Suffixes in Hebrew

Last updated

There are several suffixes in Hebrew that are appended to regular words to introduce a new meaning. Suffixes are used in the Hebrew language to form plurals of nouns and adjectives, in verb conjugation of grammatical tense, and to indicate possession and direct objects. They are also used for the construct noun form. [1] The letters which form these suffixes (excluding plurals) are called "formative letters" (Hebrew: אוֹתִיּוֹת הַשִּׁמּוּשׁ, Otiyot HaShimush).

Contents

Gender and number

Due to noun-adjective agreement rules, these apply to nouns and to adjectival modifiers. In some cases, a masculine plural noun will have a feminine plural suffix and vice versa, but the adjectival modifiers are always the same.

SuffixMeaningExamples
ָ ה  (Kamatz and He)feminine singular
  • סוּסָהsusa (mare)
  • סוּסָה טוֹבָהsusatova (good mare)
ִ ים  (Chirik, Yud and Final Mem)masculine plural
  • סוּסִיםsusim (horses)
  • סוּסִים טוֹבִיםsusimtovim (good horses)
וֹת (Cholam and Tav)feminine plural
  • סוּסוֹתsusot (mares)
  • סוּסוֹת טוֹבוֹתsusottovot (good mares)
ַ יִם  (Patach, Yud with Chirik and Final Mem)masculine and feminine noun dual form
  • יָדַיִםyadayim (two hands)

Construct state

SuffixMeaningExamples
ַ ת  (Patach and Tav)Changes a singular feminine noun to the construct form. ofתּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁהTorat Moshe (Torah of Moses)
ֵ י  (Tzere and Yud)Changes a plural masculine noun to the construct form. ofסִפְרֵי קְדֻשָּׁהSifre q'dusha (Books of holiness)

Pronominal suffixes

Singular nouns

SuffixMeaningExamples
ִ י  (Chirik and Yud)First person, singular possessive. My
  • סוּסִיsusi (my horse)
  • תּוֹרָתִיtorati (my law)
ְ ךָ  (Shva and Final Khaf with Kamatz)Second person, singular, masculine possessive. Your
  • סוּסְךָsuskha (your horse)
  • תּוֹרָתְךָtoratkha (your law)
ֵ ךְ  (Tzere and Final Khaf with Shva)Second person, singular, feminine possessive. Your
  • סוּסֵךְsusekh (your horse)
  • תּוֹרָתֵךְtoratekh (your law)
וֹ ( Cholam male)Third person, singular, masculine possessive. His
  • סוּסוֹsuso (his horse)
  • תּוֹרָתוֹtorato (his law)
ָ הּ  (Kamatz and He with Mappiq)Third person, singular, feminine possessive. Her
  • סוּסָהּsusah (her horse)
  • תּוֹרָתָהּtoratah (her law)
ֵ נוּ  (Tzere and Nun with Shuruk)First person, plural possessive. Our
  • סוּסֵנוּsusenu (our horse)
  • תּוֹרָתֵנוּtoratenu (our law)
ְ כֶם  (Shva, Khaf with Segol and Final Mem)Second person, plural, masculine possessive. Your
  • סוּסְכֶםsuskhem (your horse)
  • תּוֹרַתְכֶםtoratkhem (your law)
ְ כֶן  (Shva, Khaf with Segol and Final Nun)Second person, plural, feminine possessive. Your
  • סוּסְכֶןsuskhen (your horse)
  • תּוֹרַתְכֶןtoratkhen (your law)
ָ ם  (Kamatz and Final Mem)Third person, plural, masculine possessive. Their
  • סוּסָםsusam (their horse)
  • תּוֹרָתָםtoratam (their law)
ָ ן  (Kamatz and Final Nun)Third person, plural, feminine possessive. Their
  • סוּסָןsusan (their horse)
  • תּוֹרָתָןtoratan (their law)

Plural nouns

SuffixMeaningExamples
ַ י  (Patach and Yud)First person, singular possessive. My
  • סוּסַיsusai (my horses)
  • תּוֹרוֹתַיtorotai (my laws)
ֶ יךָ  (Segol, Yud and Final Khaf with Kamatz)Second person, singular, masculine possessive. Your
  • סוּסֶיךָsusekha (your horses)
  • תּוֹרוֹתֶיךָtorotekha (your laws)
ַ יִךְ  (Patach, Yud with Chirik and Final Khaf with Shva)Second person, singular, feminine possessive. Your
  • סוּסַיִךְsusayikh (your horses)
  • תּוֹרוֹתַיִךְtorotayikh (your laws)
ָ יו  (Kamatz, Yud and Vav)Third person, singular, masculine possessive. His
  • סוּסָיוsusav (his horses)
  • תּוֹרוֹתָיוtorotav (his laws)
ֶ יהָ  (Segol, Yud and He with Kamatz)Third person, singular, feminine possessive. Her
  • סוּסֶיהָsuseha (her horses)
  • תּוֹרוֹתֶיהָtoroteha (her laws)
ֵ ינוּ  (Tzere, Yud and Nun with Shuruk)First person, plural possessive. Our
  • סוּסֵינוּsuseinu (our horses)
  • תּוֹרוֹתֵינוּtoroteinu (our laws)
ֵ יכֶם  (Tzere, Yud, Khaf with Segol and Final Mem)Second person, plural, masculine possessive. Your
  • סוּסֵיכֶםsuseikhem (your horses)
  • תּוֹרוֹתֵיכֶםtoroteikhem (your laws)
ֵ יכֶן  (Tzere, Yud, Khaf with Segol and Final Nun)Second person, plural, feminine possessive. Your
  • סוּסֵיכֶןsuseikhen (your horses)
  • תּוֹרוֹתֵיכֶןtorateikhen (your laws)
ֵ יהֶם  (Tzere, Yud, He with Segol) and Final Mem)Third person, plural, masculine possessive. Their
  • סוּסֵיהֶםsuseihem (their horses)
  • תּוֹרוֹתֵיהֶםtorateihem (their laws)
ֵ יהֶן  (Tzere, Yud, He with Segol) and Final Nun)Third person, plural, feminine possessive. Their
  • סוּסֵיהֶןsuseihen (their horses)
  • תּוֹרוֹתֵיהֶןtorateihen (their laws)

Conjugation of verbs

Qal Perfect

SuffixMeaningExamples
תִּי (Tav with Hiriq male)1st person sg. I didשָׁמַרְתִּיshamarti (I kept)
תָּ (Tav with Kamatz)2nd person, masc. sg. You didשָׁמַרְתָּshamarta (you kept)
תְּ (Tav with Sh'va)2nd person, fem. sg. You didשָׁמַרְתְּshamart (you kept)
- (None, Base form)Qal perfect Did
3rd person, masc. sg. He did
שָׁמַרshamar (kept/he kept)
ָ ה  (Kamatz and He)3rd person, fem. sg. She didשָׁמְרָהshamra (she kept)
נוּ (Nun with Shuruk)1st person pl. We didשָׁמַרְנוּshamarnu (we kept)
תֶּם (Tav with Segol and Final Mem)2nd person, masc. pl. You didשְׁמַרְתֶּםshmartem (you kept)
תֶּן (Tav with Segol and Final Nun)2nd person, fem. pl. You didשְׁמַרְתֶּןshmarten (you kept)
וּ (Shuruk)3rd person pl. They didשָׁמְרוּshamru (they kept)

Imperfect

SuffixMeaningExamples
ִי  (Chirik male)Second person, feminine singular. You will do
  • תִּשְׁמְרִיtishm'ri (you will keep)
וּ (Shuruk)Third and Second person, masculine plural. They will do, You will do
  • יִשְׁמְרוּyishm'ru (they will keep)
  • תִּשְׁמְרוּtishm'ru (you will keep)
נָה (Nun with Kamatz and He)Third and Second person, feminine plural. They will do, You will do
  • תִּשְׁמֹרְנָהtishmorna (they will keep)
  • תִּשְׁמֹרְנָהtishmorna (you will keep)

Imperative

SuffixMeaningExamples
ִ י  (Chirik male)Feminine singular. do!שִׁמְרִיshimri (keep!)
וּ (Shuruk)Masculine plural. do!שִׁמְרוּshimru (keep!)
נָה (Nun with Kamatz and He)Feminine plural. do!שְׁמֹרְנָהshmorna (keep!)

Derivative

Diminutive

SuffixMeaningExamples
וֹן (Cholam male and Final Nun)Diminutive, sometimes masculine
  • סֵפֶרsefer (book) → סִפְרוֹןsifron (booklet)
  • מַחְשֵׁבmachshev (computer) → מַחְשְׁבוֹןmachshevon (calculator)
  • מִטְבָּחmitbach (kitchen) → מִטְבָּחוֹןmitbachon (kitchenette)
ֹנֶת (Cholam chaser and Nun and Tav)Diminutive, a feminine version of וֹן
  • יֶלֶדyeled (child, boy) → יַלְדוֹןyaldon (boy (diminutive)) → יַלְדֹּנֶתyaldonet (girl (diminutive))
  • טִפָּהtippa (drop) → טִפֹּנֶתtipponet (drop (diminutive))
  • חָמוּדchamud (cute) → חֲמוּדוֹןchamudon (cutie (male)) → חֲמוּדֹנֶתchamudonet (cutie (feminine))
ִ ית  (Chirik male and Tav)Diminutive, sometimes feminine
  • שַׂקsaq (sack) → שַׂקִּיתsaqqit (bag)
  • כַּףkaf (spoon) → כַּפִּיתkappit (teaspoon)

Abstract nouns

SuffixMeaningExamples
וּת (Qubbutz and Tav)Abstractive, feminine
  • נַגָּרnagar (carpenter) → נַגָּרוּתnagarut (carpentry)
  • חָבֵרchaver (friend) → חֲבֵרוּתchaverut (friendship)

Collective nouns

SuffixMeaningExamples
וֹן (Cholam male and Final Nun)Collective, masculine
  • זְכוּתzchut (right) → זְכוּתוֹןzchuton (a collection of rights)
  • מִלָּהmil-a (word) → מִלּוֹןmilon (dictionary (a collection of words))

Loanwords

These suffixes (Hebrew: סוֹפִיתsofit) often come from loanwords from English (Latin, Greek, etc...) which are especially prevalent with technical and academic terms.

SuffixOriginHebrewMeaningExamples
-graphyLadinoגְרַפְיָה- -grafyafield of study; writing
  • גֵּאוֹגְרַפְיָהgeografya(hard g) geography
  • קָלִיגְרַפְיָהqaligrafya calligraphy
-ic/-icalBiblical Hebrew/ Englishִי- iof or pertaining to
  • נוֹסְטַלְגִּיnostalgi nostalgic
  • פּוֹלִיטִיpoliti political
  • מִיתִיmiti mythic(al)
  • מוֹלֶקוּלָרִיmolequlari molecular
  • קַוִּיqavi (means: line-pertaining to) linear
-ian/-an/-ishBiblical Hebrew/ Englishִי- ibelonging to
  • רוּסִיrusi Russian
  • אוּטוֹפִּיutopi utopian
  • גֶּרְמָנִיgermani(hard g) German
  • בְּרִיטִיbriti British
  • פּוֹלִיטִיקַאיpolitiqai politician
  • קוֹמִיקַאיqomiqai comedian
-ismEnglishיזְם- -izmmovement; discriminatory belief
  • לִיבֶּרָלִיזְםliberalizm liberalism
  • סֶקְסִיזְםseqsizm sexism
-kinesisGreekקִינֶזִיס- -qinezismovement, motion
  • טֶלֶקִינֶזִיסteleqinezis telekinesis
  • פְּסִיכוֹקִינֶזִיסpsikhoqinezis psychokinesis
-logy (and -ology)Ladinoלוֹגְיָה- -logyabranch of learning
  • בִּיוֹלוֹגְיָהbiyologya(hard g) biology
  • טְרִילוֹגְיָהtrilogya trilogy
-maniaGreekמַנְיָה- -manyaobsession
  • פִּירוֹמַנְיָהpiromanya (means: pyro-mania) pyromania
  • קְלֶפְּטוֹמַנְיָהqleptomanya (means: klepto-mania) kleptomania
-maniacEnglishמָן- -manperson with obsession
  • פִּירוֹמָןpiroman (means: pyro-maniac) pyromaniac
  • קְלֶפְּטוֹמָןqleptoman (means: klepto-maniac) kleptomaniac
-oidEnglishוֹאִיד- -oidsimilar, but not the same
  • אַנְדְּרוֹאִידandroid android
  • הוּמָנוֹאִידhumanoid humanoid
-onymEnglishוֹנִים- -onimname
  • אֶפּוֹנִיםeponim eponym
  • הֶטְרוֹנִיםhetronim heteronym
-scopeEnglishסְקוֹפּ- -sqopinstrument for viewing
  • טֶלֶסְקוֹפּtelesqop telescope
  • מיקרוסקופmiqrosqop microscope
-esqueFrenchֶסְקָה- -esqaresembling
  • בּוּרְלֶסְקָהburlesqa burlesque
  • הוּמוֹרֶסְקָהhumoresqa humoresque
  • גְּרוֹטֶסְקִיgrotesqi grotesque
-yLadinoיָה- -yahaving the quality of
  • קוֹמֶדְיָהqomedya comedy
  • הִיסְטוֹרְיָהhistorya history
  • פִילוֹסוֹפְיָהfilosofya philosophy
-meterEnglishמֶטֶר- -metermeasuring device;
units of measure
  • בָּרוֹמֶטֶרbarometer barometer
  • קִילוֹמֶטֶרqilometer kilometer
-nikYiddish/Russianנִיק- nikone connected with
  • מוֹשַׁבְנִיקmoshavniq moshav member/resident
  • נוּדְנִיקnudniq bothersome person

See also

Related Research Articles

A verb is a word that in syntax generally conveys an action, an occurrence, or a state of being. In the usual description of English, the basic form, with or without the particle to, is the infinitive. In many languages, verbs are inflected to encode tense, aspect, mood, and voice. A verb may also agree with the person, gender or number of some of its arguments, such as its subject, or object. Verbs have tenses: present, to indicate that an action is being carried out; past, to indicate that an action has been done; future, to indicate that an action will be done.

An analytic language is a type of natural language concept of which a series of root/stem words are accompanied by prepositions, postpositions, particles and modifiers, using affixes very rarely, as opposed to synthetic languages which synthesize many concepts into a single word, using affixes regularly. Syntactic roles are assigned to words primarily by the word order. For example, by changing the individual words in the Latin phrase fēl-is pisc-em cēpit "the cat caught the fish" to fēl-em pisc-is cēpit "the fish caught the cat", the fish becomes the subject, while the cat becomes the object. This transformation is not possible in an analytic language without altering the word order. Typically, analytic languages have a low morpheme-per-word ratio, especially with respect to inflectional morphemes. No natural language, however, is purely analytic or purely synthetic.

English grammar is the set of structural rules of the English language. This includes the structure of words, phrases, clauses, sentences, and whole texts.

The plural, in many languages, is one of the values of the grammatical category of number. The plural of a noun typically denotes a quantity greater than the default quantity represented by that noun. This default quantity is most commonly one. Therefore, plurals most typically denote two or more of something, although they may also denote fractional, zero or negative amounts. An example of a plural is the English word cats, which corresponds to the singular cat.

In grammar, the term weak is used in opposition to the term strong (stark) to designate a conjugation or declension when a language has two parallel systems. The only constant feature in all the grammatical usages of the word "weak" is that it forms a polarity with "strong"; there is not necessarily any objective "weakness" about the forms so designated.

Much of Tamil grammar is extensively described in the oldest available grammar book for Tamil, the Tolkāppiyam. Modern Tamil writing is largely based on the 13th century grammar Naṉṉūl, which restated and clarified the rules of the Tolkāppiyam with some modifications.

In linguistics, agreement or concord occurs when a word changes form depending on the other words to which it relates. It is an instance of inflection, and usually involves making the value of some grammatical category "agree" between varied words or parts of the sentence.

Yiddish grammar is the system of principles which govern the structure of the Yiddish language. This article describes the standard form laid out by YIVO while noting differences in significant dialects such as that of many contemporary Hasidim. As a Germanic language descended from Middle High German, Yiddish grammar is fairly similar to that of German, though it also has numerous linguistic innovations as well as grammatical features influenced by or borrowed from Hebrew, Aramaic, and various Slavic languages.

This article describes the grammar of the standard Tajik language as spoken and written in Tajikistan. In general, the grammar of the Tajik language fits the analytical type. Little remains of the case system, and grammatical relationships are primarily expressed via clitics, word order and other analytical constructions. Like other modern varieties of Persian, Tajik grammar is almost identical to the classic Persian grammar, although there are differences in some verb tenses.

This article discusses the grammar of the Western Lombard (Insubric) language. The examples are in Milanese, written according to the Classical Milanese orthography.

The grammar of the Marathi language shares similarities with other modern Indo-Aryan languages such as Odia, Gujarati or Punjabi. The first modern book exclusively about the grammar of Marathi was printed in 1805 by Willam Carey.

Dirasha is a member of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family. It is spoken in the Omo region of Ethiopia, in the hills west of Lake Chamo, around the town of Gidole.

Standard Kannada grammar is primarily based on Keshiraja's Shabdamanidarpana which provides the fullest systematic exposition of Kannada language. The earlier grammatical works include portions of Kavirajamarga of 9th century, Kavyavalokana and Karnatakabhashabhushana both authored by Nagavarma II in first half of the 12th century.

Ugaritic is an extinct Northwest Semitic language. This article describes the grammar of the Ugaritic language. For more information regarding the Ugaritic language in general, see Ugaritic language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inflection</span> Process of word formation

In linguistic morphology, inflection is a process of word formation in which a word is modified to express different grammatical categories such as tense, case, voice, aspect, person, number, gender, mood, animacy, and definiteness. The inflection of verbs is called conjugation, and one can refer to the inflection of nouns, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, determiners, participles, prepositions and postpositions, numerals, articles, etc., as declension.

The grammar of the West Frisian language, a West Germanic language spoken mostly in the province of Friesland (Fryslân) in the north of the Netherlands, is similar to other West Germanic languages, most notably Dutch. West Frisian is more analytic than its ancestor language Old Frisian, largely abandoning the latter's case system. It features two genders and inflects nouns in the singular and plural numbers.

This article deals with the grammar of the Udmurt language.

Old Norse has three categories of verbs and two categories of nouns. Conjugation and declension are carried out by a mix of inflection and two nonconcatenative morphological processes: umlaut, a backness-based alteration to the root vowel; and ablaut, a replacement of the root vowel, in verbs.

The grammar of Modern Hebrew shares similarities with that of its Biblical Hebrew counterpart, but it has evolved significantly over time. Modern Hebrew grammar incorporates analytic, expressing such forms as dative, ablative, and accusative using prepositional particles rather than morphological cases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English nouns</span> Part of speech

English nouns form the largest category of words in English, both in the number of different words and how often they are used in typical texts. The three main categories of English nouns are common nouns, proper nouns, and pronouns. A defining feature of English nouns is their ability to inflect for number, as through the plural –s morpheme. English nouns primarily function as the heads of noun phrases, which prototypically function at the clause level as subjects, objects, and predicative complements. These phrases are the only English phrases whose structure includes determinatives and predeterminatives, which add abstract-specifying meaning such as definiteness and proximity. Like nouns in general, English nouns typically denote physical objects, but they also denote actions, characteristics, relations in space, and just about anything at all. Taken all together, these features separate English nouns from other lexical categories such as adjectives and verbs.

References

  1. Sharpe, Samuel. A Short Hebrew Grammar Without Points . Samuel Bagster & Sons, 1877. 7.