In Hebrew, we express possession by adding a pronominal suffix to a noun. The suffixes are similar to those for prepositions that you studied in lesson 7. סוּסֵנוּ our horse סוּסִי my horse סוּסְכֶם your (mp) horse סוּסְךָ your (ms) horse סוּסְכֶן your (fp) horse סוּסֵךְ your (fs) horse סוּסָם their (mp) horse סוּסוֹ his horse סוּסָן their (fp) horse סוּסָהּ her horse Note the following: The 1cp and 2fs both have a tsere for the vowel. The vowels learned in lesson 7 vary from this pattern. Notice that the shewa in the 2ms is considered part of the suffix, while the shewa in the 2mp is not part of the suffix. The reason for this difference will be explained later. 1 cs ִִי 1 cp נוּנוּ 2 ms ךָךָ 2 mp כֶם 2 fs ךְךְ 2 fp כֶן 3 ms וֹ 3 mp הֶם 3fs ָהּ 3 fp הֶן

Vowel Reduction with Pronominal Suffixes: דָּבָר. דְבָרִי my word דְּבָרֵנוּ our word דְּבָרְךָ your (ms) word דְּבַרְכֶם your (mp) word דְּבָרֵךְ your (fs) word דְּבַרְכֶן your (fp) word דְּבָרוׁ his word דְּבָרָם their (mp) word דְּבָרָהּ her word דְּבָרָן their (fp) word According to the principles of vowel reduction learned in lesson 2, the qamets reduces to a shewa in the first (propretonic) syllable as the stress shifts to the suffix. In all examples except the 2mp and 2fp, the noun stem ends with an open syllable before the suffix. Remember the shewa is part of the suffix, not part of the noun stem, thus leaving the syllable open before the suffix. When the noun stem ends with an open syllable there is no change to the vowel, in this case a qamets. In the 2mp and 2fp examples, the noun stem ends in a closed syllable resulting in a reduction of the vowel. Remember the shewa is part of the noun stem, not part of the suffix. In this case, a qamets reduces to a patakh. If able, the final vowel of a noun with a closed syllable will reduce when suffixed. Generally there are two suffix types: light (beginning with a vowel) and heavy (beginning with a consonant). 1 cs ִִי 1 cp נוּנוּ 2 ms ךָךָ 2 mp כֶם 2 fs ךְךְ 2 fp כֶן 3 ms וֹ 3 mp הֶ ם 3fs ָהּ 3 fp הֶן

Feminine Singular Nouns with Pronominal Suffixes תּוׁרָתִי my law תּוׁרָתְךָ your (ms) law תּוׁרָתֵךְ your (fs) law תּוׁרָתוׁ his law תּוׁרָתָהּ her law תּוׁרָתֵנוּ our law תּוׁרַתְכֶם your (mp) law תּוׁרַתְכֶן your (fp) law תּוׁרָתָם their (mp) law תּוׁרָתָן their (fp) law Note the following: Before a light suffix, the feminine noun ending changes from ה ָ to ָת. Before a heavy suffix, the feminine noun ending changes from ה ָ to ַת. 1 cs ִִי 2 ms ךָךָ 2 fs ךְךְ 3 ms וֹ 3fs ָהּ 1 cp נוּנוּ 2 mp כֶם 2 fp כֶן 3 mp הֶ ם 3 fp הֶן

The following is a list of common singular noun types with examples of light and heavy suffixes. Noun TypeNounLight SuffixHeavy Suffix Monosyllabic nouns אָחאָחִיאֲחִיכֶם שִׁירשִׁירִישִׁירְכֶם קוׁלקוׁלִיקוׁלְכֶם Dissyllabic nouns זָקֵןזְקֵנִיזְקַנְכֶם מָקוׁםמְקוׁמִימְקוׁמְכֶם כּוׁכָבכּוׁכָבִיכּוׁכַבְכֶם Feminine nouns with an ה ָ ending שָׁנָהשְׁנָתִישְׁנַתְכֶם בִּינָהבִּינָתִיבִּינַתְכֶם תְּפִלָּהתְּפִלָּתִיתְּפִלַּתְכֶם Nouns containing a diphthong בַּיִתבֵּיתִיבֵּיתְכֶם מָוֶתמוׁתִימוׁתְכֶם

Plural Nouns with a Pronominal Suffix סוּסַי my horses דְּבָרַי my words סוּסֶיךָ your (ms) horses דְּבָרֶיךָ your (ms) words סוּסַיִךְ your (fs) horses דְּבָרַיךְ your (fs) words סוּסָיו his horses דְּבָרָיו his words סוּסֶיהָ her horses דְּבָרֶיהָ her words סוּסֵינוּ our horses דְּבָרֵינוּ our words סוּסֵיכֶם your (mp) horses דִּבְרֵיכֶם your (mp) words סוּסֵיכֶן your (fp) horses דִּבְרֵיכֶן your (fp) words סוּסֵיהֶם their (mp) horses דִּבְרֵיהֶם their (mp) words סוּסֵיהֶן their (fp) horses דִּבְרֵיהֶן their (fp) words 1 cs ִִי 2 ms ךָךָ 2 fs ךְךְ 3 ms וֹ 3fs ָהּ 1 cp נוּנוּ 2 mp כֶם 2 fp כֶן 3 mp הֶם 3 fp הֶן

Plural Nouns with Pronominal Suffixes Note the following: The plural ending ִים is dropped and replaced with the pronominal suffix. The pronominal suffixes for plural nouns differ from the pronominal suffixes for singular nouns. Note the consistent presence of the yod throughout the plural form. This is a good indication that the noun is plural. As with סוּס, there is no vowel reduction in סוּסִים. Vowel reduction occurs in דְּבָרִים, consistent with the principles learned in lesson 2. In the second and third person plural pronominal suffixes for דְּבָרִים, the expected pattern for vowel reduction is not followed. Instead, the pattern for vowel reduction is overruled by the rule of shewa.

Feminine Plural Nouns with Pronominal Suffixes סוּסוֹתַי my mares סוּסוֹתֵינוּ our mares סוּסוֹתֶיךָ your (ms) mares סוּסוֹתֵיכֶם your (mp) mares סוּסוֹתַיִךְ your (fs) mares סוּסוֹתֵיכֶן your (fp) mares סוּסוֹתָיו his mares סוּסוֹתֵיהֶם their (mp) mares סוּסוֹתֶיהָ her mares סוּסוֹתֵיהֶן their (fp) mares Note the following: Unlike the plural ִים ending, the plural וֹת ending is not dropped. The pronominal suffix is added directly to the וֹת ending. While our example does not demonstrate vowel reduction in the noun stem, other feminine plural nouns may demonstrate vowel reduction according to the principles taught in lesson 2.

The following examples demonstrate a variety of plural nouns with pronominal suffixes. Further examples can be found on pages 89–90 and in appendix A of your textbook. Absolute Plural Plural with 1cs suffix Plural with 2mp suffix בָּנִים sons בָּנַיבְּנֵיכֶם עַמִּים peoples עַמַּיעַמֵּיכֶם דְּבָרִים words דְּבָרַידִּבְרֵיכֶם זְקֵנִים elders זְקֵנַיזִקְנֵיכֶם בָּנוֹת daughters בְּנוֹתַיבְּנוֹתֵיכֶם מְלָכוֹת queens מַלְכוֹתַימַלְכוֹתֵיכֶם גְּבָעוֹת hills גִּבְעוׁתַיגִּבְעוׁתֵיכֶם …..see next slide

When a pronominal suffix is added to a noun, the noun becomes definite. Keep in mind the following rules learned in previous lessons: As we learned in lesson 3, the definite article must be added to any modifying adjectives. For example: בָּנַי הַטּוׁבִים (my good sons). As we learned in lesson 4, a definite noun serving as a direct object must be preceded by the direct object marker אֶת. For example: רָאִיתִי אֶת־עָרֵיכֶם (I saw your cities). One exception to this rule of the marker occurs when the direct object is a body part. For example: נָשֹא יָדוׂ (He raised his hand).