Preposition

Free Hebrew lessons – May 2010 – Training – Day 24:

Hi,

Today we’re going to learn something new, so make sure you pay attention because it’s something very important.

In our previous lesson we learned the first person words in Conny’s story, such as bikashti (I asked – I requested), shaalti (I asked (a question)) and a^alti (I ate).
We also mentioned the words amarti (I said), laka^ti (I took) and ratsiti (I wanted), which we already learned in Hebrew lesson 14.

One of the most useful prepositions in Hebrew is “et.” I used the word “et” in our previous lessons, but I didn’t explain it. There is no English translation for “et,” so you really have to sharpen your mind…

Today’s menu: Preposition “et“

Attention: The underlined letters represent the accent.

“Et” is a preposition used before a direct object, but the rules are complicated. I prefer to teach you how to use “et” by simply showing you examples.   

Let’s use the first person words from our last lesson as examples:
   – I want a book – ani rotse sefer.
   – I want this book – ani rotse et ha’sefer ha’ze.
   – I wanted to buy the book – ratsiti liknot et ha’sefer.

On the above blackboard you can see that there is no matching word in English for the Hebrew word et.

More examples:
   – I asked my mom “what is the time?” – shaalti et ima sheli “ma ha’shaa?”

   – I need a telephone – ani tsari^ telephone (when speaking to a man, “need” is – tsari^).
   – I need the telephone – ani tsari^ et ha’telephone.
   – Question: What do you need?
       Answer:  The telephone – et ha’telephone…

   – I want to buy meat – ani rotse liknot basar.
   – I want to buy this meat – ani rotse liknot et ha’ basar ha’ze.
   – Question: Which piece of meat do you want to buy?
      Answer:   This one – et ze.   

   – I took a ring – laka^ti tabaat.
   – I took a ring and also a dress – laka^ti tabaat ve’gam simla.
   – I took my ring – laka^ti et ha’tabaat sheli.
   – I took my ring and also the dress – laka^ti et ha’tabaat sheli ve’gam et ha’simla.

   – Did you eat a steak? – a^alta stek? (“did you eat?” when speaking to a man is a^alta).
   – Yes, I ate a steak – ken a^alti stek.
   – You ate my steak! – a^alta et ha’stek sheli!
   – Question: Which steak did I eat?
      Answer:   My steak – et ha’stek sheli!
      Mmmm… it was good! – Mmmm… ze haya tov…  

One of my students lives in France.
Recently she sent me some sentences and asked me about that strange word “et.”
Reading her sentences shows us that she really caught the point on the usage of the word “et.”

Here are the sentences:
   – When do you want the coffee? – Matai at rotsa et ha’café?
   – I love the spring – ani ohevet et ha’aviv. (She loves – hi ohevet / Spring – Aviv)

I will try to use the word “et” in our lessons for awhile so you’ll catch onto the proper usage, too… 

Lehitraot in lesson 25…

You are welcome to join our group on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=230884728509. 

Holiday – ^ag Shavuot

Free Hebrew lessons – May 2010 – Training – Day 23:

^ag samea^ – (happy holidays),

In our previous lesson we read the end of Conny’s story, corrected her Heblish and also learned many new Hebrew words. Some of the words were in the first person.

Since today is a holiday (^ag Shavuot), we won’t have a real lesson, but I still want to put a little focus on those first person words.  

Today’s menu: A short focus on some first person words

Let’s take only what we’ve learned from Conny’s story:

In Hebrew there is a difference between asking for something to happen (a request for some kind of “action”), and simply asking a question.

More examples:
   – I asked for a chair.
     This is a request, so in Hebrew we say: Bikashti kise.

   – I asked “may I sit down?”
     This is just a question, therefore in Hebrew we say: Shaalti “ani ya^ol lashevet?”

More words from Conny’s story:

That’s all for this lesson. It’s only a few words, but a very important concept in the Hebrew language.

Lehitraot (see you) in lesson 24…

You are welcome to join our group on Facebook:
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Conny’s story – Part II

Free Hebrew lessons – May 2010 – Training – Day 22:

Shalom,

In our previous lesson we celebrated Mother’s Day and learned how to talk about members of our family, such as: ima (mother/mom), aba (father/daddy), a^ (brother), a^ot (sister), savta (grandmother) and saba (grandfather). 

Today let’s continue with Conny’s story, which we started in Lesson 20. You will remember that we read the beginning of Conny’s story, corrected her Heblish and also learned many new Hebrew words such as: yom (day), hayom (today), ^adash (new), kniyot (shopping), kesef (money), etc… If you need a refresher, please go back to the end of lesson 20 and look at the table of new words we learned in that lesson.

Reminder for part I of Conny’s story: 
English:
A new day!
This is a new day. First, I had breakfast at the Hilton Hotel at nine. So, the beginning of the day was good.  At ten I wanted to go to the bank for money. Why? For shopping, of course! There was no bus, so I took a taxi. I asked the receptionist to call the taxi for me. 

Heblish:
Yom ^adash!
Ze yom ^adash. Reshit, a^alti aru^at boker be’malon Hilton be’tesha. Az, ha’hat^ala shel ha’yom haita tova. Be’eser ratsiti lale^et la’bank bishvil lehotsi kesef. Lama? Le’kniyot bevadai! Lo haya otobus, az laka^ti monit. Bikashti mi’pkid hakabala lehitkasher la’monit bishvili.

Now we will continue with Conny’s story.

Today’s menu: Conny’s story – Part II

Attention: The underlined letters represent the accent.

As we did in our previous lesson, let’s look at Conny’s paragraph as is and afterwards we will analyze it.

Let’s start:
“A New Day” by Conny – Part II:

The taxi driver drives smola, yamina ve yashar for 5 miles to ha’bank. After shopping ani go to ha’misada. Ze thohoraim, ha’zman for lunch. Ani ratsiti dag ve chips aval lo ketjup. Ze ha’misada tova. Amarti toda raba ve ani asked ha’meltzar:”ma ha’shaa”? Amarta(?) ha’shaa arba. Ha’zman to go home. Lakachti ha’otobus to ha’malon. It was ha’yom tov!

Now let’s translate it into English and fix Conny’s Heblish.

The taxi driver drove left, right, then straight ahead for 5 miles to the bank. After shopping I went to a restaurant. It was noon, time for lunch. I wanted fish and French fries, but no ketchup. The restaurant was good. I said “thanks a lot” and asked the waiter “what is the time?” He said “the time is four o’clock.” It was time to go home. I took a bus to the hotel. It was a good day.
Note: We have not yet learned all of the Heblish words presented in this story, but this will be a good opportunity for you to learn more words.

Conny’s story: The taxidriver drives smola, yamina ve yashar
English: The taxi driver drove left, right, then straight ahead…
Heblish: Nehag ha’monit nasa smola, yamina ve’az yashar. (“taxi driver” is nahag monit, but “the taxi driver” is nehag ha’monit, “drove” is nasa)

Conny’s story: …for 5 miles to ha’bank.
English: …for 5 miles to the bank.
Heblish: lemeshe^ ^amisha miles la’bank (we will learn the word “for” another time,  ”to the bank” is la’bank)

Nehag ha’monit nasa smola, yamina ve’az yashar lemeshe^ ^amisha miles la’bank.

Conny’s story: After shopping ani go to ha’misada.
English: After shopping I went to a restaurant.
Heblish: A^arey ha’kniyot hala^ti le’misada. (“After” is a^arey, ”I went” is hala^ti)

Nehag ha’monit nasa smola, yamina ve’az yashar lemeshe^ ^amisha miles la’bank. A^arey ha’kniyot hala^ti le’misada.

Conny’s story: Ze thohoraim,
English: It was noon,
Heblish: Ze haya ba’tsohoraim, (“it” is ze, “was” is haya)

Conny’s story: …ha’zman for lunch.
English: … time for lunch.
Heblish: zman le’aru^at tsohoraim.

Nehag ha’monit nasa smola, yamina ve’az yashar lemeshe^ ^amisha miles la’bank. A^arey ha’kniyot hala^ti le’misada. Ze haya ba’tsohoraim, zman le’aru^at tsohoraim.

Conny’s story: Ani ratsiti dag ve chips aval lo ketjup.
English: I wanted fish and French fries, but no ketchup.
Heblish: Ratsiti dag ve’chips aval lo ketchup. (“but” is aval)

Conny’s story: Ze ha’misada tova.
English: The restaurant was good.
Heblish: Ha’misada haita tova.

Nehag ha’monit nasa smola, yamina ve’az yashar lemeshe^ ^amisha miles la’bank. A^arey ha’kniyot hala^ti le’misada. Ze haya ba’tsohoraim, zman le’aru^at tsohoraim. Ratsiti dag ve’chips aval lo ketchup. Ha’misada haita tova.

Conny’s story: Amarti toda raba ve ani asked ha’meltzar ”ma ha’shaa?” 
English: I said thanks a lot and asked the waiter “what is the time?”
Heblish: Amarti toda raba ve’shaalti et ha’meltsar “ma ha’shaa?” (“I asked” is shaalti [sha-al-ti])

Conny’s story: Amarta(?) ha’shaa arba.
English: He said “the time is four o’clock.”
Heblish: Hu amar “ha’shaa arba.” (“he” is hu, “said” (for masculine) is amar)

Nehag ha’monit nasa smola, yamina ve’az yashar lemeshe^ ^amisha miles la’bank. A^arey ha’kniyot hala^ti le’misada. Ze haya ba’tsohoraim, zman le’aru^at tsohoraim. Ratsiti dag ve’chips aval lo ketchup. Ha’misada haita tova. Amarti toda raba ve’shaalti et ha’meltsar ma ha’shaa? Hu amar: ha’shaa arba.

Conny’s story: Ha’zman to go home.
English: It was time to go home.
Heblish: Ze haya ha’zman lale^et habaita. (“to go” is lale^et, “home” is bait, but when going in the direction of home I say habaita) 

Conny’s story: Lakachti ha’otobus to ha’malon.
English: I took a bus to the hotel.
Heblish: Laka^ti otobus la’malon. (“I took” is laka^ti, “to the hotel” is la’malon)

Conny’s story: It was ha’yom tov!
English: It was a good day!
Heblish: Ze haya yom tov!

Nehag ha’monit nasa smola, yamina ve’az yashar lemeshe^ ^amisha miles la’bank. A^arey ha’kniyot hala^ti le’misada. Ze haya ba’tsohoraim, zman le’aru^at tsohoraim. Ratsiti dag ve’chips aval lo ketchup. Ha’misada haita tova. Amarti toda raba ve’shaalti et ha’meltsar ma ha’shaa? Hu amar: ha’shaa arba. Ze haya ha’zman lale^et habaita. Laka^ti otobus la’malon. Ze haya yom tov!

End of  Conny’s story.

Hey, I really enjoyed “Conny’s Story” of her day and we learned a lot!  Please feel free to send me your own “story,” because I think it’s a great way to teach and to learn. 

Lehitraot in lesson 23…

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