Verbs and their prepositions
Help, wait, use, look at: verbs that take ל, ב, עַל or מִ.
Many verbs take a preposition where English has a plain object, and then there's no אֶת. Learn each verb with its preposition. The verbs below are given in the ל form, the infinitive (Infinitives and commands).
| Verb | Preposition | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| לַעֲזֹר la'azor | לְ | help someone |
| לְחַכּוֹת lekhakot | לְ | wait for |
| לְהַקְשִׁיב lehakshiv | לְ | listen to |
| לְהַגִּיד lehagid | לְ | tell someone |
| לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר lehitkasher | לְ, אֶל | call, phone |
| לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ lehishtamesh | בְּ | use |
| לָגוּר lagur | בְּ | live in |
| לְהִסְתַּכֵּל lehistakel | עַל | look at |
| לַחְשֹׁב lakhshov | עַל | think about |
| לְדַבֵּר ledaber | עִם, עַל | talk with, talk about |
| לְפַחֵד lefakhed | מִ | be afraid of |
| לְבַקֵּשׁ levakesh | מִ | ask someone for something |
- ani yakhol la'azor lakh?Can I help you?a man to a woman
- anakhnu mekhakim la'otobusWe're waiting for the bus.
- efshar lehishtamesh batelefon shelkha?Can I use your phone?to a man
- tistakli al zeLook at this.to a woman
- hayeled mefakhed mehakelevThe boy is afraid of the dog.
With a pronoun, the preposition takes its ending (Prepositions with endings): עָזַרְתִּי לוֹ "I helped him", הִשְׁתַּמַּשְׁתִּי בּוֹ "I used it", הִיא מִסְתַּכֶּלֶת עָלַי "she's looking at me".
Asking: לִשְׁאֹל or לְבַקֵּשׁ
לִשְׁאֹל lishol is "ask" a question, and the person asked takes אֶת. לְבַקֵּשׁ levakesh is "ask for" something, and the person takes מִ.
- sha'alti et hamore she'elaI asked the teacher a question.
- bikashti mimenu ezraI asked him for help.
Cards from this guide
9 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 Objects and prepositions cards.
Which preposition does לַעֲזֹר (help) take for the person helped?
לְ: עָזַרְתִּי לוֹ, 'I helped him'.
How do you say 'I waited for you' to a man?
חִכִּיתִי לְךָ (khikiti lekha).
Which preposition goes with לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ (use)?
בְּ: לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּטֵּלֶפוֹן, 'to use the phone'.
Which preposition does לְהִסְתַּכֵּל (look) take for what is looked at?
עַל: לְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל, 'to look at'.
Which preposition does לְפַחֵד (be afraid) take?
מִ: מְפַחֵד מֵהַכֶּלֶב, 'afraid of the dog'.
לִשְׁאֹל (lishol) or לְבַקֵּשׁ (levakesh): which means 'ask for' something?
לְבַקֵּשׁ, with מִ for the person.
How do you say 'I called Mom', with לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר (call, phone)?
הִתְקַשַּׁרְתִּי לְאִמָּא (hitkasharti le'ima).
לְדַבֵּר עִם or לְדַבֵּר עַל: which is 'talk about'?
לְדַבֵּר עַל (ledaber al).
Which preposition does לְהַקְשִׁיב (listen) take?
לְ: תַּקְשִׁיב לִי, 'listen to me'.