Roots and binyanim
Three-letter roots and the seven verb patterns.
Most words are built on a root of three consonants with a core meaning. כ־ת־ב (k-t-v) is about writing:
- katavhe wrote
- mikhtavletter
- ktovetaddress
The same root can give quite different words: from ל־מ־ד come לָמַד lamad "he learned", לִמֵּד limed "he taught" and תַּלְמִיד talmid "pupil".
The seven binyanim
Verbs follow one of seven patterns, binyanim. Each pattern tends to carry a kind of meaning. The past tense "he" form is the dictionary form.
| Binyan | Past (he) | Present (m.) | Typical sense |
|---|---|---|---|
| pa'al | כָּתַב katav | כּוֹתֵב kotev | Basic action |
| nif'al | נִכְתַּב nikhtav | נִכְתָּב nikhtav | Passive or reflexive of pa'al |
| pi'el | דִּבֵּר diber | מְדַבֵּר medaber | Active, often intensive |
| pu'al | דֻּבַּר dubar | מְדֻבָּר medubar | Passive of pi'el |
| hif'il | הִכְתִּיב hikhtiv | מַכְתִּיב makhtiv | Causative: dictate |
| huf'al | הֻכְתַּב hukhtav | מֻכְתָּב mukhtav | Passive of hif'il |
| hitpa'el | הִתְכַּתֵּב hitkatev | מִתְכַּתֵּב mitkatev | Reflexive or mutual: correspond |
Pi'el and pu'al are shown with the root ד־ב־ר (d-b-r), speaking. Two binyanim have guides of their own: Nif'al verbs and Hitpa'el verbs.
Spotting the binyan
The prefixes and vowels around the root give the binyan away:
- pa'al: no prefix; a-a in the past (כָּתַב), o-e in the present (כּוֹתֵב).
- nif'al: ni- in the past and present (נִכְתַּב).
- pi'el and pu'al: a doubled middle letter, a dagesh in pointed text; i-e or u-a in the past, me- in the present (מְדַבֵּר).
- hif'il and huf'al: hi- or hu- in the past, ma- or mu- in the present (הִכְתִּיב, מַכְתִּיב).
- hitpa'el: hit- in the past, mit- in the present (הִתְכַּתֵּב, מִתְכַּתֵּב).
Weak roots
Some roots are weak: a root letter drops out or the vowels shift. This happens with ו or י in the middle, ה at the end, י or נ at the start, and the throat letters א, ה, ח and ע. The pattern still shows through. The commonest are in Common irregular verbs.
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.
What is a Hebrew root?
A set of usually three consonants with a core meaning.
Which root do לָמַד (learned), לִמֵּד (taught) and תַּלְמִיד (pupil) share?
ל־מ־ד (l-m-d).
Which verb form is the dictionary form in Hebrew?
The past tense 'he' form, like כָּתַב (katav).
What is a binyan?
One of the seven patterns that Hebrew verbs follow.
How do you recognize a pa'al verb?
No prefix; a-a in the past (כָּתַב), o-e in the present (כּוֹתֵב).
What does the nif'al binyan, with ni- as in נִכְתַּב, usually express?
The passive or reflexive of pa'al.
How do you recognize a pi'el verb?
A doubled middle letter, i-e in the past (דִּבֵּר), me- in the present (מְדַבֵּר).
What kind of meaning does the hif'il binyan usually give a root?
Causative: making someone do the action.
What kind of meaning does the hitpa'el binyan usually carry?
Reflexive or mutual: doing it to yourself or to each other.
What's the past 'he' form of ק־ו־ם (get up), a root with ו in the middle?
קָם (kam).