Nouns and adjectives · 50/60
Mishkalim: noun patterns
How the shape of a word tells you it's a profession, a tool or a place
Just as verbs have binyanim, nouns have patterns (mishkalim): a root goes into a template with a set meaning. Knowing a dozen patterns lets you guess unfamiliar words: a word shaped מִ…ָ…ָה is most likely a place.
| Pattern | Meaning of the pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| קַטָּלkatal | professions, occupations | סַפָּר, טַבָּח, נַגָּר, צַיָּר, זַמָּר, נַהָג, דַּיָּלsapar, tabach, nagar, tsayar, zamar, nahag, dayalbarber, cook, carpenter, painter, singer, driver, flight attendant |
| פּוֹעֵלpo'el | the doer (participle used as a profession) | שׁוֹפֵט, סוֹפֵר, רוֹפֵא, מוֹרֶה, שׁוֹמֵר, חוֹקֵרshofet, sofer, rofe, more, shomer, chokerjudge, writer, doctor, teacher, guard, researcher |
| פַּעְלָןpa'lan | a person with a habitual trait | שַׁקְרָן, פַּחְדָן, עַצְלָן, בַּיְשָׁן, קַמְצָן, דַּבְּרָן, סַקְרָןshakran, pachdan, atslan, bayshan, kamtsan, dabran, sakranliar, coward, lazybones, shy person, miser, chatterbox, curious person |
| מַפְעֵלmaf'el | tools, devices | מַפְתֵּחַ, מַזְלֵג, מַחְשֵׁב, מַבְרֵג, מַצְפֵּן, מַסְרֵקmafteach, mazleg, machshev, mavreg, matspen, masrekkey, fork, computer, screwdriver, compass, comb |
| מַפְעֵלָהmaf'ela | tools and machines (f.) | מַצְלֵמָה, מַכְבֵּסָה, מַזְגָּן, מַדְפֶּסֶתmatslema, machbesa, mazgan, madpesetcamera, washing machine, air conditioner, printer |
| מִפְעָלָהmif'ala | places, institutions | מִסְעָדָה, מִסְפָּרָה, מִכְבָּסָה, מִרְפָּאָה, מִשְׁטָרָה, מִכְלָלָהmis'ada, mispara, michbasa, mirpa'a, mishtara, michlalarestaurant, hairdresser's, laundry, clinic, police, college |
| מִפְעָלmif'al | places, rooms | מִשְׂרָד, מִטְבָּח, מִגְרָשׁ, מִקְלָט, מִדְבָּר, מִזְרָחmisrad, mitbach, migrash, miklat, midbar, mizrachoffice, kitchen, playing field, shelter, desert, east |
| פַּעֶלֶתpa'elet | diseases | שַׁפַּעַת, אַדֶּמֶת, כַּלֶּבֶת, סַכֶּרֶת, צַהֶבֶת, חַזֶּרֶתshapa'at, ademet, kalevet, sakeret, tsahevet, chazeretflu, rubella, rabies, diabetes, jaundice, mumps |
| פְּעִילָהpe'ila | the action (from pa'al verbs) | כְּתִיבָה, קְרִיאָה, אֲכִילָה, שְׁתִיָּה, פְּגִישָׁה, יְשִׁיבָה, נְסִיעָהktiva, kri'a, achila, shtiya, pgisha, yeshiva, nesi'awriting, reading, eating, drinking, meeting, sitting/session, trip |
| פִּעוּלpi'ul | the action (from pi'el verbs) | דִּבּוּר, סִפּוּר, טִיּוּל, בִּקּוּר, לִמּוּד, בִּשּׁוּל, חִפּוּשׂdibur, sipur, tiyul, bikur, limud, bishul, chipusspeech, story, trip/hike, visit, study, cooking, search |
| הַפְעָלָהhaf'ala | the action (from hif'il verbs) | הַרְגָּשָׁה, הַזְמָנָה, הַצָּעָה, הַחְלָטָה, הַסְבָּרָה, הַתְחָלָהhargasha, hazmana, hatsa'a, hachlata, hasbara, hatchalafeeling, order/invitation, proposal, decision, explanation, beginning |
| הִתְפַּעֲלוּתhitpa'alut | the action (from hitpa'el verbs) | הִתְרַגְּשׁוּת, הִתְקַדְּמוּת, הִתְנַהֲגוּת, הִשְׁתַּתְּפוּתhitragshut, hitkadmut, hitnahagut, hishtatfutexcitement, progress, behaviour, participation |
| פַּעֲלוּת / ־וּת-ut | abstract nouns, qualities | יַלְדוּת, חֵרוּת, אַחְרָיוּת, עַצְמָאוּת, תַּרְבּוּת, בְּרִיאוּתyaldut, cherut, achrayut, atsma'ut, tarbut, bri'utchildhood, freedom, responsibility, independence, culture, health |
| פַּעְלוֹן / ־וֹן-on | diminutives; newspapers and magazines | סִפְרוֹן, כַּלְבּוֹן, יַלְדּוֹן, עִתּוֹן, שְׁבוּעוֹן, מִלּוֹןsifron, kalbon, yaldon, iton, shvu'on, milonbooklet, puppy, little boy, newspaper, weekly, dictionary |
Practise it in the app. Shoresh has conjugation, tense and binyan trainers, and the dictionary shows the forms of any word.
