Dear anyone,
Your duolingo forum registration isn't automaticaly transferred to duome forum so in order to join duome forums you need to register with your existing or any other username and email; in any case it's advised that you choose a new password for the forum.
~ Duome Team

[ARCHIVE] Hebrew verbs in the present and past tense - A "short" guide for the beginners

Moderator: Corinnebelle

User avatar
Corinnebelle

[ARCHIVE] Hebrew verbs in the present and past tense - A "short" guide for the beginners

Post by Corinnebelle »

Zimozie77 wrote:

Link (this is in Hebrew) :http://www.morim.com/memento binyanim.htm

The Hebrew language uses the root system which consists of consonants. Here: כ.ת.ב. From these consonants you can form e.g. adjectives, nouns and verbs using different patterns and adding additional consonants.

To write

Present tense Past tense
אני כותב = ani kotev אני כתבתי = ani katavti
אתה כותב = ata kotev אתה כתבת = ata katavta
את כותבת = at kotévet את כתבת = at katavt
הוא כותב = hu kotev הוא כתב = hu katav
היא כותבת = hi kotévet היא כתבה = hi katva
אנחנו כותבים\כותבות = anaxnu kotvim/kotvot אנחנו כתבנו = anaxnu katavnu
אתם כותבים = atem kotvim אתם כתבתם = atem katavtem
אתן כותבות = aten kotvot אתן כתבתן = aten katavten
הם כותבים = hem kotvim הם כתבו = hem katvu
הן כותבות = hen kotvot הן כתבו = hen katvu

The possible translations in the present and in the past tense:

Hebrew English
אני כותב I write, I'm writing
אני כתבתי I wrote, I have written, I had written

Note: the 1. and 2. personal pronouns (both in singular and plural) in the past tense can be omitted. Thus: אני כתבתי = כתבתי

In the present tense add vav (ו) after the first root consonant. Its sound is "o" in this case. The vowels are o - e. The pattern: XoXeX (X=consonant). So: ani KoTeV. The feminine singular forms take the letter ת- (-et) to the end, and the word stress changes a bit. Thus, ani/at/hi KoTéVet. The masculine plural forms have the ending ים- (-im) in the end. The pattern is XoXXim. Anaxnu/atem/hem KoTVim. The feminine ones are formed by changing the ending ים- (-im) to ות- (-ot). Thus, anaxnu/aten/hen KoTVot.

The basic rule in the past tense: take the 3. singular masculine personal pronoun (הוא). In the verb Pa'al, the vowels for past tense are a - a. The pattern is XaXaX. He wrote = הוא כתב = hu KaTaV. Then add the personal endings for the 1. and 2. personal pronouns:

I wrote = אני כתבתי, XaXaXti -> ani KaTaVti

You (m., sing.) wrote = אתה כתבת, XaXaXta -> ata KaTaVta

You (f., sing.) wrote = את כתבת, XaXaXt -> at KaTaVt

We wrote = אנחנו כתבנו, XaXaXnu -> anaxnu KaTaVnu

You (m.,pl.) = אתם כתבתם, XaXaXtem -> atem KaTaVtem

You (f., pl.) = אתן כתבתן, XaXaXten -> aten KaTaVten

The rest are formed: XaXX + the ending

She wrote = היא כתבה, XaXXa(h) -> hi KaTVa(h)

They (m.) = הם כתבו, XaXXu -> hem KaTVu

They (f.) = הן כתבו, XaXXu -> hen KaTVu

Please, if there are some things to correct, let me know. I hope this helps you in your Hebrew journey.

להתראות!

Archive of comments

Permission from author.

🇺🇸 L1 🇮🇱 Advanced beginner Duolingo levels

Languages without borders, languages bridging gaps, the Red Cross are my heroes.

Return to “Grammar”