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Lesson 10

1. The 3rd binyan: the active conjugation hif’il

The 3rd binyan is the hif’il. hif’il means he activated. hif’il-verbs mostly bring about something. They are often transitive, i.e. they are often used with accusative-objects – eg to begin something. The vocalization a-i in present tense suggests that the verb is of the binyan hif’il.

 

Hif’il-verbs in present tense:

hifil verbs hebrew

Note: (the following points refer to present tense).

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  • The vocalization of and the female forms of verbs with a chet or ayin as third consonant of the shoresh, eg hu matzia, he proposes, hi maziah (stress on last syllable), she proposes.

  • The vocalization of verbs with a yud as first consonant of the shoresh, as in hu morid, he lowers – the yud is changed into a vav.

1. The 3rd binyan: the active conjugation hif’il

2. Female plural form in male nouns – and vice versa

Some male nouns have female plural endings.

 

Examples:

lesson 10 Hebrew male nouns female plural

Most three-syllable nouns ending in -on have a female plural ending, but are generally male.

 

Examples:

lesson 10 Hebrew male nouns female plural 2

Male plural forms in female nouns are rarer.

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Examples:​

  • Word:

    • Singular: מילה  -  milah

    • Plural: מילים  -  milim

  • Year:

    • Singular: שנה  -  shana

    • Plural: שנים  -  shanim

  • Dove:

    • Singular: יונה  -  yonah

    • Plural: יונים  -  yonim

2. Female plural form in male nouns – and vice versa
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