Basics
To Be
As you've possibly noticed by now, Hebrew does not have a form for "to be" - there actually are ways to do this, but they are confined to very specific circumstances. Instead, just give the pronoun.
Pronoun Overview
Speaking of pronouns, by the end of this skill you will have all of the Hebrew subject pronouns. They are listed below:
| English | Hebrew | English | Hebrew |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | We | ||
| You (masc. sing.) | You (plural masc.) | ||
| You (sing. fem.) | You (plural fem.) | ||
| He | They (masc.) | ||
| She | They (fem.) |
Plurals
Plurals in Hebrew have the ending - . There are also a few irregular plurals to watch out for.
Verb Conjugation
As mentioned previously, Hebrew verbs in the present tense conjugate according to number and gender, so there are four forms to a verb.
Basic Conjugation
This is used for almost all verbs:
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | - | - |
| Plural | - | - |
Two-Letter Conjugation
If the masculine singular verb form has only two letters, then it conjugates slightly differently:
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | - | - |
| Plural | - | - |
The Magic
If the letter comes at the end of the masculine singular form then the conjugation is a little different. The masculine and feminine forms will be spelled the same (unless nikkud are used), but will be pronounced differently:
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | - | - |
| Plural | - | - |
Lessons
Lessons
Lesson 1
- – women
- – we
- – boys, children
- – see (masc. pl.)
- – see (fem. pl.)
Lesson 2
- – they (masc.)
- – they (fem.)
- – you (fem. pl.)
- – you (masc. pl.)
📖 Story: The dog and the cake 7 sentences · 3 questions
The dog and the cake
- We are children, and we are at the sea.
- Mom and Dad come with a cake.
- They are happy.
- We see a big dog.
- The women at the sea see the dog too.
- The dog sees the cake!
- Now there is no cake, but the dog is happy.
Questions
Where are the children?
Who sees the dog besides the children?
What happens to the cake?
Practice
The rule
In the present tense Hebrew has no word for "am / is / are": I am a boy is just "I boy". The pronoun does the work.
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | (I) | (we) |
| 2nd masc. / fem. | / | / |
| 3rd masc. / fem. | / | / |
Each sentence shows the rule. Listen, say it after the voice, then tap the grey bar for the meaning and a note on the rule. The pattern quiz blanks out the key form.
Sentences
- – I am a boy · no word for "am"
- – We are children · plural subject → plural noun
- – They (masc.) see the women · הם – they, masculine
- – They (fem.) see a dog · הן – they, feminine: verb ends in -ות
- – You (masc. pl.) are good children · אתם – you, plural masculine
- – You (fem. pl.) are happy women · אתן – you, plural feminine
- – She is a girl · היא – she
- – He is a man · הוא – he