The Routledge Introductory Course in Modern Hebrew: Hebrew in Israel
U NIT 1: C H EC K LIS T
ALPHABET
Know the print and cursive forms of the letters (print for reading; script for writing).
Know the order of the letters.
Remember which letters have final forms.
If you still mix between certain letters (ף-נ ; ץ-ז ; מ-)ג, now is the time to take care of it.
VOCABULARY
Know your vocab.
Remember that adjectives have 4 forms, nouns have 2-4 forms, and verbs have 5 (4 forms of
the present tense + an infinitive).
Listen to the new vocab; knowing what a word sounds like is crucial for correct spelling.
Know how to greet, how to ask and answer questions.
Know how to use the words עודand גםto express inclusion/addition.
Be aware of the differences between: רוצה/ אוהב,נוסע/ הולך,מורה/ פרופסור,תלמיד/ סטודנט.
VERBS
Know all the verbs of Unit 1:
– their meaning,
– the 4 forms of present tense as well as the infinitive, and when to use which,
– preposition/s that typically follow each verb.
Remember that verbs have a fixed pattern of conjugation and each verb has a root.
Pay careful attention to the pronunciation of the verbs; make it a habit to write them in nikud.
Know how to form two-verb sentences (אוהב/ רוצה+ an infinitive) as well as sentences with the
verb יודעfollowed by an interrogative.
Know the difference between לנסוע/ ללכת.
GRAMMAR AND SYNTAX
Know the structure of verbal sentences ( )דוד לומדvs. nominal sentences ( דוד מחיפה.)דוד נחמד.
Know the structure used to identify/define someone or something: x זה/ y זאת/ y- וx אלה.
Know how to ask about the identity of someone or something: ? מי זהvs. ? מה זה.
Remember that statements and questions have the same structure.
Know how to form sentences with 2 verbs (with אוהב/ רוצה+ an infinitive) as well as sentences
with the verb יודעfollowed by an interrogative.
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Remember that every noun, verb, adjective, and pronoun is either masculine or feminine
(gender) and either singular or plural (number). The different parts of a sentence agree in
number and gender.
Know the definite article הand how it is used in noun-adjective phrases vs. noun-noun
phrases.
Remember that nouns and adjectives agree in gender and number, as well as the definite
article.
Be aware of the difference between: הילד נחמד/ הילד הנחמד/ ילד נחמד.
Know the basic principles of ( סמיכותnoun-noun phrase).
PRONOUNS AND PRONOUN SUFFIXED
Know the set of pronouns (p. 26).
Know the pronouns אלו/ אלה,זו/ זאת,זה.
Remember that prepositions and nouns can take pronoun suffixes; know when to use them with
or without a suffix (whether to use שלוםor של שלומיor שלה, etc.).
INTERROGATIVES
Know the interrogatives: האם, מאין, לאן, איפה, למה, מה, מי:
– their meaning,
– how to use them in questions and how to answer such questions,
– how to use them in combination with the verb יודע.
Remember that מיquestions (excluding אלה/זאת/ )מי זהare always in the singular masculine
form; the answer, however, is dependent on the subject and can be in singular or plural,
masculine or feminine.
Know the difference between מאין/ לאן/ איפה.
PREPOSITIONS
Know the prepositions: בלי, אחרי, על־יד, של, עם, ל, מ,ב
Know when to use לvs. ב.
Remember that לand בcombine with the definite article that follows them (ַ הַ = ּב+ ְ;)ּב
מdoes not combine with the definite article that follows it (ַ הַ = מֵה+ ִ)מ.
Remember that one-letter repositions (or other one-letter particles) are affixed to the word that
follows.
Know the 10 variations of the preposition שלwith the pronoun suffixes (... שלך,;)שלי
know when (and when not) to use them in a sentence.
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