Free grammar · Unit 7 of 10
The infinitive of strong verbs: לִלְמֹד, לִכְתֹּב, לִסְגֹּר
After verbs like רוֹצֶה «wants», צָרִיךְ «needs», אוֹהֵב «likes», and words like קָשֶׁה «hard», the second verb is not conjugated: it goes into the infinitive. אֲנִי רוֹצֶה לִלְמֹד, «I want to learn». Only the first verb changes: הִיא רוֹצָה לִלְמֹד, הֵם רוֹצִים לִלְמֹד.
For strong verbs the infinitive has one tune: לִ, then the first root letter with no vowel, the second with o, then the last. Lilmod, lichtov, lisgor, lishmor. One bend: when the root starts with ע or ח, the opening becomes la, because these throat letters pull toward a: לַעֲבֹד, «to work».
This page has the explanation, a table from the present to the infinitive and the first two exercises: the infinitive after רוֹצֶה and after אוֹהֶבֶת. The other four open with a free account.
Step 7 of 10 · Explanation
Strong verbs: לִלְמֹד, לִכְתֹּב, לִסְגֹּר
After «want», «need», «like» and words like «hard» or «possible», Hebrew does not conjugate the second verb.
It uses one fixed form, the infinitive: , «I want to learn».
The verb that is conjugated is ; stays the same whoever is speaking.
4 more exercises in this unit
This page has the explanation and the first two exercises. The rest are in your free account, with every unit and the reading course, and the practice remembers your mistakes.
Continue with a free accountQuestions
- How is the Hebrew infinitive formed?
- With the prefix ל. For strong verbs the pattern is li-, a silent first letter, then o: לִלְמֹד, לִכְתֹּב, לִשְׁמֹר. The other verb groups each have their own pattern.
- Why is it לַעֲבֹד and not לִעְבֹד?
- The throat letters ע and ח do not hold the silent vowel well and pull the opening toward a: li becomes la. The o at the end stays: לַעֲבֹד, לַחְשֹׁב.
- Is it לִלְמֹד or ללמוד?
- Both. With vowel points it is written לִלְמֹד; without them, as in newspapers and on your phone, a ו is added for the o: ללמוד.
And then?
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The units
- Unit 1 of 10The pronouns: אֲנִי, אַתָּה, אַתְּ, הוּא, הִיא
- Unit 2 of 10Nouns: masculine or feminine, one or many
- Unit 3 of 10Strong verbs: לוֹמֵד, לוֹמֶדֶת, לוֹמְדִים, לוֹמְדוֹת
- Unit 4 of 10The adjective follows the noun and copies it
- Unit 5 of 10«And» is a letter: וְ
- Unit 6 of 10ב for where you are, ל for where you go
- Unit 7 of 10Strong verbs: לִלְמֹד, לִכְתֹּב, לִסְגֹּר
- Unit 8 of 10Strong verbs: כָּתַבְתִּי, לָמַדְתִּי, סָגַרְתִּי
- Unit 9 of 10Pi’el: מְדַבֵּר, מְדַבֶּרֶת, מְדַבְּרִים, מְדַבְּרוֹת
- Unit 10 of 10Time words: הַיּוֹם, מָחָר, אֶתְמוֹל, בַּבֹּקֶר