Chapter 10 - Noun endings

Question 1

Vowel Reduction in Closed Syllables:

Long vowels in a closed syllable reduce to short vowels in the construct state.

Answer 1

מִשְׁפָּט (judgment) becomes מִשְׁפַּט (judgment of)
מִדְבָּר (wilderness) becomes מִדְבַּר (wilderness of)
כֹּל (all) becomes כָּל (all of)
בֵּן (son) becomes בֶּן (son of)

Question 2

Vowel Reduction in Open Syllables:

Long vowels in an open syllable reduce to Vocal Shewa in the construct state.

Answer 2

נָבִיא (prophet) becomes נְבִיא (prophet of)
רָב (multitude) becomes רַב (multitude of)
דָּבָר (word) becomes דְּבַר (word of)

Question 3

Vowel Reduction and the First Rule of Shewa in Plural Nouns:

Qamets under the second root letter reduces to Vocal Shewa in plural construct nouns.

Answer 3

צְבָא (armies) becomes צִבְאֵי (armies of)
דְּבָרִים (words) becomes דִּבְרֵי (words of)
בְּרָכוֹת (blessings) becomes בִּרְכֹּת (blessings of)

Question 4

Changes with the Endings of Construct Nouns:

Construct nouns have distinctive endings.

Answer 4

עֵינַיִם (two eyes) becomes עֵינֵי (two eyes of)
בָּנִים (sons) becomes בְּנֵי (sons of)
אֱלֹהִים (God) becomes אֱלֹהֵי (God of)
שָׁנָה (year) becomes שְׁנַת (year of)
תּוֹרָה (law) becomes תּוֹרַת (law of)
מַלְכָּה (queen) becomes מַלְכַּת (queen of)
בָּנוֹת (daughters) becomes בְּנוֹת (daughters of)
מַמְלָכוֹת (kingdoms) becomes מַמְלְכוֹת (kingdoms of)

Question 5

Monosyllabic Nouns:

Certain monosyllabic nouns add Hiriq Yod in the construct state.

Answer 5

אָב (father) becomes אֲבִי (father of)
אָח (brother) becomes אֲחִי (brother of)
פֶּה (mouth) becomes פִּי (mouth of)
שָׂדֶה (field) becomes שְׂדֵה (field of)
מַחֲנֶה (camp) becomes מַחֲנֵה (camp of)
מַטֶּה (tribe) becomes מַטֵּה (tribe of)

Question 6

Plural Segholate Nouns:

Plural Segholate nouns begin with a short vowel in the construct state.

Answer 6

עֲבָדִים (servants) becomes עַבְדֵי (servants of)
שְׁבָטִים (tribes) becomes שִׁבְטֵי (tribes of)

Question 7

Diphthongs:

AY diphthong changes to Tsere Yod, and AW diphthong changes to Holem Waw in the construct state.

Answer 7

חֳדָשִׁים (months) becomes חָדְשֵׁי (months of)
בַּיִת (house) becomes בֵּית (house of)
מָוֶת (death) becomes מוֹת (death of)

Question 8

No Change in Spelling:

Monosyllabic nouns with unchangeable long vowels exhibit no spelling changes in the construct state.

Answer 8

קוֹל (voice) becomes קוֹל (voice of)
שִׁיר (song) becomes שִׁיר (song of)
מֶלֶךְ (king) becomes מֶלֶךְ (king of)