Hebrew verb conjugation

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.

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

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

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

Present tense

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

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 ("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., hebrew|תפתח "tiftaħ" (singular, masc.) → hebrew|פתח "ptaħ!" "open!", hebrew|תשמרי "tishməri" (singular, fem.) → hebrew|שמרי "shimri!" "guard!"); the fifth, "hitpa'el", forms its imperative by replacing this initial hebrew|ת with hebrew|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 hebrew|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, hebrew|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, hebrew|נא לא לפתוח "na lo liftóaħ" means "please do not open".

Participles

Present participles are identical to present tense forms (the modern present tense actually having been derived from the ancient present participle): hebrew|נרות בוערים "nerot bo'arim" (a'burning candles), hebrew|הילדה מקסימה "ha-yalda maksima" (the girl is a'charming).

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

*hebrew|הספרים כתובים "ha-sfarim ktuvim" (the books have been written)

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

*hebrew|הספרים נכתבים "ha-sfarim nikhtavim" (the books are being written)

The passive participle is commonly used as an adjective, as in hebrew|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 hebrew|האיר "he'ir" (lit) we get hebrew|חדר מואר "ħeder mu'ar" (lit room).

Prospectives (Infinitives)

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

*hebrew|כתב "katav" (wrote, pa'al) → hebrew|לכתוב "likhtov" (to write)
*hebrew|מדבר "mədabber" (speak, pi'el) → hebrew|לדבר "lədabber" (to speak)
*hebrew|התחיל "hitħil" (started, hif'il) → hebrew|להתחיל "ləhatħil" (to start)
*hebrew|התפלל "hitpallel" (prayed, hitpa'el) → hebrew|להתפלל "ləhitpallel" (to pray)
*hebrew|נפגש "nifgash" (met with, nif'al) → hebrew|להיפגש "ləhippaggesh" (to meet with)

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

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:

*hebrew|שמר "shamar" ("guarded" — pa'al) → hebrew|שמירה "shmira" ("guarding")
**hebrew|שב "shav" ("returned" — hollow pa'al) → hebrew|שיבה "shiva" ("returning", "a return")
**hebrew|שתה "shata" ("drank" — weak pa'al) → hebrew|שתייה "shtiya" ("drinking", "a drink")
*hebrew|נכנס "nikhnas" ("enter" — nif'al) → hebrew|היכנסות "hikansut" ("entering")
*hebrew|ביקר "bikker" ("visited" — pi'el) → hebrew|ביקור "bikkur" ("visiting", "a visit")
*hebrew|הפתיע "hiftía" ("surprised" — hif'il) → hebrew|הפתעה "hafte'á" ("surprising", "a surprise")
*hebrew|התחמם "hitħammem" ("warmed" — hitpa'el) → hebrew|התחממות "hitħamməmut" ("warming")

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

ee also

* Hebrew grammar
* Prefixes and suffixes in Hebrew