Verbs
Verbs (פֹּעַל – po'al) are one of the most complex and essential parts of speech in Hebrew. They express actions and states and change depending on tense, person, number, and gender. Unlike English, Hebrew does not use auxiliary verbs to form tenses; instead, all information (who, when, and what is being done) is embedded in the verb form itself.
Hebrew verbs are organized into binyanim (בניינים) – verb patterns that determine conjugation rules. Additionally, some verbs are regular, while others are irregular or use pronominal suffixes.
Verb Tenses
There are three main tenses in Hebrew:
| Tense | Hebrew Term | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Past | עבר (avar) | Used for actions that happened in the past. |
| Present | הווה (hoveh) | Indicates actions happening in the present. |
| Future | עתיד (atid) | Used to describe future actions. |
How Does a Verb Change Based on Tense?
Let’s take the verb לכתוב (lichtov) – "to write" as an example:
| Tense | Hebrew | Transliteration | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Past | אני כתבתי | (ani katavti) | "I wrote." |
| Present | אני כותב | (ani kotev) | "I write." |
| Future | אני אכתוב | (ani echtov) | "I will write." |
In the present tense, the verb changes based on gender and number, while in the past and future tenses, it changes based on person (I, you, he, etc.).
Present Tense and the Main Binyanim (Verb Structures)
What Are Binyanim?
A binyan (בִּנְיָן) is a verb pattern that defines how a verb is conjugated. It determines the vowels, prefixes, and sometimes even the meaning of the verb. There are seven binyanim in Hebrew, but for beginners, three are the most important:
| Binyan | Hebrew | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pa'al | פעל | Simple, basic actions |
| Pi'el | פיעל | Intensive or repeated actions |
| Hif'il | הפעיל | Causative actions (making someone do something) |
Binyan Pa'al (פעל) – Simple Actions
Binyan Pa'al is used for basic actions like "write," "read," "live," and "know." These verbs can be transitive (require a direct object) or intransitive (do not require a direct object).
Present Tense Conjugation:
Hebrew present tense verbs in this binyan follow four patterns:
| Person | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| He / It | כותב (kotev) | כותבת (kotevet) | כותבים (kotvim) | כותבות (kotvot) |
Examples:
| Hebrew | Transliteration | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| אני כותב מכתב | Ani kotev michtav | I am writing a letter |
| היא גרה בירושלים | Hi gara be-Yerushalayim | She lives in Jerusalem |
Binyan Pi'el (פיעל) – Intensive or Repetitive Actions
Binyan Pi'el is used to express intensive, frequent, or causative actions. Many verbs related to speaking, teaching, and emotion belong to this binyan.
Present Tense Conjugation:
Verbs in this binyan double the second root letter.
| Person | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| He / It | מדבר (medaber) | מדברת (medaberet) | מדברים (medabrim) | מדברות (medabrot) |
Examples:
| Hebrew | Transliteration | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| אני מדבר עברית | Ani medaber Ivrit | I speak Hebrew |
| הם מבשלים ארוחת ערב | Hem mevashelim aruchat erev | They are cooking dinner |
Binyan Hif'il (הפעיל) – Causative Actions
Binyan Hif'il is used when someone makes another person do something. It is common for verbs related to explanations, emotions, or decisions.
Present Tense Conjugation:
This binyan usually has the מ (mem) prefix in present tense.
| Person | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| He / It | מסביר (masbir) | מסבירה (masbira) | מסבירים (masbirim) | מסבירות (masbirot) |
Examples:
| Hebrew | Transliteration | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| המורה מסביר את הכללים | Ha-more masbir et ha-klalim | The teacher explains the rules |
| אנחנו מתחילים את השיעור | Anachnu matchilim et ha-shiur | We are starting the lesson |
Frequently Used Irregular Verbs
Some verbs in Hebrew are irregular, meaning they do not follow the standard conjugation patterns. Here are some of the most common ones:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Past Tense (I) | Future Tense (I) |
|---|---|---|---|
| להיות (to be) | – | הייתי (hayiti) | אהיה (ehyeh) |
| ללכת (to go) | הולך (holech) | הלכתי (halachti) | אלך (elech) |
| לבוא (to come) | בא (ba) | באתי (bati) | אבוא (avo) |
| לשים (to put) | שם (sam) | שמתי (samti) | אשים (asim) |
Verbs with Pronominal Suffixes
Some verbs in Hebrew use pronominal suffixes to indicate direct objects. This is especially common with verbs like "to give" – לתת (latet).
| Person | Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I gave | נתתי (natati) | נתתי לך ספר. (Ani natati lecha sefer.) – "I gave you a book." |
| You gave (m./f.) | נתת (natata) / נתת (natat) | אתה נתת לי ספר. (Ata natata li sefer.) – "You gave me a book." |
| He gave | נתן (natan) | הוא נתן לי ספר. (Hu natan li sefer.) – "He gave me a book." |
Conclusion
Hebrew verbs have a complex conjugation system based on three tenses and multiple binyanim. Understanding these rules is a crucial step in mastering the language. The next topic will cover prepositions and their usage in Hebrew.
Practise this in the app. In Shoresh every textbook topic comes with trainers: verb conjugation, tenses, binyanim, the imperative and choosing the right word in a sentence.
