Hebrew verb conjugationFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, searchMain article: Hebrew grammar

In Hebrew, verbs 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. In transliterations below, vowels are in Latin and consonants are in English.

Contents

[hide]

1 Classification of roots 2 Present tense 3 Past tense 4 Future tense 5 Imperative 6 Participles 7 Prospectives (Infinitives) 8 Gerunds 9 See also

[edit] Classification of roots

A root is classified according to the letters that appear in it. Roots that contain certain letters are conjugated differently.

Roots that contain a ו vav or a י yod as the 2nd letters are called hollow roots. The ו vav or

the י yod rarely appear in any conjugation though are usually written as part of the root.

Examples of hollow roots: שר shar (sang), גר gar (lived), דן dan (discussed), דג dag (fished).

Roots that contain at least one of the weak letters, י yod, נ nun, ח ħet, ע áyin, א álef, and

hei, are called weak roots. Each weak letter/position pairing results in a slightly ה

different conjugation pattern. The largest group of these are those that end with י yod.

Examples of weak roots: שתה shata (drank), עלה ala (went up), ירד yarad (went

down), נפל nafal (fell).

Roots that do not fit into the other two categories are called strong or complete roots.

[edit] Present tense

A verb in the present tense (ה� hoveh) agrees with its subject in gender (masculine or הו�וfeminine) and number (singular or plural), such that each verb has four present-tense forms:

Example conjugations in the present tense.

Form Root

Singular Plural

Translation

M F M F

Pa'al

ש�מר ש�ו�מ�ר ר�תש�ו�מ� ש�ו�מ�ר�ים ש�ו�מ�רו�ת

Guards

sh-m-r

shomer shoméret shomrim shomrot

Nif'al

ש�מר �ש��מ�ר נ �ש��מ� ר�תנ �ש��מ�ר�ים נ �ש�מ�רו�ת נ

Is guarded

sh-m-r

nishmar nishméret nishmarim nishmarot

Hif'il

קטנ מ�ק�ט�ין �ה מ�ק�ט�ינ �ים מ�ק�ט�ינ מ�ק�ט�ינו�תShrinks (something)

q-t-n maktin maktina maktinim maktinot

Huf'al

קטנ �ק�ט�ן מו �ק�ט� �תמו נ �ים �ק�ט�נ מו �ק�ט�נו�ת מוIs shrunken by

q-t-n muktan mukténet muktanim muktanot

Pi'el

גדל ��ל ג�ד מ� �� ג�ד ל�תמ� ��ל�ים �ד ג מ� ��לו�ת ג�ד מ�Raises, grows (something)

g-d-l məgaddel məgaddélet məgaddlim məgaddlot

Pu'al

גדל ��ל �ד גו מ� �� �ד גו ל�תמ� ��ל�ים �ד גו מ� ��לו�ת �ד גו מ�Is raised

g-d-l məguddal məguddélet məguddalim məguddalot

Hitpa'el

בטל מ�ת�ב��ט��ל ��ל�תמ�ת�ב��ט מ�ת�ב��ט��ל�ים

מ�ת�ב��ט��לו�ת

Belittles oneself, loafs

b-t-l mitbattel mitbattélet mitbattlim mitbattlot

[edit] Past tense

A verb in the past tense (ע�ב�ר avar) 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.

Example conjugations in the past tense.

Form

Root

Singular Plural

He She

Thou

I They

Ye

We

M F M F

Pa'al שמר

ש��מ�ר ש���מ�ר�ה

�ש��מ� �ר�ת ש��מ�ר�� �ת

�יש��מ� �ר�ת ש���מ�ר� ו

� �ש��מ�ר�תם

��ש��מ�ר�תן

�ש��מ� ר�נו

sh-m-r

shamar

shamrashamárt

ashamar

tshamárti

shamru

shmartem

shmarten

shamárnu

Nif'al

שמר

�ש��מ� נר

�ש��מ�ר� נה

�ש�� נ�מ� �ר�ת

ר� �ש��מ� נ� �ת

�ש�� נ�ימ� �ר�ת

�ש��מ� נ� רו

�ש��מ�ר� נת��ם

�ש��מ�ר� נ�ן �ת

�ש�� נ�מ� ר�נו

sh-m-r

nishmar

nishməra

nishmárta

nishmart

nishmárti

nishməru

nishmartem

nishmarten

nishmárnu

Hif'il

קטנ

ה�ק�ט�ין

ה�ק�ט�י�ה נ

ה�ק��ט� ��ת נ

ה�ק�ט����ת נ

ה�ק��יט� ��ת נ

ה�ק�ט�� ינו

� ה�ק�ט�נת��ם

� ה�ק�ט�נ�ן �ת

ה�ק��ט� �ו נ

q-t-n

hiktin hiktina hiktánta hiktant hiktántihiktin

uhiktante

mhiktante

nhiktánn

u

Huf'al

קטנ

�ק� הוט�ן

�ק�ט� הו�ה נ

�ק� הו�ט� ��ת נ

�ק�ט� הו���ת נ

�ק� הו�יט� ��ת נ

�ק� הו� ט�נו

� �ק�ט�נ הות��ם

�ק�ט� הו�ן ��ת נ

�ק� הו�ט� �ו נ

q-t-n

huktan

huktəna

huktánta

huktant

huktántihuktən

uhuktante

mhuktant

enhuktánn

u

Pi'el

גדל

��ל ��יד ג ל� �� ��יד גה

�� ��יד �ג �ל�ת ��ל� ��יד ג� �ת

�� ��יד �יג �ל�ת � ��לו ��יד ג � �ל�ת �� ��יד גם

����ל�ת ��יד גן

�� ��יד �ג ל�נו

g-d-l

giddel

giddla giddálta giddalt giddálti giddlugiddalte

mgiddalte

ngiddáln

u

Pu'al גדל

��ל �ד �ו ג ל� �� �ד �ו גה

�� �ד �ו �ג �ל�ת ��ל� �ד �ו ג� �ת

�� �ד �ו �יג �ל�ת � ��לו �ד �ו ג � ���ל�ת �ד �ו גם

����ל�ת �ד �ו גן

�� �ד �ו �ג ל�נו

g-d-l

guddal

guddlaguddált

aguddal

tguddálti

guddlu

guddaltem

guddalten

guddálnu

Hitpa'el

בטל

��ה�ת�בט��ל

��ה�ת�בט��ל�ה

��ה�ת�ב���ט �ל�ת

��ה�ת�ב��ט��ל�ת

��ה�ת�ב���יט �ל�ת

��ה�ת�ב� ט��לו

��ה�ת�ב��טל�ת��ם

��ה�ת�ב��ט�ן �ל�ת

��ה�ת�ב���ט ל�נו

b-t-l

hitbattel

hitbattla

hitbattálta

hitbattalt

hitbattálti

hitbattlu

hitbattaltem

hitbattalten

hitbattálnu

[edit] Future tense

A verb in the future tense (ע�ת�יד atid) 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.

Example conjugations in the future tense.

Form

Root

Singular Plural

He She

Thou

I

They Ye

We

M F M (F) M (F)

Pa'al

ש�מר

יש��מו�ר

�ש��מ �תו�ר

�ש��מ �תו�ר

�ש��מ� �תר�י

א�ש��מו�ר

יש��מ�ר� ו

�ש��מ �ת�הו� רנ

�ש��מ� �ת� רו

�ש��מ �ת�הו� רנ

�ש��מו� נר

sh- yishm tishm tishm tishmə eshm yishmə tishmór tishmə tishmór nishm

m-r

or or or ri or ru na ru na or

Nif'al

ש�מר

ייש���מ�ר

���יש� �תמ�ר

���יש� �תמ�ר

���יש� �תר�י מ�

��א�ש�מ�ר

ייש���מ�ר� ו

�ש�� �ת���המ ר�נ

�יש���מ� �ת� רו

�ש�� �ת���המ ר�נ

ר Eמ Fיש Iנ

sh-m-r

yishshamer

tishshamer

tishshamer

tishshaməri

eshshamer

yishshaməru

təshammérna

tishshaməru

təshammérna

nishshamer

Hif'il

קטנ

�ק�ט�ין י ת��ק�ט�ין

ת��ק�ט�ין

ת��ק�ט��י ינ

א�ק�ט�ין

�ק�ט�ינ י� ו

ת��ק�ט��הי נ

ת��ק�ט�י� נו

ת��ק�ט��הי נ

�ק�ט�י נן

q-t-n

yaktin taktin taktin taktini aktin yaktinutaktéyn

ataktinu

taktéyna

naktin

Huf'al

קטנ

�ק�ט�ן יו �ק� ת�וט�ן

�ק� ת�וט�ן

�ק� ת�ו�י ט�נ

�ק� אוט�ן

�ק�ט�נ יו� ו

�ק� ת�ו��הט� נ

�ק�ט� ת�ו� נו

�ק� ת�ו��הט� נ

�ק�ט� נון

q-t-n

yuktan

tuktan tuktantuktən

iuktan

yuktənu

tuktánna

tuktənu

tuktánna

nuktan

Pi'el

גדל

��ל �ג�ד י �� �ד �ג �תל

�� �ג�ד �תל

��ל� �ד �ג �תי

�� �ד ג א!ל

� ��לו �ג�ד י � �ג �ת�� �הד ל�נ

��ל �ג�ד �ת� ו

� �ג �ת�� �הד ל�נ

��ל �ג�ד נ

g-d-l

yəgaddel

təgaddel

təgaddel

təgaddli

agaddel

yəgaddlu

tigdálna

təgaddlu

tigdálna

nəgaddel

Pu'al

גדל

��ל �ד �גו י �� �ד �גו �תל

�� �ד �גו �תל

�� �ד �גו �תל�י

�� �ד א!גול

� ��לו �ד �גו י � �גו �ת�� �הד ל�נ

�� �ד �גו �ת� לו

� �גו �ת�� �הד ל�נ

�� �ד �גו נל

g-d-l

yəguddal

təguddal

təguddal

təguddli

aguddal

yəguddlu

təguddálna

təguddlu

təguddálna

nəguddal

Hitpa'el

בטל

��ית�ב��טל

���ת�ב �תט��ל

���ת�ב �תט��ל

���ת�ב �תט��ל�י

��א�ת�בט��ל

��ית�ב��ט� לו

���ת�ב �ת���הט ל�נ

���ת�ב �ת� ט��לו

���ת�ב �ת���הט ל�נ

���ת�ב נט��ל

b-t-l

yitbattel

titbattel

titbattel

titbattli

etbattel

yitbattlu

titbattélna

titbattlu

titbattélna

nitbattel

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.

[edit] Imperative

Except for the strictly passive binyanim (pu'al and huf'al), each binyan has distinct imperative forms in the second person. This imperative form is only used for affirmative commands. Pa'al, nif'al, pi'el, and hif'il form their imperatives by dropping the initial ת of the future-tense form (e.g., תפתח tiftaħ (singular, masc.) → פתח ptaħ! "open!",

shimri! "guard!"); the fifth, hitpa'el, forms שמרי → tishməri (singular, fem.) תשמרי

its imperative by replacing this initial ת with ה (titbattel → hitbattel "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 tishməri/shimri).

Negative commands use the particle אל al followed by the future-tense form. For example, al tid'ag means "don't worry" (masculine, singular).

In colloquial speech, the future tense is commonly used for affirmative commands when making requests, so that for example, תפתח tiftaħ can mean either "you will open" or "open" (masculine, singular), but this is considered incorrect usage.

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, נא לא לפתוח na lo liftóaħ means "please do not open".

[edit] Participles

Present participles are identical to present tense forms (the modern present tense actually having been derived from the ancient present participle): נרות בוערים nerot bo'arim

(a'burning candles), הילדה מקסימה ha-yalda maksima (the girl is a'charming).

Only the pa'al binyan has a true past participle: from כתב k-t-b we have כתוב katuv, (writ, written). This gives Hebrew a limited ability to distinguish between a completed action, e.g.:

ha-sfarim ktuvim (the books have been written) הספרים כתובים

And, using the present tense of nif'al, which is often the passive of pa'al, a continuing action:

ha-sfarim nikhtavim (the books are being written) הספרים נכתבים

The passive participle is commonly used as an adjective, as in הפקודה הכתובה ha-pkuda ha-ktuva (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, e.g. from hif'il האיר he'ir (lit) we get חדר מואר ħeder mu'ar (lit room).

[edit] Prospectives (Infinitives)

Prospectives (shmot ha-po'al) in Hebrew are primarily formed by adding the letter lamed to the front of the base form (tsurat ha-makor). The vowels change systematically (ל)according to the binyan.

likhtov (to write) לכתוב → katav (wrote, pa'al) כתב

lədabber (to speak) לדבר → mədabber (speak, pi'el) מדבר

ləhatħil (to start) להתחיל → hitħil (started, hif'il) התחיל

ləhitpallel (to pray) להתפלל → hitpallel (prayed, hitpa'el) התפלל

ləhippaggesh (to meet with) להיפגש → nifgash (met with, nif'al) נפגש

Pu'al and huf'al verbs do not have prospectives.

[edit] Gerunds

Gerunds (shmot pə'ula) are nouns expressing an action. Gerunds are created in Hebrew by putting the root of a verb in a "mishkal" (see Hebrew grammar#Nouns). Five of the binyanim have gerunds: pa'al, pi'el, hif'il, hitpa'el and nif'al. For example:

shmira (guarding) שמירה → shamar (guarded — pa'al) שמר

o shiva (returning, a return) שיבה → shav (returned — hollow pa'al) שב

o shtiya (drinking, a drink) שתייה → shata (drank — weak pa'al) שתה

hikansut (entering) היכנסות → nikhnas (enter — nif'al) נכנס

bikkur (visiting, a visit) ביקור → bikker (visited — pi'el) ביקר

hafte'á (surprising, a surprise) הפתעה → hiftía (surprised — hif'il) הפתיע

hitħamməmut התחממות → hitħammem (warmed — hitpa'el) התחמם(warming)

Note that unlike in English (where gerunds and present participles share the same form), Hebrew gerunds cannot be used as adjectives.