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Verbs: Conditional is the sixty-fifth skill (assuming read left to right) in the language tree for Hebrew. It has three lessons and teaches how to form the conditional tense in Hebrew.

Grammar Notes[]

The conditional tense in Hebrew is a combination of the past tense of "to be" and the present tense:

  • אם הייתי רואה חתול ברחוב, הייתי מלטף אותו - If I saw a cat on the street, I would pet it.
  • אם היא הייתה עובדת במוזאון, היא הייתה נותנת לנו להיכנס בחינם - If she worked at the museum, she would let us get in for free.
  • אם הם היו קונים שוקולד, הוא היה מכין עוגת שוקולד - If they had bought chocolate, he would make chocolate cake.

Much like with the future tense, both the main clause and the if-clause need to be in the same tense. The form of היה will change to match the subject as outlined in Verbs: Past, and the present tense verb must also match the subject in gender and number.

If _ were/if _ had[]

To express the conditional form of being or possessing, you simply use a form of היה:

  • אם היה לי כסף, הייתי קונה מחשב חדש - If I had money, I would buy a new computer.
  • אם היינו ציפורים, היינו יכולים לעוף - If we were birds, we would be able to fly.

Could and should[]

The conditional tense can also be combined with the infinitive of other verbs in order to form more complex expressions like "could (have)" and "should (have)" using the conditional of יכול and צריך respectively.

  • אם היית יכולה לטוס לחלל, לאן היית טסה - If you could fly to space, where would you fly?

Lessons[]

Lesson 1[]

  • לוּ = if (lu)
  • אִילו = if (ilu)
  • הייתי = I would (hayiti)
  • הייתָ = you would (s.m.) (hayita)
  • הייתְ = you would (s.f.) (hayit)
  • הייתה = she would (hayta)

Lesson 2[]

  • היינו = we would (hayinu)
  • היה = he would, there would be (haya)
  • הייתם = you would (p.m.) (hayitem)
  • הייתן = you would (p.f.) (hayiten)
  • היו = they would (hayu)

Lesson 3[]

  • אילולא = if not (for) (ilule)
  • לולא = if not (for) (lule)

References[]

Duolingo Lesson: www.duolingo.com/skill/he/Verbs%3A-Conditional

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