Урок 4: Questions and Negations
Question words and negative constructions
Questions and Negations — שאלות ושלילה
Learning how to ask questions and express negation
❓ Grammar: Question Constructions in Hebrew
📐 Basic Principles for Forming Questions:
1. Question word is usually placed at the beginning of the sentence
2. Word order: Question word + subject + verb
3. Intonation: Unlike in English, question intonation is less pronounced
4. Gender and number: Question words don't change for gender and number
📚 New Words
Main Question Words:
| Hebrew | Transcription | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| מָה | ma | what? | Most common question word |
| מִי | mi | who? | Only for people |
| אֵיפֹה | eyfo | where? | Question about location |
| מֵאֵיפֹה | me-eyfo | from where? | מֵ (preposition "from") + אֵיפֹה |
| לְאָן | le-an | where to? | Direction of movement |
| לָמָה | lama | why? | Question about reason |
| אֵיךְ | eykh | how? | Method of action or state |
| מָתַי | matay | when? | Time of action |
| כַּמָּה | kama | how much/many? | Quantity |
| אֵיזֶה/אֵיזוֹ | eyze/eyzo | which/what (m./f.)? | Male/female gender |
Negative Constructions:
| Hebrew | Transcription | Translation | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| לֹא | lo | not | Main negation before verbs |
| אֵין | eyn | there is no, don't have | Negation of existence |
| אַל | al | don't (do) | Prohibition in imperative |
🎯 Example Sentences
Simple Questions:
1. מָה זֶה? (ma ze?) — What is this?
2. מִי אַתָּה? (mi ata?) — Who are you?
3. אֵיפֹה הַסֵּפֶר? (eyfo ha-sefer?) — Where is the book?
4. לָמָה אַתְּ עָצוּבָה? (lama at atsuva?) — Why are you sad? (f.)
Questions with Verbs:
5. אֵיךְ אַתָּה עוֹבֵד? (eykh ata oved?) — How do you work?
6. מָתַי הִיא הוֹלֶכֶת הַבַּיְתָה? (matay hi holekhet ha-bayta?) — When does she go home?
7. כַּמָּה יְלָדִים גָּרִים פֹּה? (kama yeladim garim po?) — How many children live here?
Negative Sentences:
8. אֲנִי לֹא מֵבִין (ani lo mevin) — I don't understand
9. הוּא לֹא רוֹצֶה לָלֶכֶת (hu lo rotse lalekhet) — He doesn't want to go
⚠️ Exceptions and Important Notes
🔍 Features of Question Words:
1. מָה vs מִי:
- מָה — for objects, actions, concepts
- מִי — only for people and living beings
2. אֵיפֹה vs לְאָן vs מֵאֵיפֹה:
- אֵיפֹה — where? (location)
- לְאָן — where to? (direction)
- מֵאֵיפֹה — from where? (source)
3. Negation לֹא vs אֵין:
- לֹא + verb — negates action: אֲנִי לֹא עוֹבֵד (I don't work)
- אֵין + noun — absence of object: אֵין לִי זְמַן (I don't have time)
שְׁאֵלוֹת טוֹבוֹת — תְּשׁוּבוֹת טוֹבוֹת! — Good questions — good answers!