How to Use the Present Tense in Hebrew

Understanding the Present Tense in Hebrew

In Hebrew, the present tense is used to describe ongoing actions or states. Unlike English, Hebrew employs different verb forms for masculine and feminine, as well as singular and plural forms.

Masculine and Feminine Forms

Hebrew verbs in the present tense must agree with the gender of the subject. For example, for the verb "to speak" (לדבר), [ledaber] the masculine singular form is מדבר [medaber] while the feminine singular form is מדברת [medaberet].

Singular and Plural Forms

Apart from gender, Hebrew verbs also change their form based on number. The plural form of speaking for men would be מדברים [medabrim] and for women, it would be מדברות [medabrot].

Conjugation Examples

Exception: The Verb "To Be"

In Hebrew, the verb 'to be' is generally not used in the present tense. Instead, the context or other verb forms provide the meaning of 'is' or 'are'. For example, "He is a student" would be phrased as: הוא סטודנט without an explicit verb for 'is'.

Using the Present Tense in Sentences

To form complete sentences in Hebrew using the present tense, remember the agreement rules between verbs, subjects, and other sentence components. Here's an example: "The women are speaking" translates to הנשים מדברות.

Common Verbs in Present Tense

• To go (Masculine) - הולך [holech]
• To go (Feminine) - הולכת [holechet]
• To do (Masculine) - עושה [ose]
• To do (Feminine) - עושה [osa]