Hebrew 1 - Lesson 16

Numbers Lesson 16 discusses numbers. It has been mentioned in lessons 7 and 12 that when quantifying items there are two rules to remember.
1) Numbers like in English precede the item that they quantify.
...... Exception to this rule is with the quantity of one; in such a case the number follows the item.
2) Numbers too have Masculine and Feminine forms, and the form has to agree with the gender of the noun it describes. Feminine form of numbers does not sound like a typical feminine form (ending with a "Kamatz" and "Hay") . In fact masculine form of numbers, looks more like the typical feminine form. This situation is confusing and the best way to cope with it is practice.
See voweling pattern in the following masculine form of numbers:
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Four
Five
Six
One
Two
Two
Three

  • Another point to note, - Similar to a situation in feminine form, the form of the number two
    "ShNaYim" is conjugated when used for quantifying. In other words in addition
    to the simple form of the number ("ShNaYim") there is another form for quantity, -
    ("ShNeY") .

    Vocab
    Lesson 16 introduces a verb in an imperative/command form. Give! In Hebrew Imperative form consider to be a tense. There are four tenses in Hebrew: Past, present, future and imperative. We are not going to analyze the conjugation rules of the imperative form. Yet note the add of a "Yod" at the end of the verb in order to change it from masculine "Ten" to feminine "Tni".

    "Cheit" ending. Hebrew words ending with "Cheit" that is voweled with "Patach", act according differently than other letters voweled with a "Patach". To write such words the way they are sound, an "Alef" has to be inserted before the "Cheit" and the "Patach has to be moved from the "Cheit" to the "Alef" Doing that would change a word that looks like "ShoLeCah" to "ShoLeAch". This rule has no exception. Whenever a "Patach" voweled "Cheit" comes at an end of a word, it behaves like that. Tapuach (Apple), Koach (strength), Ruach (wind) and many others.

    "Lamed Cheit" roots. - Roots that their "Lamed Hapoal" is "Cheit" behave exactly like L"A roots. It has been explained in lesson12 that for L"A roots In the infinitive as well as the (M/S) form is voweled with a "Shva". Since it is difficult to pronounce "Ayin" with a "Shva", this root is conjugated slightly differently than a regular root. This root is not a significant irregular. However, it does indeed behave differently.

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