Key Rule: Every Hebrew verb has a 3-letter root (shoresh) and a pattern (binyan). The root כ-ת-ב carries the meaning of 'writing'. Placing it in different binyanim creates different words: כָּתַב (wrote), נִכְתַּב (was written), הִכְתִּיב (dictated).
| # | Binyan | Type | Example (root כ-ת-ב) | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | פָּעַל (pa-AL) | Basic active | כָּתַב (ka-TAV) | wrote |
| 2 | נִפְעַל (nif-AL) | Passive / reflexive | נִכְתַּב (nikh-TAV) | was written |
| 3 | פִּעֵל (pi-EL) | Intensive active | דִּבֵּר (di-BER) * | spoke |
| 4 | פֻּעַל (pu-AL) | Intensive passive | דֻּבַּר (du-BAR) * | was spoken |
| 5 | הִפְעִיל (hif-IL) | Causative active | הִכְתִּיב (hikh-TIV) | dictated |
| 6 | הֻפְעַל (huf-AL) | Causative passive | הֻכְתַּב (hukh-TAV) | was dictated |
| 7 | הִתְפַּעֵל (hit-pa-EL) | Reflexive | הִתְכַּתֵּב (hit-ka-TEV) | corresponded |
Circle the correct answer for each question.
1.How many binyanim (verb patterns) does Hebrew have?
3 | 5 | 7 | 10
2.The root כ-ת-ב relates to:
Walking | Writing | Eating | Speaking
3.Which binyan is the basic active pattern?
נִפְעַל | פִּעֵל | פָּעַל | הִפְעִיל
4.לִמֵּד (taught) uses which binyan?
פָּעַל | פִּעֵל | הִפְעִיל | הִתְפַּעֵל
Answers
1. 7
2. Writing
3. פָּעַל
4. פִּעֵל