Chapter 5 - Definite Article and Conjunction Vav

Question 1

Explain the use of definite article in hebrew.

Answer 1

By default, a hebrew noun is indefinite. It is made definite by using the ‘definite article prefix’.

Question 2

What is the definite article prefix?

Answer 2

Hey, Pathach, Dagesh Forte.

Question 3

What happens if you make definite a word that begins with letter containing a Dagesh Lene?

Answer 3

The Dagesh Lene is turned into a Dagesh Forte.

Question 4

Which letters reject the Dagesh Forte of the definite article?

Answer 4

The gutturals and resh: (ח ,ה ,ע ,א and ר.

Question 5

What happens when you add the definite prefix to a word beginning with: א

Answer 5

1. The Dagesh Lene is rejected
2. The Pathach from the prefix is lengthened from ‘Short A’ (Pathach) to ‘Long A’ (Quamets)
3. This is called compensatory lengthening

Question 6

What happens when you add the definite prefix to a word beginning with: ע

Answer 6

1. The Dagesh Lene is rejected
2. The Pathach from the prefix is lengthened from ‘Short A’ (Pathach) to ‘Long A’ (Quamets)
3. This is called compensatory lengthening

Question 7

What happens when you add the definite prefix to a word beginning with: ר

Answer 7

1. The Dagesh Lene is rejected
2. The Pathach from the prefix is lengthened from ‘Short A’ (Pathach) to ‘Long A’ (Quamets)
3. This is called compensatory lengthening

Question 8

What happens when you add the definite prefix to a word beginning with: ה

Answer 8

1. The Dagesh Lene is rejected.
2. The Pathach does not lengthen
3. This is called virtual doubling

Question 9

What happens when you add the definite prefix to a word beginning with: ח

Answer 9

1. The Dagesh Lene is rejected.
2. The Pathach does not lengthen
3. This is called virtual doubling

Question 10

What happens when you add the definite prefix to a word beginning with: עָ (unaccented)

Answer 10

1. The Dagesh Lene is rejected.
2. The Pathach becomes a Seghol (short a becomes short e)
3. This is called an Irregular Seghol Vowel

Question 11

What happens when you add the definite prefix to a word beginning with: הָ (unaccented)

Answer 11

1. The Dagesh Lene is rejected.
2. The Pathach becomes a Seghol (short a becomes short e)
3. This is called an Irregular Seghol Vowel

Question 12

What happens when you add the definite prefix to a word beginning with: חָ (this can be accented or unaccented)

Answer 12

1. The Dagesh Lene is rejected.
2. The Pathach becomes a Seghol (short a becomes short e)
3. This is called an Irregular Seghol Vowel

Question 13

Which letters cause compensatory lengthening?

Answer 13

ע ,א and ר

Question 14

Which letters cause virtual doubling?

Answer 14

ח and ה

Question 15

Which letters are ‘irregular seghol vowels?’

Answer 15

Unaccented: הָ ,עָ and חָ

note: חָ may also be accented

Question 16

What is the Hebrew conjunction?

Answer 16

וְ (meaning and, but, also, even, then)

Question 17

What are the four spelling possibilities for the conjunction ו

Answer 17

1. וְ (Normal)
2. וּ (As a Shureq)
3. וֶ (With a Variable Short Vowel)
4. וָ (With a Quamets)

Question 18

When will the conjunction vav appear as וּ?

Answer 18

Before a פ ,מ ,ב or syllables beginning with a vocal shewa ְ . This is called the ‘bump rule’

Question 19

What happens when the conjunction vav is placed before a reduced vowel?

Answer 19

The conjunction vav is spelled with the short vowel that corresponds to the reduced (Hateph) vowel.

Question 20

What happens when a conjunction vav is placed before a monosyllabic word?

Answer 20

The vav is spelled with a Quamets vowel. (This can also occur with other words that have an initial accent)

Question 21

What happens to the conjunction vav when placed before a: ב

Answer 21

It will appear as a וּ (Shureq)

Question 22

What happens to the conjunction vav when placed before a: מ

Answer 22

It will appear as a וּ (Shureq)

Question 23

What happens to the conjunction vav when placed before a: פ

Answer 23

It will appear as a וּ (Shureq)

Question 24

What happens to the conjunction vav when placed before a: בְּ

Answer 24

It will appear as a וּ (Shureq) because of the vocal shewa.

Question 25

What happens to the conjunction vav when placed before a: בֲּ

Answer 25

It will appear as a וַ (Vav Pathach) because of the initial Hateph Vowel/

Question 26

What happens to the conjunction vav when placed before a: בֱּ

Answer 26

It will appear as a וֶ (Vav Seghol) because of the initial Hateph Vowel

Question 27

What happens to the conjunction vav when placed before a: בֳּ

Answer 27

It will appear as a וָ (Vav Quamets Hatuf) because of the initial Hateph Vowel

Question 28

What happens to the conjunction vav when placed before the word: צֹאן (sheep)

Answer 28

It will appear as וָ (Vav Quamets) because צֹאן (sheep) is a monosyllabic word.

Question 29

How will the conjunction vav appear in the majority of instances?

Answer 29

וְ