5: Pronouns and the Definite Article

Question 1

Recite the Forms of the Personal Pronouns

Answer 1

Question 2

What are some of the uses of these personal pronouns?

Answer 2

1. Only used as the subject of a sentence.
2. Word order in Hebrew is variable.
3. The subject agrees with the predicate in gender and number.
   
   • בַּת אַתְּ (you are a daughter)
     
     • both fs
   • הֵם אֵלִים (they are gods)

Question 3

How does the indefinite article functions in Hebrew?

Answer 3

1. Hebrew doesn’t have an indefinite article.
2. אָח can be translated “brother” or “a brother” depending on context

Question 4

How does the definite article functions in Hebrew?

Answer 4

1. Not a separate word, as “the”, but attached to the beginning of the word.

Question 5

Of what three things does the definite article consists?

Answer 5

1. ה
2. a patach under the ה
3. a strong dagesh on the first letter of the word
   
   • הַדָּבָר = “the word”

Question 6

If gutturals or resh never have dagesh (guttural characteristic #1), how does the definite article works on nouns beginning with ה and ח?

Answer 6

1. Virtual doubling = on nouns beginning with ה and ח, the article is הַ, with no strong dagesh in the first letter.
   
   • הַהוֹד = “the splendor”

Question 7

If gutturals or resh never have dagesh (guttural characteristic #1), how does the definite article works on nouns beginning with ע ,א or ר?

Answer 7

1. Compensatory lengthening = on nouns beginning with ע ,א or ר the article is הָ. The short vowel ַ is lengthened to ָ
   
   • הָאָב = “the father”

Question 8

If gutturals or resh never have dagesh (guttural characteristic #1), how does the definite article works on nouns beginning with חָ ,הָ or עָ?

Answer 8

1. On nouns beginning with חָ ,הָ or עָ, the article will be הֶ
   
   • הֶחָמָס = “the wrong”

Question 9

אָדָם

Answer 9

man, Adam

Question 10

אִישׁ

Answer 10

man, husband

plural: אֲנָשִׁים

Question 11

אִשָּׁה

Answer 11

woman, wife

plural: נָשִׁים

Question 12

בַּיִת

Answer 12

house, temple

Question 13

דֶּרֶךְ

Answer 13

way, road

Question 14

כֹּהֵן

Answer 14

priest

Question 15

הָלַךְ

Answer 15

he walked, went

Question 16

לָקַח

Answer 16

he took, seized

Question 17

נָתַן

Answer 17

he gave, presented

Question 18

שָׁמַע

Answer 18

he heard

also means “obey”

Question 19

יהוה

Answer 19

Yahweh, LORD

• Tetragrammaton, “four letters”
• God’s covenantal name

Question 20

אֲדוֹנָי

Answer 20

“my lord”