Lesson 12
1. The smichut: the die composed form of nouns
The word smichut – composed form of nouns – derives from the adjective samuch – near.
Composed nouns are frequent in Hebrew. For the better understanding we insert a + between composed nouns in the transliteration. Mostly, nouns alter somewhat when in composed form.
Smichut is formed as follows:
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Airport ("field of flight") - שדה תעופה sde+te’ufah
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Night watch ("watch of night") - שומר לילה somer+laila
In composed forms with the definite article “the” the article ha- is placed before the second word, except in compositions with family as shown below. The vocalization often changes somewhat in smichut.
Example: Sade (field) becomes Sde+ , or machlakah (department) becomes machleket+.
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The relative [M] ("close to the family") - קרוב המשפחה karov+ha-mishpachah
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The department manager ("manager the department") - מנהל המחלקה menahel+ha-machlakah
If the first word is of feminine gender and has an ending on –ah, the he alters into a tav.
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The Levy family - משפחת לווי mishpachat+levi
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A relative [F] - קרובת משפחה krovat+mishpachah
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Bookkeeping - הנהלת חשבונות hanhalat +cheshbonot
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Food department - מחלקת מזון machleket + mazon
When the first word of the smichut is male plural, the ending –im changes into –eh.
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Relatives - קרובי משפחה kroveh+mishpachacha
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Guards of the tora - שומרי תורה shomreh+torah
2. The future tense of active verbs
Future in Hebrew is atid.
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Future forms can be used with or without personal pronouns. I will pursue can thus be translated as ani erdof or simply erdof.
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The 2nd person (i.e. you) can also denote the imperative (command form). Thus tirdof can mean you will pursue or pursue!.
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The prohibitive form (do not!) is always followed by the 2nd person future tense.
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The 3rd person he will … or they will … can also mean he should … or they should …
3. The future tense of binyan pa’al
of rodef – pursues, lirdof – to pursue
4. The future tense of binyan kal
of kam – rises; lakum – to rise
5. The future tense of the pa’al-verb liheyot – to be
Of hayas – was (there is no present tense): liheyot– to be
6. The future tense of binyan pi’el
of medaber – speaks; ledaber – to speak
7. The future tense of binyan hif’il
of mazmin – invites; lehazmin – to invite
8. The future tense of binyan hitpa’el
of mitlabesh – dresses; lehitlabesh – to dress
