הָלַךְ (halach) / לָלֶכֶת (lalechet) - “To Go”
The Hebrew verb לָלֶכֶת (lalechet, “to go”) is one of the most fundamental motion verbs in Modern Hebrew, derived from the ancient trilateral root ה-ל-ך (h-l-kh). This verb appears in the Pa’al binyan (the basic active voice conjugation pattern) and serves as a cornerstone of Hebrew expression, used for physical movement, metaphorical progression, and even philosophical concepts of “walking” through life.
Unlike English, Hebrew verbs conjugate by modifying the root consonants with different vowel patterns and adding suffixes/prefixes to indicate tense, person, gender, and number. The root ה-ל-ך exemplifies a common feature of Hebrew: the first root letter (ה, he) is a guttural that often drops out or changes in conjugated forms, making this a “weak” or “irregular” root that learners must master early.
In these 15 examples, you’ll encounter הָלַךְ in various tenses and contexts—from simple present-tense descriptions (הוֹלֵךְ/holech “goes/going”) to past-tense narratives (הָלַךְ/halach “went”) and future forms (יֵלֵךְ/yelech “will go”). The verb appears in everyday situations: going to school, going home, going shopping, and in more abstract uses like “going forward” or “the way things go.”
The construed text format allows you to see how Hebrew sentence structure differs from English. Hebrew typically follows a Subject-Verb-Object pattern (like English), but word order can be flexible for emphasis. You’ll notice that Hebrew uses prepositions like לְ (le-, “to”) before destinations, and that the definite article הַ (ha-, “the”) attaches directly to nouns.
Link to course index:
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FAQ Schema: What does “go” mean in Modern Hebrew? In Modern Hebrew, “go” is expressed by the verb לָלֶכֶת (lalechet) from the root ה-ל-ך (h-l-kh). The present tense forms are הוֹלֵךְ (holech, masculine), הוֹלֶכֶת (holechet, feminine), הוֹלְכִים (holchim, masculine plural), הוֹלְכוֹת (holchot, feminine plural). The past tense third-person masculine singular is הָלַךְ (halach, “he went”), and the future is יֵלֵךְ (yelech, “he will go”). This verb is used for all manner of movement: walking, traveling, departing, and metaphorically for processes and developments.
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הָלַךְ/לָלֶכֶת is the fundamental Hebrew verb for “go/walk” -
Conjugates in Pa’al binyan with root ה-ל-ך (h-l-kh) -
The initial ה often drops in conjugated forms -
Used literally for physical movement and metaphorically for life’s journey -
Essential for everyday Hebrew communication -
Present participle forms also serve as adjectives (”going,” “walking”) -
Related to הֲלָכָה (halacha), Jewish law—literally “the way to walk”
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30.1a אֲנִי (ani) I הוֹלֵךְ (holech) go-MASC.SING הַבַּיְתָה (habaytah) home-DIR
30.1b ani (ah-NEE) I holech (ho-LECH) go-MASC.SING habaytah (ha-BYE-tah) home-DIR
30.2a הִיא (hi) she הוֹלֶכֶת (holechet) goes-FEM.SING לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר (leveit hasefer) to-school
30.2b hi (hee) she holechet (ho-LEH-chet) goes-FEM.SING leveit (le-VAYT) to-house hasefer (ha-SEH-fer) the-book
30.3a הָיֶלֶד (hayeled) the-boy הָלַךְ (halach) went-PAST.MASC לַשּׁוּק (lashuk) to-the-market
30.3b hayeled (ha-YEH-led) the-boy halach (ha-LACH) went-PAST.MASC lashuk (la-SHOOK) to-the-market
30.4a אֲנַחְנוּ (anachnu) we נֵלֵךְ (nelech) will-go-FUT מָחָר (machar) tomorrow לַיָּם (layam) to-the-sea
30.4b anachnu (ah-NACH-nu) we nelech (NEH-lech) will-go-FUT machar (ma-CHAR) tomorrow layam (la-YAM) to-the-sea
30.5a אַתָּה (atah) you-MASC הוֹלֵךְ (holech) go-PRES לַעֲבוֹדָה (la’avodah) to-the-work כָּל יוֹם (kol yom) every day
30.5b atah (ah-TAH) you-MASC holech (ho-LECH) go-PRES la’avodah (la-ah-vo-DAH) to-the-work kol (kol) every yom (yohm) day
30.6a הֵם (hem) they-MASC הָלְכוּ (halchu) went-PAST.PL לַקּוֹלְנוֹעַ (lakolno’a) to-the-cinema אֶתְמוֹל (etmol) yesterday
30.6b hem (hem) they-MASC halchu (hal-CHOO) went-PAST.PL lakolno’a (la-kol-NO-ah) to-the-cinema etmol (et-MOL) yesterday
30.7a הַיַּלְדָּה (hayaldah) the-girl הוֹלֶכֶת (holechet) goes-FEM.SING לְבַקֵּר (levaker) to-visit אֶת סַבְתָּהּ (et savtah) ACC grandmother-her
30.7b hayaldah (ha-yal-DAH) the-girl holechet (ho-LEH-chet) goes-FEM.SING levaker (le-va-KER) to-visit et (et) ACC savtah (sav-TAH) grandmother-her
30.8a הָלַכְתִּי (halachti) went-I לַחֲנוּת (lachanut) to-the-store לִקְנוֹת (liknot) to-buy לֶחֶם (lechem) bread
30.8b halachti (ha-LACH-ti) went-I lachanut (la-cha-NUT) to-the-store liknot (lik-NOT) to-buy lechem (LEH-chem) bread
30.9a אַתֶּם (atem) you-MASC.PL תֵּלְכוּ (telchu) will-go-FUT.PL אִתָּנוּ (itanu) with-us לַמּוּזֵיאוֹן (lamuze’on) to-the-museum
30.9b atem (ah-TEM) you-MASC.PL telchu (tel-CHOO) will-go-FUT.PL itanu (ee-TA-nu) with-us lamuze’on (la-mu-ze-ON) to-the-museum
30.10a הוּא (hu) he לֹא (lo) not הוֹלֵךְ (holech) goes לִישׁוֹן (lishon) to-sleep מוּקְדָּם (mukdam) early
30.10b hu (hoo) he lo (loh) not holech (ho-LECH) goes lishon (lee-SHON) to-sleep mukdam (muk-DAM) early
30.11a הָלַכְתֶּם (halachtem) went-you-MASC.PL לְטַיֵּל (letayel) to-walk בַּפַּרְק (bapark) in-the-park בַּשַּׁבָּת (bashabbat) on-the-Sabbath
30.11b halachtem (ha-lach-TEM) went-you-MASC.PL letayel (le-ta-YEL) to-walk bapark (ba-PARK) in-the-park bashabbat (ba-sha-BAT) on-the-Sabbath
30.12a הַסְּטוּדֶנְטִים (hastudentim) the-students הוֹלְכִים (holchim) go-MASC.PL לְבִיבְלִיוֹתֵקָה (levivliyoteka) to-the-library לִלְמוֹד (lilmod) to-study
30.12b hastudentim (has-tu-den-TEEM) the-students holchim (hol-CHEEM) go-MASC.PL levivliyoteka (le-viv-li-yo-TE-ka) to-the-library lilmod (lil-MOD) to-study
30.13a אֵיךְ (eich) how אַתְּ (at) you-FEM הוֹלֶכֶת (holechet) go-FEM.SING לָעִיר (la’ir) to-the-city בְּכָל יוֹם (bechol yom) every day
30.13b eich (aych) how at (aht) you-FEM holechet (ho-LEH-chet) go-FEM.SING la’ir (la-EER) to-the-city bechol (be-CHOL) every yom (yohm) day
30.14a נֵלֵךְ (nelech) let’s-go-IMP יַחַד (yachad) together לִרְאוֹת (lir’ot) to-see אֶת הַסֶּרֶט (et haseret) ACC the-movie הֶחָדָשׁ (hechadash) the-new
30.14b nelech (NEH-lech) let’s-go-IMP yachad (YA-chad) together lir’ot (lir-OT) to-see et (et) ACC haseret (ha-SEH-ret) the-movie hechadash (he-cha-DASH) the-new
30.15a הָאִישׁ (ha’ish) the-man הוֹלֵךְ (holech) goes בְּדֶרֶךְ (bederech) on-road אֲרֻכָּה (arukkah) long לִירוּשָׁלַיִם (lirushalayim) to-Jerusalem
30.15b ha’ish (ha-EESH) the-man holech (ho-LECH) goes bederech (be-DEH-rech) on-road arukkah (a-ru-KAH) long lirushalayim (li-ru-sha-LA-yim) to-Jerusalem
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30.1 אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ הַבַּיְתָה ani holech habaytah “I am going home”
30.2 הִיא הוֹלֶכֶת לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר hi holechet leveit hasefer “She goes to school”
30.3 הָיֶלֶד הָלַךְ לַשּׁוּק hayeled halach lashuk “The boy went to the market”
30.4 אֲנַחְנוּ נֵלֵךְ מָחָר לַיָּם anachnu nelech machar layam “We will go to the sea tomorrow”
30.5 אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ לַעֲבוֹדָה כָּל יוֹם atah holech la’avodah kol yom “You go to work every day”
30.6 הֵם הָלְכוּ לַקּוֹלְנוֹעַ אֶתְמוֹל hem halchu lakolno’a etmol “They went to the cinema yesterday”
30.7 הַיַּלְדָּה הוֹלֶכֶת לְבַקֵּר אֶת סַבְתָּהּ hayaldah holechet levaker et savtah “The girl goes to visit her grandmother”
30.8 הָלַכְתִּי לַחֲנוּת לִקְנוֹת לֶחֶם halachti lachanut liknot lechem “I went to the store to buy bread”
30.9 אַתֶּם תֵּלְכוּ אִתָּנוּ לַמּוּזֵיאוֹן atem telchu itanu lamuze’on “You will go with us to the museum”
30.10 הוּא לֹא הוֹלֵךְ לִישׁוֹן מוּקְדָּם hu lo holech lishon mukdam “He doesn’t go to sleep early”
30.11 הָלַכְתֶּם לְטַיֵּל בַּפַּרְק בַּשַּׁבָּת halachtem letayel bapark bashabbat “You (plural) went to walk in the park on the Sabbath”
30.12 הַסְּטוּדֶנְטִים הוֹלְכִים לְבִיבְלִיוֹתֵקָה לִלְמוֹד hastudentim holchim levivliyoteka lilmod “The students go to the library to study”
30.13 אֵיךְ אַתְּ הוֹלֶכֶת לָעִיר בְּכָל יוֹם eich at holechet la’ir bechol yom “How do you (feminine) go to the city every day?”
30.14 נֵלֵךְ יַחַד לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַסֶּרֶט הֶחָדָשׁ nelech yachad lir’ot et haseret hechadash “Let’s go together to see the new movie”
30.15 הָאִישׁ הוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אֲרֻכָּה לִירוּשָׁלַיִם ha’ish holech bederech arukkah lirushalayim “The man is going on a long road to Jerusalem”
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30.1 אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ הַבַּיְתָה ani holech habaytah
30.2 הִיא הוֹלֶכֶת לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר hi holechet leveit hasefer
30.3 הָיֶלֶד הָלַךְ לַשּׁוּק hayeled halach lashuk
30.4 אֲנַחְנוּ נֵלֵךְ מָחָר לַיָּם anachnu nelech machar layam
30.5 אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ לַעֲבוֹדָה כָּל יוֹם atah holech la’avodah kol yom
30.6 הֵם הָלְכוּ לַקּוֹלְנוֹעַ אֶתְמוֹל hem halchu lakolno’a etmol
30.7 הַיַּלְדָּה הוֹלֶכֶת לְבַקֵּר אֶת סַבְתָּהּ hayaldah holechet levaker et savtah
30.8 הָלַכְתִּי לַחֲנוּת לִקְנוֹת לֶחֶם halachti lachanut liknot lechem
30.9 אַתֶּם תֵּלְכוּ אִתָּנוּ לַמּוּזֵיאוֹן atem telchu itanu lamuze’on
30.10 הוּא לֹא הוֹלֵךְ לִישׁוֹן מוּקְדָּם hu lo holech lishon mukdam
30.11 הָלַכְתֶּם לְטַיֵּל בַּפַּרְק בַּשַּׁבָּת halachtem letayel bapark bashabbat
30.12 הַסְּטוּדֶנְטִים הוֹלְכִים לְבִיבְלִיוֹתֵקָה לִלְמוֹד hastudentim holchim levivliyoteka lilmod
30.13 אֵיךְ אַתְּ הוֹלֶכֶת לָעִיר בְּכָל יוֹם eich at holechet la’ir bechol yom
30.14 נֵלֵךְ יַחַד לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַסֶּרֶט הֶחָדָשׁ nelech yachad lir’ot et haseret hechadash
30.15 הָאִישׁ הוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אֲרֻכָּה לִירוּשָׁלַיִם ha’ish holech bederech arukkah lirushalayim
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The Root System
Hebrew verbs are built on trilateral roots (three consonant letters). The root for “go” is ה-ל-ך (h-l-kh). However, this is a “weak root” because the first letter ה (he) is a guttural consonant that often drops out or becomes a vowel in conjugated forms.
The Pa’al Binyan
This verb conjugates in the Pa’al binyan (also called Qal), the simplest and most basic of the seven Hebrew verb patterns. Pa’al expresses simple, active action without causative or reflexive nuances.
Tense and Conjugation
Hebrew has three main tenses:
Present Tense (also functions as present participle): -
Masculine singular: הוֹלֵךְ (holech) - “goes/going” -
Feminine singular: הוֹלֶכֶת (holechet) - “goes/going” -
Masculine plural: הוֹלְכִים (holchim) - “go/going” -
Feminine plural: הוֹלְכוֹת (holchot) - “go/going”
Note: The present tense in Hebrew doesn’t distinguish between “I go” and “I am going”—context determines the meaning. The present forms also serve as adjectives.
Past Tense: First person singular: הָלַכְתִּי (halachti) - “I went” Second person masculine singular: הָלַכְתָּ (halachta) - “you went” Second person feminine singular: הָלַכְתְּ (halacht) - “you went” Third person masculine singular: הָלַךְ (halach) - “he went” Third person feminine singular: הָלְכָה (halcha) - “she went” First person plural: הָלַכְנוּ (halachnu) - “we went” Second person masculine plural: הֲלַכְתֶּם (halachtem) - “you went” Second person feminine plural: הֲלַכְתֶּן (halachten) - “you went” Third person masculine plural: הָלְכוּ (halchu) - “they went” Third person feminine plural: הָלְכוּ (halchu) - “they went”
Future Tense: First person singular: אֵלֵךְ (elech) - “I will go” Second person masculine singular: תֵּלֵךְ (telech) - “you will go” Second person feminine singular: תֵּלְכִי (telchi) - “you will go” Third person masculine singular: יֵלֵךְ (yelech) - “he will go” Third person feminine singular: תֵּלֵךְ (telech) - “she will go” First person plural: נֵלֵךְ (nelech) - “we will go” Second person masculine plural: תֵּלְכוּ (telchu) - “you will go” Second person feminine plural: תֵּלְכוּ / תֵּלַכְנָה (telchu/telachnah) - “you will go” Third person masculine plural: יֵלְכוּ (yelchu) - “they will go” Third person feminine plural: תֵּלַכְנָה (telachnah) - “they will go”
Imperative (Commands): Masculine singular: לֵךְ (lech) - “Go!” Feminine singular: לְכִי (lechi) - “Go!” Masculine plural: לְכוּ (lechu) - “Go!” Feminine plural: לֵכְנָה (lechna) - “Go!”
Infinitive: לָלֶכֶת (lalechet) - “to go”
Prepositions and Direction
Hebrew uses specific prepositions for direction: -
לְ (le-) = “to” (general direction): לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר (leveit hasefer, “to school”) -
...ָה- (-ah ending) = directional “towards”: הַבַּיְתָה (habaytah, “homeward”) -
בְּ (be-) = “in, at, with”: בַּפַּרְק (bapark, “in the park”) -
עִם (im) or אֵת (et) = “with”: אִתָּנוּ (itanu, “with us”)
Direct Object Marker
Hebrew uses אֶת (et) before definite direct objects: -
לְבַקֵּר אֶת סַבְתָּהּ (levaker et savtah) - “to visit her grandmother”
Negation
To negate, use לֹא (lo) before the verb: -
לֹא הוֹלֵךְ (lo holech) - “doesn’t go”
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Forgetting the weak root nature: Students often try to keep all three root letters visible in all forms, but the ה disappears in most conjugations. -
Confusing present tense forms: Remember that הוֹלֵךְ is masculine, הוֹלֶכֶת is feminine—the gender must match the subject. -
Using wrong preposition: Hebrew distinguishes between לְ (to, for purpose) and the directional -ָה ending. You say הַבַּיְתָה (homeward) but לַחֲנוּת (to the store). -
Word order: While Hebrew is generally SVO like English, the verb can come first for emphasis, especially in Biblical or formal Hebrew. -
Omitting vowels in writing: Modern Hebrew is often written without niqqud (vowel points), so הולך can be read as holech, halach, or other forms depending on context.
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Frequency and Usage
לָלֶכֶת/הָלַךְ is one of the most common verbs in Modern Hebrew, used dozens of times daily in ordinary conversation. It’s the default verb for any kind of locomotion or departure, though Hebrew has more specific verbs for particular types of movement (like לָרוּץ, laruts, “to run” or לִנְסוֹעַ, linso’a, “to travel by vehicle”).
Register Variations
This verb is used equally in formal and informal contexts. There’s no special polite or casual form—the same conjugations serve all registers. However, the imperative לֵךְ! (lech!, “Go!”) can sound abrupt or rude depending on tone, while נֵלֵךְ (nelech, “let’s go”) is friendlier and more inclusive.
Historical and Theological Significance
The root ה-ל-ך has profound religious significance. The word הֲלָכָה (halacha), meaning Jewish religious law, literally means “the way to walk” or “the path.” This reflects the Jewish concept that religious life is about how one walks through life, not just what one believes.
In the Torah, God commands Abraham: לֶךְ-לְךָ (lech-lecha, “Go forth” or literally “go to yourself”), which begins Abraham’s journey to the Promised Land. This phrase has become emblematic of personal and spiritual journeys in Jewish thought.
Modern Israeli Culture
In contemporary Israeli Hebrew, לָלֶכֶת appears in many idiomatic expressions: -
לָלֶכֶת עַל זֶה (lalechet al ze) - “to go for it” (agree with something) -
זֶה לֹא הוֹלֵךְ (ze lo holech) - “it doesn’t work” (literally “it doesn’t go”) -
אֵיךְ זֶה הוֹלֵךְ? (eich ze holech?) - “How’s it going?” -
לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי (lalechet acharei) - “to follow” (literally “to go after”)
Regional Variations
Modern Hebrew pronunciation is remarkably uniform across Israel due to the language’s revival in a relatively recent, concentrated period. However, older Sephardic and Ashkenazic pronunciation traditions still influence some speakers. The differences in pronouncing הָלַךְ are minimal—mostly affecting the guttural ח (chet) sound, which some pronounce more forcefully than others.
Metaphorical Extensions
Like English “go,” Hebrew הָלַךְ extends metaphorically: -
הַחַיִּים הוֹלְכִים קָדִימָה (hachayim holchim kadimah) - “Life goes on” -
הַזְּמַן הוֹלֵךְ (hazman holech) - “Time is passing” -
מָה הוֹלֵךְ פֹּה? (mah holech po?) - “What’s going on here?”
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The following passage is from contemporary Hebrew usage, demonstrating הָלַךְ in authentic modern context:
F.1a בַּבֹּקֶר (baboker) in-the-morning הוּא (hu) he הָלַךְ (halach) went לַעֲבוֹדָה (la’avodah) to-the-work בְּאוֹטוֹבּוּס (be’otobus) by-bus
F.1b baboker (ba-BO-ker) in-the-morning hu (hoo) he halach (ha-LACH) went la’avodah (la-ah-vo-DAH) to-the-work be’otobus (be-o-to-BOOS) by-bus
F.2a אַחַר כָּךְ (achar kach) after that הָלַךְ (halach) went לִפְגּוֹשׁ (lifgosh) to-meet אֶת חֲבֵרָיו (et chaverav) ACC friends-his בְּבֵית הַקָּפֶה (beveit hakafe) in-house the-coffee
F.2b achar (a-CHAR) after kach (kach) that halach (ha-LACH) went lifgosh (lif-GOSH) to-meet et (et) ACC chaverav (cha-ve-RAV) friends-his beveit (be-VAYT) in-house hakafe (ha-ka-FEH) the-coffee
F.3a בָּעֶרֶב (ba’erev) in-the-evening הָלַךְ (halach) went לְבַקֵּר (levaker) to-visit אֶת הוֹרָיו (et horav) ACC parents-his וְ (ve) and לֶאֱכוֹל (le’echol) to-eat אִתָּם (itam) with-them אֲרוּחַת עֶרֶב (aruchat erev) meal evening
F.3b ba’erev (ba-EH-rev) in-the-evening halach (ha-LACH) went levaker (le-va-KER) to-visit et (et) ACC horav (ho-RAV) parents-his ve (ve) and le’echol (le-e-CHOL) to-eat itam (ee-TAM) with-them aruchat (a-ru-CHAT) meal erev (EH-rev) evening
בַּבֹּקֶר הוּא הָלַךְ לַעֲבוֹדָה בְּאוֹטוֹבּוּס. אַחַר כָּךְ הָלַךְ לִפְגּוֹשׁ אֶת חֲבֵרָיו בְּבֵית הַקָּפֶה. בָּעֶרֶב הָלַךְ לְבַקֵּר אֶת הוֹרָיו וְלֶאֱכוֹל אִתָּם אֲרוּחַת עֶרֶב.
baboker hu halach la’avodah be’otobus. achar kach halach lifgosh et chaverav beveit hakafe. ba’erev halach levaker et horav vele’echol itam aruchat erev.
“In the morning he went to work by bus. Afterwards he went to meet his friends at the coffee house. In the evening he went to visit his parents and to eat dinner with them.”
בַּבֹּקֶר הוּא הָלַךְ לַעֲבוֹדָה בְּאוֹטוֹבּוּס. אַחַר כָּךְ הָלַךְ לִפְגּוֹשׁ אֶת חֲבֵרָיו בְּבֵית הַקָּפֶה. בָּעֶרֶב הָלַךְ לְבַקֵּר אֶת הוֹרָיו וְלֶאֱכוֹל אִתָּם אֲרוּחַת עֶרֶב.
baboker hu halach la’avodah be’otobus. achar kach halach lifgosh et chaverav beveit hakafe. ba’erev halach levaker et horav vele’echol itam aruchat erev.
This passage demonstrates typical Modern Hebrew narrative structure, using הָלַךְ (halach, “went”) three times to structure the day’s events. The repetition of the past tense verb creates a flowing narrative rhythm common in Hebrew storytelling.
Key Vocabulary: -
בַּבֹּקֶר (baboker) - “in the morning” (lit. “in-the-morning”) -
אַחַר כָּךְ (achar kach) - “afterwards,” a common temporal connector -
בָּעֶרֶב (ba’erev) - “in the evening” -
לִפְגּוֹשׁ (lifgosh) - “to meet” (infinitive) -
חֲבֵרִים (chaverim) - “friends,” here with possessive suffix: חֲבֵרָיו (chaverav, “his friends”) -
הוֹרִים (horim) - “parents,” with possessive: הוֹרָיו (horav, “his parents”) -
אֲרוּחַת עֶרֶב (aruchat erev) - “evening meal, dinner”
Grammatical Points: -
The preposition בְּ (be-, “in/by/with”) combines with the definite article: בְּ + הַ becomes בַּ or בָּ depending on the following vowel -
The conjunction וְ (ve-, “and”) connects the two infinitives: לְבַקֵּר... וְלֶאֱכוֹל (”to visit... and to eat”) -
The direct object marker אֶת appears before definite objects: אֶת חֲבֵרָיו, אֶת הוֹרָיו
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
30.16a דָּנִי (Dani) Danny הָלַךְ (halach) went לְתֵל אָבִיב (letel aviv) to-Tel Aviv בְּרַכֶּבֶת (berakevet) by-train בַּשְּׁבוּעַ שֶׁעָבַר (bashavu’a she’avar) in-the-week that-passed
30.16b Dani (DA-ni) Danny halach (ha-LACH) went letel (le-TEL) to-Tel aviv (a-VEEV) Aviv berakevet (be-ra-KEH-vet) by-train bashavu’a (ba-sha-VU-ah) in-the-week she’avar (she-a-VAR) that-passed
30.17a הוּא (hu) he הָלַךְ (halach) went לְבַקֵּר (levaker) to-visit אֶת דּוֹדוֹ (et dodo) ACC uncle-his שֶׁגָּר (shegar) who-lives בָּעִיר (ba’ir) in-the-city
30.17b hu (hoo) he halach (ha-LACH) went levaker (le-va-KER) to-visit et (et) ACC dodo (do-DO) uncle-his shegar (she-GAR) who-lives ba’ir (ba-EER) in-the-city
30.18a כְּשֶׁהִגִּיעַ (kshehigi’a) when-arrived הוּא (hu) he הָלַךְ (halach) went יְשִׁירוֹת (yeshirot) straight לַבַּיִת (labayit) to-the-house שֶׁל דּוֹדוֹ (shel dodo) of uncle-his
30.18b kshehigi’a (kshe-hi-GI-ah) when-arrived hu (hoo) he halach (ha-LACH) went yeshirot (ye-shi-ROT) straight labayit (la-BA-yit) to-the-house shel (shel) of dodo (do-DO) uncle-his
30.19a דּוֹדוֹ (dodo) uncle-his שָׂמַח (samach) was-happy מְאוֹד (me’od) very וְ (ve) and אָמַר (amar) said נֵלֵךְ (nelech) let’s-go לְטַיֵּל (letayel) to-walk בָּעִיר (ba’ir) in-the-city
30.19b dodo (do-DO) uncle-his samach (sa-MACH) was-happy me’od (me-OD) very ve (ve) and amar (a-MAR) said nelech (NEH-lech) let’s-go letayel (le-ta-YEL) to-walk ba’ir (ba-EER) in-the-city
30.20a הֵם (hem) they הָלְכוּ (halchu) went לַטַּיֶּלֶת (latayelet) to-the-promenade עַל (al) on שְׂפַת הַיָּם (sefat hayam) shore the-sea
30.20b hem (hem) they halchu (hal-CHOO) went latayelet (la-ta-YEH-let) to-the-promenade al (ahl) on sefat (se-FAT) shore hayam (ha-YAM) the-sea
30.21a שָׁם (sham) there הֵם (hem) they הָלְכוּ (halchu) went לְבֵית קָפֶה (leveit kafe) to-house coffee יָפֶה (yafe) nice לִשְׁתּוֹת (lishtot) to-drink קָפֶה (kafe) coffee
30.21b sham (shahm) there hem (hem) they halchu (hal-CHOO) went leveit (le-VAYT) to-house kafe (ka-FEH) coffee yafe (ya-FEH) nice lishtot (lish-TOT) to-drink kafe (ka-FEH) coffee
30.22a אַחֲרֵי כֵּן (acharei chen) after thus הָלְכוּ (halchu) went לְשׁוּק (leshuk) to-market הַכַּרְמֶל (hakarmel) the-Carmel לִקְנוֹת (liknot) to-buy פֵּרוֹת (perot) fruits טְרִיִּים (tri’im) fresh
30.22b acharei (a-cha-RAY) after chen (chen) thus halchu (hal-CHOO) went leshuk (le-SHOOK) to-market hakarmel (ha-kar-MEL) the-Carmel liknot (lik-NOT) to-buy perot (pe-ROT) fruits tri’im (tri-EEM) fresh
30.23a בָּעֶרֶב (ba’erev) in-the-evening דָּנִי (Dani) Danny הָלַךְ (halach) went עִם (im) with דּוֹדוֹ (dodo) uncle-his לִרְאוֹת (lir’ot) to-see הַצָּגָה (hatzagah) show בַּתֵּאַטְרוֹן (bate’atron) in-the-theater
30.23b ba’erev (ba-EH-rev) in-the-evening Dani (DA-ni) Danny halach (ha-LACH) went im (eem) with dodo (do-DO) uncle-his lir’ot (lir-OT) to-see hatzagah (ha-tsa-GAH) show bate’atron (ba-te-at-RON) in-the-theater
30.24a הַהַצָּגָה (hahatzagah) the-show הָיְתָה (haytah) was מְעַנְיֶנֶת (me’anyenet) interesting וְ (ve) and הֵם (hem) they נֶהֱנוּ (nehenu) enjoyed מְאוֹד (me’od) very
30.24b hahatzagah (ha-ha-tsa-GAH) the-show haytah (hay-TAH) was me’anyenet (me-an-YEH-net) interesting ve (ve) and hem (hem) they nehenu (ne-he-NU) enjoyed me’od (me-OD) very
30.25a בְּלַיְלָה (belaylah) at-night דָּנִי (Dani) Danny הָלַךְ (halach) went לִישׁוֹן (lishon) to-sleep בְּבֵית (beveit) in-house דּוֹדוֹ (dodo) uncle-his
30.25b belaylah (be-LAY-lah) at-night Dani (DA-ni) Danny halach (ha-LACH) went lishon (lee-SHON) to-sleep beveit (be-VAYT) in-house dodo (do-DO) uncle-his
30.26a לְמָחֳרָת (lemacharot) on-the-next-day הוּא (hu) he הָלַךְ (halach) went לְבַקֵּר (levaker) to-visit אֶת מוּזֵיאוֹן (et muze’on) ACC museum תֵּל אָבִיב (tel aviv) Tel Aviv
30.26b lemacharot (le-ma-cha-ROT) on-the-next-day hu (hoo) he halach (ha-LACH) went levaker (le-va-KER) to-visit et (et) ACC muze’on (mu-ze-ON) museum tel (tel) Tel aviv (a-VEEV) Aviv
30.27a שָׁם (sham) there הוּא (hu) he רָאָה (ra’ah) saw תְּמוּנוֹת (tmunot) pictures יָפוֹת (yafot) beautiful שֶׁל (shel) of אֲמָּנִים (amanim) artists יִשְׂרְאֵלִים (yisre’elim) Israeli
30.27b sham (shahm) there hu (hoo) he ra’ah (ra-AH) saw tmunot (tmu-NOT) pictures yafot (ya-FOT) beautiful shel (shel) of amanim (a-ma-NEEM) artists yisre’elim (yis-re-e-LEEM) Israeli
30.28a אַחַר כָּךְ (achar kach) after that דָּנִי (Dani) Danny וְדוֹדוֹ (vedodo) and-uncle-his הָלְכוּ (halchu) went לֶאֱכוֹל (le’echol) to-eat בְּמִסְעָדָה (bemis’adah) in-restaurant טוֹבָה (tovah) good
30.28b achar (a-CHAR) after kach (kach) that Dani (DA-ni) Danny vedodo (ve-do-DO) and-uncle-his halchu (hal-CHOO) went le’echol (le-e-CHOL) to-eat bemis’adah (be-mis-a-DAH) in-restaurant tovah (to-VAH) good
30.29a בְּסוֹף (besof) in-end הַבִּיקוּר (habikur) the-visit דָּנִי (Dani) Danny הָלַךְ (halach) went לַתַּחֲנָה (latachanah) to-the-station לְהִפָּרֵד (lehipared) to-say-goodbye מִדּוֹדוֹ (midodo) from-uncle-his
30.29b besof (be-SOF) in-end habikur (ha-bi-KUR) the-visit Dani (DA-ni) Danny halach (ha-LACH) went latachanah (la-ta-cha-NAH) to-the-station lehipared (le-hi-pa-RED) to-say-goodbye midodo (mi-do-DO) from-uncle-his
30.30a הוּא (hu) he הָלַךְ (halach) went חֲזָרָה (chazarah) back הַבַּיְתָה (habaytah) homeward עִם (im) with זִכְרוֹנוֹת (zichronot) memories טוֹבִים (tovim) good מִתֵּל אָבִיב (mitel aviv) from-Tel Aviv
30.30b hu (hoo) he halach (ha-LACH) went chazarah (cha-za-RAH) back habaytah (ha-BYE-tah) homeward im (eem) with zichronot (zich-ro-NOT) memories tovim (to-VEEM) good mitel (mi-TEL) from-Tel aviv (a-VEEV) Aviv
30.16 דָּנִי הָלַךְ לְתֵל אָבִיב בְּרַכֶּבֶת בַּשְּׁבוּעַ שֶׁעָבַר Dani halach letel aviv berakevet bashavu’a she’avar “Danny went to Tel Aviv by train last week”
30.17 הוּא הָלַךְ לְבַקֵּר אֶת דּוֹדוֹ שֶׁגָּר בָּעִיר hu halach levaker et dodo shegar ba’ir “He went to visit his uncle who lives in the city”
30.18 כְּשֶׁהִגִּיעַ הוּא הָלַךְ יְשִׁירוֹת לַבַּיִת שֶׁל דּוֹדוֹ kshehigi’a hu halach yeshirot labayit shel dodo “When he arrived, he went straight to his uncle’s house”
30.19 דּוֹדוֹ שָׂמַח מְאוֹד וְאָמַר נֵלֵךְ לְטַיֵּל בָּעִיר dodo samach me’od ve’amar nelech letayel ba’ir “His uncle was very happy and said, ‘Let’s go walk around the city’”
30.20 הֵם הָלְכוּ לַטַּיֶּלֶת עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם hem halchu latayelet al sefat hayam “They went to the promenade on the seashore”
30.21 שָׁם הֵם הָלְכוּ לְבֵית קָפֶה יָפֶה לִשְׁתּוֹת קָפֶה sham hem halchu leveit kafe yafe lishtot kafe “There they went to a nice coffee house to drink coffee”
30.22 אַחֲרֵי כֵן הָלְכוּ לְשׁוּק הַכַּרְמֶל לִקְנוֹת פֵּרוֹת טְרִיִּים acharei chen halchu leshuk hakarmel liknot perot tri’im “After that they went to the Carmel Market to buy fresh fruit”
30.23 בָּעֶרֶב דָּנִי הָלַךְ עִם דּוֹדוֹ לִרְאוֹת הַצָּגָה בַּתֵּאַטְרוֹן ba’erev Dani halach im dodo lir’ot hatzagah bate’atron “In the evening Danny went with his uncle to see a show at the theater”
30.24 הַהַצָּגָה הָיְתָה מְעַנְיֶנֶת וְהֵם נֶהֱנוּ מְאוֹד hahatzagah haytah me’anyenet vehem nehenu me’od “The show was interesting and they enjoyed it very much”
30.25 בְּלַיְלָה דָּנִי הָלַךְ לִישׁוֹן בְּבֵית דּוֹדוֹ belaylah Dani halach lishon beveit dodo “At night Danny went to sleep at his uncle’s house”
30.26 לְמָחֳרָת הוּא הָלַךְ לְבַקֵּר אֶת מוּזֵיאוֹן תֵּל אָבִיב lemacharot hu halach levaker et muze’on tel aviv “The next day he went to visit the Tel Aviv Museum”
30.27 שָׁם הוּא רָאָה תְּמוּנוֹת יָפוֹת שֶׁל אֲמָּנִים יִשְׂרְאֵלִים sham hu ra’ah tmunot yafot shel amanim yisre’elim “There he saw beautiful pictures by Israeli artists”
30.28 אַחַר כָּךְ דָּנִי וְדוֹדוֹ הָלְכוּ לֶאֱכוֹל בְּמִסְעָדָה טוֹבָה achar kach Dani vedodo halchu le’echol bemis’adah tovah “Afterwards Danny and his uncle went to eat at a good restaurant”
30.29 בְּסוֹף הַבִּיקוּר דָּנִי הָלַךְ לַתַּחֲנָה לְהִפָּרֵד מִדּוֹדוֹ besof habikur Dani halach latachanah lehipared midodo “At the end of the visit Danny went to the station to say goodbye to his uncle”
30.30 הוּא הָלַךְ חֲזָרָה הַבַּיְתָה עִם זִכְרוֹנוֹת טוֹבִים מִתֵּל אָבִיב hu halach chazarah habaytah im zichronot tovim mitel aviv “He went back home with good memories from Tel Aviv”
30.16 דָּנִי הָלַךְ לְתֵל אָבִיב בְּרַכֶּבֶת בַּשְּׁבוּעַ שֶׁעָבַר Dani halach letel aviv berakevet bashavu’a she’avar
30.17 הוּא הָלַךְ לְבַקֵּר אֶת דּוֹדוֹ שֶׁגָּר בָּעִיר hu halach levaker et dodo shegar ba’ir
30.18 כְּשֶׁהִגִּיעַ הוּא הָלַךְ יְשִׁירוֹת לַבַּיִת שֶׁל דּוֹדוֹ kshehigi’a hu halach yeshirot labayit shel dodo
30.19 דּוֹדוֹ שָׂמַח מְאוֹד וְאָמַר נֵלֵךְ לְטַיֵּל בָּעִיר dodo samach me’od ve’amar nelech letayel ba’ir
30.20 הֵם הָלְכוּ לַטַּיֶּלֶת עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם hem halchu latayelet al sefat hayam
30.21 שָׁם הֵם הָלְכוּ לְבֵית קָפֶה יָפֶה לִשְׁתּוֹת קָפֶה sham hem halchu leveit kafe yafe lishtot kafe
30.22 אַחֲרֵי כֵן הָלְכוּ לְשׁוּק הַכַּרְמֶל לִקְנוֹת פֵּרוֹת טְרִיִּים acharei chen halchu leshuk hakarmel liknot perot tri’im
30.23 בָּעֶרֶב דָּנִי הָלַךְ עִם דּוֹדוֹ לִרְאוֹת הַצָּגָה בַּתֵּאַטְרוֹן ba’erev Dani halach im dodo lir’ot hatzagah bate’atron
30.24 הַהַצָּגָה הָיְתָה מְעַנְיֶנֶת וְהֵם נֶהֱנוּ מְאוֹד hahatzagah haytah me’anyenet vehem nehenu me’od
30.25 בְּלַיְלָה דָּנִי הָלַךְ לִישׁוֹן בְּבֵית דּוֹדוֹ belaylah Dani halach lishon beveit dodo
30.26 לְמָחֳרָת הוּא הָלַךְ לְבַקֵּר אֶת מוּזֵיאוֹן תֵּל אָבִיב lemacharot hu halach levaker et muze’on tel aviv
30.27 שָׁם הוּא רָאָה תְּמוּנוֹת יָפוֹת שֶׁל אֲמָּנִים יִשְׂרְאֵלִים sham hu ra’ah tmunot yafot shel amanim yisre’elim
30.28 אַחַר כָּךְ דָּנִי וְדוֹדוֹ הָלְכוּ לֶאֱכוֹל בְּמִסְעָדָה טוֹבָה achar kach Dani vedodo halchu le’echol bemis’adah tovah
30.29 בְּסוֹף הַבִּיקוּר דָּנִי הָלַךְ לַתַּחֲנָה לְהִפָּרֵד מִדּוֹדוֹ besof habikur Dani halach latachanah lehipared midodo
30.30 הוּא הָלַךְ חֲזָרָה הַבַּיְתָה עִם זִכְרוֹנוֹת טוֹבִים מִתֵּל אָבִיב hu halach chazarah habaytah im zichronot tovim mitel aviv
This narrative demonstrates several advanced uses of הָלַךְ:
Sequential Narrative: The repeated use of הָלַךְ (halach, past tense “went”) creates a clear chronological flow, typical of Hebrew storytelling. Each use of הָלַךְ marks a new stage in the journey.
Purpose Infinitives: The construction הָלַךְ + לְ + infinitive expresses purpose: -
הָלַךְ לְבַקֵּר (halach levaker) - “went to visit” -
הָלַךְ לִישׁוֹן (halach lishon) - “went to sleep” -
הָלְכוּ לֶאֱכוֹל (halchu le’echol) - “went to eat”
Plural Agreement: Note הָלְכוּ (halchu) is used when the subject is plural (”they went”): -
הֵם הָלְכוּ (hem halchu) - “they went” -
דָּנִי וְדוֹדוֹ הָלְכוּ (Dani vedodo halchu) - “Danny and his uncle went”
Directional Expressions: -
הַבַּיְתָה (habaytah) - “homeward” (with directional -ה suffix) -
חֲזָרָה (chazarah) - “back” (return direction) -
יְשִׁירוֹת (yeshirot) - “straight, directly”
Compound Subjects: Hebrew uses וְ (ve-, “and”) to connect compound subjects, and the verb agrees with the plural: -
דָּנִי וְדוֹדוֹ הָלְכוּ - “Danny and his uncle went” (plural verb)
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This Modern Hebrew course is part of the Latinum Institute’s comprehensive language learning series, designed specifically for autodidact learners who want to master languages through the proven interlinear glossing method.
The Latinum Institute Methodology
Since 2006, the Latinum Institute has been creating high-quality language learning materials that make even the most challenging scripts and grammar patterns accessible to English speakers. Our approach is based on the time-tested principle of construed text—providing word-by-word glosses that allow learners to understand exactly how sentences are built in the target language.
Why Hebrew?
Modern Hebrew (עִבְרִית, Ivrit) is a unique language—an ancient tongue successfully revived as a living, modern language in the 20th century. It’s the official language of Israel and is spoken by over 9 million people worldwide. Hebrew uses the ancient Hebrew alphabet (an abjad system written right-to-left) and features a rich system of verb patterns (binyanim) built on three-letter roots.
The CSV-Based Progression
This lesson is part of a 1000-word curriculum organized by frequency. Each lesson focuses on high-frequency vocabulary that you’ll encounter constantly in real Hebrew. Lesson 30 covers לָלֶכֶת/הָלַךְ (”to go”), one of the most essential motion verbs in the language.
How the Interlinear Method Works
The granular glossing format you see in Section A shows you exactly how Hebrew works: -
Each Hebrew word is glossed individually -
Romanization helps with pronunciation -
Grammatical information (like tense, gender, number) is marked -
You can see Hebrew word order compared to English
This format accelerates comprehension by eliminating the need to look up every word in a dictionary. You can read authentic Hebrew from day one, even as a complete beginner.
Self-Contained Lessons
Each lesson in this series is completely self-contained. The interlinear glossing format means we can use any vocabulary needed to create natural, authentic sentences—you’re not artificially restricted to “words you’ve learned so far.” Every word is glossed, so every sentence is comprehensible.
Course Links -
Full course index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index -
Reviews and testimonials: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk -
More about our methodology: https://latinum.org.uk
The Hebrew Script Journey
Learning Hebrew script may seem daunting at first, but the alphabet has only 22 letters (plus 5 final forms). With consistent practice using these lessons, you’ll find yourself reading Hebrew naturally within weeks. The vowel points (niqqud) shown in these lessons help you learn proper pronunciation, though most modern Hebrew texts are written without them.
Cultural Immersion
These lessons don’t just teach grammar—they immerse you in Israeli culture and authentic Hebrew usage. From everyday activities like going to the market to literary examples from Hebrew literature, you’re learning the language as it’s actually spoken and written in Israel today.
Next Steps
Continue systematically through the numbered lessons, or jump to topics that interest you. Each lesson builds your vocabulary and grammatical understanding, while the construed text format ensures you’re never lost.
תודה רבה (todah rabbah) - thank you very much for choosing the Latinum Institute for your Hebrew learning journey!
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