The verb « to have » in Hebrew

 
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The verb « to have » in Hebrew does not exist

So how do you translate the verb “to have” into Hebrew?

There are many ways to express having something.



The verb « to have » in the present tense

We replace the verb « to have » by using the notions of there is or there is not.

there is = yèsh, יֵש

there is not = èyin, אֵין

To these two formulas, we add the personal pronouns.



« to have»
יֵשׁ לִי yesh li I have
יֵשׁ לְךָ yesh lékha you have
יֵשׁ לָךְ yesh lakh you have (feminine)
יֵשׁ לוֹ yesh lo he has
יֵשׁ לָה yesh lah she has
יֵשׁ לָנוּ yesh lanou we have
יֵשׁ לָכֶם yesh lakhèm you have(masculine)
יֵשׁ לָכֶן yesh lakhèn you have (fem)
יֵשׁ לָהֶם yesh lahèm they have
יֵשׁ לָהֶן yesh lahèn they have


not « to have»
אֵין לִי éyin li I don't have
אֵין לְךָ éyin lékha you don't have(masc)
אֵין לָךְ éyin lakh you don't have(fem)
אֵין לוֹ éyin lo he doesn't have
אֵין לָה éyin lah she doesn't have
אֵין לָנוּ éyin lanou we don't have
אֵין לָכֶם éyin lakhèm you don't have(masc)
אֵין לָכֶן éyin lakhèn you don't have(fem)
אֵין לָהֶם éyin lahèm they don't have
אֵין לָהֶן éyin lahèn they don't have


The word יש (yèsh) agrees in gender and number as follows:

  • יֵשׁ (yèsh): masculine singular
  • יֵשְׁנָה (yèshnah): feminine singular.
  • יֵשְׁנָם (yèshnam): masculine plural.
  • יֵשְׁנָן (yèshnan): feminine plural.


 
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The verb « to have» in the past tense


To express the verb « to have » in the past tense, we use the verb "to be" at the same time.

  • « הָיָה / hayah » au Masculine
  • « הָיְיתָה / haytah » au Feminine

associated with personal pronouns.



Attention ! Here, the verb "to be" agrees with the possessed object..

  • if the noun of this object is masculine, the verb "to be" will be conjugated in the masculine,
  • if the noun of the object is feminine, the verb "to be" will be conjugated in the feminine.

« הָיָה לִי בֵּית / hayah li bayit / I had a house »

(house is masculine in Hebrew)

« הָיְתָה לִי מְכוֹנִית / haytah li mékhonit / I had a car »

(car is feminine in Hebrew)



 
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The verb « to have » in the future tense

To express the verb « to have » in the future, we use the verb "to be" at the same time.

  • « יִהְיֶה / yihyé » masculine
  • « תִּהְיֶה / tihyé » in feminine

associated with personal pronouns.



Attention !Here too, the verb "to be" agrees with the possessed object..

  • sif the noun of this object is masculine, the verb "to be" will be conjugated in the masculine,
  • if the noun of the object is feminine, the verb "to be" will be conjugated in the feminine.

« יִהְיֶה לִי בֵּית / yihyé li bayit / I will have a home»

(house is masculine in Hebrew)

« תִּהְיֶה לִי מְכוֹנִית / tihyé li mékhonit /I will have a car »

(car is feminine in Hebrew)




 
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