How to say it in Hebrew
Tip #12
Tip #12
I am often asked...
Last time I promised to tell you more about how a preposition can change the meaning of a verb, didn't I? So - here we go!
Last time I promised to tell you more about how a preposition can change the meaning of a verb, didn't I? So - here we go!
The champion of this transformation is... the verb לקרוא!
You would probably ask - what's so special about it?
"לקרוא ספר" - "To read a book"
There is even no preposition there - nothing to talk about!
Well, yes, but what if you want to say "To read the messages"? Then, you have to use a preposition (or - particle, if you like)
"לקרוא את ההודעות"
Then, with (or without) "את" it means "TO READ."
But if...
"לקרוא ספר" - "To read a book"
There is even no preposition there - nothing to talk about!
Well, yes, but what if you want to say "To read the messages"? Then, you have to use a preposition (or - particle, if you like)
"לקרוא את ההודעות"
Then, with (or without) "את" it means "TO READ."
But if...
But if we say "קוראים לי דני"...
....then we do not say that "someone 'reads' me Dani," right? It would make no sense! We mean "my name is Dani"!
But why do we use the word "קוראים", then? The answer is simple - because what we actually say is "(they) call me Dani"! (omitting the word "they.")
How did "read" turn into "call"?!Well, if we think about it, "reading", if we read out loud, is not that different from "calling," like "calling out sounds"! :) But - there is one significant difference!
If we say "he calls his aunt 'coach potato'' we say
"הוא קורא לדודה שלו 'בטטת קורסה'", which actually means -
"he calls to his aunt 'coach potato' "
Without this tiny "le-" it would mean that "he reads his aunt" - and totally wouldn't make sense. :)
Another example: - 'אני קורא לו 'חבר - I call (TO) him a friend.
But why do we use the word "קוראים", then? The answer is simple - because what we actually say is "(they) call me Dani"! (omitting the word "they.")
How did "read" turn into "call"?!Well, if we think about it, "reading", if we read out loud, is not that different from "calling," like "calling out sounds"! :) But - there is one significant difference!
If we say "he calls his aunt 'coach potato'' we say
"הוא קורא לדודה שלו 'בטטת קורסה'", which actually means -
"he calls to his aunt 'coach potato' "
Without this tiny "le-" it would mean that "he reads his aunt" - and totally wouldn't make sense. :)
Another example: - 'אני קורא לו 'חבר - I call (TO) him a friend.
Another one worth mentioning here is - the verb לחזור!
"לחזור לכיתה," for example, means -
"to return to the class", "to be backto the class."
But when, during this class, the teacher asks you:
חזרתם על המילים החדשות?
She is not talking about returning, what she is asking is:
"Did you repeat the new words?"
So here, again, the difference is only in the preposition!
"to return to the class", "to be backto the class."
But when, during this class, the teacher asks you:
חזרתם על המילים החדשות?
She is not talking about returning, what she is asking is:
"Did you repeat the new words?"
So here, again, the difference is only in the preposition!
Hope my newsletter came on time and answered the question you always wanted to ask, but somehow never did! :)
That's it for this week!
Hope you are enjoying the newsletter,
Happy Hebrew-learning!
Alisa
That's it for this week!
Hope you are enjoying the newsletter,
Happy Hebrew-learning!
Alisa
Tip #12
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