What does "to think" mean in Hebrew?
The everyday Hebrew verb for "to think" is לחשוב (lakhshov). It belongs to the simplest verb pattern, pa'al (פָּעַל), and is built on the three-letter root ח־ש־ב (kh-sh-v). The form you will hear most is the present tense: אני חושב (ani khoshev), "I think," said by a man, and אני חושבת (ani khoshevet), "I think," said by a woman.
Like English "think," לחשוב does several jobs, and each has its own partner word:
- Think that… (an opinion): חושב ש־ (khoshev she-), with ש־ ("that") written joined to the next word: אני חושב שהוא צודק (ani khoshev she-hu tsodek), "I think he's right." Hebrew never drops the ש־, although English often drops "that." - Think about, think of (a person, a thing, a plan): חושב על (khoshev al): חשבתי עליך (khashavti alekha), "I thought about you"; מה אתה חושב על הסרט? (ma ata khoshev al ha-seret?), "What do you think of the film?" - Think of doing (an intention): חושב + infinitive: הוא חשב לנסוע לאילת (hu khashav linso'a le-Eilat), "he was thinking of going to Eilat."
The root is very old and very productive. In the Bible, חָשַׁב often means "to plan, to reckon, to count," and that sense of calculating is still alive in its relatives: חשבון (kheshbon), "a bill, an account"; לחשב (lekhashev), "to calculate"; and מחשב (makhshev), "a computer," literally "a device for reckoning." From the same root come מחשבה (makhshava), "a thought," and the adjective חשוב (khashuv), "important": something worth thinking about. The root has relatives in other Semitic languages, such as Arabic حَسَبَ (ḥasaba), "to reckon, to count."
A note on spelling. The root letters are ח (ḥet), ש (shin) and ב (bet). In modern writing without vowel points, a vav is added to show the o-vowel: לחשוב, חושב. The ב is read v everywhere in this verb, because it never takes a dot here.
- לחשוב (lakhshov) = "to think"; present חושב / חושבת / חושבים / חושבות (khoshev / khoshevet / khoshvim / khoshvot) - חושב ש־ = "think that…"; the ש־ is never left out - חושב על = "think about, think of" - חושב + infinitive = "be thinking of doing" - מה אתה חושב? / מה את חושבת? = "What do you think?" (to a man / to a woman) - The same root gives מחשבה ("thought"), חשוב ("important"), חשבון ("bill") and מחשב ("computer") - Stress: lakh-SHOV, kho-SHEV, kha-SHAV-tee
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53.1a אני I חושב think
53.1b ani (a-NEE) I khoshev (kho-SHEV) think-PRES.M.SG
53.2a מה what את you חושבת think
53.2b ma (MA) what at (AT) you-F.SG khoshevet (kho-SHE-vet) think-PRES.F.SG
53.3a חשבתי I-thought עליך about-you
53.3b khashavti (kha-SHAV-tee) thought-PAST.1SG alekha (a-LE-kha) about-you-M.SG
53.4a תחשוב you-will-think על about זה this
53.4b takhshov (takh-SHOV) think-FUT.2M.SG al (AL) about ze (ZE) this-M.SG
53.5a חשבנו we-thought שאתם that-you בבית at-home
53.5b khashavnu (kha-SHAV-nu) thought-PAST.1PL she-atem (she-a-TEM) that-you-M.PL ba-bayit (ba-BA-yit) in-the-house-M.SG
53.6a אני I חושב think שהאוטובוס that-the-bus כבר already יצא left
53.6b ani (a-NEE) I khoshev (kho-SHEV) think-PRES.M.SG she-ha-otobus (she-ha-O-to-boos) that-the-bus-M.SG kvar (KVAR) already yatsa (ya-TSA) left-PAST.3M.SG
53.7a היא she חושבת thinks על about העבודה the-job החדשה the-new כל all הלילה the-night
53.7b hi (HEE) she khoshevet (kho-SHE-vet) think-PRES.F.SG al (AL) about ha-avoda (ha-a-vo-DA) the-work-F.SG ha-khadasha (ha-kha-da-SHA) the-new-F.SG kol (KOL) all ha-layla (ha-LAI-la) the-night-M.SG
53.8a מה what אתם you חושבים think על about הסרט the-film
53.8b ma (MA) what atem (a-TEM) you-M.PL khoshvim (khosh-VEEM) think-PRES.M.PL al (AL) about ha-seret (ha-SE-ret) the-film-M.SG
53.9a אל don't תחשבו you-will-think שזה that-this קל easy
53.9b al (AL) not-NEG.IMP takhshevu (takh-she-VU) think-FUT.2PL she-ze (she-ZE) that-this-M.SG kal (KAL) easy-M.SG
53.10a הוא he חשב thought לנסוע to-travel לאילת to-Eilat בסוף at-end-of השבוע the-week
53.10b hu (HOO) he khashav (kha-SHAV) thought-PAST.3M.SG linso'a (lin-SO-a) to-travel-INF le-Eilat (le-ei-LAT) to-Eilat be-sof (be-SOF) at-end-CONSTR ha-shavu'a (ha-sha-VU-a) the-week-M.SG
53.11a אף not-even פעם once לא not חשבתי I-thought שאגור that-I-will-live בירושלים in-Jerusalem
53.11b af (AF) not-even pa'am (PA-am) time-F.SG lo (LO) not khashavti (kha-SHAV-tee) thought-PAST.1SG she-agur (she-a-GOOR) that-live-FUT.1SG bi-Yerushalayim (bi-ye-ru-sha-LA-yim) in-Jerusalem
53.12a הם they חושבים think שהדירה that-the-flat יקרה expensive מדי too ולכן and-therefore לא not יקנו they-will-buy אותה it
53.12b hem (HEM) they-M khoshvim (khosh-VEEM) think-PRES.M.PL she-ha-dira (she-ha-dee-RA) that-the-flat-F.SG yekara (ye-ka-RA) expensive-F.SG midai (mi-DAI) too ve-lakhen (ve-la-KHEN) and-therefore lo (LO) not yiknu (yik-NU) buy-FUT.3PL ota (o-TA) it-F.SG.ACC
53.13a כדאי it-is-worth לחשוב to-think פעמיים twice לפני before שאומרים that-one-says משהו something כזה like-this
53.13b kedai (ke-DAI) worthwhile lakhshov (lakh-SHOV) to-think-INF pa'amayim (pa-a-MA-yim) time-DUAL lifnei (lif-NEI) before she-omrim (she-om-REEM) that-say-PRES.M.PL mashehu (MA-she-hu) something kaze (ka-ZE) like-this-M.SG
53.14a המורה the-teacher ביקשה asked מאיתנו from-us לחשוב to-think על about שאלה question אחת one ולכתוב and-to-write עליה about-it בבית at-home
53.14b ha-mora (ha-mo-RA) the-teacher-F.SG bikesha (bi-ke-SHA) asked-PAST.3F.SG me-itanu (me-ee-TA-nu) from-us lakhshov (lakh-SHOV) to-think-INF al (AL) about she'ela (she-e-LA) question-F.SG akhat (a-KHAT) one-F ve-likhtov (ve-likh-TOV) and-to-write-INF aleha (a-LE-ha) about-it-F.SG ba-bayit (ba-BA-yit) in-the-house-M.SG
53.15a כולם everyone חשבו thought שהוא that-he ישכח will-forget אבל but הוא he זכר remembered את ACC יום day-of ההולדת the-birth שלי my
53.15b kulam (ku-LAM) all-of-them khashvu (khash-VU) thought-PAST.3PL she-hu (she-HOO) that-he yishkakh (yish-KAKH) forget-FUT.3M.SG aval (a-VAL) but hu (HOO) he zakhar (za-KHAR) remembered-PAST.3M.SG et (ET) ACC yom (YOM) day-CONSTR ha-huledet (ha-hu-LE-det) the-birth-F.SG sheli (she-LEE) my
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53.1 אני חושב — ani khoshev — "I think."
53.2 מה את חושבת? — ma at khoshevet? — "What do you think?" (to a woman)
53.3 חשבתי עליך — khashavti alekha — "I thought about you." (to a man)
53.4 תחשוב על זה — takhshov al ze — "Think about it."
53.5 חשבנו שאתם בבית — khashavnu she-atem ba-bayit — "We thought you were at home."
53.6 אני חושב שהאוטובוס כבר יצא — ani khoshev she-ha-otobus kvar yatsa — "I think the bus has already left."
53.7 היא חושבת על העבודה החדשה כל הלילה — hi khoshevet al ha-avoda ha-khadasha kol ha-layla — "She thinks about the new job all night long."
53.8 מה אתם חושבים על הסרט? — ma atem khoshvim al ha-seret? — "What do you think of the film?"
53.9 אל תחשבו שזה קל — al takhshevu she-ze kal — "Don't think it's easy."
53.10 הוא חשב לנסוע לאילת בסוף השבוע — hu khashav linso'a le-Eilat be-sof ha-shavu'a — "He was thinking of going to Eilat at the weekend."
53.11 אף פעם לא חשבתי שאגור בירושלים — af pa'am lo khashavti she-agur bi-Yerushalayim — "I never thought I would live in Jerusalem."
53.12 הם חושבים שהדירה יקרה מדי, ולכן לא יקנו אותה — hem khoshvim she-ha-dira yekara midai, ve-lakhen lo yiknu ota — "They think the flat is too expensive, so they won't buy it."
53.13 כדאי לחשוב פעמיים לפני שאומרים משהו כזה — kedai lakhshov pa'amayim lifnei she-omrim mashehu kaze — "It's worth thinking twice before you say something like that."
53.14 המורה ביקשה מאיתנו לחשוב על שאלה אחת ולכתוב עליה בבית — ha-mora bikesha me-itanu lakhshov al she'ela akhat ve-likhtov aleha ba-bayit — "The teacher asked us to think about one question and write about it at home."
53.15 כולם חשבו שהוא ישכח, אבל הוא זכר את יום ההולדת שלי — kulam khashvu she-hu yishkakh, aval hu zakhar et yom ha-huledet sheli — "Everyone thought he would forget, but he remembered my birthday."
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53.1 אני חושב
53.2 מה את חושבת?
53.3 חשבתי עליך
53.4 תחשוב על זה
53.5 חשבנו שאתם בבית
53.6 אני חושב שהאוטובוס כבר יצא
53.7 היא חושבת על העבודה החדשה כל הלילה
53.8 מה אתם חושבים על הסרט?
53.9 אל תחשבו שזה קל
53.10 הוא חשב לנסוע לאילת בסוף השבוע
53.11 אף פעם לא חשבתי שאגור בירושלים
53.12 הם חושבים שהדירה יקרה מדי, ולכן לא יקנו אותה
53.13 כדאי לחשוב פעמיים לפני שאומרים משהו כזה
53.14 המורה ביקשה מאיתנו לחשוב על שאלה אחת ולכתוב עליה בבית
53.15 כולם חשבו שהוא ישכח, אבל הוא זכר את יום ההולדת שלי
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1. What kind of verb it is. לחשוב is a pa'al verb (בניין פעל, binyan pa'al), root ח־ש־ב. Its first root letter, ח, is a guttural, and this changes the vowels of the future: the prefix takes a, not i. Compare לכתוב, "to write": תכתוב (tikhtov), but תחשוב (takhshov).
2. The present tense. Four forms, by gender and number. The present also serves for "I am thinking":
- חושב (khoshev) — masculine singular: אני חושב (53.1) - חושבת (khoshevet) — feminine singular: מה את חושבת? (53.2) - חושבים (khoshvim) — masculine plural: מה אתם חושבים? (53.8) - חושבות (khoshvot) — feminine plural: הן חושבות (hen khoshvot), "they (women) think"
3. The past tense.
- חשבתי (khashavti) — I thought (53.3, 53.11) - חשבת (khashavta) — you thought, to a man - חשבת (khashavt) — you thought, to a woman - חשב (khashav) — he thought (53.10) - חשבה (khashva) — she thought - חשבנו (khashavnu) — we thought (53.5) - חשבתם (khashavtem) — you thought, plural (also חשבתן, khashavten, to women only) - חשבו (khashvu) — they thought (53.15)
4. The future tense.
- אחשוב (ekhshov) — I will think. In everyday speech you will also hear akhshov. - תחשוב (takhshov) — you will think, to a man (53.4); also "she will think" - תחשבי (takhshevi) — you will think, to a woman - יחשוב (yakhshov) — he will think - נחשוב (nakhshov) — we will think - תחשבו (takhshevu) — you will think, plural (53.9) - יחשבו (yakhshevu) — they will think
5. Commands. The dictionary imperative is חשוב (khashov, to a man), חשבי (khishvi, to a woman), חשבו (khishvu, to a group). In everyday speech Israelis nearly always use the future instead: תחשוב על זה (53.4), "think about it." A prohibition is always אל + future: אל תחשבו שזה קל (53.9), "don't think it's easy." Never use אל with the imperative form.
6. The infinitive. לחשוב (lakhshov), after verbs and expressions such as כדאי ("it's worth"), צריך ("need to") and ביקש ("asked"): כדאי לחשוב פעמיים (53.13); ביקשה מאיתנו לחשוב (53.14).
7. The three constructions.
- חושב ש־ + clause = "think that": אני חושב שהאוטובוס כבר יצא (53.6); הם חושבים שהדירה יקרה מדי (53.12). The tense inside the ש־ clause is the tense of the event itself, not shifted back as in English: חשבנו שאתם בבית (53.5), literally "we thought that you are at home"; כולם חשבו שהוא ישכח (53.15), literally "everyone thought that he will forget." - חושב על + noun or pronoun = "think about": חשבתי עליך (53.3), היא חושבת על העבודה (53.7). The preposition על takes the pronoun endings: עליי (alai), עליך (alekha / alayikh), עליו (alav), עליה (aleha), עלינו (aleinu), עליכם (aleikhem), עליהם (aleihem). - חושב + infinitive = "be thinking of doing, intend": הוא חשב לנסוע לאילת (53.10).
8. "I think so" and "I don't think so." "I think so" is אני חושב שכן (ani khoshev she-ken), literally "I think that yes." "I don't think so" is אני לא חושב (ani lo khoshev), or אני חושב שלא (ani khoshev she-lo), "I think that no." As in English, the negative usually goes on the thinking verb: אני לא חושב שהוא יבוא (ani lo khoshev she-hu yavo), "I don't think he'll come."
9. Other verbs from the same root. The root ח־ש־ב appears in several binyanim:
- לחשב (lekhashev), pi'el — "to calculate": לחשב את המחיר (lekhashev et ha-mekhir), "to calculate the price" - להיחשב (lehekhashev), nif'al — "to be considered": הוא נחשב לסופר חשוב (hu nekhshav le-sofer khashuv), "he is considered an important writer" - להתחשב ב־ (lehitkhashev be-), hitpa'el — "to take into account, to be considerate of": תתחשב באחרים (titkhashev ba-akherim), "be considerate of others"
- Dropping ש־. English says "I think he's right." Hebrew must say אני חושב שהוא צודק. Without ש־ the sentence is broken. - The wrong preposition. "Think about" and "think of" are both חושב על. Do not translate "of" as של: "What do you think of the film?" is מה אתה חושב על הסרט?, never מה אתה חושב של הסרט. - Shifting the tense back. "We thought you were at home" is חשבנו שאתם בבית, not חשבנו שהייתם בבית, which is normally understood as "we thought you had been at home" (earlier). - חשוב and חשוב. Unpointed, the same four letters spell חֲשׁוֹב (khashov), "think!", and חָשׁוּב (khashuv), "important." Context decides: זה חשוב is "it's important." - לחשוב and לחשב. לחשוב (lakhshov) is "to think"; לחשב (lekhashev) is "to calculate." The difference is one vav in writing and the whole vowel pattern in speech.
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חושב is one of the commonest verbs in Hebrew conversation, and אני חושב ש… is the neutral way to give an opinion in any register. Israelis also soften opinions in other ways, and a learner will hear these constantly:
- נראה לי (nir'e li) — "it seems to me, I think," very common in speech: נראה לי שירד גשם (nir'e li she-yered geshem), "I think it's going to rain" - לא נראה לי (lo nir'e li) — "I don't think so," often a polite "no" - לדעתי (le-da'ati) — "in my opinion," more deliberate - מה דעתך? (ma da'atkha? / ma da'atekh?) — "what's your opinion?", a more formal "what do you think?"
Descartes' Cogito ergo sum is known in Hebrew as אני חושב, משמע אני קיים (ani khoshev, mashma ani kayam). The word משמע (mashma), "that is to say, it follows," is a formal word meaning "it follows."
Few roots are as busy as ח־ש־ב. At the end of a meal in a café, Israelis ask for the bill with חשבון, בבקשה (kheshbon, bevakasha). A bank account is also a חשבון. The computer on the desk is a מחשב, a "reckoner," and a thought is a מחשבה (makhshava). In the weeks before Yom Kippur, people speak of חשבון נפש (kheshbon nefesh), literally "an account of the soul": taking stock of one's own conduct over the past year.
- אני חושב שכן (ani khoshev she-ken) — "I think so" - חשבתי לעצמי (khashavti le-atsmi) — "I thought to myself" - לחשוב פעמיים (lakhshov pa'amayim) — "to think twice" (53.13) - לחשוב מחוץ לקופסה (lakhshov mi-khuts la-kufsa) — "to think outside the box" - תחשוב חיובי (takhshov khiyuvi) — "think positive" - לקחת בחשבון (lakakhat ba-kheshbon) — "to take into account," literally "to take into the reckoning"
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The citation is from the Book of Genesis, 50:19–20. After the death of Jacob, Joseph's brothers fear that he will now take revenge for selling him into slavery. Joseph answers them in two verses, and the second turns on the verb חָשַׁב, used twice: the brothers "thought" evil, God "thought" it for good. The text follows the Masoretic text as printed by Mechon Mamre, checked against the Miqra according to the Masorah edition on Sefaria; the cantillation marks are omitted.
F.1a וַיֹּאמֶר and-said אֲלֵהֶם to-them יוֹסֵף Joseph
F.1b va-yomer (va-YO-mer) and-said-3M.SG alehem (a-le-HEM) to-them-M.PL Yosef (yo-SEF) Joseph
F.2a אַל do-not תִּירָאוּ fear כִּי for הֲתַחַת in-the-place-of? אֱלֹהִים God אָנִי I
F.2b al (AL) not-NEG.IMP tira'u (tee-ra-OO) fear-FUT.2M.PL ki (KEE) for ha-takhat (ha-TA-khat) Q-in-place-of Elohim (e-lo-HEEM) God ani (a-NEE) I
F.3a וְאַתֶּם and-you חֲשַׁבְתֶּם you-thought עָלַי against-me רָעָה evil
F.3b ve-atem (ve-a-TEM) and-you-M.PL khashavtem (kha-shav-TEM) thought-PAST.2M.PL alay (a-LAI) against-me ra'a (ra-A) evil-F.SG
F.4a אֱלֹהִים God חֲשָׁבָהּ thought-it לְטֹבָה for-good
F.4b Elohim (e-lo-HEEM) God khashavah (kha-sha-VAH) thought-PAST.3M.SG+it-F le-tova (le-to-VA) for-good-F.SG
F.5a לְמַעַן in-order עֲשֹׂה to-do כַּיּוֹם as-the-day הַזֶּה the-this
F.5b lema'an (le-MA-an) in-order-to aso (a-SO) do-INF.CONSTR ka-yom (ka-YOM) as-the-day-M.SG ha-ze (ha-ZE) the-this-M.SG
F.6a לְהַחֲיֹת to-keep-alive עַם people רָב many
F.6b lehakhayot (le-ha-kha-YOT) to-keep-alive-INF am (AM) people-M.SG rav (RAV) great-M.SG
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף: אַל־תִּירָאוּ, כִּי הֲתַחַת אֱלֹהִים אָנִי? וְאַתֶּם חֲשַׁבְתֶּם עָלַי רָעָה, אֱלֹהִים חֲשָׁבָהּ לְטֹבָה, לְמַעַן עֲשֹׂה כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה, לְהַחֲיֹת עַם־רָב.
va-yomer alehem Yosef: al tira'u, ki ha-takhat Elohim ani? ve-atem khashavtem alay ra'a, Elohim khashavah le-tova, lema'an aso ka-yom ha-ze, lehakhayot am rav.
"And Joseph said to them: 'Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? You thought evil against me; God thought it for good, in order to bring about what is happening this day: to keep many people alive.'"
— Genesis 50:19–20 (translation: Latinum Institute, kept close to the Hebrew)
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף: אַל־תִּירָאוּ, כִּי הֲתַחַת אֱלֹהִים אָנִי? וְאַתֶּם חֲשַׁבְתֶּם עָלַי רָעָה, אֱלֹהִים חֲשָׁבָהּ לְטֹבָה, לְמַעַן עֲשֹׂה כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה, לְהַחֲיֹת עַם־רָב.
Verse 20 is built as a balance. On one side stand the brothers, on the other God, and the same verb serves both: חֲשַׁבְתֶּם ("you thought") and חֲשָׁבָהּ ("he thought it"). What the brothers "thought" was a plan. In biblical Hebrew חָשַׁב often means "to plan, to devise, to reckon," and חָשַׁב רָעָה עַל means "to plan harm against." The verse says that one act had two authors with two intentions.
Grammar notes:
- חֲשַׁבְתֶּם (khashavtem). Past, "you (plural) thought," exactly the form of Modern Hebrew חשבתם (Section D, rule 3). The biblical form and the modern form are the same. - חֲשָׁבָהּ (khashavah). The past חָשַׁב ("he thought") with the object suffix ־ָהּ, "it (feminine)." The "it" is רָעָה ("evil"), a feminine noun: God took the evil the brothers planned and reckoned it for good. The dot in the final ה (mappiq) shows that the h is a real consonant here, not a silent letter. Modern Hebrew rarely joins an object to the verb and would say חשב אותה (khashav ota). - עָלַי (alay). The preposition עַל with the ending "me." After חשב רעה ("plan evil"), עַל here means "against." Modern Hebrew would usually say נגד (neged) for "against," and חושב עליי means "thinks about me." - אַל תִּירָאוּ (al tira'u). "Do not fear": אַל + future, the same rule as Modern Hebrew אל תחשבו (53.9). The prohibition has not changed either. - הֲתַחַת (ha-takhat). The prefix הֲ turns the sentence into a question, and תַּחַת here means "in place of": "Am I in God's place?" Modern Hebrew uses הַאִם (ha-im) for this, or simply the tone of voice. - כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה (ka-yom ha-ze). "As on this day." Its shortened form כיום (ka-yom) is everyday Modern Hebrew for "nowadays, at present."
Joseph's answer closes the long story of Joseph and his brothers, which began in Genesis 37 with a plan to kill him. The brothers' fear in chapter 50 is the fear of people who know what they intended. Joseph does not deny their intention; he names it with the plain verb חָשַׁב. He sets beside it a second intention, larger than theirs. For a learner, the verses show חשב at its oldest: not a passing opinion, but a reckoning. The same sense survives in Genesis 15:6, וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה, "and He counted it to him as righteousness," and it lives on in every חשבון and מחשב of the modern language.
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53.16a דני Dani קיבל received הצעת offer-of עבודה work בחיפה in-Haifa והוא and-he חושב thinks עליה about-it כל all הזמן the-time
53.16b Dani (DA-nee) Dani kibel (ki-BEL) received-PAST.3M.SG hatsa'at (ha-tsa-AT) offer-CONSTR.F.SG avoda (a-vo-DA) work-F.SG be-Kheifa (be-KHEI-fa) in-Haifa ve-hu (ve-HOO) and-he khoshev (kho-SHEV) think-PRES.M.SG aleha (a-LE-ha) about-it-F.SG kol (KOL) all ha-zman (ha-ZMAN) the-time-M.SG
53.17a בבוקר in-the-morning הוא he חושב thinks שכדאי that-it-is-worth לנסוע to-travel
53.17b ba-boker (ba-BO-ker) in-the-morning-M.SG hu (HOO) he khoshev (kho-SHEV) think-PRES.M.SG she-kedai (she-ke-DAI) that-worthwhile linso'a (lin-SO-a) to-travel-INF
53.18a בערב in-the-evening הוא he חושב thinks שעדיף that-it-is-better להישאר to-stay בתל in-Tel אביב Aviv
53.18b ba-erev (ba-E-rev) in-the-evening-M.SG hu (HOO) he khoshev (kho-SHEV) think-PRES.M.SG she-adif (she-a-DEEF) that-preferable lehisha'er (le-hi-sha-ER) to-stay-INF be-Tel (be-TEL) in-Tel Aviv (a-VEEV) Aviv
53.19a הוא he שואל asks את ACC אחותו his-sister מה what את you חושבת think
53.19b hu (HOO) he sho'el (sho-EL) ask-PRES.M.SG et (ET) ACC akhoto (a-kho-TO) sister-F.SG+his ma (MA) what at (AT) you-F.SG khoshevet (kho-SHE-vet) think-PRES.F.SG
53.20a אחותו his-sister עונה answers אני I חושבת think שאתה that-you כבר already יודע know את ACC התשובה the-answer
53.20b akhoto (a-kho-TO) sister-F.SG+his ona (o-NA) answer-PRES.F.SG ani (a-NEE) I khoshevet (kho-SHE-vet) think-PRES.F.SG she-ata (she-a-TA) that-you-M.SG kvar (KVAR) already yode'a (yo-DE-a) know-PRES.M.SG et (ET) ACC ha-tshuva (ha-tshu-VA) the-answer-F.SG
53.21a היא she אומרת says תחשוב you-will-think מה what באמת really חשוב important לך to-you
53.21b hi (HEE) she omeret (o-ME-ret) say-PRES.F.SG takhshov (takh-SHOV) think-FUT.2M.SG ma (MA) what be-emet (be-E-met) in-truth khashuv (kha-SHOOV) important-M.SG lekha (le-KHA) to-you-M.SG
53.22a דני Dani חושב thinks גם also על about ההורים the-parents שלו his שגרים who-live לבד alone
53.22b Dani (DA-nee) Dani khoshev (kho-SHEV) think-PRES.M.SG gam (GAM) also al (AL) about ha-horim (ha-ho-REEM) the-parents-M.PL shelo (she-LO) his she-garim (she-ga-REEM) who-live-PRES.M.PL levad (le-VAD) alone
53.23a אמא mother שלו his אומרת says לו to-him אל don't תחשוב you-will-think עלינו about-us תחשוב you-will-think על about עצמך yourself
53.23b ima (EE-ma) mother shelo (she-LO) his omeret (o-ME-ret) say-PRES.F.SG lo (LO) to-him al (AL) not-NEG.IMP takhshov (takh-SHOV) think-FUT.2M.SG aleinu (a-LEI-nu) about-us takhshov (takh-SHOV) think-FUT.2M.SG al (AL) about atsmekha (ats-me-KHA) self-M.SG+your
53.24a בלילה in-the-night הוא he לא not ישן sleeps הוא he חושב thinks וחושב and-thinks
53.24b ba-layla (ba-LAI-la) in-the-night-M.SG hu (HOO) he lo (LO) not yashen (ya-SHEN) sleep-PRES.M.SG hu (HOO) he khoshev (kho-SHEV) think-PRES.M.SG ve-khoshev (ve-kho-SHEV) and-think-PRES.M.SG
53.25a פתאום suddenly הוא he נזכר remembers במה in-what שחשב that-he-thought כשהיה when-he-was סטודנט student
53.25b pit'om (pit-OM) suddenly hu (HOO) he nizkar (niz-KAR) remember-PRES.M.SG be-ma (be-MA) in-what she-khashav (she-kha-SHAV) that-thought-PAST.3M.SG kshe-haya (kshe-ha-YA) when-was-PAST.3M.SG student (stu-DENT) student-M.SG
53.26a אז then הוא he חשב thought שהוא that-he יגור will-live ליד near הים the-sea
53.26b az (AZ) then hu (HOO) he khashav (kha-SHAV) thought-PAST.3M.SG she-hu (she-HOO) that-he yagur (ya-GOOR) live-FUT.3M.SG leyad (le-YAD) near ha-yam (ha-YAM) the-sea-M.SG
53.27a חשבתי I-thought שאני that-I רוצה want ים sea הוא he אומר says לעצמו to-himself ואולי and-maybe אני I עדיין still רוצה want
53.27b khashavti (kha-SHAV-tee) thought-PAST.1SG she-ani (she-a-NEE) that-I rotse (ro-TSE) want-PRES.M.SG yam (YAM) sea-M.SG hu (HOO) he omer (o-MER) say-PRES.M.SG le-atsmo (le-ats-MO) to-self+his ve-ulai (ve-u-LAI) and-maybe ani (a-NEE) I adayin (a-DA-yin) still rotse (ro-TSE) want-PRES.M.SG
53.28a בבוקר in-the-morning הוא he מתקשר calls לחיפה to-Haifa ואומר and-says חשבתי I-thought על about ההצעה the-offer
53.28b ba-boker (ba-BO-ker) in-the-morning-M.SG hu (HOO) he mitkasher (mit-ka-SHER) call-PRES.M.SG le-Kheifa (le-KHEI-fa) to-Haifa ve-omer (ve-o-MER) and-say-PRES.M.SG khashavti (kha-SHAV-tee) thought-PAST.1SG al (AL) about ha-hatsa'a (ha-ha-tsa-A) the-offer-F.SG
53.29a חשבתי I-thought הרבה a-lot ואני and-I מסכים agree
53.29b khashavti (kha-SHAV-tee) thought-PAST.1SG harbe (har-BE) a-lot va-ani (va-a-NEE) and-I maskim (mas-KEEM) agree-PRES.M.SG
53.30a אחותו his-sister צוחקת laughs ידעתי I-knew אמרתי I-told לך to-you לחשוב to-think לא not לפחד to-fear
53.30b akhoto (a-kho-TO) sister-F.SG+his tsokheket (tso-KHE-ket) laugh-PRES.F.SG yadati (ya-DA-tee) knew-PAST.1SG amarti (a-MAR-tee) said-PAST.1SG lekha (le-KHA) to-you-M.SG lakhshov (lakh-SHOV) to-think-INF lo (LO) not lefakhed (le-fa-KHED) to-fear-INF
53.16 דני קיבל הצעת עבודה בחיפה, והוא חושב עליה כל הזמן — Dani kibel hatsa'at avoda be-Kheifa, ve-hu khoshev aleha kol ha-zman — "Dani has been offered a job in Haifa, and he thinks about it all the time."
53.17 בבוקר הוא חושב שכדאי לנסוע — ba-boker hu khoshev she-kedai linso'a — "In the morning he thinks he should go."
53.18 בערב הוא חושב שעדיף להישאר בתל אביב — ba-erev hu khoshev she-adif lehisha'er be-Tel Aviv — "In the evening he thinks it would be better to stay in Tel Aviv."
53.19 הוא שואל את אחותו: "מה את חושבת?" — hu sho'el et akhoto: "ma at khoshevet?" — "He asks his sister: 'What do you think?'"
53.20 אחותו עונה: "אני חושבת שאתה כבר יודע את התשובה" — akhoto ona: "ani khoshevet she-ata kvar yode'a et ha-tshuva" — "His sister answers: 'I think you already know the answer.'"
53.21 היא אומרת: "תחשוב מה באמת חשוב לך" — hi omeret: "takhshov ma be-emet khashuv lekha" — "She says: 'Think about what really matters to you.'"
53.22 דני חושב גם על ההורים שלו, שגרים לבד — Dani khoshev gam al ha-horim shelo, she-garim levad — "Dani also thinks about his parents, who live on their own."
53.23 אמא שלו אומרת לו: "אל תחשוב עלינו. תחשוב על עצמך" — ima shelo omeret lo: "al takhshov aleinu. takhshov al atsmekha" — "His mother tells him: 'Don't think about us. Think about yourself.'"
53.24 בלילה הוא לא ישן. הוא חושב וחושב — ba-layla hu lo yashen. hu khoshev ve-khoshev — "At night he doesn't sleep. He thinks and thinks."
53.25 פתאום הוא נזכר במה שחשב כשהיה סטודנט — pit'om hu nizkar be-ma she-khashav kshe-haya student — "Suddenly he remembers what he used to think when he was a student."
53.26 אז הוא חשב שהוא יגור ליד הים — az hu khashav she-hu yagur leyad ha-yam — "Back then he thought he would live by the sea."
53.27 "חשבתי שאני רוצה ים," הוא אומר לעצמו, "ואולי אני עדיין רוצה" — "khashavti she-ani rotse yam," hu omer le-atsmo, "ve-ulai ani adayin rotse" — "'I thought I wanted the sea,' he says to himself, 'and maybe I still do.'"
53.28 בבוקר הוא מתקשר לחיפה ואומר: "חשבתי על ההצעה" — ba-boker hu mitkasher le-Kheifa ve-omer: "khashavti al ha-hatsa'a" — "In the morning he calls Haifa and says: 'I've thought about the offer.'"
53.29 "חשבתי הרבה, ואני מסכים" — "khashavti harbe, va-ani maskim" — "'I've thought about it a lot, and I accept.'"
53.30 אחותו צוחקת: "ידעתי. אמרתי לך לחשוב, לא לפחד" — akhoto tsokheket: "yadati. amarti lekha lakhshov, lo lefakhed" — "His sister laughs: 'I knew it. I told you to think, not to be afraid.'"
53.16 דני קיבל הצעת עבודה בחיפה, והוא חושב עליה כל הזמן
53.17 בבוקר הוא חושב שכדאי לנסוע
53.18 בערב הוא חושב שעדיף להישאר בתל אביב
53.19 הוא שואל את אחותו: "מה את חושבת?"
53.20 אחותו עונה: "אני חושבת שאתה כבר יודע את התשובה"
53.21 היא אומרת: "תחשוב מה באמת חשוב לך"
53.22 דני חושב גם על ההורים שלו, שגרים לבד
53.23 אמא שלו אומרת לו: "אל תחשוב עלינו. תחשוב על עצמך"
53.24 בלילה הוא לא ישן. הוא חושב וחושב
53.25 פתאום הוא נזכר במה שחשב כשהיה סטודנט
53.26 אז הוא חשב שהוא יגור ליד הים
53.27 "חשבתי שאני רוצה ים," הוא אומר לעצמו, "ואולי אני עדיין רוצה"
53.28 בבוקר הוא מתקשר לחיפה ואומר: "חשבתי על ההצעה"
53.29 "חשבתי הרבה, ואני מסכים"
53.30 אחותו צוחקת: "ידעתי. אמרתי לך לחשוב, לא לפחד"
- The present and the past. The story is told in the present (חושב, שואל, עונה), as Hebrew stories often are. The past appears when Dani remembers (שחשב, 53.25; חשב, 53.26) and when he reports his own thinking (חשבתי, 53.27–53.29). - All three constructions. חושב ש־ (in any tense): 53.17, 53.18, 53.20, 53.26. חושב על: 53.16, 53.22, 53.23, 53.28. The infinitive לחשוב after a verb: אמרתי לך לחשוב (53.30). - Tense inside ש־. אז הוא חשב שהוא יגור ליד הים (53.26): literally "then he thought that he will live by the sea." Hebrew keeps the future of the original thought; English shifts it to "would." The same in 53.27: חשבתי שאני רוצה, "I thought I wanted," literally "I thought that I want." - תחשוב מה באמת חשוב לך (53.21). The command form and the adjective "important" side by side: takhshov… khashuv. Both come from the root ח־ש־ב. - The future as a command. תחשוב (53.21, 53.23) is the everyday "think!"; אל תחשוב (53.23) is "don't think." See Section D, rule 5. - חושב וחושב (53.24). Repeating the verb shows that an action goes on and on, as English "he thinks and thinks." - עליה, עלינו. על takes pronoun endings: עליה (aleha, "about it," referring to the feminine הצעה, "offer"), עלינו (aleinu, "about us"). - ואני (va-ani, 53.29). Before a word beginning with אֲ, the "and" prefix is often said va- rather than ve-.
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- IPA: /laχˈʃov/, stress on the last syllable: lakh-SHOV - ח (ḥet) = /χ/ for most Israelis, like the ch in Scottish loch. Some speakers keep the older throat sound /ħ/. - ש (shin) = /ʃ/, as in English shoe. - ב without a dot (vet) = /v/. In this verb it is always v: khoshev, never khosheb.
- חושב (khoshev) /χoˈʃev/ — kho-SHEV - חושבת (khoshevet) /χoˈʃevet/ — kho-SHE-vet - חושבים (khoshvim) /χoʃˈvim/ — khosh-VEEM: the middle e drops out when an ending is added - חשבתי (khashavti) /χaˈʃavti/ — kha-SHAV-tee - חשבו (khashvu) /χaʃˈvu/ — khash-VU. In fast speech many Israelis say KHASH-vu. - תחשוב (takhshov) /taχˈʃov/ — takh-SHOV - אחשוב (ekhshov) /eχˈʃov/ — ekh-SHOV; in everyday speech often akh-SHOV - חשוב, "important" (khashuv) /χaˈʃuv/ — kha-SHOOV, not to be confused with khashov, "think!" - מחשבה (makhshava) /maχʃaˈva/ — makh-sha-VA - מחשב (makhshev) /maχˈʃev/ — makh-SHEV
- כ without a dot (khaf) in לכתוב, ולכן, זכר: also /χ/, the same sound as ח. - ר (resh) in ירושלים, דירה, סרט: a uvular /ʁ/, made at the back of the throat, close to French r. - צ (tsadi) in ההצעה, צוחקת: /ts/, as in English cats. - ע and א between vowels in שאלה (she'ela), פעמיים (pa'amayim), יודע (yode'a): a light break between the vowels, marked ' in the transliteration. - The mappiq in חֲשָׁבָהּ (Section F): the dot in the final ה means the h is pronounced, khashavah. Without the dot, a final ה is silent.
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