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  • Writer's pictureRoy Zafrani

Verbs




Let's talk about verbs in present tense.


In Hebrew, there are no present simple or present progressive tenses. So whether you say something that happens once in a while, or something that is happening right now - the verb in Hebrew will remain the same.


Every verb has only 4 forms:

  1. Masculine, singular

  2. Masculine, plural

  3. Feminine, singular

  4. Feminine, plural


Most verbs will get the same ending for each form. Like any other language, there are exceptions though.


The rules are pretty simple:


Masculine singular

The masculine singular verb doesn't get any additional characters in its end. Let's consider the masculine singular verb as the "original form" of the verb. We will use it for the 3 other types.


Masculine plural

The masculine plural verb will get a "im" in the end, with a small change of the pronunciation of the verb.


So, if we take the verb "yoshev" (sit, masculine singular), the masculine plural form will be "yoshvim".


More examples:

holech (walk, masculine singular) will become holchim (masculine plural).

choshev (think, masculine singular) will become choshvim (masculine plural).

kofets (jump, masculine singular) will become koftsim (masculine plural).

o-chel (eat, masculine singular) will become o-ch-lim (masculine plural).

shot-e (drink, masculine singular) will become shotim (masculine plural).


Feminine singular

The feminine singular verb sounds the same as the masculine singular verb, with an addition of "et" in the end of the verb.


So, if we take the verb "yoshev" (sit, masculine singular), the feminine singular form will be "yoshev-et".


More examples:

holech (walk, masculine singular) will become holech-et (feminine singular).

choshev (think, masculine singular) will become choshev-et (feminine singular).

kofets (jump, masculine singular) will become kofets-et (feminine singular).

o-chel (eat, masculine singular) will become o-chel-et (feminine singular).


There are some exceptions. Some verbs will get an additional "a" instead of "et".


Examples:

shot-e (drink, masculine singular) will become shot-a (feminine singular).

rots-e (want, masculine singular) will become rots-a (feminine singular).

merim (lift up, masculine singular) will become merim-a (feminine singular).

rats (run, masculine singular) will become rats-a (feminine singular).

ol-e (go up, masculine singular) will become ol-a (feminine singular).


Feminine plural

The feminine plural verb will get a "ot" in the end, with a small change of the pronunciation of the verb.


So, if we take the verb "yoshev" (sit, masculine singular), the feminine plural form will be "yoshvot".


More examples:

holech (walk, masculine singular) will become holch-ot (feminine plural).

choshev (think, masculine singular) will become choshv-ot (feminine plural).

kofets (jump, masculine singular) will become kofts-ot (feminine plural).

o-chel (eat, masculine singular) will become o-chl-ot (feminine plural).

shot-e (drink, masculine singular) will become shot-ot (feminine plural).



If you have any question, please comment here or send me an email at roymgc (at) gmail.com

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