10 Proven Ways to Memorize All 7 Binyanim
Okay, confession time: binyanim almost made me quit Hebrew.
I was three months in, feeling pretty good about myself, reading simple texts, having basic conversations. Then someone mentioned binyanim, and I thought "how hard can it be?" Famous last words.
Seven verb patterns. SEVEN. Each with its own rules, meanings, and conjugations. I stared at charts feeling like I was back in high school algebra, except at least algebra made sense.
But here's the twist: once binyanim click (and they will), Hebrew suddenly becomes easy. Like unlocking a cheat code for the entire language. Every verb follows these patterns. Every. Single. One. Once you know them, you can guess the meaning of verbs you've never seen before.
So I'm sharing the 10 methods that actually worked for me—not the theoretical stuff from textbooks, but the weird tricks that made these patterns stick in my brain.
What Are Binyanim, Really? (The Simple Explanation)
Think of binyanim as verb templates. Like cookie cutters, but for words.
A binyan determines:
- The form of the verb (what it looks like)
- Its meaning (active/passive voice, intensity, whether you're doing something to yourself or making someone else do it)
- Conjugation by tenses and persons (how it changes)
There are 7 binyanim total:
- PAAL (פָּעַל) - basic action (like "break")
- NIFAL (נִפְעַל) - passive/reflexive (like "be broken")
- PIEL (פִּעֵל) - intensive action (like "break to pieces")
- PUAL (פֻּעַל) - passive of PIEL (like "be broken to pieces")
- HIFIL (הִפְעִיל) - causative (like "cause to break")
- HUFAL (הֻפְעַל) - passive of HIFIL (like "be caused to break")
- HITPAEL (הִתְפַּעֵל) - reflexive (like "break yourself" or "fall apart")
Yes, it looks insane. Stick with me.
Method 1: The Ridiculous Mnemonic Phrase (It Works, I Swear)
First, memorize this phrase: "PA-NI-PI-PU-HI-HU-HIT"
Yes, it sounds like baby talk. Yes, you'll feel silly chanting it. Do it anyway.
My friend Daniel turned it into a rap beat. He'd walk around muttering "PA-NI-PI-PU-HI-HU-HIT" under his breath like a weird mantra. His roommates thought he'd lost it. But three weeks later, he could rattle off all seven binyanim in order without thinking.
These are the first syllables of each binyan:
- PAal
- NIfal
- PIel
- PUal
- HIfil (HIFIL)
- HUfal (HUFAL)
- HITpael (HITPAEL)
Pro tip: Say it 20 times before bed. Your brain processes it while you sleep. Weird but true.
Method 2: Think in Pairs (This One Changed Everything for Me)
Here's the game-changer: binyanim aren't seven random patterns. They're three pairs plus one rebel.
Once I understood this, everything clicked. Instead of memorizing seven separate things, I memorized three relationships.
Pair 1: Simple Action
- PAAL (active) → NIFAL (passive)
- Example: שָׁבַר (shabar - he broke) → נִשְׁבַּר (nishbar - it was broken)
- Think: "I do it" → "It is done"
Pair 2: Intensive Action
- PIEL (active) → PUAL (passive)
- Example: דִּבֵּר (diber - he spoke/discussed) → דֻּבַּר (dubar - it was discussed)
- Think: "I do it intensely" → "It is done intensely"
Pair 3: Causative Action
- HIFIL (active) → HUFAL (passive)
- Example: הִשְׁמִיעַ (hishmia - he made someone hear) → הֻשְׁמַע (hushma - it was made to be heard)
- Think: "I make someone do it" → "Someone was made to do it"
The Rebel: HITPAEL
- Reflexive binyan with no passive partner (because you can't passive-ize doing something to yourself—it doesn't make grammatical sense)
- Often translates with reflexive forms: להתלבש (lehitlabesh - to dress oneself)
- Think: "I do it to myself"
I literally drew this on a sticky note and put it on my bathroom mirror. Within a week, the structure was burned into my brain.
Method 3: Color Coding (For the Visual Learners)
I'm a visual person. Charts and tables don't work for me unless they have color. So I grabbed highlighters and went wild.
Create a color-coded system:
- 🔵 Blue for Active: PAAL, PIEL, HIFIL (things YOU do)
- 🟢 Green for Passive: NIFAL, PUAL, HUFAL (things DONE TO you)
- 🟡 Yellow for Reflexive: HITPAEL (things you do TO YOURSELF)
I made flashcards with colored borders. Every time I saw blue, my brain automatically thought "active verb." Green meant "something's being done." Yellow meant "reflexive."
After two weeks, I didn't need the colors anymore—but they helped create the initial associations.
Try the interactive table on HebrewGlot for digital practice.
Method 4: Regular Practice with Root פ-ע-ל
Learn the conjugation of the model root פ-ע-ל (peh-ayin-lamed) in all binyanim:
| Binyan | Past (he) | Present (m.) | Future (I) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAAL | פָּעַל | פּוֹעֵל | אֶפְעַל |
| NIFAL | נִפְעַל | נִפְעָל | אֶפָּעֵל |
| PIEL | פִּעֵל | מְפַעֵל | אֲפַעֵל |
| PUAL | פֻּעַל | מְפֻעָל | אֲפֻעַל |
| HIFIL | הִפְעִיל | מַפְעִיל | אַפְעִיל |
| HUFAL | הֻפְעַל | מֻפְעָל | אֻפְעַל |
| HITPAEL | הִתְפַּעֵל | מִתְפַּעֵל | אֶתְפַּעֵל |
Method 5: Associations with Meaning
Each binyan has a characteristic meaning:
- PAAL - "do simply" (basic action)
- NIFAL - "it is done" (passive/reflexive)
- PIEL - "do intensively" (intensification)
- PUAL - "it is done intensively" (passive of intensive)
- HIFIL - "cause to do" (causative)
- HUFAL - "was caused to do" (passive causative)
- HITPAEL - "do for oneself" (reflexive)
Method 6: Anki Flashcards
Create a deck of cards with examples:
- Front side: verb + binyan
- Back side: translation + example sentence
Method 7: Using HebrewGlot Trainer
Practice daily with the binyan trainer:
- Recognizing binyan by verb form
- Conjugation by tenses
- Translating sentences
Method 8: Grouping by Vowels
Remember characteristic vowels:
- PAAL: patach-kamatz (פָּעַל)
- NIFAL: starts with נִ
- PIEL: chirik-tzere (פִּעֵל)
- PUAL: kubutz-kamatz (פֻּעַל)
- HIFIL: starts with הִ, has chirik
- HUFAL: starts with הֻ
- HITPAEL: starts with הִתְ
Method 9: Keep a Hebrew Diary (Sounds Cheesy, Actually Works)
I rolled my eyes when my teacher suggested this. A diary? Really? What am I, twelve?
But I tried it. Every night, 3-5 sentences in Hebrew about my day. The catch: I had to consciously use different binyanim and mark which one each verb belonged to.
Day 1: "I ate (PAAL). The food was prepared (PUAL). I got dressed (HITPAEL)."
Day 30: I was writing complex sentences without thinking about which binyan I was using. They just... came out right.
The magic is in the repetition and the personal connection. You're not memorizing abstract examples—you're writing about YOUR life. Your brain remembers that better.
Method 10: Creating Your Own Examples
Take a familiar root (e.g., כ-ת-ב "write") and create examples in all binyanim:
- PAAL: כָּתַב (katav) - wrote
- NIFAL: נִכְתַּב (nikhtav) - was written
- PIEL: כִּתֵּב (kiteb) - wrote (documents)
- HIFIL: הִכְתִּיב (hiktiv) - dictated
- HITPAEL: הִתְכַּתֵּב (hitkatev) - corresponded
The Most Important Advice: Don't Be a Hero
Listen, I tried to learn all seven binyanim in one weekend. It was a disaster. My brain turned to mush, I mixed everything up, and I nearly rage-quit Hebrew entirely.
Don't do what I did. Learn them gradually:
- Months 1-2: Master PAAL and PIEL first (these are the most common)
- Months 2-3: Add NIFAL and HIFIL (they're the next most useful)
- Months 3-4: Finally tackle PUAL, HUFAL, and HITPAEL (these show up less often)
By month 4, you'll know all seven. But you'll know them well, not just superficially.
Final Thoughts (From Someone Who's Been There)
Binyanim sucked. Let's be honest. For about six weeks, I hated them. I complained about them to anyone who would listen (my patient spouse heard A LOT about HITPAEL).
But then something shifted. I was reading a Hebrew article, and I saw a verb I'd never encountered before. And I knew what it meant—because I recognized the binyan pattern. It was like suddenly being able to read music instead of just memorizing songs.
That's the moment you're working toward. It's worth the frustration.
Use a combination of these methods (I used 6 or 7 of them), practice daily, and in 3-4 months you'll be navigating the Hebrew verb system like a pro.
Start practicing right now on HebrewGlot. Future you will thank present you.
Article updated: October 26, 2025
Written by someone who almost gave up on binyanim but didn't (and you shouldn't either)