Difference between revisions of "Language/Hebrew/Grammar/Review-of-Verbs"

From Polyglot Club WIKI
< Language‎ | Hebrew‎ | Grammar
Jump to navigation Jump to search
m (Quick edit)
m (Quick edit)
 
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
<span pgnav>
<span pgnav>
{| class="wikitable pg_template_nav"  
{| class="wikitable pg_template_nav"  
Line 7: Line 8:


{{Hebrew-Page-Top}}
{{Hebrew-Page-Top}}
<div class="pg_page_title">[[Language/Hebrew|Hebrew]]  → [[Language/Hebrew/Grammar|Grammar]] → [[Language/Hebrew/Grammar/0-to-A1-Course|0 to A1 Course]] → Review of Verbs</div>
Welcome to our lesson on Hebrew verbs! Understanding verbs is essential for effective communication in any language, and Hebrew is no exception. In this lesson, we will dive deep into the world of Hebrew verbs, exploring their conjugation in the present, past, and future tenses, as well as the use of auxiliary verbs.
Verbs are the action words in a sentence that convey what the subject is doing. In Hebrew, verbs are particularly interesting because they are inflected for tense, gender, and number, making them a bit more complex than in English. This complexity can be daunting at first, but with practice, you’ll find that you can master Hebrew verbs and use them to express yourself clearly and confidently.
Here’s what we’ll cover in this lesson:
* The importance of verbs in Hebrew
* Overview of verb conjugation in different tenses
* Examples of verbs in action
* Exercises to test your understanding


<div class="pg_page_title">Hebrew Grammar → Grammar Review → Review of Verbs</div>
By the end of this lesson, you'll have a solid understanding of Hebrew verbs, which will serve as a strong foundation for your continued learning.


__TOC__
__TOC__


As a Hebrew language teacher with 20 years of experience, I know that learning the intricacies of Hebrew grammar can be challenging. However, reviewing the concepts we have covered so far is crucial to mastering the language. In this lesson, we will review the concepts of verbs, including conjugation in present, past, and future tenses, and the use of auxiliary verbs.
=== The Importance of Verbs in Hebrew ===
 
Verbs in Hebrew are critical for forming sentences that convey meaning. They allow us to express actions, states of being, and changes. Without verbs, communication would be limited to nouns and adjectives, which would make it difficult to describe what we do or what happens in the world around us.
 
In Hebrew, verbs can also indicate tense, gender, and number. This means that a single verb can change form depending on who is performing the action and when it is happening. For example, the verb "to eat" (לאכול) can change based on whether the subject is male or female and whether the action is happening in the past, present, or future.
 
=== Overview of Verb Conjugation ===
 
Let's break down the conjugation of Hebrew verbs into the three main tenses: present, past, and future.


==== Present Tense ====


<span link>Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: [[Language/Hebrew/Grammar/Reading-Practice|Reading Practice]] & [[Language/Hebrew/Grammar/Review-of-Adjectives|Review of Adjectives]].</span>
In Hebrew, the present tense is typically formed by adding specific prefixes and suffixes to the root of the verb. The structure can vary depending on the subject's gender and number.
== Verbs ==


Verbs are one of the most important parts of Hebrew grammar. Verbs describe actions, events, and states of being. In Hebrew, verbs change based on the tense, number, and gender of the subject.
For example, the verb "to write" (לכתוב) is conjugated as follows:


### Types of Verbs ###
{| class="wikitable"


There are two main types of verbs in Hebrew: weak verbs and strong verbs. Weak verbs are verbs that follow a regular conjugation pattern, while strong verbs do not follow a regular pattern and must be memorized individually.
! Hebrew !! Pronunciation !! English


### Conjugation of Verbs ###
|-


In Hebrew, verbs are conjugated based on the tense, number, and gender of the subject. There are three main tenses in Hebrew: present, past, and future.
| אני כותב || ani kotev || I (male) write


#### Present Tense ####
|-


The present tense is used to describe actions that are currently happening or happen regularly. To conjugate a verb in present tense, we take the root of the verb and add a set of endings based on the person, number, and gender of the subject. Here is an example of the conjugation of the root “למד” (to learn) in present tense:
| אני כותבת || ani kotevet || I (female) write
 
|-
 
| אתה כותב || ata kotev || You (male) write
 
|-
 
| את כותבת || at kotevet || You (female) write
 
|-
 
| הוא כותב || hu kotev || He writes
 
|-
 
| היא כותבת || hi kotevet || She writes
 
|-
 
| אנחנו כותבים || anachnu kotvim || We write
 
|-
 
| אתם כותבים || atem kotvim || You (plural, male) write
 
|-
 
| אתן כותבות || aten kotvot || You (plural, female) write
 
|-
 
| הם כותבים || hem kotvim || They (male) write
 
|-
 
| הן כותבות || hen kotvot || They (female) write
 
|}
 
==== Past Tense ====
 
The past tense in Hebrew is formed by using specific suffixes that correspond to the gender and number of the subject. The root of the verb remains the same, while the endings change.
 
For example, the verb "to write" (לכתוב) in the past tense looks like this:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Hebrew !! Pronunciation !! English
! Hebrew !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| אֲנִי לוֹמֵד || ani lo-med || I learn
 
| אני כתבתי || ani katavti || I (male) wrote
 
|-
|-
| אַתָּה לוֹמֵד || ata lo-med || you (masculine singular) learn
 
| אני כתבתי || ani katavti || I (female) wrote
 
|-
|-
| אַתְּ לוֹמֶדֶת || at lo-medet || you (feminine singular) learn
 
| אתה כתבת || ata katavta || You (male) wrote
 
|-
|-
| הוּא לוֹמֵד || hu lo-med || he learns
 
| את כתבת || at katavt || You (female) wrote
 
|-
|-
| הִיא לוֹמֶדֶת || hi lo-medet || she learns
 
| הוא כתב || hu katav || He wrote
 
|-
|-
| אֲנַחְנוּ לוֹמְדִים || anachnu lo-medim || we learn
 
| היא כתבה || hi katva || She wrote
 
|-
|-
| אַתֶּם לוֹמְדִים || atem lo-medim || you (masculine plural) learn
 
| אנחנו כתבנו || anachnu katavnu || We wrote
 
|-
|-
| אַתֶּן לוֹמְדוֹת || aten lo-medot || you (feminine plural) learn
 
| אתם כתבתם || atem katavtem || You (plural, male) wrote
 
|-
|-
| הֵם לוֹמְדִים || hem lo-medim || they (masculine) learn
 
| אתן כתבתן || aten katavten || You (plural, female) wrote
 
|-
|-
| הֵן לוֹמְדוֹת || hen lo-medot || they (feminine) learn
 
| הם כתבו || hem katvu || They (male) wrote
 
|-
 
| הן כתבו || hen katvu || They (female) wrote
 
|}
|}


#### Past Tense ####
==== Future Tense ====


The past tense is used to describe actions that have already happened. In Hebrew, past tense verbs are conjugated based on the gender and number of the subject. Weak verbs follow a regular pattern, while strong verbs do not follow a regular pattern and must be memorized individually. Here is an example of the conjugation of the regular weak verb “לָמַד” (to learn) in past tense:
In the future tense, Hebrew verbs also change to indicate who will perform the action. The structure often involves prefixes and specific endings.
 
For the verb "to write" (לכתוב) in the future tense, we see:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Hebrew !! Pronunciation !! English
! Hebrew !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| אֲנִי לַמְדְתִּי || ani lamadeti || I learned
 
| אני אכתוב || ani ekhtov || I (male) will write
 
|-
|-
| אַתָּה לַמַּדְתָּ || ata lamadta || you (masculine singular) learned
 
| אני אכתוב || ani ekhtov || I (female) will write
 
|-
|-
| אַתְּ לַמְדְתְּ || at lamadet || you (feminine singular) learned
 
| אתה תכתוב || ata takhtov || You (male) will write
 
|-
|-
| הוּא לָמַד || hu lamad || he learned
 
| את תכתבי || at takhtvi || You (female) will write
 
|-
|-
| הִיא לָמְדָה || hi lamda || she learned
 
| הוא יכתוב || hu yikhtov || He will write
 
|-
|-
| אֲנַחְנוּ לַמַּדְנוּ || anachnu lamadnu || we learned
 
| היא תכתוב || hi tikhtov || She will write
 
|-
 
| אנחנו נכתוב || anachnu nikhtov || We will write
 
|-
|-
| אַתֶּם לַמַּדְתֶּם || atem lamadtem || you (masculine plural) learned
 
| אתם תכתבו || atem tikhtvu || You (plural, male) will write
 
|-
|-
| אַתֶּן לָמַדְתֶּן || aten lamadten || you (feminine plural) learned
 
| אתן תכתבו || aten tikhtvu || You (plural, female) will write
 
|-
|-
| הֵם לָמְדוּ || hem lamdu || they (masculine) learned
 
| הם יכתבו || hem yikhtvu || They (male) will write
 
|-
|-
| הֵן לָמְדוּ || hen lamdu || they (feminine) learned
 
| הן יכתבו || hen yikhtvu || They (female) will write
 
|}
|}


#### Future Tense ####
=== Auxiliary Verbs ===


The future tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. In Hebrew, future tense verbs are conjugated based on the gender and number of the subject. Here is an example of the conjugation of the root “למד” (to learn) in future tense:
In Hebrew, auxiliary verbs are used to help form different tenses or to add emphasis to the main verb. The most common auxiliary verb in Hebrew is "to be" (להיות), which is often omitted in the present tense but is crucial in the past and future tenses.
 
For example, in the sentence "I am happy" (אני שמח), the verb "to be" is implied and not explicitly stated. However, in the past tense, it would be used: "I was happy" (אני הייתי שמח).
 
Here's how the auxiliary verb "to be" conjugates in the past and future tense:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Hebrew !! Pronunciation !! English
! Hebrew !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| אֲנִי אֶלַּמֵּד || ani elammed || I will learn
 
| אני הייתי || ani hayiti || I was
 
|-
|-
| אַתָּה תֶּלַמֵּד || ata telammed || you (masculine singular) will learn
 
| אתה היית || ata hayita || You (male) were
 
|-
|-
| אַתְּ תִּלְמְדִי || at tilmedi || you (feminine singular) will learn
 
| את היית || at hayit || You (female) were
 
|-
|-
| הוּא יִלְמַד || hu yilmed || he will learn
 
| הוא היה || hu haya || He was
 
|-
|-
| הִיא תִּלְמַד || hi tilmed || she will learn
 
| היא הייתה || hi hayeta || She was
 
|-
|-
| אֲנַחְנוּ נֶלַמֵּד || anachnu nelammed || we will learn
 
| אנחנו היינו || anachnu hayinu || We were
 
|-
|-
| אַתֶּם תִּלְמְדוּ || atem tilmedu || you (masculine plural) will learn
 
| אתם הייתם || atem hayitem || You (plural, male) were
 
|-
|-
| אַתֶּן תִּלְמַדְנָה || aten tilmedna || you (feminine plural) will learn
 
| אתן הייתן || aten hayiten || You (plural, female) were
 
|-
|-
| הֵם יִלְמְדוּ || hem yilmedu || they (masculine) will learn
 
| הם היו || hem hayu || They (male) were
 
|-
|-
| הֵן יִלְמַדְנָה || hen yilmedna || they (feminine) will learn
 
| הן היו || hen hayu || They (female) were
 
|}
 
In the future tense, "to be" is expressed as follows:
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
! Hebrew !! Pronunciation !! English
 
|-
 
| אני אהיה || ani ehye || I will be
 
|-
 
| אתה תהיה || ata tihye || You (male) will be
 
|-
 
| את תהיה || at tihyi || You (female) will be
 
|-
 
| הוא יהיה || hu yihye || He will be
 
|-
 
| היא תהיה || hi tihye || She will be
 
|-
 
| אנחנו נהיה || anachnu nahye || We will be
 
|-
 
| אתם תהיו || atem tihyu || You (plural, male) will be
 
|-
 
| אתן תהיו || aten tihyu || You (plural, female) will be
 
|-
 
| הם יהיו || hem yihyu || They (male) will be
 
|-
 
| הן יהיו || hen yihyu || They (female) will be
 
|}
|}


#### Irregular Verbs ####
=== Practical Exercises ===
 
To help solidify your understanding of Hebrew verbs, let's engage in some exercises!
 
==== Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks ====
 
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb "to eat" (לאכול) in the present tense.
 
1. אני _______ (לאכול) תפוח.
 
2. אתה _______ (לאכול) לחם.
 
3. היא _______ (לאכול) עוגה.
 
4. אנחנו _______ (לאכול) ארוחת ערב.
 
5. הם _______ (לאכול) סלט.
 
'''Answers:'''
 
1. אני אוכלת (ani okhelet) - I (female) eat
 
2. אתה אוכל (ata ochel) - You (male) eat
 
3. היא אוכלת (hi okhelet) - She eats
 
4. אנחנו אוכלים (anachnu okhlim) - We eat
 
5. הם אוכלים (hem okhlim) - They (male) eat
 
==== Exercise 2: Conjugate the Verb ====
 
Conjugate the verb "to read" (לקרוא) in the past tense for all subjects.
 
'''Answers:'''
 
| Hebrew          | Pronunciation      | English        |
 
|------------------|-------------------|------------------|
 
| אני קראתי      | ani karati        | I (female) read  |
 
| אני קראתי      | ani karati        | I (male) read    |
 
| אתה קראת        | ata karata        | You (male) read  |
 
| את קראת        | at karat          | You (female) read |
 
| הוא קרא        | hu kara          | He read          |
 
| היא קראה        | hi kara'a        | She read          |
 
| אנחנו קראנו    | anachnu karanu    | We read          |
 
| אתם קראתם      | atem karatem      | You (plural, male) read |
 
| אתן קראתן      | aten karaten      | You (plural, female) read |
 
| הם קראו        | hem karu          | They (male) read  |
 
| הן קראו        | hen karu          | They (female) read|
 
==== Exercise 3: Translate the Sentences ====
 
Translate the following sentences into Hebrew using the correct verb forms.
 
1. I will write a letter.
 
2. You (female) were happy.
 
3. They (female) will eat pizza.
 
'''Answers:'''
 
1. אני אכתוב מכתב (ani ekhtov mikhtav).
 
2. את היית שמחה (at hayit smecha).
 
3. הן יאכלו פיצה (hen yokhlu pitzah).
 
==== Exercise 4: Verb Matching ====
 
Match the Hebrew verbs with their English meanings.
 
1. לִכתוֹב
 
2. לִקרוֹא
 
3. לֶאֱכוֹל
 
4. לִשְׂחוֹת
 
| Hebrew          | English          |
 
|------------------|------------------|
 
| א. לִכתוֹב      | 1. to swim      |
 
| ב. לִקרוֹא      | 2. to read      |
 
| ג. לֶאֱכוֹל    | 3. to write      |
 
| ד. לִשְׂחוֹת    | 4. to eat        |
 
'''Answers:'''
 
* א → 3
 
* ב → 2
 
* ג → 4
 
* ד → 1
 
==== Exercise 5: Identify the Tense ====
 
Identify the tense of the following verbs and provide the subject.


There are many irregular verbs in Hebrew that must be memorized individually. Here are a few examples:
1. היא כתבתי


* "לָכַד" (to catch)
2. אני אכתוב
* "לָקַח" (to take)
* "עָשָׂה" (to do)
* "הָיָה" (to be)
* "יָצָא" (to go out)
* "בָּא" (to come)


### Auxiliary Verbs ###
3. הם אכלו


Auxiliary verbs are verbs that are used to form compound tenses or to express modality. In Hebrew, the most common auxiliary verb is "הָיָה" (to be). It is used to form the past tense in Hebrew. For example, to say "I ate," we would say "אָכַלְתִּי" (akhal-ti). However, to say "I was eating," we would use the auxiliary verb "הָיָה" (haya). So, "I was eating" would be "אָכַלְתִּי הָיִיתִי" (akhal-ti hayiti).
'''Answers:'''


## Conclusion ##
1. Past tense, subject: היא (hi - she)


Verbs are an essential component of Hebrew grammar. To master Hebrew, it is important to review and understand the concepts we have covered, including the conjugation of verbs in present, past, and future tenses, and the use of auxiliary verbs.
2. Future tense, subject: אני (ani - I)


<span class='maj'></span>
3. Past tense, subject: הם (hem - they)
==Sources==
 
* [https://app.memrise.com/course/83531/biblical-hebrew-grammar-review-verb-stems-usages/ Biblical Hebrew Grammar Review: Verb St… - by Xenolinguiphile ...]
=== Conclusion ===
* [https://spoiledmilks.com/2017/05/08/review-modern-grammar-biblical-hebrew-garrett-derouchie/ Book Review: A Modern Grammar for Biblical Hebrew & Workbook ...]
 
* [https://app.memrise.com/course/83531/biblical-hebrew-grammar-review-verb-stems-usages/8/ Level 8 - Hiphil - Biblical Hebrew Grammar Review: Verb Stems ...]
Now that you have a solid understanding of Hebrew verbs, including their conjugation in present, past, and future tenses, as well as the use of auxiliary verbs, you're well on your way to forming more complex sentences in Hebrew. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don't hesitate to revisit these concepts often.
 
Keep practicing, and soon you'll find that using Hebrew verbs becomes second nature. Happy learning!


{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Hebrew Grammar Review of Verbs: Conjugation in Present, Past, and Future Tenses and Auxiliary Verbs
 
|keywords=Hebrew verbs, Hebrew grammar, present tense, past tense, future tense, auxiliary verbs, irregular verbs, learning Hebrew
|title=Hebrew Grammar: Mastering Verbs for Beginners
|description=Review the concepts of verbs, including conjugation in present, past, and future tenses, and the use of auxiliary verbs, in this Hebrew grammar lesson. Improve your Hebrew skills today!
 
|keywords=Hebrew verbs, verb conjugation, Hebrew grammar, Hebrew language, Hebrew for beginners, learn Hebrew, Hebrew exercises
 
|description=In this lesson, you will learn about Hebrew verbs, including their conjugation in present, past, and future tenses, and practice with engaging exercises.
 
}}
}}


{{Hebrew-0-to-A1-Course-TOC}}
{{Template:Hebrew-0-to-A1-Course-TOC}}


[[Category:Course]]
[[Category:Course]]
Line 149: Line 462:
[[Category:0-to-A1-Course]]
[[Category:0-to-A1-Course]]
[[Category:Hebrew-0-to-A1-Course]]
[[Category:Hebrew-0-to-A1-Course]]
<span openai_correct_model></span> <span gpt></span> <span model=gpt-4o-mini></span> <span temperature=0.7></span>


==Videos==
==Videos==
Line 160: Line 474:
===Review Game for Lessons 85-86 - Biblical Hebrew - YouTube===
===Review Game for Lessons 85-86 - Biblical Hebrew - YouTube===
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5UQJvsrVRs</youtube>
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5UQJvsrVRs</youtube>
==Sources==
* [https://app.memrise.com/course/83531/biblical-hebrew-grammar-review-verb-stems-usages/ Biblical Hebrew Grammar Review: Verb St… - by Xenolinguiphile ...]
* [https://spoiledmilks.com/2017/05/08/review-modern-grammar-biblical-hebrew-garrett-derouchie/ Book Review: A Modern Grammar for Biblical Hebrew & Workbook ...]
* [https://app.memrise.com/course/83531/biblical-hebrew-grammar-review-verb-stems-usages/8/ Level 8 - Hiphil - Biblical Hebrew Grammar Review: Verb Stems ...]


==Other Lessons==
==Other Lessons==
Line 172: Line 495:
* [[Language/Hebrew/Grammar/Questions|Questions]]
* [[Language/Hebrew/Grammar/Questions|Questions]]
* [[Language/Hebrew/Grammar/Personal-pronouns|Personal pronouns]]
* [[Language/Hebrew/Grammar/Personal-pronouns|Personal pronouns]]


{{Hebrew-Page-Bottom}}
{{Hebrew-Page-Bottom}}
<span links></span>
 
<span pgnav>
<span pgnav>
{| class="wikitable pg_template_nav"  
{| class="wikitable pg_template_nav"  

Latest revision as of 03:33, 1 August 2024

◀️ Review of Adjectives — Previous Lesson

Hebrew-Language-PolyglotClub.png
Hebrew → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Review of Verbs

Welcome to our lesson on Hebrew verbs! Understanding verbs is essential for effective communication in any language, and Hebrew is no exception. In this lesson, we will dive deep into the world of Hebrew verbs, exploring their conjugation in the present, past, and future tenses, as well as the use of auxiliary verbs.

Verbs are the action words in a sentence that convey what the subject is doing. In Hebrew, verbs are particularly interesting because they are inflected for tense, gender, and number, making them a bit more complex than in English. This complexity can be daunting at first, but with practice, you’ll find that you can master Hebrew verbs and use them to express yourself clearly and confidently.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this lesson:

  • The importance of verbs in Hebrew
  • Overview of verb conjugation in different tenses
  • Examples of verbs in action
  • Exercises to test your understanding

By the end of this lesson, you'll have a solid understanding of Hebrew verbs, which will serve as a strong foundation for your continued learning.

The Importance of Verbs in Hebrew[edit | edit source]

Verbs in Hebrew are critical for forming sentences that convey meaning. They allow us to express actions, states of being, and changes. Without verbs, communication would be limited to nouns and adjectives, which would make it difficult to describe what we do or what happens in the world around us.

In Hebrew, verbs can also indicate tense, gender, and number. This means that a single verb can change form depending on who is performing the action and when it is happening. For example, the verb "to eat" (לאכול) can change based on whether the subject is male or female and whether the action is happening in the past, present, or future.

Overview of Verb Conjugation[edit | edit source]

Let's break down the conjugation of Hebrew verbs into the three main tenses: present, past, and future.

Present Tense[edit | edit source]

In Hebrew, the present tense is typically formed by adding specific prefixes and suffixes to the root of the verb. The structure can vary depending on the subject's gender and number.

For example, the verb "to write" (לכתוב) is conjugated as follows:

Hebrew Pronunciation English
אני כותב ani kotev I (male) write
אני כותבת ani kotevet I (female) write
אתה כותב ata kotev You (male) write
את כותבת at kotevet You (female) write
הוא כותב hu kotev He writes
היא כותבת hi kotevet She writes
אנחנו כותבים anachnu kotvim We write
אתם כותבים atem kotvim You (plural, male) write
אתן כותבות aten kotvot You (plural, female) write
הם כותבים hem kotvim They (male) write
הן כותבות hen kotvot They (female) write

Past Tense[edit | edit source]

The past tense in Hebrew is formed by using specific suffixes that correspond to the gender and number of the subject. The root of the verb remains the same, while the endings change.

For example, the verb "to write" (לכתוב) in the past tense looks like this:

Hebrew Pronunciation English
אני כתבתי ani katavti I (male) wrote
אני כתבתי ani katavti I (female) wrote
אתה כתבת ata katavta You (male) wrote
את כתבת at katavt You (female) wrote
הוא כתב hu katav He wrote
היא כתבה hi katva She wrote
אנחנו כתבנו anachnu katavnu We wrote
אתם כתבתם atem katavtem You (plural, male) wrote
אתן כתבתן aten katavten You (plural, female) wrote
הם כתבו hem katvu They (male) wrote
הן כתבו hen katvu They (female) wrote

Future Tense[edit | edit source]

In the future tense, Hebrew verbs also change to indicate who will perform the action. The structure often involves prefixes and specific endings.

For the verb "to write" (לכתוב) in the future tense, we see:

Hebrew Pronunciation English
אני אכתוב ani ekhtov I (male) will write
אני אכתוב ani ekhtov I (female) will write
אתה תכתוב ata takhtov You (male) will write
את תכתבי at takhtvi You (female) will write
הוא יכתוב hu yikhtov He will write
היא תכתוב hi tikhtov She will write
אנחנו נכתוב anachnu nikhtov We will write
אתם תכתבו atem tikhtvu You (plural, male) will write
אתן תכתבו aten tikhtvu You (plural, female) will write
הם יכתבו hem yikhtvu They (male) will write
הן יכתבו hen yikhtvu They (female) will write

Auxiliary Verbs[edit | edit source]

In Hebrew, auxiliary verbs are used to help form different tenses or to add emphasis to the main verb. The most common auxiliary verb in Hebrew is "to be" (להיות), which is often omitted in the present tense but is crucial in the past and future tenses.

For example, in the sentence "I am happy" (אני שמח), the verb "to be" is implied and not explicitly stated. However, in the past tense, it would be used: "I was happy" (אני הייתי שמח).

Here's how the auxiliary verb "to be" conjugates in the past and future tense:

Hebrew Pronunciation English
אני הייתי ani hayiti I was
אתה היית ata hayita You (male) were
את היית at hayit You (female) were
הוא היה hu haya He was
היא הייתה hi hayeta She was
אנחנו היינו anachnu hayinu We were
אתם הייתם atem hayitem You (plural, male) were
אתן הייתן aten hayiten You (plural, female) were
הם היו hem hayu They (male) were
הן היו hen hayu They (female) were

In the future tense, "to be" is expressed as follows:

Hebrew Pronunciation English
אני אהיה ani ehye I will be
אתה תהיה ata tihye You (male) will be
את תהיה at tihyi You (female) will be
הוא יהיה hu yihye He will be
היא תהיה hi tihye She will be
אנחנו נהיה anachnu nahye We will be
אתם תהיו atem tihyu You (plural, male) will be
אתן תהיו aten tihyu You (plural, female) will be
הם יהיו hem yihyu They (male) will be
הן יהיו hen yihyu They (female) will be

Practical Exercises[edit | edit source]

To help solidify your understanding of Hebrew verbs, let's engage in some exercises!

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks[edit | edit source]

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb "to eat" (לאכול) in the present tense.

1. אני _______ (לאכול) תפוח.

2. אתה _______ (לאכול) לחם.

3. היא _______ (לאכול) עוגה.

4. אנחנו _______ (לאכול) ארוחת ערב.

5. הם _______ (לאכול) סלט.

Answers:

1. אני אוכלת (ani okhelet) - I (female) eat

2. אתה אוכל (ata ochel) - You (male) eat

3. היא אוכלת (hi okhelet) - She eats

4. אנחנו אוכלים (anachnu okhlim) - We eat

5. הם אוכלים (hem okhlim) - They (male) eat

Exercise 2: Conjugate the Verb[edit | edit source]

Conjugate the verb "to read" (לקרוא) in the past tense for all subjects.

Answers:

| Hebrew | Pronunciation | English |

|------------------|-------------------|------------------|

| אני קראתי | ani karati | I (female) read |

| אני קראתי | ani karati | I (male) read |

| אתה קראת | ata karata | You (male) read |

| את קראת | at karat | You (female) read |

| הוא קרא | hu kara | He read |

| היא קראה | hi kara'a | She read |

| אנחנו קראנו | anachnu karanu | We read |

| אתם קראתם | atem karatem | You (plural, male) read |

| אתן קראתן | aten karaten | You (plural, female) read |

| הם קראו | hem karu | They (male) read |

| הן קראו | hen karu | They (female) read|

Exercise 3: Translate the Sentences[edit | edit source]

Translate the following sentences into Hebrew using the correct verb forms.

1. I will write a letter.

2. You (female) were happy.

3. They (female) will eat pizza.

Answers:

1. אני אכתוב מכתב (ani ekhtov mikhtav).

2. את היית שמחה (at hayit smecha).

3. הן יאכלו פיצה (hen yokhlu pitzah).

Exercise 4: Verb Matching[edit | edit source]

Match the Hebrew verbs with their English meanings.

1. לִכתוֹב

2. לִקרוֹא

3. לֶאֱכוֹל

4. לִשְׂחוֹת

| Hebrew | English |

|------------------|------------------|

| א. לִכתוֹב | 1. to swim |

| ב. לִקרוֹא | 2. to read |

| ג. לֶאֱכוֹל | 3. to write |

| ד. לִשְׂחוֹת | 4. to eat |

Answers:

  • א → 3
  • ב → 2
  • ג → 4
  • ד → 1

Exercise 5: Identify the Tense[edit | edit source]

Identify the tense of the following verbs and provide the subject.

1. היא כתבתי

2. אני אכתוב

3. הם אכלו

Answers:

1. Past tense, subject: היא (hi - she)

2. Future tense, subject: אני (ani - I)

3. Past tense, subject: הם (hem - they)

Conclusion[edit | edit source]

Now that you have a solid understanding of Hebrew verbs, including their conjugation in present, past, and future tenses, as well as the use of auxiliary verbs, you're well on your way to forming more complex sentences in Hebrew. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don't hesitate to revisit these concepts often.

Keep practicing, and soon you'll find that using Hebrew verbs becomes second nature. Happy learning!

Table of Contents - Hebrew Course - 0 to A1[edit source]


Introduction to Hebrew Alphabet


Everyday Hebrew Vocabulary


Hebrew Grammar


Israeli Culture


Hebrew Expressions


Hebrew Numbers


Hebrew Geography and Landmarks


Hebrew Literature and Language


Grammar Review

Videos[edit | edit source]

Hebrew Grammar and Syntax Review for Exegesis - YouTube[edit | edit source]

Review Game for Lessons 89-90 - Biblical Hebrew - YouTube[edit | edit source]

Review Game for Lessons 85-86 - Biblical Hebrew - YouTube[edit | edit source]


Sources[edit | edit source]


Other Lessons[edit | edit source]



◀️ Review of Adjectives — Previous Lesson

Retrieved from "https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/index.php?title=Language/Hebrew/Grammar/Review-of-Verbs&oldid=295275"