Hebrew conjugation

In , 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 , though a verb in one voice typically has counterparts in other voices. In transliterations below, vowels are in Latin and consonants are in English . Classification of roots

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

or ו yod as the 2nd letters are called hollow roots. The י waw or a ו Roots that contain a .yod rarely appear in any conjugation though are usually written as part of the root י the dag דג ,(dan (discussed דן ,(gar (lived גר ,(shar (sang שר :Examples of hollow roots (fished).

ה álef , and א , áyin ע , et ח , נ , yod י ,Roots that contain at least one of the weak letters hey , are called weak roots. Each weak letter/position pairing results in a slightly different yod . Examples of י conjugation pattern. The largest group of these are those that end with nafal נפל ,(yarad (went down ירד ,(ala (went up עלה ,(shata (drank שתה :weak roots (fell).

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

- binyanim) םיניינב Hebrew verbs are conjugated according to specific patterns called םישרוש constructions") where vowels and affixes are slotted into the (mostly) three-letter" (shorashim - roots) from which the majority of Hebrew words are built.

which has the ל.ע.פ There are seven basic binyanim. The traditional demonstration root is basic meaning of "action" or "doing":

active reflexive passive נפעל פועל הופעל התפעל הפעיל פיעל פעל paal piel hifil hitpael hufal pual nifal

intensive simple

Present tense

howe ) agrees with its in gender (masculine or הוֹוֶה ) A verb in the present tense feminine) and number (singular or plural), such that each verb has four present-tense forms:

Singular Plural Form Root Translation M F M F

שׁוֹמְ רוֹת שׁוֹמְרִ ים שׁוֹמֶ תרֶ שׁוֹמֵ ר שׁמר Paal Guards

sh-m-r shomer shoméret shomrim shomrot

מְגַדְּ לוֹת מְגַדְּלִ ים מְגַדֶּ תלֶ מְגַדֵּל גדל Piel Raises, grows (something)

g-d-l megaddel megaddélet megaddlim megaddlot

מַקְטִ ינוֹת מַקְטִ ינִים מַקְטִ ינָה מַקְטִ ין קטנ Hifil Shrinks (something)

q-t-n maqtin maqtina maqtinim maqtinot

מִתְבַּטְּ לוֹת מִתְבַּטְּלִ ים מִתְבַּטֶּ תלֶ מִתְבַּטֵּ ל בטל Hitpael Belittles oneself, loafs

b-t-l mitbattel mitbattélet mitbattlim mitbattlot

מוּקְטָ נוֹת מוּקְטָנִים מוּקְטֶ תנֶ מוּקְטָ ן קטנ Hufal Is shrunken by

q-t-n muqtan muqténet muqtanim muqtanot

Is raised מְ גוּדָּ לוֹת מְ גוּדָּלִ ים מְ גוּדֶּ תלֶ מְ גוּדָּ ל גדל Pual g-d-l meguddal meguddélet meguddalim meguddalot

נִשְמָ רוֹת נִשְׁמָרִ ים נִשְׁמֶ תרֶ נִשְׁמָ ר שׁמר Nifal Is guarded

sh-m-r nishmar nishméret nishmarim nishmarot

The present tense doesn't inflect by first, second or third person because its use as a present tense is a relatively recent trend, as this form was originally used as the . The ancient language didn't have strictly-defined past, present or future tenses, but merely perfect and imperfect tenses, with past, present or future connotation depending on context. Later the perfect and imperfect tenses were explicitly refashioned as the past and future tenses respectively, with the participle standing in as the present tense. (This also happened to the language around the same time.) The modern present tense verb is still used as the present participle; see further down. Past tense

(avar ) agrees with its subject in person (first, second, or third עָבַ ר ) A verb in the past tense and number, and in the second-person singular and plural and third-person singular, gender.

Note that the past/perfect and the present/participle tenses of the third-person singular nifal were historically pronounced with different vowels in the final syllable—the past/perfect with a pata ħ gadol ( ַ = / /), and the present/participle with a qamats gadol ( ָ = / /). In Modern Hebrew, both of these vowels have merged to /a/ , and the two verb forms now are "nishmar means " was guarded נִשְׁמַ ר pronounced the same. For example, the past tense נִשְׁמָ ר or in old-fashioned perfect tense "he is/was guarded"), whereas the present tense) nishmar means "he is being guarded".

Singular Plural

For Ro m ot Thou Ye He She I They We M F M F

שָׁמַ רְ נוּ שְׁמַרְתֶּ ן שְׁמַרְתֶּ ם שָׁ !מְ רוּ שָׁמַ ירְתִּ שָׁמַרְתְּ שָׁמַ רְתָּ שָׁ !מְרָה שָׁמַ ר שׁמר Paal sh- shama shamárt shmarte shmarte shamár shamra shamart shamárti shamru m-r r a m n nu

גד גִּ ידַּלְ נוּ גִּ ידַּלְתֶּ ן גִּידַּלְתֶּ ם גִּ ידְּ לוּ גִּידַּלְתִּ י גִּ ידַּלְתְּ גִּ ידַּלְתָּ גִּ ידְּלָ ה גִּידֵּל ל Piel

g- giddalte giddalte giddáln giddel giddla giddálta giddalt giddálti giddlu d-l m n u

הִקְטַנְתֶּ הִקְטַנְתֶּ הִקְטִ י הִקְטַ נְתִּ הִקְטַנְ הִקְטַ נְ הִ קְטִ ינָ הִקְטִ י קט הִקְטַ נּוּ ן ם נוּ י תְּ תָּ ה ן נ Hifil

q-t- hiqtante hiqtante hiqtánn hiqtin hiqtina hiqtánta hiqtant hiqtánti hiqtinu n m n u

הִתְבַּטַּ הִתְבַּטַּ הִתְבַּטַּלְ הִתְבַּטְּ הִתְ בַּטַּ הִתְבַּטַּ הִתְבַּטַּ הִתְבַּטְּ הִתְבַּ בט לְ נוּ לְתֶּ ן תֶּ ם לוּ לְתִּ י לְתְּ לְתָּ לָ ה טֵּ ל ל Hitp ael b-t- hitbatt hitbattl hitbattá hitbatta hitbattál hitbattl hitbattalt hitbattalt hitbattál l el a lta lt ti u em en nu

הוּקְטַ נּ הוּקְטַנְ הוּקְטַנְתֶּ הוּקְטְ הוּקְטַ נְ הוּקְטַנְ הוּקְטַ נְ הוּקְטְנָ הוּקְטַ קט וּ תֶּ ן ם נוּ יתִּ תְּ תָּ ה ן נ Hufa l q-t- huqta huqtánt huqtante huqtante huqtánn huqtna huqtant huqtánti huqtnu n n a m n u

גד גּוּדַּלְ נוּ גּוּדַּלְתֶּ ן גּוּדַּלְתֶּ ם גּוּדְּ לוּ גּוּדַּלְתִּ י גּוּדַּלְתְּ גּוּדַּלְתָּ גּוּדְּלָ ה גּוּדַּל ל Pual

g- gudda guddált guddalte guddalte guddáln guddla guddalt guddálti guddlu d-l l a m n u נִשְׁמַ רְ נ נִשְׁמַרְתֶּ נִשְׁמַרְתֶּ נִשְׁמְ ר נִשְׁמַ רְתִּ נִשְׁמַרְ נִשְׁמַ רְ נִשְׁמְרָ נִשְׁמַ ר שׁמר וּ ן ם וּ י תְּ תָּ ה Nifal

sh- nishm nishmár nishmar nishmárt nishmr nishmart nishmart nishmár nishmra m-r ar ta t i u em en nu

Future tense

atid ) agrees with its subject in person and number, and in עָתִ יד ) A verb in the future tense 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.

Singular Plural

For Ro m ot Thou They Ye He She I We M F M (F) M (F)

נִשְׁ מוֹ תִּשְׁ מוֹר תִּשְׁמְ תִּשְׁ מוֹר יִשְׁמְ ר אֶשְׁ מ תִּשְׁמְ תִּשְׁ מוֹ תִּשְׁ מוֹ יִשְׁ מוֹ שׁ ר הנָ וּר הנָ וּ וֹר רִ י ר ר ר מר Paal sh- yishm tishmo tishmo tishmr eshmo yishmr tishmór tishmr tishmór nishm m- or r r i r u na u na or r

תִּגְדַּ לְנָ תְּגַדְּ ל תִּגְדַּ לְנָ תְּגַדְּלִ גד נְגַדֵּל יְגַדְּ לוּ אֲגַדֵּל תְּגַדֵּ ל תְּגַדֵּל יְגַדֵּל ה וּ ה י ל Piel

g- yegadd tegadd tegadd tegadd agadd yegadd tegadd negadd tigdálna tigdálna d-l el el el li el lu lu el תַּקְטֶ י נָ תַּקְטִ י תַּקְטֶ י נָ יַקְטִ ינ &קְטִ י תַּקְטִ י תַּקְטִ י תַּקְטִ י ק נַקְטִ ין יַקְטִ ין ה נוּ ה וּ ן נִי ן ן טנ Hifil

q- yaqtin yaqtin taqtin taqtin taqtini aqtin taqtéyna taqtinu taqtéyna naqtin t-n u

נִתְבַּטֵּ תִּתְבַּטֵּ תִּתְבַּ תִּתְבַּטֵּ יִתְבַּטְּ אֶתְבַּ תִּתְבַּ תִּתְבַּ תִּתְבַּ יִתְבַּטֵּ ב ל הלְנָ טְּ לוּ הלְנָ לוּ טֵּ ל טְּלִ י טֵּ ל טֵּ ל ל טל Hitp ael b- yitbatt titbatte titbatte titbattl etbatte yitbattl titbattél titbattl titbattél nitbatt t-l el l l i l u na u na el

תּוּקְטַ נָּ תּוּקְטְ תּוּקְטַ נָּ יוּקְטְ נ אוּקְטַ תּוּקְטְ תּוּקְטַ תּוּקְטַ ק נוּקְטַ ן יוּקְטַ ן ה נוּ ה וּ ן נִי ן ן טנ Huf al q- tuqtánn tuqtánn yuqtan tuqtan tuqtan tuqtni uqtan yuqtnu tuqtnu nuqtan t-n a a

תְּ גוּדַּ לְנָ תְּ גוּדְּ תְּ גוּדַּ לְנָ יְגוּדְּ ל אֲ גוּדַּ תְּ גוּדְּ תְּ גוּדַּ תְּ גוּדַּ גד נְגוּדַּל יְגוּדַּל ה לוּ ה וּ ל לִ י ל ל ל Pual

g- yegud tegudd tegudd tegud agudd yegudd teguddá tegudd teguddá negud d-l dal al al dli al lu lna lu lna dal

תְּשַׁמֵּ רְנָ תִּ ישָּׁמְ תְּשַׁמֵּ רְנָ יִישָּׁמְ אֶשָּׁמֵ ישָּׁתִּ תִּ ישָּׁמֵ תִּ ישָּׁמֵ יִישָּׁמֵ שׁ נִישָּׁמֵר ה רוּ ה רוּ ר מְרִ י ר ר ר מר Nifa l sh- yishsh tishsha tishsha tishsh eshsha yishsh tesham tishsha tesham nishsh m- amer mer mer amri mer amru mérna mru mérna amer r

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.

Imperative

Except for the strictly passive binyanim ( pual and hufal ), each binyan has distinct imperative forms in the second person. This imperative form is only used for affirmative commands. of the future-tense ת Paal , nifal , piel , and hifil form their imperatives by dropping the initial ,tishmri (singular תשמרי ,"!pta ! "open פתח → (.tifta (singular, masc תפתח ,.form (e.g shimri! "guard!"); the fifth, hitpael , forms its imperative by replacing this שמרי → (.fem ת titbattel → hitbattel "do nothing!"). (Note that the dropping of the initial ) ה with ת initial often results in a change in vocalization, as can be seen in the instance of tishm ri /sh imri ).

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

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

The 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 ."na lo liftóa means "please do not open נא לא לפתוח ,example

Present participles are identical to present tense forms (the modern present tense actually nerot boarim נרות בוערים :(having been derived from the ancient present participle .(ha-yalda maqsima (the girl is charming הילדה מקסימה ,(burning candles)

,katuv , (writ כתוב k-t-b we have כתב Only the paal binyan has a true past participle: from 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 nifal, which is often the passive of paal, a continuing action:

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

ha-pquda הפקודה הכתובה The passive participle is commonly used as an adjective, as in ha-ktuva (the written order).

The present tense of the pual and hufal are used as passive participles for the piel and hifil .(eder mu ʼar (lit room חדר מואר he ʼir (lit) we get האיר respectively, e.g. from hifil

Prospectives ()

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

(likhtov (to write לכתוב → (katav (wrote, paal כתב • (ledabber (to speak לדבר → (medabber (speak, piel מדבר • (lehat il (to start להתחיל → (hit il (started, hifil התחיל • (lehitpallel (to pray להתפלל → (hitpallel (prayed, hitpael התפלל • (lehippaggesh (to meet with להיפגש → (nifgash (met with, nifal נפגש •

Pual and hufal verbs do not have prospectives. Gerunds

Gerunds ( shmot peula ) are nouns expressing an action. Gerunds are created in Hebrew by putting the root of a verb in a "mishqal" ( see Hebrew grammar#Nouns ). Five of the binyanim have gerunds: paal, piel, hifil, hitpael and nifal. For example:

( shmira ( guarding שמירה → (shamar ( guarded — paal שמר • ( shiva ( returning , a return שיבה → (shav ( returned — hollow paal שב o ( shtiya ( drinking , a drink שתייה → (shata ( drank — weak paal שתה o ( hikkansut ( entering היכ נסות → (nikhnas ( enter — nifal נכנס • ( biqqur ( visiting , a visit ביקור → (biqqer ( visited — piel ביקר • ( haftea ( surprising , a surprise הפתעה → (hiftía ( surprised — hifil הפתיע • ( hit ammemut ( warming התחממות → (hit ammem ( warmed — hitpael התחמם •

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