Grammar Flashcards
indefinite direct object
for the indefinite article (a garmet), there is no marker
definite direct object
When there is a definite direct object, the word אֵת is placed before the object. The word אֵת is not translated but simply indicates the presence of a definite direct object. The direct object marker אֵת will occur in two forms. About 10% of the time, the form is אֵת. About 90% of the time, the form is אֶת־. The bar at the top left of the word is called maqqef and functions somewhat like a hyphen in English.
Mark David Futato, Beginning Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 36–37.
maqqef - mak-kayf
word order in hebrew
“The father sent the horse.”
“The mother sent the garment.”
how do we emphasize a word?
“The father (not the mother) sent the horse.”
“The father sent the horse (not the garment).”`
7.7 Typical word order in Hebrew is: (1) verb, (2) subject, and (3) direct object.
שָׁלַח הָאָב אֶת־הַסּוּס
שָׁלְחָה הָאֵם אֶת־הַבֶּגֶד
7.8 When the subject or direct object is placed before the verb, emphasis is being placed on that subject or direct object.
הָאָב שָׁלַח אֶת־הַסּוּס
אֶת־הַסּוּס שָׁלַח הָאָב
Mark David Futato, Beginning Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 37.
negative sentences (did not)
“The father did not send the horse (he kept the horse).”
“The father did not send the horse (the mother did).”
“The father did not send the horse (he sent the garment).”
(try with mother)
לֹא in front of the negated element
לֹא שָׁלַח הָאָב אֶת־הַסּוּס
לֹא הָאָב שָׁלַח אֶת־הַסּוּס
לֹא אֶת־הַסּוּס שָׁלַח הָאָב
Mark David Futato, Beginning Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 37.
independent prepositions
and prepositions almost always written with maqqef
independent words like English prepositions
בְּתוֹךְ , לִפְנֵי , מִן , עִם
אֶל and עַל are almost always written with maqqef.
Mark David Futato, Beginning Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 49.
inseparable prepositions (finish)
joined to the word they govern
the preposition “from”
sometimes independent and sometimes separable
before definite nouns __ is usually independent and joined with maqqef
before indefinite nouns ___ is usually inseparable. The nun is assimilated to the following consonant
nun is frequently assimilated
before gutturals (no strong dagesh) chireq is lengthened to tsere to compensate for not doubling
mey-av (from a father)
mey-eym (from a mother)
mey-am (from a people)
“from a sacrifice” מִזֶּבַח < מִזזֶבַח < זֶבַח מִן
“from a hand” מִיָּד < מִייָד < יָד מִן
form / gender of adjectives
chart for good / pleasing as an adjective
they are marked with gender and number
gender and person change just like nouns
vowels change just like nouns
(tov chart)
An adjective will always agree with the true gender—not the apparent gender—of a noun. The noun אֶרֶץ looks ms but is actually fs, so “a good land” is טוֹבָה אֶרֶץ. The mp form of אָב is אָבוֹת, so “good fathers” is טוֹבִים אָבוֹת.
Mark David Futato, Beginning Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 58.
adjectives hints as to what purpose they serve
A predicate adjective serves as the predicate (the part of the sentence telling something about the subject) of a sentence, for example, the boy is good. As when an adjective is the predicate, a form of “to be” is supplied in an English translation.
➤ A predicate adjective must agree in gender and number with the subject but will not have the definite article and will tend to come before the noun it describes.
“The horse is good.” - טוֹב הַסּוּס
“The mare is good.” - טוֹבָה הַסּוּסָה
“The horses are good.”- טוֹבִים הַסּוּסִים
“The mares are good.” - טוֹבוֹת הַסּוּסוֹת
Mark David Futato, Beginning Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 58.
article disagreement shows that the adjective may serve a different role.
For example - an indefinite adjective with a definite noun.
geminate roots and two ways of dealing with them
4 words that we’ve learned so far
Geminate roots are those in which the second and third consonants are identical, for example, לבב or רבב. The duplicate consonants will be dealt with in one of two ways in Hebrew: gemination or reduplication.
➤ In gemination only one consonant is written when there is no ending, for example, לֵב (“heart”); but when an ending is added, two consonants are written, indicated by a strong dagesh, for example, לִבּוֹת (“hearts”).
The vowel changes from tsere ( ֵ ) to chireq ( ִ ), because a closed unaccented syllable usually has a short vowel (see “Short vowels,” p. 43).
➤ In reduplication, both consonants are written and a vowel is placed in between, for example, לֵבָב. The vowel changes follow the typical rules, for example, לְבָבוֹת.
The vowel tsere ( ֵ ) reduces to sheva in an open propretonic syllable (see “Vowels That Reduce to Sheva,” p. 43).
Geminate nouns and adjectives are often recognizable in the ms form by the presence of a patach ( ַ ) under the first of two consonants, for example, עַם, חַי, and רַב.
Mark David Futato, Beginning Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 57.
heart, mind
living
mother
people
substantive adjective
A substantive adjective is used as a noun. Context will indicate substantive use of this sort.
“a good man” - טוֹב
“a good woman” - טוֹבָה
“the good men” - הַטּוֹבִים
“the good women” - הַטּוֹבוֹת
Mark David Futato, Beginning Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 58.
adjectives as comparisons
To form a comparison in English, we add -er to an adjective, for example, wise/wiser. Hebrew expresses the comparative by using an adjective + noun/pronoun + מִן + noun/pronoun.
“The king is wiser than the priest.” - חָכָם הַמֶּלֶךְ מִן־הַכֹּהֵן
“A mother is bigger than a daughter.” - גְדוֹלָה אֵם מִבַּת
Mark David Futato, Beginning Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 58–59.
Vav conjunction and adjectives
Adjectives may be joined by vav conjunction to describe a single noun. The same rules of agreement apply.
“a great and wise prophet” - נָבִיא גָדוֹל וְחָכָם
“the unclean and guilty peoples” - הָעַמִּים הַטְּמֵאִים וְהָרְשָׁעִים
“The priest is clean and holy.” - טָהוֹר וְקָדוֹשׁ הַכֹּהֵן
(note with the priest those are substantiative adjectives)
Mark David Futato, Beginning Biblical Hebrew (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 59.
