Lesson 18 introduces vocabulary that is used to express possession.
To express possession in English people say I have an item. The important thing to remember in
expressing a similar thought in Hebrew is that there is no equivalent to the verb "have" in this
language. Another important thing is that the equivalent of the subject in an English statement of
possession is the object in the Hebrew sentence. To Express a thought of possession in Hebrew
people relate to the terms Yesh and Ein.
Yesh in Hebrew, (you know from lesson#6) means [there is/are].
Ein in Hebrew, (you know from lesson#6) means [there isn't/aren't].
When attached to a pronoun (Yesh Li), it translates to [there is to me (and means have)]. When
attached to a pronoun (Ein Li), it translates to [there isn't to me (and means haven't)].
1.In a possession sentence in Hebrew, the item is the subject and the person is the object (the
dative) Instead of "I" we use a "Me", instead of "She" we use "Her".
If that was the case in English we would have said something like that:
2. Predicate Yesh/Ein is neutral and therefore no need to check agreement with subject.
3. Generally speaking the sentence structure is free, and changes according to emphasizing a thought.
If not clear try reading the following:
As a result, instead of expressing a thought that sounds like the following: "I have a book," in
Hebrew people say, "there is to me a book". Same approach is used to express other thoughts
with the verb have (commitments problems and so forth). instead of expressing a thought that
sounds like: "I have a meeting," in Hebrew people say, "there is to me a meeting". and instead of
saying, I have a problem, in Hebrew people say, there is to me a problem.
TO ME THERE IS A NEW JOB. THERE IS TO ME A JOB AT THE UNIVERSITY.
TO HER THERE ARE NO, PROBLEMS IN LIFE. THERE ARE TO HER MANY FRIENDS.
TO THEM THERE ARE MANY BOOKS. THERE ARE NOT TO THEM
MANY NOTEBOOKS.
Again Structure of sentence is free: The default is verb, object, subject: there is to me a book To answer a question such as: " who has a book?" people say:"to me there is a book". To answer a question such as: " what do you have?" people say:"there is to me a book".
Following there is a translation of the text on pages 54 and 55:
Hayim: Excuse me, perhaps there is a telephone here? Person (sales person): No. Here there isn't.
But near by the post office there is a public phone. Hayim: Perhaps you have tokens....
There is to.....
Time to travel
Important meeting
A lesson in History
Good friends
Many problems
I have an apartment They don't have an envelope She has a an old Menorah You don't have an
exam tomorrow You have a good job They don't have money We have many problems You have
a family in Argentina He has a unique cactus You have a green sweater
Hayim: Marcello, do you have time to drink coffee today? Marcello: Yes. When do you have
time? Hayim: At 8:00. Marcello: I am sorry, at 8:00 I have a Latin class. Hayim: and after
theclass, at 9:00? Marcello: Not good. At 9:00 I have a meeting with Ruty. Hayim: And what are
youdoing at 10:00? Marcello: Also at 10:00 I have a class. Hayim: So maybe at 1:00? Marcello:
1:00is great.
Danny has a new job. He has a job at the University.
Ruty has no problems in life. She has many friends and (a big) family.
The students have many books. They have books in Hebrew and English.
The students have a lesson now. They have a sports lesson.
IT IS A DIFFERENT CONCEPT !!!! IN A WAY IT IS:© TO DANNY THERE IS A NEW
JOB. THERE IS TO HIM A JOB AT THE UNIVERSITY. TO RUTY THERE ARE NO
PROBLEMS IN LIFE. THERE ARE TO HER MANY FRIENDS AND A GOOD FAMILY. TO
THE STUDENTS THERE ARE MANY BOOKS. THERE ARE TO THEM BOOKS IN
HEBREW AND ENGLISH. TO THE STUDENTS THERE IS A LESSON NOW. THERE IS
TO THEM A SPORTS LESSON.
Following is a translation of text about a person that has very little. The sentence structure in this
text is adjust to the way it is used in Hebrew. There is to him a small apartment. There is to him
only one small TV. There is not to him a video and there is not to him a compact disc. There is to
him an old car. There isn't to him many books and there isn't to him pretty pictures at the
apartment. There is to just (only) a one telephone at the big room. In his kitchen there is to him a
small table and two small chairs. There isn't to him a micro oven and there isn't to him a blender
ora mixer. In the kitchen there is to him just margarine and a little bread and a little cheese. There
isn't to him friends, and there isn't to him a girlfriend. One day he walks in the street and.... there
he sees a million bucks. Well.... now there is to him a big house, now_________