Classical · Biblical Hebrew
Express comparison and counting, and attach object pronouns directly to the verb.
Ch. 19 — Degrees of Comparison; NumeralsCh. 20 — Verbal Suffixes
Core concepts · 6
- Comparative with מִן: גָּדוֹל מִן־דָּוִד = 'greater than David'.
- Superlative via the article (הַבֵּן הַגָּדוֹל 'the eldest son'), construct (קְטֹן בָּנָיו), בְּ ('amongst'), or מָאֹד.
- Cardinals 1–10 have masc./fem. forms and disagree in gender with the noun; tens are plurals (עֶשְׂרִים …).
- Letters double as numerals, with טו/טז used for 15/16 to avoid spelling part of the Divine Name.
- A verb can carry its object as a suffix: שְׁמָרַנִי 'he kept me', instead of שָׁמַר אֹתִי.
- The 1st-singular object suffix is נִי; the suffix shifts accent and pointing (nun energicum may appear). Only active verbs take object suffixes.
Vocabulary & signs · tap a word to hear, expand for how to say it
greater than
say: gādhôl min
one (m. / f.)
say: ʾeḥādh / ʾaḥath
three (with a fem. noun)
say: shᵉlōshâ
he kept me (verb + object suffix)
say: shᵉmāranî
they will make me king
say: yamlîkhēnî
those who seek him
say: mᵉbhaqshāyw
Exercises · answer in the app
Exercise 1 / 6
What does this mean?
Bridge to this week
Sprint Weeks 9–10 build past/future tense; verb-plus-object suffixes are how Biblical Hebrew packs subject, verb and object into one word (שְׁמָרַנִי) — the economy that modern object pronouns (אותי, אותו) unpack.
Teach Yourself Hebrew — R. K. Harrison (E.U.P.)
Pass this quick check to complete the lesson.
Quick check · 1 / 4