Modern Hebrew: An Essential Grammar

Level TwoPast , , , , , , , , PresentFutureInfinitive , , , . . . , , , h"rootsRoots whose second and third consonants are identical are traditionallycalled " (ayin-ayin) roots, since the middle letter (represented by ‘ayin’)is repeated as the third letter. These roots can on occasion cause specialdifficulties: one of the repeated consonants can drop, triggering changesfrom the normal verb and noun patterns.The HIF’IL of a few " roots favors the vowel -e-. It has -e-e- (not -i-i-)in both the present and past tense; and -a-e- (not -a-i-) in the future andinfinitive: ‘defend’PastPresentFutureInfinitive and likewise ‘alleviate’, ‘dare’, ‘commence’.In place of the normal PI’EL, PU’AL and HITPA’EL, these rootssometimes use the forms PO’EL, PO’AL and HITPO’EL. See 59.57 HIF’IL verbs with two-consonant stems: ñÌ×Ñí ,þÌk Ìí102Several HIF’IL verbs have two consonants showing in their base ratherthan three. They are of two types, the ‘recognize’ type and the ‘contain’ type. Disregarding the HIF’IL prefix , we have here theconsonants -and -.