Chapter 8a – Pronouns

Independent Personal Pronouns

Singular Plural

1 com ‫אָנֹכִי‬, ‫אֲנִי‬ I ‫אֲנ> ַחְנוּ‬ we

2 masc ‫אַתָּה‬ you ‫אַתֶּם‬ you

2 fem ְ‫אַתּ‬ you ‫נָה‬.ֵ‫אַתּ‬ you

3 masc ‫הוּא‬ he/it ‫מָּה‬.ֵ‫ה‬, ‫הֵם‬ they

3 fem ‫הִוא‬, ‫הִיא‬ she/it ‫נָּה‬.ֵ‫ה‬, ‫הֵן‬ they

Notes
1. The independent personal pronoun is labelled
independent because it stands alone and is not
prefixed or suffixed to another word.
2. Independent personal pronouns are subjective,
meaning they are used as the subject of a verb, never as
the object of the verb.
3. Independent personal pronouns may also appear as
the subject of a verbless clause. For this reason, they are
sometimes called subject pronouns.

‫א‬ Basics of Biblical Hebrew

© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8b – Pronouns
The Use of Independent Personal Pronouns

The following examples illustrate how independent

personal pronouns are used with other nouns or adjectives
in a predicative relationship. The pronoun may precede
or follow the noun or adjective. A form of the verb “to be”
(in the present tense) is supplied in translation.

‫אֲנִי יְהוָה‬ I am Yahweh (the Lord).

‫הוּא נָבִיא צִַדּיק‬ He is a righteous prophet.

‫לְֶך טוֹב‬.ֶ‫אַתָּה מ‬ You (2ms) are a good king.

‫אַחִים אֲנַ>חְנוּ‬ We are brothers.

‫הִיא אִשָּׁה חֲכָמָה‬ She is a wise woman.

‫אַתֶּם בָּעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה‬ You (2mp) are in the great city.

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8c – Pronouns
Demonstratives

Singular Plural

Masc ‫זֶה‬ this ‫לֶּה‬.ֵ‫א‬ these

Fem ‫זֹאת‬ this ‫לֶּה‬.ֵ‫א‬ these

Masc ‫הוּא‬ that ‫מָּה‬.ֵ‫ה‬, ‫הֵם‬ those

Fem ‫הִיא‬ that ‫נָּה‬.ֵ‫ה‬, ‫הֵן‬ those

Notes
1. Demonstratives may be used either as adjectives (this
man, those women) or as pronouns (this is the man,
those are the women).
2. The masculine and feminine singular forms (‫ הוּא‬and
‫ )הִיא‬are identical to the third person masculine and
feminine singular independent personal pronouns.
3. The demonstrative ‫לֶּה‬.ֵ‫( א‬these) is both masculine and
feminine plural. Remember that the designation for
this phenomenon is “common,” meaning not inflected
for gender.

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8d – Pronouns
The Use of Demonstrative Adjectives

When a Hebrew demonstrative is functioning as an

adjective, it will follow the noun it modifies and agree in
gender, number and definiteness. This is just like the
attributive use of adjectives.

‫הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה‬ this man

‫הָאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת‬ this woman

‫הָאִישׁ הַהוּא‬ that man

‫הָאִשָּׁה הַהִיא‬ that woman

‫לֶּה‬.ֵ‫הָאֲנָשִׁים הָא‬ these men

‫לֶּה‬.ֵ‫הַנָּשִׁים הָא‬ these women

‫הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם‬ those men

‫נָּה‬.ֵ‫הַנָּשִׁים הָה‬ those women

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8e – Pronouns
The Use of Demonstrative Pronouns

When a Hebrew demonstrative is functioning as a

pronoun, it will precede the noun and agree in gender and
number but not in definiteness. This is just like the
predicative use of adjectives.

‫זֶה הָאִישׁ‬ This is the man.

‫זֹאת הָאִשָּׁה‬ This is the woman.

‫הוּא הָאִישׁ‬ That is the man.

‫הִיא הָאִשָּׁה‬ That is the woman.

‫לֶּה הָאֲנָשִׁים‬.ֵ‫א‬ These are the men.

‫לֶּה הַנָּשִׁים‬.ֵ‫א‬ These are the women.

‫הֵם הָאֲנָשִׁים‬ Those are the men.

‫נָּה הַנָּשִׁים‬.ֵ‫ה‬ Those are the women.

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8f – Pronouns
Nouns with Both a Demonstrative Adjective
and a Modifying Adjective

When a noun is modified by both an adjective and a

demonstrative adjective (as in “this good book”), all three
must agree in gender, number and definiteness. In terms of
word order, the noun will be first, the modifying adjective
will be second and the demonstrative will be last.

‫הָאִישׁ הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה‬ this good man

‫הָאִשָּׁה הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת‬ this good woman

‫הָאִישׁ הַטּוֹב הַהוּא‬ that good man

‫הָאִשָּׁה הַטּוֹבָה הַהִיא‬ that good woman

‫לֶּה‬.ֵ‫הָאֲנָשִׁים הַטּוֹבִים הָא‬ these good men

‫לֶּה‬.ֵ‫הַנָּשִׁים הַטּוֹבוֹת הָא‬ these good women

‫הָאֲנָשִׁים הַטּוֹבִים הָהֵם‬ those good men

‫נָּה‬.ֵ‫הַנָּשִׁים הַטּוֹבוֹת הָה‬ those good women

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8g – Pronouns
The Syntax of Nouns with Both a Demonstrative Pronoun
and a Modifying Adjective

When a noun is modified by both an adjective and a

demonstrative pronoun (as in “this is the good book”), the
demonstrative will be first (without the definite article) and the
noun will be second. The modifying adjective will be last
and agree with the noun in gender, number and definiteness

‫זֶה הָאִישׁ הַטּוֹב‬ This is the good man.

‫לֶּה הָאֲנָשִׁים הַטּוֹבִים‬.ֵ‫א‬ These are the good men.

‫הִיא הָאִשָּׁה הַטּוֹבָה‬ That is the good woman.

‫נָּה הַנָּשִׁים הַטּוֹבוֹת‬.ֵ‫ה‬ Those are the good women.

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8h – Pronouns
The Relative Pronoun

‫אֲשֶׁר‬
(who, which, that)
The form of this word does not change in order to indicate
the gender or number of its antecedent. It may appear
with or without Maqqef. When functioning as a relative
pronoun introducing a relative clause, it immediately
follows the noun it is modifying.

‫הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר בְּתוְֹך–הַגָּן‬ the tree that (is) in the middle of the
garden

‫יִם‬.‫חַת הַשָּׁ ַמ‬.ַ‫הֶהִָרים אֲשֶׁר–תּ‬ the mountains that (are) under the
heavens

‫לְֶך אֲשֶׁר בְּחְַרתֶּם‬.ֶ‫הַמּ‬ the king whom you chose

‫דָּוִד אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית יְהוָה‬ David, who (is) in the house of the
Lord

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8i – Pronouns
Interrogative Pronouns

‫ מִי‬Who?
‫ מָה‬What?
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask a question. These
pronouns do not inflect and can appear with or without
Maqqef. The vocalization of ‫ מָה‬may change slightly ( ‫ מַה‬or
‫)מֶה‬. When spelled ‫מַה‬, a Daghesh Forte will usually appear
in the first consonant of the following word.

‫מַה–שְּׁמוֹ‬ What (is) his name?

ָ‫ית‬.ִ‫מֶה–עָשׂ‬ What have you done?

‫מָה הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה‬ What (is) this dream?

‫מִי–אַתָּה‬ Who (are) you?

‫מִי–הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה‬ Who (is) this man?

‫לֶּה‬.ֵ‫מִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָא‬ Who (are) these men?

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8j – Pronouns
The Interrogative Particle

ֲ‫ה‬
The interrogative particle is prefixed to the first word of
the sentence. Compare the following examples. The first
example is a statement. The second example is a question
because the interrogative particle has been prefixed to the
first word of the sentence.

‫לְֶך אֶת–הַנָּבִיא‬.‫שָׁלַח הַ ֶמּ‬ The king sent the prophet.

‫לְֶך אֶת–הַנָּבִיא‬.‫הֲשָׁלַח הַ ֶמּ‬ Did the king send the prophet?

The Spelling of the Particle

1. ֲ‫ ה‬before most consonants as in the above example
2. ‫ ַה‬before gutturals or any consonant with Shewa
3. ‫ ֶה‬before gutturals with Qamets

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8k – Pronouns
Confusing the Interrogative Particle and the Definite Article

To avoid confusing the interrogative particle

and the definite article in Hebrew,
remember the following clues.

1. The Hateph Pathach (ֲ‫ )ה‬of the interrogative particle is

not the spelling of the definite article (ּ‫)הַב‬

2. The interrogative particle does not normally have an

associated Daghesh Forte as does the definite article.

3. With some frequency, the interrogative particle is

prefixed to a verbal form which, of course, will not
take a definite article.

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt
 Chapter 8l – Pronouns
The Ten Most Frequent Interrogatives

ֲ‫ה‬ prefixed to the first word of a question (664)

‫מָה‬ what? also spelled ‫ מַה‬and ‫( מֶה‬571)

‫מִי‬ who? (424)

‫מָּה‬.ָ‫ל‬ why? also spelled ‫( לָמָה‬178)

ַ‫וּע‬. ‫מַדּ‬ why? (72)

‫אֵיְך‬ how? (61)

‫אַיֵּה‬ where? (52)

‫מָתַי‬ when? (43)

‫נָה‬.ָ‫א‬ where? ‫נָה‬.ָ‫ עַד–א‬how long? (42)

‫אֵי‬ where? (33)

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© Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt