Language/Hebrew/Grammar/Review-of-Adjectives
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As a Hebrew language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I have seen many students struggle with the concept of adjectives. In this Grammar Review lesson, we will review the basic concepts of adjectives in Hebrew, including gender and number agreement.
What are Adjectives?
Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns. In Hebrew, adjectives come after the noun they describe, unlike in English where they often come before the noun. For example, in Hebrew:
- The green apple = התפוח הירוק (Ha-tapuach ha-yarok)
Here, "הירוק" (ha-yarok) means "green" and comes after the noun "התפוח" (ha-tapuach) which means "the apple".
In Hebrew, adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in both gender and number. This means that if the noun is masculine, the adjective must also be masculine. If the noun is feminine, the adjective must also be feminine. Similarly, if the noun is singular, the adjective must also be singular. If the noun is plural, the adjective must also be plural.
Gender Agreement
In Hebrew, nouns are either masculine or feminine. It is important to note that the gender of a noun is not always determined by its biological gender. For example, the word for "land" (ארץ) is a feminine noun, while the word for "son" (בן) is a masculine noun. Adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun they describe.
Here are some examples of adjectives agreeing with gender:
| Hebrew | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| כלב חמוד | kelev chamud | cute dog (masculine singular) |
| חתולה חמודה | chatula chamuda | cute cat (feminine singular) |
| מכונית יפה | m'chonit yafa | beautiful car (feminine singular) |
| ילדים חמודים | yeladim chamudim | cute children (masculine plural) |
| פרחים יפים | perachim yafim | beautiful flowers (masculine plural) |
Number Agreement
In Hebrew, nouns are either singular or plural. Adjectives must agree with the number of the noun they describe.
Here are some examples of adjectives agreeing with number:
| Hebrew | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ילד גדול | yeled gadol | big boy (masculine singular) |
| ילדה גדולה | yalda gdola | big girl (feminine singular) |
| מכוניות יפות | m'choniyot yafot | beautiful cars (feminine plural) |
| פרחים צהובים | perachim tzahovim | yellow flowers (masculine plural) |
Conclusion
Remember, adjectives are an important part of Hebrew grammar and it is crucial to understand the concept of gender and number agreement. Practice using adjectives with different nouns to help you master this important concept.
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