The Hebrew verb לדעת (lada’at) “to know” represents one of the fundamental concepts in human cognition and communication. For autodidact students of Modern Hebrew, understanding this verb opens the door to expressing knowledge, certainty, awareness, and information.
Modern Hebrew makes a crucial distinction that English speakers must master: לדעת (lada’at) is used for knowing facts, information, how to do something, or being certain about something, while להכיר (lehakir) is used for knowing people or being acquainted/familiar with someone or something. This lesson focuses exclusively on לדעת.
The verb לדעת belongs to the PA’AL binyan (the simple active conjugation pattern) and is built on the three-letter root י-ד-ע (y-d-’), one of Hebrew’s most ancient roots. This root appears throughout Biblical and Modern Hebrew literature, connecting contemporary speakers to thousands of years of linguistic heritage.
In these 30 examples, we’ll explore how יודע/יודעת (yode’a/yoda’at) and related forms function in everyday Modern Hebrew, from simple statements of knowledge to complex expressions of certainty and awareness.
Link to course index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
FAQ Schema: What does לדעת mean in Hebrew? לדעת (lada’at) is the Hebrew verb meaning “to know” in the sense of knowing facts, information, or how to do something. It conjugates according to person, number, and gender in the present tense (יודע/יודעת/יודעים/יודעות) and is one of the most frequently used verbs in Modern Hebrew for expressing knowledge and certainty.
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לדעת (lada’at) = to know facts/information/how to do something -
Root: י-ד-ע (y-d-’) in PA’AL binyan -
Present: יודע (yode’a) m.s., יודעת (yoda’at) f.s., יודעים (yod’im) m.pl., יודעות (yod’ot) f.pl. -
NOT for knowing people (use להכיר instead) -
Often appears with complementizer שֶׁ (she-) “that” -
Requires subject pronouns in present tense -
Hebrew writing: right-to-left (RTL)
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IMPORTANT: Hebrew text reads RIGHT-to-LEFT. Transliteration reads LEFT-to-RIGHT.
46.1a אני יודע את התשובה
46.1b ani (ani) I yode’a (yode’a) know et (et) ACC ha-teshuva (ha-teshuvah) the-answer
46.2a היא יודעת איפה הבית
46.2b hi (hi) she yoda’at (yoda’at) knows efo (eifo) where ha-bayit (ha-bayit) the-house
46.3a אנחנו יודעים לקרוא עברית
46.3b anakhnu (anakhnu) we yod’im (yod’im) know likro (likro) to-read ivrit (ivrit) Hebrew
46.4a הם לא יודעים מה קרה
46.4b hem (hem) they lo (lo) not yod’im (yod’im) know ma (ma) what kara (karah) happened
46.5a אתה יודע שהיא באה מחר
46.5b ata (atah) you-m.s. yode’a (yode’a) know she-hi (she-hi) that-she ba’a (ba’ah) coming makhar (makhar) tomorrow
46.6a הילדים יודעים את השיר
46.6b ha-yeladim (ha-yeladim) the-children yod’im (yod’im) know et (et) ACC ha-shir (ha-shir) the-song
46.7a את יודעת למה הוא כועס
46.7b at (at) you-f.s. yoda’at (yoda’at) know lama (lamah) why hu (hu) he ko’es (ko’es) angry
46.8a המורה יודעת הרבה
46.8b ha-mora (ha-morah) the-teacher-f knows yoda’at (yoda’at) knows harbe (harbeh) much
46.9a אני לא יודעת מתי היא תגיע
46.9b ani (ani) I lo (lo) not yoda’at (yoda’at) know matay (matai) when hi (hi) she tagi’a (tagi’ah) will-arrive
46.10a הוא יודע איך לשחות
46.10b hu (hu) he yode’a (yode’a) knows ekh (eikh) how liskhot (liskhot) to-swim
46.11a אנחנו יודעות את הדרך
46.11b anakhnu (anakhnu) we-f yod’ot (yod’ot) know et (et) ACC ha-derekh (ha-derekh) the-way
46.12a הן יודעות שזה חשוב
46.12b hen (hen) they-f yod’ot (yod’ot) know she-ze (she-ze) that-this khashuv (khashuv) important
46.13a אתם יודעים מי זה
46.13b atem (atem) you-m.pl yod’im (yod’im) know mi (mi) who ze (ze) this
46.14a אני יודע שאתה צודק
46.14b ani (ani) I yode’a (yode’a) know she-ata (she-atah) that-you tsodek (tsodek) right
46.15a היא לא יודעת דבר
46.15b hi (hi) she lo (lo) not yoda’at (yoda’at) knows davar (davar) thing
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46.1 אני יודע את התשובה ani yode’a et ha-teshuva “I know the answer”
46.2 היא יודעת איפה הבית hi yoda’at efo ha-bayit “She knows where the house is”
46.3 אנחנו יודעים לקרוא עברית anakhnu yod’im likro ivrit “We know how to read Hebrew”
46.4 הם לא יודעים מה קרה hem lo yod’im ma kara “They don’t know what happened”
46.5 אתה יודע שהיא באה מחר ata yode’a she-hi ba’a makhar “You know that she is coming tomorrow”
46.6 הילדים יודעים את השיר ha-yeladim yod’im et ha-shir “The children know the song”
46.7 את יודעת למה הוא כועס at yoda’at lama hu ko’es “You know why he is angry”
46.8 המורה יודעת הרבה ha-mora yoda’at harbe “The teacher knows a lot”
46.9 אני לא יודעת מתי היא תגיע ani lo yoda’at matay hi tagi’a “I don’t know when she will arrive”
46.10 הוא יודע איך לשחות hu yode’a ekh liskhot “He knows how to swim”
46.11 אנחנו יודעות את הדרך anakhnu yod’ot et ha-derekh “We know the way”
46.12 הן יודעות שזה חשוב hen yod’ot she-ze khashuv “They know that this is important”
46.13 אתם יודעים מי זה atem yod’im mi ze “You know who this is”
46.14 אני יודע שאתה צודק ani yode’a she-ata tsodek “I know that you are right”
46.15 היא לא יודעת דבר hi lo yoda’at davar “She doesn’t know anything”
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46.1 אני יודע את התשובה ani yode’a et ha-teshuva
46.2 היא יודעת איפה הבית hi yoda’at efo ha-bayit
46.3 אנחנו יודעים לקרוא עברית anakhnu yod’im likro ivrit
46.4 הם לא יודעים מה קרה hem lo yod’im ma kara
46.5 אתה יודע שהיא באה מחר ata yode’a she-hi ba’a makhar
46.6 הילדים יודעים את השיר ha-yeladim yod’im et ha-shir
46.7 את יודעת למה הוא כועס at yoda’at lama hu ko’es
46.8 המורה יודעת הרבה ha-mora yoda’at harbe
46.9 אני לא יודעת מתי היא תגיע ani lo yoda’at matay hi tagi’a
46.10 הוא יודע איך לשחות hu yode’a ekh liskhot
46.11 אנחנו יודעות את הדרך anakhnu yod’ot et ha-derekh
46.12 הן יודעות שזה חשוב hen yod’ot she-ze khashuv
46.13 אתם יודעים מי זה atem yod’im mi ze
46.14 אני יודע שאתה צודק ani yode’a she-ata tsodek
46.15 היא לא יודעת דבר hi lo yoda’at davar
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Root and Binyan
The verb לדעת (lada’at) is built on the root י-ד-ע (y-d-’), which appears throughout Hebrew’s 3,000-year history. This verb belongs to the PA’AL binyan (also called קַל - kal), the simple active voice. The root י-ד-ע relates fundamentally to knowledge, knowing, and cognition.
Present Tense Forms
Hebrew present tense is actually a participle that agrees in gender and number with the subject. Unlike English, Hebrew REQUIRES the subject pronoun in present tense because the participle itself doesn’t indicate person (first, second, or third).
Present tense forms: -
יודע (yode’a) - masculine singular: I/you/he know(s) -
יודעת (yoda’at) - feminine singular: I/you/she know(s) -
יודעים (yod’im) - masculine plural: we/you/they know -
יודעות (yod’ot) - feminine plural: we/you/they know
Critical Distinction: לדעת vs. להכיר
Modern Hebrew maintains two separate verbs for “to know”:
לדעת (lada’at) - Used for: -
Knowing facts: אני יודע את התשובה (I know the answer) -
Knowing how to do something: הוא יודע לשחות (He knows how to swim) -
Being certain about information: היא יודעת שזה נכון (She knows that it’s true) -
Being aware of something: אנחנו יודעים מה קרה (We know what happened)
להכיר (lehakir) - Used for: -
Knowing people: אני מכיר את דוד (I know David) -
Being familiar with places: הם מכירים את תל אביב (They know Tel Aviv) -
Recognition/acquaintance: היא מכירה את הספר הזה (She knows this book [is familiar with it])
Direct Object Marker את
When לדעת takes a definite direct object (a noun with the definite article ה-), Hebrew requires the direct object marker את (et): -
אני יודע את התשובה (I know THE answer) - את required -
אני יודע תשובה (I know AN answer) - no את
Subordinate Clauses with שֶׁ
The verb לדעת frequently introduces subordinate clauses using the complementizer שֶׁ- (she-), which means “that” and attaches as a prefix to the following word: -
אני יודע שהיא באה (I know that she is coming) -
הוא יודע שאתה צודק (He knows that you are right)
Question Words with לדעת
Common question words used with לדעת: -
מה (ma) - what: אני לא יודע מה קרה (I don’t know what happened) -
מי (mi) - who: אתה יודע מי זה? (Do you know who this is?) -
איפה (efo) - where: היא יודעת איפה הבית (She knows where the house is) -
מתי (matay) - when: אנחנו לא יודעים מתי היא תגיע (We don’t know when she will arrive) -
למה (lama) - why: את יודעת למה הוא כועס (You know why he is angry) -
איך (ekh) - how: הוא יודע איך לשחות (He knows how to swim)
Infinitive Constructions
לדעת commonly appears with another infinitive to express “knowing how to” do something: -
לדעת לקרוא - to know how to read -
לדעת לשחות - to know how to swim -
לדעת לבשל - to know how to cook
Negation
To negate, place לא (lo) “not” before the verb: -
אני לא יודע (I don’t know) -
היא לא יודעת דבר (She doesn’t know anything)
Past Tense (for reference)
Past tense conjugation (not main focus but useful): -
ידעתי (yada’ti) - I knew -
ידעת (yada’ta) - you knew (m.s.) -
ידעת (yada’t) - you knew (f.s.) -
ידע (yada’) - he knew -
ידעה (yad’ah) - she knew -
ידענו (yada’nu) - we knew -
ידעתם (yeda’tem) - you knew (m.pl.) -
ידעתן (yeda’ten) - you knew (f.pl.) -
ידעו (yad’u) - they knew
Future Tense (for reference)
Future forms (not main focus): -
אדע (eda’) - I will know -
תדע (teda’) - you/he will know (m.s.) -
תדעי (ted’i) - you will know (f.s.) -
נדע (neda’) - we will know -
תדעו (ted’u) - you will know (pl.) -
ידעו (yed’u) - they will know
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Using לדעת for people: ❌ אני יודע את דוד → ✅ אני מכיר את דוד (I know David) -
Dropping subject pronouns in present: ❌ יודע את התשובה → ✅ אני יודע את התשובה -
Forgetting את with definite objects: ❌ אני יודע התשובה → ✅ אני יודע את התשובה -
Wrong gender agreement: ❌ היא יודע (masculine with feminine subject) → ✅ היא יודעת -
Confusing complementizer ש with article ה: The complementizer שֶׁ- attaches to the following word: שאתה (she-ata) “that you”
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The verb לדעת is among the most frequently used verbs in Modern Hebrew. It appears constantly in everyday conversation, news media, academic writing, and literature. The ability to express what one knows or doesn’t know is fundamental to nearly all communication.
לדעת functions across all registers - from informal conversation to formal academic writing. The verb itself doesn’t change, though the context and vocabulary around it may indicate formality level.
The Hebrew root י-ד-ע has profound cultural and religious significance. The same root appears in: -
דַעַת (da’at) - knowledge, one of the divine attributes -
יְדִידוּת (yedidut) - friendship (related to mutual knowing) -
Biblical phrase: דַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע (da’at tov va-ra) - knowledge of good and evil
In Jewish tradition, knowledge is highly valued. The verb לדעת connects modern Hebrew speakers to millennia of intellectual and spiritual tradition where knowledge acquisition is considered sacred work.
In contemporary Israeli Hebrew, לדעת appears in many idiomatic expressions: -
מי יודע (mi yode’a) - “who knows?” (expression of uncertainty) -
לדעת בטח (lada’at betakh) - to know for certain -
אתה יודע מה (ata yode’a ma) - “you know what...” (conversation filler)
The distinction between לדעת and להכיר is strictly maintained in standard Modern Hebrew, though very informal speech might occasionally blur this in certain contexts.
The verb לדעת has remained remarkably stable throughout Hebrew’s history. The present tense forms used today (יודע, יודעת, etc.) developed from Biblical participial forms, demonstrating the continuity between ancient and modern Hebrew while adapting to contemporary grammatical structures.
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The following passage is from contemporary Israeli prose, demonstrating the natural use of לדעת in narrative context:
F.1a הוא ידע שהגיע הזמן לעזוב
F.1b hu (hu) he yada’ (yada’) knew she-higi’a (she-higi’ah) that-arrived ha-zman (ha-zman) the-time la’azov (la’azov) to-leave
F.2a אבל לא ידע איך להגיד זאת
F.2b aval (aval) but lo (lo) not yada’ (yada’) knew ekh (eikh) how lehagid (lehagid) to-say zo (zot) this
F.3a היא ישבה מולו ולא ידעה מה הוא חושב
F.3b hi (hi) she yashva (yashvah) sat mulo (mulo) opposite-him ve-lo (ve-lo) and-not yad’a (yad’ah) knew ma (ma) what hu (hu) he khoshev (khoshev) thinking
F.4a “את יודעת שאני אוהב אותך” הוא אמר
F.4b “at (at) you-f.s. yoda’at (yoda’at) know she-ani (she-ani) that-I ohev (ohev) love otakh (otakh) you-f.s.” hu (hu) he amar (amar) said
F.5a “אני יודעת” היא ענתה בשקט
F.5b “ani (ani) I yoda’at (yoda’at) know” hi (hi) she anta (antah) answered be-sheket (be-sheket) in-quiet
הוא ידע שהגיע הזמן לעזוב. אבל לא ידע איך להגיד זאת. היא ישבה מולו ולא ידעה מה הוא חושב. “את יודעת שאני אוהב אותך” הוא אמר. “אני יודעת” היא ענתה בשקט.
hu yada’ she-higi’a ha-zman la’azov. aval lo yada’ ekh lehagid zot. hi yashva mulo ve-lo yad’a ma hu khoshev. “at yoda’at she-ani ohev otakh” hu amar. “ani yoda’at” hi anta be-sheket.
“He knew that the time had come to leave. But he didn’t know how to say it. She sat across from him and didn’t know what he was thinking. ‘You know that I love you,’ he said. ‘I know,’ she answered quietly.”
הוא ידע שהגיע הזמן לעזוב. אבל לא ידע איך להגיד זאת. היא ישבה מולו ולא ידעה מה הוא חושב. “את יודעת שאני אוהב אותך” הוא אמר. “אני יודעת” היא ענתה בשקט.
hu yada’ she-higi’a ha-zman la’azov. aval lo yada’ ekh lehagid zot. hi yashva mulo ve-lo yad’a ma hu khoshev. “at yoda’at she-ani ohev otakh” hu amar. “ani yoda’at” hi anta be-sheket.
This passage demonstrates sophisticated use of לדעת in narrative prose:
Past tense forms: -
ידע (yada’) - he knew (3rd person masculine singular) -
ידעה (yad’ah) - she knew (3rd person feminine singular)
Key vocabulary: -
שהגיע הזמן (she-higi’a ha-zman) - “that the time had come” - subordinate clause with perfect aspect -
איך להגיד (ekh lehagid) - “how to say” - infinitive construction -
מולו (mulo) - “opposite him” - preposition מול + 3rd person masculine suffix -
בשקט (be-sheket) - “quietly” - preposition ב + noun
Literary technique: The passage creates dramatic tension through the contrast between what the characters know and don’t know. The repetition of forms of לדעת emphasizes the gap between knowledge and expression, certainty and understanding.
This passage exemplifies a common feature of Modern Hebrew literary prose: using the verb לדעת to explore the gap between knowledge and communication, between what is known intellectually and what can be expressed emotionally. The shift from past tense (ידע, ידעה) in the narrative to present tense (יודעת) in the dialogue creates an immediacy that intensifies the emotional moment.
The minimalist style - short sentences, simple vocabulary, emotional restraint - is characteristic of contemporary Israeli prose. The power lies in what remains unspoken, with the verb לדעת ironically highlighting the limits of knowledge in matters of the heart.
Source: Pedagogical construction following authentic Israeli literary style
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The following dialogue demonstrates לדעת in natural conversational Hebrew, showing how students discuss what they know and don’t know about their studies.
46.16a דני: “אתה יודע מתי המבחן?”
46.16b Dani: (Dani:) Danny: “ata (atah) you-m.s. yode’a (yode’a) know matay (matai) when ha-mivkhan? (ha-mivkhan?) the-exam?”
46.17a יונתן: “כן, אני יודע. ביום רביעי”
46.17b Yonatan: (Yonatan:) Jonathan: “ken, (ken,) yes, ani (ani) I yode’a. (yode’a.) know. be-yom (be-yom) on-day revi’i” (revi’i”) fourth”
46.18a דני: “את החומר כולו אתה יודע?”
46.18b Dani: (Dani:) Danny: “et (et) ACC ha-khomer (ha-khomer) the-material kulo (kulo) all-of-it ata (atah) you-m.s. yode’a?” (yode’a?”) know?”
46.19a יונתן: “לא, אני לא יודע הכל”
46.19b Yonatan: (Yonatan:) Jonathan: “lo, (lo,) no, ani (ani) I lo (lo) not yode’a (yode’a) know ha-kol” (ha-kol”) the-all”
46.20a דני: “גם אני לא יודע את הפרק השלישי”
46.20b Dani: (Dani:) Danny: “gam (gam) also ani (ani) I lo (lo) not yode’a (yode’a) know et (et) ACC ha-perek (ha-perek) the-chapter ha-shlishi” (ha-shlishi”) the-third”
46.21a יונתן: “אולי נלמד ביחד? אני יודע את הפרק הזה טוב”
46.21b Yonatan: (Yonatan:) Jonathan: “ulay (ulay) perhaps nilmad (nilmad) we-will-study be-yakhad? (be-yakhad?) together? ani (ani) I yode’a (yode’a) know et (et) ACC ha-perek (ha-perek) the-chapter ha-ze (ha-ze) this tov” (tov”) well”
46.22a דני: “אתה יודע איך ליצור קשר עם רחל?”
46.22b Dani: (Dani:) Danny: “ata (atah) you-m.s. yode’a (yode’a) know ekh (eikh) how liytzor (liytzor) to-create kesher (kesher) contact im (im) with Rakhel?” (Rakhel?”) Rachel?”
46.23a יונתן: “כן, אני יודע את המייל שלה”
46.23b Yonatan: (Yonatan:) Jonathan: “ken, (ken,) yes, ani (ani) I yode’a (yode’a) know et (et) ACC ha-meyl (ha-meyl) the-email shela” (shelah”) of-her”
46.24a דני: “היא יודעת הרבה בביולוגיה”
46.24b Dani: (Dani:) Danny: “hi (hi) she yoda’at (yoda’at) knows harbe (harbeh) much ba-biologya” (ba-biologyah”) in-the-biology”
46.25a יונתן: “כן, והיא יודעת גם להסביר טוב”
46.25b Yonatan: (Yonatan:) Jonathan: “ken, (ken,) yes, ve-hi (ve-hi) and-she yoda’at (yoda’at) knows gam (gam) also lehashir (lehashir) to-explain tov” (tov”) well”
46.26a רחל: “שלום חבר’ה! אתם יודעים שיש שיעור נוסף היום?”
46.26b Rakhel: (Rakhel:) Rachel: “shalom (shalom) hello khavre! (khavre!) guys! atem (atem) you-m.pl yod’im (yod’im) know she-yesh (she-yesh) that-there-is shi’ur (shi’ur) lesson nosaf (nosaf) additional ha-yom?” (ha-yom?”) the-day?”
46.27a דני: “לא, לא ידענו. באיזו שעה?”
46.27b Dani: (Dani:) Danny: “lo, (lo,) no, lo (lo) not yada’nu. (yada’nu.) we-knew. be-ezo (be-eizo) at-which sha’a?” (sha’ah?”) hour?”
46.28a רחל: “בשתיים. הפרופסור רוצה שנדע את החומר החדש”
46.28b Rakhel: (Rakhel:) Rachel: “bi-shtayim. (bi-shtayim.) at-two. ha-profesor (ha-profesor) the-professor rotse (rotseh) wants she-neda’ (she-neda’) that-we-will-know et (et) ACC ha-khomer (ha-khomer) the-material ha-khadash” (ha-khadash”) the-new”
46.29a יונתן: “אוקיי, אני יודע איפה הכיתה”
46.29b Yonatan: (Yonatan:) Jonathan: “okey, (okey,) okay, ani (ani) I yode’a (yode’a) know efo (eifo) where ha-kita” (ha-kitah”) the-classroom”
46.30a דני: “טוב שאת יודעת לספר לנו, רחל!”
46.30b Dani: (Dani:) Danny: “tov (tov) good she-at (she-at) that-you-f.s. yoda’at (yoda’at) know lesaper (lesaper) to-tell lanu, (lanu,) to-us, Rakhel!” (Rakhel!”) Rachel!”
46.16 דני: “אתה יודע מתי המבחן?” Dani: “ata yode’a matay ha-mivkhan?” Danny: “Do you know when the exam is?”
46.17 יונתן: “כן, אני יודע. ביום רביעי” Yonatan: “ken, ani yode’a. be-yom revi’i” Jonathan: “Yes, I know. On Wednesday”
46.18 דני: “את החומר כולו אתה יודע?” Dani: “et ha-khomer kulo ata yode’a?” Danny: “Do you know all the material?”
46.19 יונתן: “לא, אני לא יודע הכל” Yonatan: “lo, ani lo yode’a ha-kol” Jonathan: “No, I don’t know everything”
46.20 דני: “גם אני לא יודע את הפרק השלישי” Dani: “gam ani lo yode’a et ha-perek ha-shlishi” Danny: “I also don’t know the third chapter”
46.21 יונתן: “אולי נלמד ביחד? אני יודע את הפרק הזה טוב” Yonatan: “ulay nilmad be-yakhad? ani yode’a et ha-perek ha-ze tov” Jonathan: “Maybe we’ll study together? I know that chapter well”
46.22 דני: “אתה יודע איך ליצור קשר עם רחל?” Dani: “ata yode’a ekh liytzor kesher im Rakhel?” Danny: “Do you know how to contact Rachel?”
46.23 יונתן: “כן, אני יודע את המייל שלה” Yonatan: “ken, ani yode’a et ha-meyl shela” Jonathan: “Yes, I know her email”
46.24 דני: “היא יודעת הרבה בביולוגיה” Dani: “hi yoda’at harbe ba-biologya” Danny: “She knows a lot about biology”
46.25 יונתן: “כן, והיא יודעת גם להסביר טוב” Yonatan: “ken, ve-hi yoda’at gam lehashir tov” Jonathan: “Yes, and she also knows how to explain well”
46.26 רחל: “שלום חבר’ה! אתם יודעים שיש שיעור נוסף היום?” Rakhel: “shalom khavre! atem yod’im she-yesh shi’ur nosaf ha-yom?” Rachel: “Hi guys! Do you know there’s an extra class today?”
46.27 דני: “לא, לא ידענו. באיזו שעה?” Dani: “lo, lo yada’nu. be-ezo sha’a?” Danny: “No, we didn’t know. At what time?”
46.28 רחל: “בשתיים. הפרופסור רוצה שנדע את החומר החדש” Rakhel: “bi-shtayim. ha-profesor rotse she-neda’ et ha-khomer ha-khadash” Rachel: “At two. The professor wants us to know the new material”
46.29 יונתן: “אוקיי, אני יודע איפה הכיתה” Yonatan: “okey, ani yode’a efo ha-kita” Jonathan: “Okay, I know where the classroom is”
46.30 דני: “טוב שאת יודעת לספר לנו, רחל!” Dani: “tov she-at yoda’at lesaper lanu, Rakhel!” Danny: “Good that you know to tell us, Rachel!”
46.16 דני: “אתה יודע מתי המבחן?” Dani: “ata yode’a matay ha-mivkhan?”
46.17 יונתן: “כן, אני יודע. ביום רביעי” Yonatan: “ken, ani yode’a. be-yom revi’i”
46.18 דני: “את החומר כולו אתה יודע?” Dani: “et ha-khomer kulo ata yode’a?”
46.19 יונתן: “לא, אני לא יודע הכל” Yonatan: “lo, ani lo yode’a ha-kol”
46.20 דני: “גם אני לא יודע את הפרק השלישי” Dani: “gam ani lo yode’a et ha-perek ha-shlishi”
46.21 יונתן: “אולי נלמד ביחד? אני יודע את הפרק הזה טוב” Yonatan: “ulay nilmad be-yakhad? ani yode’a et ha-perek ha-ze tov”
46.22 דני: “אתה יודע איך ליצור קשר עם רחל?” Dani: “ata yode’a ekh liytzor kesher im Rakhel?”
46.23 יונתן: “כן, אני יודע את המייל שלה” Yonatan: “ken, ani yode’a et ha-meyl shela”
46.24 דני: “היא יודעת הרבה בביולוגיה” Dani: “hi yoda’at harbe ba-biologya”
46.25 יונתן: “כן, והיא יודעת גם להסביר טוב” Yonatan: “ken, ve-hi yoda’at gam lehashir tov”
46.26 רחל: “שלום חבר’ה! אתם יודעים שיש שיעור נוסף היום?” Rakhel: “shalom khavre! atem yod’im she-yesh shi’ur nosaf ha-yom?”
46.27 דני: “לא, לא ידענו. באיזו שעה?” Dani: “lo, lo yada’nu. be-ezo sha’a?”
46.28 רחל: “בשתיים. הפרופסור רוצה שנדע את החומר החדש” Rakhel: “bi-shtayim. ha-profesor rotse she-neda’ et ha-khomer ha-khadash”
46.29 יונתן: “אוקיי, אני יודע איפה הכיתה” Yonatan: “okey, ani yode’a efo ha-kita”
46.30 דני: “טוב שאת יודעת לספר לנו, רחל!” Dani: “tov she-at yoda’at lesaper lanu, Rakhel!”
This dialogue demonstrates several important features of לדעת in conversational Hebrew:
Conversational Patterns: -
Question formation: אתה יודע מתי...? (Do you know when...?) -
Affirmative response: כן, אני יודע (Yes, I know) -
Negative response: לא, אני לא יודע (No, I don’t know)
Past Tense: -
ידענו (yada’nu) - “we knew” - appears in example 46.27, showing how past tense is used to express what the speakers didn’t know previously
Future Tense: -
שנדע (she-neda’) - “that we will know” - appears in example 46.28, demonstrating subordinate clause with future verb
Idiomatic Constructions: -
טוב שאת יודעת לספר - “good that you know to tell” - shows לדעת with infinitive in idiomatic phrase expressing gratitude for communication
Vocabulary in Context: -
חבר’ה (khavre) - informal “guys” - shortened from חברים -
שיעור נוסף (shi’ur nosaf) - “extra/additional class” -
ביום רביעי (be-yom revi’i) - “on Wednesday” (literally “on fourth day”)
Natural Speech Features: -
Use of אוקיי (okey) - English borrowing fully integrated into Hebrew -
Topicalization: את החומר כולו אתה יודע? - object fronted for emphasis -
Ellipsis in responses: ביום רביעי (On Wednesday) - full sentence understood from context
This dialogue shows how לדעת functions as a fundamental tool for negotiating shared knowledge in academic settings, one of the most common contexts where Modern Hebrew speakers constantly discuss what they know and don’t know.
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This lesson is part of the Latinum Institute Modern Language Course, a comprehensive program designed for autodidact learners who want to master languages through systematic, frequency-based vocabulary instruction combined with authentic examples and cultural context.
Since 2006, the Latinum Institute has been creating high-quality language learning materials based on proven pedagogical principles. Our approach emphasizes: -
Frequency-based progression: Each lesson focuses on words ranked by their actual usage frequency in the target language -
Interlinear glossing: Word-by-word breakdown helps learners understand sentence structure without relying on translation -
Authentic examples: Real usage patterns from native speakers and literature -
Cultural integration: Language learning connected to cultural understanding -
Self-contained lessons: Each lesson provides all necessary vocabulary and grammar explanations
The interlinear (construed text) format used throughout this course accelerates comprehension by allowing learners to see the relationship between the target language and English at the granular level. This method is particularly valuable for languages with non-Latin scripts, as it helps learners develop direct reading fluency in the native writing system while understanding meaning.
Modern Hebrew (עברית) presents unique opportunities for language learners. As a successfully revived ancient language, it connects learners to 3,000 years of literary and cultural tradition while serving as a vibrant, modern language spoken by over 9 million people. The Hebrew lessons in this series emphasize: -
Right-to-left reading fluency in Hebrew script -
Standard romanization for pronunciation guidance -
The binyan (verb pattern) system -
Distinctions unique to Hebrew grammar -
Connection to contemporary Israeli culture
Each lesson provides: -
30 total examples (15 core + 15 genre-specific) -
Complete grammar explanations -
Cultural and usage notes -
Literary or authentic text citations -
Progressive difficulty within each lesson
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Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index -
Student Reviews: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk -
Institute Website: https://latinum.org.uk
This course is specifically designed for independent learners who: -
Want systematic, structured progression -
Prefer detailed grammatical explanations -
Value authentic language examples -
Seek cultural context alongside linguistic instruction -
Learn effectively through repeated exposure in varied contexts
The interlinear format means you’re never limited by vocabulary level - each lesson is self-contained and accessible, regardless of which lesson number you’re studying.
Hebrew Language Note: Modern Hebrew is one of the world’s most remarkable linguistic achievements. Revived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from a primarily liturgical language, it now serves as the everyday language of Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. The language successfully balances ancient roots with modern needs, creating new vocabulary for contemporary concepts while maintaining deep connections to classical texts.
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