1. Class VII: Pronouns Dr. Esa Autero
LAN 404 Beginning Hebrew I
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Class VII: Pronouns
Dr. Esa Autero

2. Pronouns 1.1 Introduction A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun
Antecedent is the word(s) which the noun refers back to
Moses was 120 years old when he died
Moses = antecedent – “he” is the pronoun that refers back to “Moses”
Different types of pronouns
Personal, demonstrative, relative, and interrogative pronouns
Personal: I, you, he, she, we …
Demonstrative: this, that, these, those …
Relative: whose, that, which, who …
Interrogative: What? Who? How? …
 Hebrew pronouns function in a similar way as English pronouns
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3. Person and Number – in English
Pronouns
2.1 Independent personal pronouns
“Independent” – stand alone, not attached to any other word
1st, 2nd, 3rd person singular (Sg.) or plural (Pl.)
Person and Number – in English
Sg. 1 I
Sg. 2
You
Sg. 3
He/she/it
Pl. 1 We
Pl. 2
Pl. 3
They *

4. Pronouns אֲנִי, אָנֹכִי אֲנַ֫חְנוּ אַתָּה אַתֶּם אַתְּ
Independent personal pronoun paradigm
Paradigm in Hebrew
Singular
Plural
1 com.
אֲנִי, אָנֹכִי I
אֲנַ֫חְנוּ We
2 masc.
אַתָּה
You
אַתֶּם
2 fem.
אַתְּ
אַתֵּ֫נָה, אַתֶּן
3. masc.
הוּא
He/it
הֵם, הֶ֫מָּה
They
3. fem.
הִיא, הִוא
She/it
הֵן, הֵנָּה *

5. Pronouns אֲנִי יְהוָה הוּא נָבִיא צַדִּיק אַתָּה מֶ֫לֶךְ טֹוב
Use of the independent personal pronoun – memorize words
Independent pronouns in a noun sentence (predicative relationship)
Personal pronoun may precede or follow the noun or adjective
אֲנִי יְהוָה
I am the LORD
הוּא נָבִיא צַדִּיק
He is a righteous prophet
אַתָּה מֶ֫לֶךְ טֹוב
You (sg.2.masc.) are a good king
אַחִים אֲנַ֫חְנוּ
We are brothers
הִיא אִשָּׁה חֲכָמָה
She is a wise woman
אַתֶּם בָּעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה
You (pl.2masc.) are in the great city *

6. Pronouns A man  the man  that man
2.2 Demonstrative pronouns and adjectives
English demonstrative pronouns
“this”, “these”, “that”, and “those” – used as an adjective or pronoun
Adjectival usage: this man, that woman, these socks
Pronominal usage: that is the man, these are the socks
 Increases the word’s specificity beyond the definite article
 Hebrew demonstratives function like English equivalents *
A man  the man  that man

7. Commom plural; modifies masculine or feminine nouns
Pronouns
Commom plural; modifies masculine or feminine nouns
Demonstrative paradigm
NOTE: sg. 3 masc. and fem. demonstratives identical to personal pronouns
Singular
Plural
Masculine
זֶה
This
אֵ֫לֶּה
These
Feminine
זֹאת
הוּא
That
הֵם, הֵ֫מָּה
Those
הִיא
הֵן, הֵ֫נָּה *
זֶה
הַלָּזֶה, הַלָּז
זֹאת
הַלֵּ֫זוּ, זוֹ, זֹה
אֵ֫לֶּה
אֵל
Variant forms

8. Personal pronoun or demonstrative pronoun?
Pronouns
Some ambiguities – sg. 3 or demonstrative?
Personal pronoun or demonstrative pronoun?
הוּא הָאִישׁ
He is the man (personal pronoun)
That is the man (demonstrative)
הִיא הָאִשָּׁה
She is the woman (personal pronoun)
That is the woman (demonstrative) OR OR *

9. Demonstrative follows the noun & agrees w/ it
Pronouns
The use of demonstrative pronouns
Demonstratives used as adjectives or pronouns
1) Demonstrative Adjectives – follows noun: agrees w/ gender, number, definit.
הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה
This man
הָאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת
This woman
הָאִישׁ הַהוּא
That man
הָאִשָּׁה הַהִיא
That woman
הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵ֫לֶּה
These men
הַנָּהִים הָאֶ֫לֶּה
These women
הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם
Those men
הַנָּשִׁים הָהֵ֫נָּה
Those women
Demonstrative follows the noun & agrees w/ it *

10. Attributive adjective
Pronouns
Demonstrative pronoun and adjective – examples
הָאִישׁ הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה
This good man
הָאִשָּׁה הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת
This good woman
הָאִישׁ הַטּוֹב הַהוּא
That good man
הָאִשָּׁה הַטּוֹבָה הַהִיא
That good woman
הָאֲנָשִׁים הַטּוֹבִים הָאֵ֫לֶּה
These good men
הַנָּשִׁים הַטּוֹבוֹת הָאֵ֫לֶּה
These good women
הָאֲנָשִׁים הַטּוֹבִים הָהֵ֫ם
Those good men
הַנָּשִׁים הַטּוֹבוֹת הָהֵ֫נָּה
Those good women
Attributive adjective
is placed b/w noun &
demonstrative adj.
It agrees in
gender, number &
definiteness *

11. Pronouns זֶה הָאִישׁ זֹאת הָאִשָּׁה הוּא הָאִישׁ הִיא הָאִשָּׁה
2) Demonstrative pronouns
When demonstrative functions as a pronoun, it precedes the noun
Agrees in gender and number (masc./fem. & sg./pl.) – not in definiteness
זֶה הָאִישׁ
This is the man
זֹאת הָאִשָּׁה
This is the woman
הוּא הָאִישׁ
That is the man
הִיא הָאִשָּׁה
That is the woman
אֵ֫לֶּה הָאֲנָשִׁים
These are the men
אֵ֫לֶּה הַנָּהִים
These are the women
הֵם הָאֲנָשִׁים
Those are the men
הֵ֫נָּה הָנָּשִׁים
Those are the women *

12. אֲשֶׁר כַּאֲשֶׁר Pronouns  Does not change form or inflect
2.3 Relative pronoun
English “who”, “whom”, “whose”, “that”, “which”
Introduces a relative clause (relative pronoun + clause)
Blessed in the person who studies Hebrew
 “who studies Hebrew” = relative clause that modifies the noun “person”
Hebrew relative pronoun:
 Does not change form or inflect
אֲשֶׁר
כַּאֲשֶׁר
That, which *
When, as
Who, whom

13. Pronouns הָעֵצ אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ־הַגַּן
May appear w/ or without Maqqef
Follows immediately the noun it modifies
הָעֵצ אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ־הַגַּן
The tree that (is) in the middle of the garden
הֶהָרִים אֲשֶׁר־תַּ֫חַת הַשָּׁמַ֫יִם
The mountains that (are) under the heavens
הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתֶּם
The king whom you chose
דָּוִד אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית יְהוָה
David, who (is) in the house of the LORD *

14. מִי מָה [מֶה, מַה] Pronouns Who, whom? What?
2.4 The interrogative pronouns – for asking questions
May appear w/ or without Maqqef
Form does not change
Vowel changes only in מָה
מִי
Who, whom?
מָה [מֶה, מַה]
What? *

15. מִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵ֫לֶּה
Pronouns
Interrogative pronoun – examples
מַה־שְּׁמוֹ
what (is) his name?
מֶה־עָשִׂ֫יתָ
What have you done?
מָה הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה
What (is) this dream?
מִי אַתָּה
Who (are) you?
מִי־הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה
Who (is) this man?
מִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵ֫לֶּה
Who (are) these men? *

16. Pronouns שָׁלַח הַמֶ֫לֶךְ אֶת־הַנָּבִיא
Interrogative particle הֲ
Alternative to interrogative pronoun – הֲ
Prefixed to a word (Hebrew does not have questions marks etc.)
The spelling of the הֲ changes in the following manner:
Prefixed to most consonants – הֲ
Prefixed to gutturals or any consonant with silent Shewa – הַ
Prefixed to guttural followed by Qamets – הֶ
שָׁלַח הַמֶ֫לֶךְ אֶת־הַנָּבִיא
The king sent the prophet
הֲשָׁלַח הַמֶ֫לֶךְ אֶת־הַנָּבִיא
Did the king send the prophet? *

17. Pronouns
It is possible to confuse interrogative particle w/ definite article
To avoid confusion remember the following:
Interrogative particle does not normally have Daghesh Forte
Interrogative often prefixed to a verb or another particle
The Hateph Pathach (הֲ) of the interrogative particle not found in definite article *

18. Pronouns Practice Homework Workbook p. 35, no: 1-5
Workbook p , no:1-10 “Bible Translation”
Practice letters and reading (out loud) – e.g. words on vocabulary & workbook
Vocabulary quiz (Ch. 8) on words pp (8.12) + personal & demonstrative pronouns (p )
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