The past tense
Endings for each person.
The past tense adds endings to a stem. The "he" form has no ending, and it is the dictionary form. The endings are the same in every binyan.
| Pa'al | Pi'el | Hif'il | Be | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֲנִי | כָּתַבְתִּי katavti | דִּבַּרְתִּי dibarti | הִזְמַנְתִּי hizmanti | הָיִיתִי hayiti |
| אַתָּה | כָּתַבְתָּ katavta | דִּבַּרְתָּ dibarta | הִזְמַנְתָּ hizmanta | הָיִיתָ hayita |
| אַתְּ | כָּתַבְתְּ katavt | דִּבַּרְתְּ dibart | הִזְמַנְתְּ hizmant | הָיִית hayit |
| הוּא | כָּתַב katav | דִּבֵּר diber | הִזְמִין hizmin | הָיָה haya |
| הִיא | כָּתְבָה katva | דִּבְּרָה dibra | הִזְמִינָה hizmina | הָיְתָה hayta |
| אֲנַחְנוּ | כָּתַבְנוּ katavnu | דִּבַּרְנוּ dibarnu | הִזְמַנּוּ hizmanu | הָיִינוּ hayinu |
| אַתֶּם | כְּתַבְתֶּם ktavtem | דִּבַּרְתֶּם dibartem | הִזְמַנְתֶּם hizmantem | הֱיִיתֶם heyitem |
| אַתֶּן | כְּתַבְתֶּן ktavten | דִּבַּרְתֶּן dibarten | הִזְמַנְתֶּן hizmanten | הֱיִיתֶן heyiten |
| הֵם, הֵן | כָּתְבוּ katvu | דִּבְּרוּ dibru | הִזְמִינוּ hizminu | הָיוּ hayu |
The endings are -ti, -ta, -t, none, -a, -nu, -tem, -ten and -u. In הִזְמַנּוּ the root's last letter נ merges with -nu.
Pronouns are optional
The ending shows the person, so "I", "you" and "we" are often left out. "He", "she" and "they" are usually said, unless the subject is a noun.
- etmol katavti mikhtavYesterday I wrote a letter.
- dibarta im dana?Did you talk to Dana?to a man
- hi hizmina kafeShe ordered coffee.
- hayinu be'eilatWe were in Eilat.
- eifo heyitem?Where were you?to a group
הָיָה with a present form means "used to":
- hayinu garim poWe used to live here.
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Verbs cards.
Which person's past-tense form has no ending?
'He': כָּתַב (katav).
What ending marks 'I' in the past tense?
-תִּי (-ti).
How do you say 'you closed' to a man, from סָגַר (close)?
סָגַרְתָּ (sagarta).
How do you say 'you finished' to a woman, from גָּמַר (finish)?
גָּמַרְתְּ (gamart).
What ending marks 'she' in the past tense?
-a, written ה, as in כָּתְבָה (katva).
What ending marks 'we' in the past tense?
-נוּ (-nu).
What ending marks 'you' to a group of men, or a mixed group, in the past tense?
-תֶּם (-tem).
What ending marks 'they' in the past tense?
-וּ (-u), for men and women alike.
In the past tense, which subject pronouns are usually left out?
'I', 'you' and 'we'.
How do you say that someone 'used to' do something?
Past of הָיָה (be) plus the present form.