עבריתEXPRESS

Lesson 2: Equating Things

The Ivrit Express series presents compact lessons in Biblical (not Modern) Hebrew grammar. It aims to reinforce (not replace) your classroom experiences.

This lesson introduces the basics of equating two things in very simple sentences.

Sit back and relax as you advance through the next few slides.

איש

גבור

האיש גבור

=

האיש הוא גבור

=

3

האיש גבור

2 1

= ←←

3

האיש הוא גבור

2 1

= ←←

3

הילד יהיה גבור

2 1

= ←←

3

הגבור היה ילד

2 1

= ←←

3

הגבור יהיה זקן

2 1

= ←←

3

הזקן היה גבור

2 1

= ←←

אשה

רעה

האשה רעה

=

האשה היא רעה

=

13

האשה רעה

2

= ←←

13

האשה היא רעה

2

= ←←

13

הילדה תהיה רעה

2

= ←←

13

הרעה היתה ילדה

2

= ←←

3

←1

הרעה תהיה זקנה

2

= ←

3

←1

הזקנה היתה רעה

2

= ←

I recommend that you go through the foregoing picture slides at least three times before advancing to the grammatical discussion.

In the picture examples, you learned that there are basically three ways to equate a subject and predicate in Biblical Hebrew.

First, you can just set the subject and predicate side-by-side, so האיש גבור means “the man is a mighty warrior.”

Second, you can connect the two nouns with the corresponding subject pronoun. Thus you can say for “the man is a האיש הוא גבורmighty warrior” or האשה היא רעה for “the woman is a shepherd.”

So האיש גבור and האיש הוא גבור both mean “the man is a mighty warrior.”

The context might prompt you to take האיש גבור or ,as present האיש הוא גבורpast, or future.

But if you want to make the time referent clearer, you can use the being verb to specify, as in הילד יהיה גבור or הרעה היתה ילדה.

CREDITSScripted and narrated by

Dr. Chris Heard, Pepperdine University

Partially funded bya Pepperdine University

Faculty Innovation in Teaching and Learning Grant

Artwork licensed viaiStockphoto