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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