How to say it in Hebrew
Tip #24

I am often asked ...

...how to say "each other" - and it's exactly what I promised to tell you in the last newsletter! It will be the last (and most fascinating, I think!) chapter in our long investigation of the word "other" and how to say it in Hebrew.

"Each other"
First, there is no "each" and no "other." :) Well, we are seasoned Hebrew-learners already, we are not surprised, are we? ;)

So, what is there instead? Surprisingly, "one" and... no, not "two"! It's "one" and "second"! Not "one and two" and not "first and second", but mixed! "One and second"! :D

For example:
"It was so dark, that it was difficult to see each other" - הָיָה כָּל כָּךְ חָשׁוּךְ שֶׁהָיָה קָשֶׁה לִרְאוֹת אֶחָד אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי
Or
"It's good when people understand each other" - טוֹב כְּשֶׁאֲנָשִׁים מְבִינִים אֶחָד אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי
But that's not all there is to it! In the examples above the most "default" preposition את was used. However, sometimes when we use "each" and 'other" we need another preposition, like in "to agree with each other", for example*. Then, we must change the pattern and insert the preposition we need between the "one" and the "other" - - לְהַסְכִּים אֶחָד עִם הַשֵּׁנִי

You may say here - but how do I know which preposition goes there? It seems to be totally random! Let see...

* Mark the placement of this preposition! It goes between the two words!
(If we rewrite it literally it's not that strange, actually - "to agree one with the second" :) )
"TO each other?"
It's not that random if you notice one thing - preposition follow a verb. And certain verbs like certain prepositions.

And here we are facing one of the big challenges of the Hebrew-learners.
Because sometimes the Hebrew prepositions are just like in English, and sometimes they are completely different!

Like in "to help a friend" - לַעֲזֹר לֶחָבֵר
There is no preposition in English after the verb "help", but in Hebrew there is! It's as if we were saying "to help TO someone!"
So, in combination with "each other" - how do we say "help each other," then? It must be "help TO each other"! לַעֲזֹר אֶחָד לַשֵּׁנִי!

Another example - in English "to talk TO each other" in Hebrew would be "to talk WITH each other." So, it sounds like - לְדָבָר אֶחָד עִם הַשֵּׁנִי!

To sum up - two points today!
ONE - we do not see "each other" - we see "one the second" :)
TWO - be careful with Hebrew prepositions! They are not always like in English!
And an advice - I hope these explanations help you understand "what's going on," but don't worry if you don't remember them afterwards! These things are acquired gradually, with constant exposure to the language. What I mean is - we learn not only by consciously "learning," the more we hear a certain patter the more natural it becomes! As the great polyglot Steve Kaufmann said - "we are not learning the languages, we are getting used to them". :)

And that's it for this week! :)
Happy Hebrew-learning!

Alisa
Tip #24
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