Modern Hebrew verb conjugation
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In Hebrew, verbs, which take the form of derived stems, are conjugated to reflect their tense and mood, as well as to agree with their subjects in gender, number, and person. Each verb has an inherent voice, though a verb in one voice typically has counterparts in other voices. This article deals mostly with Modern Hebrew, but to some extent, the information shown here applies to Biblical Hebrew as well.
Contents
Classification of roots
A root that contains at least one of the weak letters, <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />א alef, <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ה hey, <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ח het, <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />י yod, <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נ nun, and <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ע 'ayin, is called a weak root. Each pairing of a weak letter with a position results in a slightly different conjugation pattern. The largest group of these are the ones that end with <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ה hey. Examples of weak roots: <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שתה /ʃaˈta/ (drank), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />עלה /ʕaˈla/ (went up), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ירד /jaˈrad/ (went down), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נפל /naˈfal/ (fell).
A root that contains a <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ו vav or a <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />י yod as the second letter is called a hollow root. The <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ו vav and the <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />י yod are written as part of the root, even though they are absent from many of the conjugated forms. Examples of hollow roots are the following: <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שר /ˈʃar/ (sang), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גר /ˈɡar/ (lived), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />דן /ˈdan/ (discussed), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />דג /ˈdaɡ/ (fish).
Roots without weak letters are called strong or complete roots.
Binyanim or derived stems
Hebrew verbs are conjugated according to specific patterns, derived stems, called בִּנְיָנִים (/binjanim/ - "constructions") where vowels and affixes are slotted into the (mostly) three-letter שרשים (/ʃoraˈʃim/ - roots) from which the majority of Hebrew words are built.
There are seven basic binyanim. The traditional demonstration root is <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />פ.ע.ל which has the basic meaning of "action" or "doing":
root : <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />פעל | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
active | reflexive | passive | ||||
<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />פָּעַל paˈʕal |
<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />פִּעֵל piˈʕel |
<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִפְעִיל hifˈʕil |
<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְפַּעֵל hitpaˈʕel |
<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הֻפְעַל hufˈʕal |
<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />פֻּעַל puˈʕal |
<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִפְעַל nifˈʕal |
causative | ||||||
intensive | ||||||
simple |
This simplified chart's menorah-like shape is sometimes invoked in teaching the binyanim to help students remember the main ideas about the binyanim: (1) which binyanim are active voice (left side) vs. passive voice (right side), and (2) which binyanim are simple (outer-most menorah branches), intensive (second-outer-most), causative (third-outer-most), and reflexive (center). Note that some binyanim have more than one meaning.
Examples:
- In Hebrew (and in Arabic), many words that have a meaning related to writing contain the root K-T-B. (In Hebrew, due to a process called begadkefat, when the letter B does not come at the beginning of a word, it may sound like a V. The same thing happens with K and X.) Thus:
- "he wrote" (simple active voice) is כתב "kaˈtav", while "it was written" (simple passive voice) is נכתב "nixˈtav"
- "he dictated" (causative active v.) is הִכתב "hixˈtiv", while "it was dictated" (causative passive v.) is הֻכתב "huxˈtav"
- כִתב "kiˈtːev" and כֻתב "kuˈtːav" have a few meanings, none of which is commonly used, while "he corresponded" (intensive-reflexive) is התכתב "hitkaˈtːev"
- "he rewrote" is שִכתב "ʃixˈtev", while "it was rewritten" is שֻכתב "ʃuxˈtav" (though these two rare binyanim are used only with a few roots and thus are omitted from most of the discussion within this article).
- In Hebrew, many words that have a meaning related to clothing contain the root לב״ש L-B-SH (in Arabic, لبس L-B-S). When this root is put through the seven common binyanim, it changes its meaning similarly to the way the root כת״ב K-T-B does, but with a small difference. Here, the intensive reflexive form, התלבש "hitlaˈbesh", does not connote reciprocity as with "he corresponded", so the meaning is "he dressed himself", not "he dressed the person who dressed him".
- The root גד״ל G-D-L is common to words related to growth. Thus:
- "he grew up" (simple act, either active or passive) is "hu gaˈdal"; the nifˈʕal binyan is not used with this root
- "he enlarged" is הִגדל "higˈdil", while "it was enlarged" is הֻגדל "hugˈdal"
- "he grow apples" (intensive, active) is גִדל את תפוחים "giˈdːel ʔet tapuchim", while "the apples were grown" (intensive, passive) is גֻדלו התפוחים "gudːəˈlu hatːapuˈħim ", and the intensive-reflexive form of this root is used almost exclusively in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic prayers.
As mentioned, some binyanim have more than one meaning. For example, הפעיל hifˈʕil's second most common meaning is "become". Verbs like "became fat" (השמין "hiʃˈmin") and "turned pale" (החויר "hiħˈvir") are in this binyan. This meaning of הפעיל hifˈʕil is similar to that of the Arabic ninth derived stem, افعلّ ifʕalla, while הפעיל hifˈʕil's main meaning is shared with its Arabic historical equivalent, the fourth derived stem, أفعل afʕala.
Present Tense (Participle)
A verb in the present tense (<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הוֹוֶה, hoˈve) agrees with its subject in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural), so each verb has four present-tense forms:
Form | Root | Singular | Plural | Translation | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M | F | M | F | |||
paˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁמר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁוֹמֵר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁוֹמֶרֶת | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁוֹמְרִים | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁוֹמְרוֹת | Guards |
sh-m-r | ʃoˈmer | ʃoˈmeret | ʃoməˈrim | ʃoməˈrot | ||
piˈʕel | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גדל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מְגַדֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מְגַדֶּלֶת | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מְגַדְּלִים | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מְגַדְּלוֹת | Raises, grows (something) |
g-d-l | məɡaˈdːel | məɡaˈdːelet | məɡadːəˈlim | məɡadːəˈlot | ||
hifˈʕil | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קטנ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מַקְטִין | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מַקְטִינָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מַקְטִינִים | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מַקְטִינוֹת | Shrinks (something) |
q-t'-n | maqˈtin | maqtiˈna | maqtiˈnim | maqtiˈnot | ||
hitpaˈʕel | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />בטל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מִתְבַּטֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מִתְבַּטֶּלֶת | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מִתְבַּטְּלִים | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מִתְבַּטְּלוֹת | Belittles oneself, loafs |
b-t'-l | mitbaˈtːel | mitbaˈtːelet | mitbatːəˈlim | mitbatːəˈlot | ||
hufˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קטן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מֻקְטָן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מֻקְטֶנֶת | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מֻקְטָנִים | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מֻקְטָנוֹת | Is shrunken by |
q-t'-n | muqˈtan | muqˈtenet | muqtaˈnim | muqtaˈnot | ||
puˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גדל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מְגֻדָּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מְגֻדֶּלֶת | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מְגֻדָּלִים | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מְגֻדָּלוֹת | Is raised |
g-d-l | məɡuˈdːal | məɡuˈdːelet | məɡudːaˈlim | məɡudːaˈlot | ||
nifˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁמר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמָר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמֶרֶת | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמָרִים | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְמָרוֹת | Is guarded |
sh-m-r | niʃˈmar | niʃˈmeret | niʃmaˈrim | niʃmaˈrot |
The present tense does not inflect by first, second, or third person because its use as a present tense is a relatively recent trend, as this form was originally used only as the participle. The modern present tense verb is still used as the present participle; see below.
The ancient language did not have strictly defined past, present, or future tenses, but merely perfective and imperfective aspects, with past, present, or future connotation depending on context. Later the perfective and imperfective aspects were explicitly refashioned as the past and future tenses respectively, with the participle standing in as the present tense. (This also happened to the Aramaic language around the same time, but did not happen in Arabic, where the present and future tenses still share the same morphology, the one equivalent to the Hebrew future tense. The future tense is distinguished from the present tense by the use of prefixes.)
Past Tense (Past/ Perfect)
A verb in the past tense (<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />עָבַר ʕaˈvar) agrees with its subject in person (first, second, or third) and number, and in the second-person singular and plural and third-person singular, gender.
Note that the past/perfect and the present/participle inflections of the third-person singular nif'al were historically pronounced with different vowels in the final syllable—the past/perfect with a paˈtaħ ( <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ַ = /ɐː/), and the present/participle with a qaˈmats ɡaˈdol ( <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ָ = /ɔː/). In Modern Hebrew, both of these vowels have merged to /a/, and the two verb forms now are pronounced the same. For example, the past tense <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמַר niʃˈmar means "he was guarded" (or in old-fashioned perfective "he is/was guarded"), whereas the present tense <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמָר niʃˈmar means "he is being guarded".
Form | Root | Singular | Plural | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
He | She | Thou (You) | I | They | Ye (You) | We | ||||
M | F | M | F | |||||||
paˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁמר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שָׁמַר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שָֽמְרָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שָׁמַרְתָּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שָׁמַרְתְּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שָׁמַרְתִּי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שָֽמְרוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שְׁמַרְתֶּם | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שְׁמַרְתֶּן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שָׁמַרְנוּ |
sh-m-r | ʃaˈmar | ʃaməˈra | ʃaˈmarta | ʃaˈmart | ʃaˈmarti | ʃaməˈru | ʃəmarˈtem | ʃəmarˈten | ʃaˈmarnu | |
piˈʕel | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גדל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גִּדֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גִּדְּלָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גִּדַּלְתָּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גִּדַּלְתְּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גִּדַּלְתִּי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גִּדְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גִּדַּלְתֶּם | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גִּדַּלְתֶּן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גִּדַּלְנוּ |
g-d-l | ɡiˈdːel | ɡidːəˈla | ɡiˈdːalta | ɡiˈdːalt | ɡiˈdːalti | ɡidːəˈlu | ɡidːalˈtem | ɡidːalˈten | ɡiˈdːalnu | |
hifˈʕil | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קטנ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִקְטִין | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִקְטִינָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִקְטַנְתָּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִקְטַנְתְּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִקְטַנְתִּי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִקְטִינוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִקְטַנְתֶּם | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִקְטַנְתֶּן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִקְטַנּוּ |
q-t'-n | hiqˈtin | hiqtiˈna | hiqˈtanta | hiqˈtant | hiqˈtanti | hiqˈtinu | hiqtanˈtem | hiqtanˈten | hiqˈtanu | |
hitpaˈʕel | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />בטל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטְּלָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטַּלְתָּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטַּלְתְּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטַּלְתִּי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטַּלְתֶּם | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטַּלְתֶּן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטַּלְנוּ |
b-t'-l | hitbaˈtːel | hitbatːəˈla | hitbaˈtːalta | hitbaˈtːalt | hitbaˈtːalti | hitbatːəˈlu | hitbatːalˈtem | hitbatːalˈten | hitbaˈtːalnu | |
hufˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קטנ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הֻקְטַן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הֻקְטְנָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הֻקְטַנְתָּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הֻקְטַנְתְּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הֻקְטַנְתִּי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הֻקְטְנוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הֻקְטַנְתֶּם | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הֻקְטַנְתֶּן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הֻקְטַנּוּ |
q-t'-n | huqˈtan | huqteˈna | huqˈtanta | huqˈtant | huqˈtanti | huqteˈnu | huqtanˈtem | huqtanˈten | huqˈtanu | |
puˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גדל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גֻּדַּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גֻּדְּלָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גֻּדַּלְתָּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גֻּדַּלְתְּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גֻּדַּלְתִּי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גֻּדְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גֻּדַּלְתֶּם | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גֻּדַּלְתֶּן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גֻּדַּלְנוּ |
g-d-l | ɡuˈdːal | ɡudːəˈla | ɡuˈdːalta | ɡuˈdːalt | ɡuˈdːalti | ɡudːəˈlu | ɡudːalˈtem | ɡudːalˈten | ɡuˈdːalnu | |
nifˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁמר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמַר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמְרָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמַרְתָּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמַרְתְּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמַרְתִּי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמְרוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמַרְתֶּם | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמַרְתֶּן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמַרְנוּ |
sh-m-r | niʃˈmar | niʃməˈra | niʃˈmarta | niʃˈmart | niʃˈmarti | niʃməˈru | niʃmarˈtem | niʃmarˈten | niʃˈmarnu |
Future Tense (Unpast/ Imperfect)
A verb in the future tense (<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />עָתִיד ʕaˈtid) agrees with its subject in person and number, and in the second- and third-person singular, gender. The second-person singular masculine and third-person singular feminine forms are identical for all verbs in the future tense. Historically, there have been separate feminine forms for the second- and third-person plural (shown in parentheses on the table). These are still occasionally used today (most often in formal settings), and could be seen as the 'correct' forms. However, in everyday speech, most Israelis use the historically male form for both genders.
Form | Root | Singular | Plural | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
He | She | Thou (You) | I | They | Ye (You) | We | |||||
M | F | M | (F) | M | (F) | ||||||
paˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁמר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יִשְׁמֹר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּשְׁמֹר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּשְׁמֹר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּשְׁמְרִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אֶשְׁמֹר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ישְׁמְרוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ישְׁמֹרו | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תשְׁמְרוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תשְׁמֹרו | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשְׁמֹר |
sh-m-r | jiʃˈmor | tiʃˈmor | tiʃˈmor | tiʃməˈri | ʔeʃˈmor | jiʃməˈru | tiʃˈmorna | tiʃməˈru | tiʃˈmorna | niʃˈmor | |
piˈʕel | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גדל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יְגַדֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגַדֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגַדֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגַדְּלִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אֲגַדֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יְגַדְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגַדֵּלְנָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגַדְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגַדֵּלְנָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נְגַדֵּל |
g-d-l | jəɡaˈdːel | təɡaˈdːel | təɡaˈdːel | təɡadːəˈli | ʔaɡaˈdːel | jəɡadːəˈlu | təɡaˈdːelna | təɡadːəˈlu | təɡaˈdːelna | nəɡaˈdːel | |
hifˈʕil | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קטנ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יַקְטִין | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תַּקְטִין | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תַּקְטִין | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תַּקְטִ֫ינִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אַקְטִין | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יַקְטִינוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תַּקְטֵנָּה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תַּקְטִינוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תַּקְטֵנָּה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נַקְטִין |
q-t-n | jaqˈtin | taqˈtin | taqˈtin | taqˈtini | ʔaqˈtin | jaqˈtinu | taqˈtenːa | taqˈtinu | taqˈtenːa | naqˈtin | |
hitpaˈʕel | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />בטל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יִתְבַּטֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּתְבַּטֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּתְבַּטֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּתְבַּטְּלִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אֶתְבַּטֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יִתְבַּטְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּתְבַּטֵּלְנָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּתְבַּטְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּתְבַּטֵּלְנָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִתְבַּטֵּל |
b-t-l | jitbaˈtːel | titbaˈtːel | titbaˈtːel | titbatːəˈli | ʔetbaˈtːel | jitbatːəˈlu | titbaˈtːelna | titbatːəˈlu | titbaˈtːelna | nitbaˈtːel | |
hufˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קטנ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יֻקְטַן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תֻּקְטַן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תֻּקְטַן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תֻּקְטְנִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אֻקְטַן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יֻקְטְנּוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תֻּקְטַנָּה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תֻּקְטְנּוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תֻּקְטַנָּה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נֻקְטַן |
q-t-n | juqˈtan | tuqˈtan | tuqˈtan | tuqtəˈni | ʔuqˈtan | juqtəˈnu | tuqˈtanːa | tuqtəˈnu | tuqˈtanːa | nuqˈtan | |
puˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גדל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יְגֻדַּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגֻדַּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגֻדַּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגֻדְּלִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אֲגֻדַּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יְגֻדְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגֻדַּלְנָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגֻדְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תְּגֻדַּלְנָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נְגֻדַּל |
g-d-l | jəɡuˈdːal | təɡuˈdːal | təɡuˈdːal | teɡudːəˈli | ʔaɡuˈdːal | jəɡudːəˈlu | təɡuˈdːalna | təɡudːəˈlu | təɡuˈdːalna | nəɡuˈdːal | |
nifˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁמר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יִשָּׁמֵר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּשָּׁמֵר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּשָּׁמֵר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּשָּׁמְרִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אֶשָּׁמֵר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יִשָּׁמְרוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּשָּׁמֵרְנָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּשָּׁמְרוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תִּשָּׁמֵרְנָה | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִשָּׁמֵר |
sh-m-r | jiʃːaˈmer | tiʃːaˈmer | tiʃːaˈmer | tiʃːamˈri | ʔeʃːaˈmer | jiʃːaməˈru | tiʃːaˈmerna | tiʃːaməˈru | tiʃːaˈmerna | niʃːaˈmer |
As in the past tense, personal pronouns are not strictly necessary in the future tense, as the verb forms are sufficient to identify the subject, but they are frequently used.
Imperative
Form | Root | Singular | Plural | Translation | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M | F | M | F | |||
paˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁמר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שְׁמֹר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שִׁמְרִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שִׁמְרוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שְׁמֹרְנָה | Guard |
sh-m-r | ʃəmor | ʃimˈri | ʃimˈru | ˈʃəmorna | ||
piˈʕel | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גדל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גַּדֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גַּדְּלִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גַּדְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />גַּדֵּלְנָה | Raise, grow (it) |
g-d-l | ɡaˈdːel | ɡadːəˈli | gadːəˈlu | ɡaˈdːelna | ||
hifˈʕil | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קטנ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הַקְטֵן | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הַקְטִינִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הַקְטִינוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הַקְטֵנָּה | Shrink (it) |
q-t'-n | haqˈten | haqˈtini | haqˈtinu | haqˈtenːa | ||
hitpaˈʕel | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />בטל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטֵּל | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטְּלִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטְּלוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְבַּטֵּלְנָה | Belittle yourself, loaf |
b-t'-l | hitbaˈtːel | hitbatːəˈli | hitbatːəˈlu | hitbaˈtːelna | ||
nifˈʕal | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁמר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִשָּׁמֵר | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִשָּׁמְרִי | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִשָּׁמְרוּ | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִשָּׁמֵרנָה | Be guarded |
sh-m-r | hiʃːaˈmer | hiʃːaməˈri | hiʃːaməˈru | hiʃːaˈmerna |
Except for the strictly passive binyaním (puˈʕal and hufˈʕal), each binyan has distinct imperative forms in the second person. This imperative form is only used for affirmative commands. The pa'al, nif'al, pi'el and hif'il form their imperatives by dropping the initial ת taw of the future-tense form (e.g., <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תפתח /tifˈtaħ/ (singular, masc.) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />פתח /ˈpətaħ/ "open!", <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תשמרי /tiʃməˈri/ (singular, fem.) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שמרי /ʃimˈri/ "guard!"); the fifth, hitpa'el, forms its imperative by replacing this initial <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ת with <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ה (/titbaˈtːel/ → /hitbaˈtːel/ "do nothing!"). (Note that the dropping of the initial ת often results in a change in vocalization, as can be seen in the instance of /tiʃməˈri/ vs. /ʃimˈri/).
Negative commands use the particle <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אל /ˈal/ followed by the future-tense form. For example, <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אל תדאג /ˈal tidˈaɡ/ means "don't worry" (masculine, singular).
In informal speech, the future tense is commonly used for affirmative commands when making requests. Thus for example, <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תפתח /tifˈtaħ/ can mean either "you will open" or "would you open" (masculine, singular). (Similarly in English one might say "would you open" or "could you open" in lieu of simply "open".) In Hebrew, as in English, the more formal way to avoid the implication of commanding is to use the word "please" (<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />בבקשה /bə-vaqaʃa/) with the imperative.
The infinitive can be used as a "general imperative" when addressing nobody in particular (e.g., on signs, or when giving general instructions to children or large groups), so that for example, <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נא לא לפתוח /ˈna ˈlo lifˈtoaħ/ means "please do not open". This might be more literally rendered as "it is requested that [this] not be opened", avoiding the question of address by using a passive voice.
Participles
Present participles are identical to present tense forms (the modern present tense actually having been derived from the ancient present participle): <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נרות בוערים /neˈrot boʕaˈrim/ (burning candles), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ילדה מקסימה /jalˈda maqsiˈma/ (charming girl).
Only the pa'al binyan has a true past participle: from <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />כתב k-t-b we have <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />כתוב /kaˈtuv/, (writ, written). For verbs that have a pa'al form and a nif'al form serving as its passive, this provides a means to distinguish between a completed and a continuing action. The pa'al past participle indicates completion:
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הספרים כתובים /hasːəfaˈrim kətuˈvim/ (the books are written)
while the present tense of nif'al indicates that the action continues:
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הספרים נכתבים /hasːəfaˈrim nixtaˈvim/ (the books are being written)
The passive participle is commonly used as an adjective, as in <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הפקודה הכתובה /hapːəquˈda hakːətuˈva/ (the written order).
The present tense of the pu'al and huf'al are used as passive participles for the pi'el and hif'il respectively. For example, from hif'il <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />האיר /heˈʔir/ (lit) we get <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />חדר מואר /ˈħeder muˈʔar/ (lit room).
Infinitives (Prospectives)
Infinitives (ʃəˈmot hapːoˈʕal) in Hebrew are primarily formed by adding the letter lamed (ל) to the front of the base form (tsuˈrat hamːaˈqor). The vowels change systematically according to the binyan.
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />כָּתַב /kaˈtav/ (wrote, paˈʕal) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />לִכְתֹּב /lixˈtov/ (to write)
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מְדַבֵּר /medaˈber/ (speak, piˈʕel) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />לְדַבֵּר /ledaˈber/ (to speak)
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְחִיל /hitˈħil/ (started, hifˈʕil) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />לְהַתְחִיל /lehatˈħil/ (to start)
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְפַּלֵּל /hitpaˈlel/ (prayed, hitpaˈʕel) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />לְהִתְפַּלֵּל /lehitpaˈlel/ (to pray)
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִפְגַשׁ /nifˈɡaʃ/ (met with, nifˈʕal) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />לְהִפָּגֵשׁ /lehipaˈɡeʃ/ (to meet with)
Note that puˈʕal and hufˈʕal verbs do not have infinitives.
Gerunds
Gerunds (ʃəˈmot pəʕuˈla) are nouns expressing an action. Gerunds are created in Hebrew by putting the root of a verb into a miʃˈkal, a noun pattern (see Modern Hebrew grammar#Noun derivation). Five of the binyanim have gerunds: paˈʕal, piˈʕel, hifˈʕil, hitpaˈʕel, and nifˈʕal. For example:
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שָׁמַר /ʃaˈmar/ (guarded — paˈʕal) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שְׁמִירָה /ʃəmiˈra/ (guarding)
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שָׁב /ˈʃav/ (returned — hollow paˈʕal) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שִׁיבָה /ʃiˈva/ (returning, a return)
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שָׁתָה /ʃaˈta/ (drank — weak paˈʕal) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שְׁתִיָּה /ʃətiˈjːa/ (drinking, a drink)
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נִכְנַס /nixˈnas/ (enter — nifˈʕal) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִכָּנְסוּת /hikanˈsut/ (entering)
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />בִּקֵּר /biˈqːeʁ/ (visited — piˈʕel) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />בִּקּוּר /biˈqːur/ (visiting, a visit)
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִפְתִּיעַ /hifˈtiaʕ/ (surprised — hifˈʕil) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הַפְתָעָה /hafteˈʕa/ (surprising, a surprise)
- <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְחַמֵּם /hitħaˈmːem/ (warmed — hitpaˈʕel) → <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הִתְחַמְּמוּת /hitħamːəˈmut/ (warming)
Note that unlike in English (where gerunds and present participles share the same form but different etymology), Hebrew gerunds cannot be used as adjectives.
Conditional
Modern Hebrew has an analytic conditional~past-habitual mood expressed with the auxiliary /haˈja/:
"לו היה לי זמן, הייתי הולך."
|
"לו מישהו היה טורח לספר לי, הייתי יודע."
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"פעם הייתי הולך המון לקולנוע."
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See also
Bibliography
- Academy Decisions: Grammar, chapter 3, for The Academy of the Hebrew Language's decisions on the conjugations of less common verb patterns
- Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar, §38 ff.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Hebrew Verbs Conjugation Tool - Online Hebrew Verb Learning Tool (Hebrew/English)
- hspell - המאיית העברי החופשי - טופס הטיית פעלים - Online Hebrew verb conjugator, based on hspell, the Free Hebrew spelling engine (in Ktiv male)