Hebrew is a Semitic language with a rich history and a unique structure. It is written from right to left and uses an alphabet consisting of 22 letters. The language is primarily composed of three-letter roots, which form the basis for verbs, nouns, and adjectives. Hebrew verbs are conjugated according to person, gender, number, and tense. The language also features a system of vowel points called “nikkud” that aid in pronunciation but are often omitted in modern writing. Understanding Hebrew grammar opens the door to a deeper appreciation of its literary, historical, and religious texts.
1. The Hebrew Alphabet (Aleph-Bet)
Hebrew is written from right to left and consists of 22 consonants. Vowels are represented by diacritical marks called nikkud (ניקוד), though these are often omitted in modern writing.
- Consonants: א (Aleph), ב (Bet), ג (Gimel), ד (Dalet), etc.
- Vowels: Kamatz (ָ), Patach (ַ), Segol (ֶ), etc.
2. Nouns and Gender
Hebrew nouns are either masculine or feminine. Gender affects adjectives, verbs, and pronouns that agree with the noun.
- Masculine nouns often end in -י (e.g., ספר /sefer/ – book).
- Feminine nouns often end in -ה or -ת (e.g., כיסא /kise/ – chair, דלת /delet/ – door).
3. Pluralization
Plurals are formed by adding suffixes to nouns:
- Masculine plural: -ים (e.g., ספרים /s’farim/ – books).
- Feminine plural: -ות (e.g., כיסאות /kisa’ot/ – chairs).
4. Definite Article
The definite article “the” is represented by the prefix הַ (ha-) added to the noun (e.g., הספר /ha-sefer/ – the book).
5. Pronouns
Hebrew pronouns change based on gender and number:
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | אני (ani) | אנחנו (anakhnu) |
| 2nd (masc.) | אתה (ata) | אתם (atem) |
| 2nd (fem.) | את (at) | אתן (aten) |
| 3rd (masc.) | הוא (hu) | הם (hem) |
| 3rd (fem.) | היא (hi) | הן (hen) |
6. Verbs and Binyanim
Hebrew verbs are conjugated based on binyanim (verb patterns), which indicate voice, tense, and meaning. There are seven primary binyanim:
- Pa’al (פָּעַל): Simple active (e.g., כתב /katav/ – wrote).
- Pi’el (פִּעֵל): Intensive active (e.g., דיבר /diber/ – spoke).
- Hif’il (הִפְעִיל): Causative active (e.g., הבין /hevin/ – understood).
- Hitpa’el (הִתְפַּעֵל): Reflexive (e.g., התלבש /hitlabesh/ – got dressed).
- Nif’al (נִפְעַל): Passive of Pa’al (e.g., נכתב /nikhtav/ – was written).
- Pu’al (פֻּעַל): Passive of Pi’el (e.g., דובר /dubar/ – was spoken).
- Huf’al (הֻפְעַל): Passive of Hif’il (e.g., הובן /huvan/ – was understood).
7. Verb Conjugation
Hebrew verbs are conjugated based on tense, person, gender, and number. The three main tenses are:
- Past (עבר /avar/): Used for completed actions.
- Present (הווה /hove/): Used for ongoing actions (note: Hebrew lacks a true present tense; it uses the participle form).
- Future (עתיד /atid/): Used for future actions.
Example: The verb לכתוב (likhtov – to write) in past tense:
- אני כתבתי (ani katavti) – I wrote.
- אתה כתבת (ata katavta) – You (masc.) wrote.
- היא כתבה (hi katva) – She wrote.
8. Sentence Structure
Hebrew typically follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure, but this can vary depending on emphasis or context.
Example:
- אני אוכל תפוח (ani okhel tapuach) – I eat an apple.
9. Prepositions
Prepositions are often prefixed to nouns or pronouns. Common prepositions include:
- בְּ (be) – in, at.
- לְ (le) – to, for.
- מִ (mi) – from.
Example:
- בבית (ba-bayit) – in the house.
- לישראל (le-Yisrael) – to Israel.
10. Adjectives
Adjectives agree with the noun they modify in gender and number.
Example:
- ספר גדול (sefer gadol) – a big book (masculine).
- כיסא גדולה (kise gdola) – a big chair (feminine).
11. Possession
Possession is expressed using the construct state (smikhut) or possessive pronouns.
Example:
- ספר המורה (sefer ha-more) – the teacher’s book.
- הספר שלי (ha-sefer sheli) – my book.
12. Negation
Negation is done using the word לא (lo) for verbs and אין (ein) for nouns.
Example:
- אני לא אוכל (ani lo okhel) – I do not eat.
- אין מים (ein mayim) – There is no water.
13. Questions
Questions are often formed by adding a question word or changing intonation.
Common question words:
- מה? (ma?) – What?
- מי? (mi?) – Who?
- איפה? (eifo?) – Where?
- למה? (lama?) – Why?
Example:
- מה זה? (ma ze?) – What is this?
14. Modern vs. Biblical Hebrew
- Modern Hebrew is the spoken and written language used in Israel today. It is simpler and more flexible than Biblical Hebrew.
- Biblical Hebrew is the language of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and has more complex grammar and vocabulary.
