Hebrew learning

Hebrew Verbs Explained

3 min read · Last updated 7 May 2026

Hebrew verbs look intimidating until you see the root system. Most verbs grow from three-letter roots that appear across families of meaning. Once you recognise the root, new words start to feel connected.

Listen and repeat

Tap a word to hear browser speech synthesis in Hebrew. IsraYeah! gives the richer app experience, but the website should still help you practise.

שלום shalom hello / peace
תודה todah thank you
סליחה slicha excuse me / sorry

Three-letter roots

A Hebrew root is usually three consonants carrying a core meaning. Patterns add vowels, prefixes, suffixes, and sometimes extra letters to create verbs, nouns, adjectives, and related words.

For example, a root connected to writing can appear in words for writing, a letter, an address, and a reporter. This root logic is one of the most powerful parts of Hebrew learning.

Present tense pattern

Present tense behaves partly like an adjective: it changes for masculine singular, feminine singular, masculine plural, and feminine plural. That is why you hear endings like -ת, -ים, and -ות.

Start with first-person sentences you actually need: I want, I need, I live, I work, I learn, I speak.

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Past and future tense

Past tense adds person endings. Future tense often adds prefixes. Beginners should not try to master every binyan at once. Learn the most common forms in phrases, then study the pattern that produced them.

IsraYeah! can use spaced repetition to keep verb forms alive after the first lesson.

20 common verbs

MeaningInfinitivePresent examplePastFuture
to beלהיותhoveh: hu pohayayihyeh
to goללכתholekhhalakhyelekh
to comeלבואbabayavo
to sayלהגידomeramaryagid
to do/makeלעשותosehasayaaseh
to wantלרצותrotzeratzayirtzeh
to needלהצטרךtzarikhhitzterekhyitztarekh
to knowלדעתyodeayadayeda
to seeלראותroehraahyireh
to hearלשמועshomeashamayishma
to eatלאכולokhelakhalyokhal
to drinkלשתותshotehshatayishteh
to buyלקנותkonehkanayikneh
to payלשלםmeshalemshilemyeshalem
to liveלגורgargaryagur
to workלעבודovedavadyaavod
to learnללמודlomedlamadyilmad
to writeלכתובkotevkatavyikhtov
to readלקרואkorehkarayikra
to speakלדברmedaberdiberyedaber

Irregular and high-frequency verbs

Common verbs are often irregular because people use them constantly. That makes them worth learning early even when the grammar explanation is not complete.

Treat high-frequency verbs as phrases first. Grammar can come after you can say what you need.

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IsraYeah! combines Hebrew lessons, phrasebook audio, travel guides, aliyah resources, and practical Israel knowledge in one iOS app.

Download on App StoreiPhone and iPad