How to Form the Future Tense in Hebrew

Understanding Future Tense in Hebrew

In Hebrew, the future tense is used to describe actions that will occur. Unlike English, Hebrew verbs in the future tense change forms based on the subject of the sentence.

Conjugating Verbs in the Future Tense

To conjugate verbs in future tense, you need to know the root of the verb and apply specific prefixes and sometimes suffixes that match the subject pronoun.

Pattern of Prefixes for Future Tense

Different prefixes are attached to verb roots for different pronouns in Hebrew future tense. Here's a quick guide:

• אני (Ani) - אֶ (e.g., אלך)
• אתה (Ata) - ת (e.g., תלך)
• את (At) - ת...י (e.g., תלכי)
• הוא (Hu) - י (e.g., ילך)
• היא (Hi) - ת (e.g., תלך)

Common Exceptions and Irregular Verbs

Some verbs do not follow the regular pattern and have irregular forms. For instance, 'to give' (לתת) is often irregular in its conjugation.

Tips for Practicing Future Tense

To effectively learn the future tense, try reading simple Hebrew texts and underline all the verbs in future tense form to study their structures.

Participate in language exchange or find a practice partner to use future tense in conversation. This practical application helps reinforce learning.