radical and starts with a long tzere: נֵשֵׁב, not a doubled vowel.
- אֲנִי רוֹצֶה לָשֶׁבֶת פֹּה.אֲנִי רוֹצֶה לִישֹׁב פֹּה.
The infinitive of ישב is the irregular לָשֶׁבֶת, not a regular-looking *לִישֹׁב.
Common mistakes
Using the future stem in the present
אֲנִי יֵשֵׁב פֹּה (meaning 'I sit')אֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב פֹּהThe present of pe-yod verbs keeps יוֹ־ (יוֹשֵׁב); the dropped-radical stem is future.
Regularizing the infinitive
לִישֹׁב, לִירֹד, לִידֹעַלָשֶׁבֶת, לָרֶדֶת, לָדַעַתPe-yod infinitives are irregular and must be memorized as fixed forms.
Hollow Verbs (kam, ba, gar)
גִּזְרַת ע"ו/ע"י (פְּעָלִים חֲלוּלִים)
A special family of very common verbs has a ו or י as its MIDDLE letter — ק-ו-ם (get up), ב-ו-א (come), ג-ו-ר (live), ש-י-ר (sing), ר-ו-ץ (run), ש-י-ם (put). Because the middle letter is weak, these verbs look 'hollow' — short and vowel-heavy. Their present looks like an adjective: גָּר / גָּרָה / גָּרִים, קָם / קָמָה / קָמִים. The past is also short: קַמְתִּי (I got up), בָּאתִי (I came), גַּרְתִּי (I lived). And the future and infinitive bring back a long vowel: יָקוּם (he will get up), לָקוּם (to get up); יָבוֹא (he will come), לָבוֹא (to come). These are essential daily verbs, so learn their three tenses as fixed sets — especially בָּא/לָבוֹא (come), which is irregular and everywhere.
Key rule
Hollow verbs (middle ו/י) have a short adjective-like present (גָּר, קָם) and short past (קַמְתִּי), but restore a long vowel in the future and infinitive (יָקוּם, לָקוּם; יָבוֹא, לָבוֹא) — and בּוֹא 'come' is irregular and must be memorized.
Examples
- אֲנִי קַמְתִּי בְּשֵׁשׁ.אֲנִי קוֹמַתִּי בְּשֵׁשׁ.
The past of a hollow verb is short: קַמְתִּי, with no inserted middle consonant.
- הוּא בָּא אֶתְמוֹל.הוּא בּוֹאֵ אֶתְמוֹל.
The 3ms past of בוא is simply בָּא; the present/participle is also בָּא but here past time is meant.
- מָחָר אָקוּם מֻקְדָּם.מָחָר אֶקְמֹם מֻקְדָּם.
The future restores the long vowel: אָקוּם, not a strong-pattern *אֶקְמֹם.
Common mistakes
Inserting a middle consonant in the past
אֲנִי קוֹמַתִּי / גּוֹרַתִּיאֲנִי קַמְתִּי / גַּרְתִּיHollow verbs have no stable middle consonant; the past is built on a short stem.
Using a strong-verb future
אֲנִי אֶקְמֹם / אֶגְרֹראֲנִי אָקוּם / אָגוּרThe future restores the long vowel of the root (וּ): אָקוּם, אָגוּר.
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