Verbs: Present 1 is the sixteenth skill (assuming read left to right) in the Hebrew language tree. It has nine lessons and teaches the conjugation of a set of verbs called pa'al verbs.
Grammar Notes[]
Pa'al Verbs[]
Hebrew verbs are classified into binyanim based on whether they are passive or active, transitive or intransitive or even reflexive. Don't worry about what all that means right now, as we'll get through the rest of the binyanim later.
The pa'al verbs are the most common verbs in Hebrew, and are also the most regular. The conjugation of these verbs is also incredibly simple, as shown here with the verb "to include", לכלול:
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | כולל | כוללת |
| Plural | כוללים | כוללות |
This seems simple enough: drop the ל at the front (and any ת at the end, replacing it with a silent letter) make the ו the second letter of the word, then add the appropriate endings. There are a couple of exceptions, but this covers 80% of the verbs in this skill. All that changes are the consonants; the vowels will stay the same.
A handful of verbs have only three letter infinitives, and these are slightly different. We've already seen this before with בא in Letters 1. They will drop the vowel in their infinitive and then add the usual endings.
Another set of slightly irregular pa'al verbs are the ones whose conjugations end in ה (like לקנות, "to buy"). We've already seen these before multiple times, so we won't waste a lot of time on them.
Prepositions[]
Hebrew attaches prepositions to the words they modify, so to say "in" or "on" something, add ב to the beginning of the word. If you would also add ה to say "in the" whatever, leave out the ה. "To" is handled in same way, except the letter is ל.
To Know or To Know[]
Hebrew has two verbs for "to know". לדעת is specifically used for facts or knowledge, while להכיר is a little closer in meaning to "to be familiar with". Both are also irregular, so their conjugations need to be memorized.
Lessons[]
Note: all verbs from here on out will be in their infinitive form.
Lesson 1[]
- לכתוב = "lichtov" - to write
- לִשְׂחוֹת = "lis'chot" - to swim
- לִשְׁמוֹעַ = "lishmoa" - to hear
- לִישׁוֹן = "lishon" - to sleep (irregular: ישן)
- לָגַעַת = "laga'at" or לִנְגֹּעַ = "lingoa" - to touch
- לוֹמַר = "lomar" - to say
Lesson 2[]
- לַעֲשׂוֹת = "la'asot" - to do
- לַעֲבוֹד = "la'avod" - to work
- לִמְצוֹא = "limtzo" - to find
- לִתְמוֹךְ = "litmoch" - to support
- לָקַחַת = "lakachat" - to take
- לָדַעַת = "lada'at" - to know (facts, knowledge)
Lesson 3[]
- לָתֵת = "latet" - to give
- לִקְנוֹת = "liknot" - to buy
- לִמְכּוֹר = "limkor" - to sell
- לִרְשׁוֹם = "lirshom" - to write down
- לִסְגּוֹר = "lisgor" - to close
- לִפְתּוֹחַ = "liftoach" - to open
- לִכְאוֹב = "lichov" - to hurt
Lesson 4[]
- לַחְשׁוֹב = "lachshov" - to think
- לַחֲזוֹר = "lachzor" - to return
- לִקְרוֹא = "likro" - to call, to read
- לִשְׁמוֹר = "lishmor" - to keep
- לִלְמוֹד = "lilmod" - to learn
- לִכְעוֹס = "lichos" - to be angry
- לָלֶכֶת = "lalechet" - to walk
Lesson 5[]
- לִכְלוֹל = "lichlol" - to include
- לִזְכּוֹר = "lizkor" - to remember
- לָרוּץ = "larutz" - to run
- לַעֲבוֹר = "la'avor" - to pass
- לָשִׁיר = "lashir" - to sing
- לָנוּחַ = "lanuach" - to rest
Lesson 6[]
- לַעֲזוֹר = "la'azor" - to help
- לִשְׁקוֹל = "lishkol" - to consider
- לַעֲזוֹב = "la'azov" - to leave
- לִשְׂנוֹא = "lisno" - to hate
- לַחְתּוֹם = "lachtom" - to sign
- לִרְקוֹד = "lirkod" - to dance
Lesson 7[]
- לִיצוֹר = "litzor" - to create
- לַעֲמוֹד = "la'amod" - to stand
- לַחְתּוֹךְ = "lachtoch" - to cut
- לָשֶׁבֶת = "lashevet" - to sit
- לִשְׁכּוֹחַ = "lishkoach" - to forget
- לִגְדּוֹל = "ligdol" - to grow (irregular: גדל)
- לִשְׂכּוֹר = "liskor" - to rent
Lesson 8[]
- לִצְפּוֹת = "litzpot" - to watch
- לָצֵאת = "latzet" - to go out
- לִבְהוֹת = "livhot" - to stare
- לִשְׂכּוֹר = "liskor" - to rent
- לִשְׁלוֹחַ = "lishloach" - to send
- לִבְדּוֹק = "livdok" - to check
Lesson 9[]
- לִשְׁבּוֹר = "lishbor" - to break
- לִגְנוֹב = "lignov" - to steal
- לַהֲפוֹךְ = "lahafoch" - to become
- לִבְרוֹחַ = "livroach" - to escape
- לְהַכִּיר = "lehakir" - to know/be familiar with (a person)
- לַעֲנוֹת = "la'anot" - to answer
References[]
Duolingo Lesson: www.duolingo.com/skill/he/Verbs%3A-Present1