Basic Biblical Hebrew Grammar

Front 1

Say the Hebrew Alphabet

Back 1

Alef
Bet
Gimel
Dalet
He
Waw
Zayin
Het
Tet
Yod
Kaf
Lamed
Mem
Num
Samek
Ayin
Pe
Tsade
Qof
Resh
Sin
Shin
Taw

Front 2

What are the Hebrew guttural letters?

Back 2

Aleph, He, Het, and sometimes Resh

Front 3

What are three characteristics of gutturals

Back 3

1. Gutturals prefer a-type vowels.
2. Gutturals take reduced vowels but not Vocal Shewa. The Resh may take vocal shewa.
3. Gutturals and Resh cannot take Daghesh Forte.

Front 4

What are the Long Vowels

Back 4

a-class is Qamets (small T)
e-class is Tsere (Two dots)
o-class is Holem (upper single dot)

Front 5

What are the short vowels?

Back 5

a - Pathach is the single a line
e - Seghol is the three dot e
i - Hireq is the single dot
o - Qamets Hatuf is the small T, but intended to sound as an "o"
u - Qibbuts is the three dot u slanting down to the right.

Front 6

What are the vowel letters

Back 6

Sometimes there is a He used after Qamets.

There can be Yods used after Tsere, Seghol, or Hireq.

There can be Waw used after Holem.

There is a combination Waw called a Shureq, which is a "u" sound.

Front 7

What is the difference between open and closed syllables?

Back 7

Open syllables end with a vowel. Closed syllables end with a consonant.

Front 8

What are the basic forms of a masculine Hebrew noun? (Horse)

Back 8

Sus is singular
Susim is plural
Susayim is dual

Front 9

What are the basic forms of a feminine Hebrew noun? (Law)

Back 9

Torah is singular
Toroth is plural
Toratayim is Dual

Front 10

Perfect Conjugation

Back 10

Used to express a completed action, whether in the past, present, or future. Normally translated by the past tense. With Waw conversive, it is usually translated in the future. "vqatal" means "and he will kill."

Front 11

Imperfect Conjugation

Back 11

Used to express incomplete action, whether in the past, present, or future. Normally translated in the future tense (yiqtol = he will kill). It may also be rendered with certain modal or volitional values (would, should, could, may, might, etc.). With Waw Conversive, it is usually past tense. (vayiqtol = "and he killed").

Front 12

Imperative Conjugation

Back 12

Used to express direct commands. It can also be used to grant permission or to communicate a request. It occurs only in the second person, singular or plural.

Front 13

Infinitive construct

Back 13

A verbal noun with a pronominal suffix (l, b, or c) that functions either as the subject or object of the verbal idea.

Can be used for purpose, intention or result.

Can be a verbal noun "to ___".

Can be temporal with B or C. "When" or "While."

Front 14

Infinitive Absolute

Back 14

Used
1. in conjunction with other verbs to emphasize or intensify verbal action.
2. to express a command
3. to express two verbal actions occurring at the same time.

Front 15

Niphal Stem

Back 15

Expresses simple action with either a passive or reflexive voice. It can also have a reciprocal meaning.

Front 16

Piel Stem

Back 16

Expresses an intensive type of action with an active voice.

Front 17

Pual Stem

Back 17

The passive counterpart of the Piel stem. It expresses an intensive type of action with a passive voice.

Front 18

Hiphil Stem

Back 18

Expresses a causative type of action with an active voice. (He caused to hear)

Front 19

Hophal Stem

Back 19

The passive counterpart of the Hiphil. It expresses causative action with a passive voice.

Front 20

Hithpael Stem

Back 20

Expresses an intensive type of action with a reflexive voice. Like Niphal, it may also express reciprocal action.