What does "after" mean in Hebrew?
English "after" is a preposition ("after lunch"), a conjunction ("after we ate") and a word of following ("run after him"). Hebrew covers all three with one word, the preposition אחרי (akhrei), which takes ש־ ("that") when a clause follows. It means "after" in time and in sequence, and "after" in the sense of "following behind." אחרי העבודה (akhrei ha-avoda) is "after work."
The first thing a learner must see is that אחרי works differently before a noun and before a verb:
- Before a noun, it stands alone: אחרי הארוחה (akhrei ha-arukha), "after the meal"; אחרי חצות (akhrei khatsot), "after midnight." - Before a verb, it needs the little word ש־ (she-), "that," attached to the verb or to its subject: אחרי שאכלנו (akhrei she-akhalnu), "after we ate"; אחרי שהוא עזב (akhrei she-hu azav), "after he left." Hebrew never puts a bare verb after אחרי, and it has no "after eating" with an -ing form. It says "after we ate" or "after the eating." - With a pronoun, it takes endings, as many Hebrew prepositions do: אחריי (akharai), "after me"; אחריך (akharekha), "after you" (to a man); אחריו (akharav), "after him." Section D gives the full set.
The word looks like a plural noun, with the ending ־י (-ei) of the "plural construct," and the endings it takes are those of plural nouns. It belongs to the root א־ח־ר (a-kh-r), the root of "behind, later, other." The same root gives אחר (akher), "other"; אחרון (akharon), "last"; מאוחר (me'ukhar), "late"; אחר כך (akhar kakh), "afterwards"; אחריות (akhrayut), "responsibility"; and the אחור ("rear") of the אחורה and מאחורי of Lesson 55. What is behind in space comes later in time, and the language keeps the two senses in one family.
Do not mix אחרי with the neighbours that share its root or its meaning:
- לפני (lifnei) — "before," the opposite: לפני הארוחה, "before the meal" - מאחורי (me'akhorei) — "behind," of a fixed place: מאחורי הדלת (me'akhorei ha-delet), "behind the door" - אחר כך (akhar kakh) and אחרי זה (akhrei ze) — "afterwards," "after that," used alone - לאחר (le-akhar) — "after," the formal word of writing: לאחר הפגישה (le-akhar ha-pgisha), "after the meeting"
A note on spelling. אחרי is written as one word, and it ends in a yod. The final ־י is the vowel -ei, not a consonant. The ח is the rough khet, like the ch in Scottish loch. The stress falls on the last syllable: a-kha-REI. In quick speech the middle vowel nearly disappears and the word sounds like a-KHREI.
- אחרי (akhrei) = "after," in time, in sequence and in following; it never changes before a noun - Before a noun: אחרי העבודה; before a verb it needs ש־: אחרי שאכלנו - The tense follows the time: the past for what has happened (אחרי שאכלנו), the future for what is still to come (אחרי שתסיים); English "after you finish" is future in Hebrew - With pronouns it takes the endings of a plural noun: אחריי, אחריך, אחריו, אחריה, אחרינו, אחריכם, אחריהם - אחרי also means "behind" when something moves: רץ אחריו, "he ran after him"; for a fixed place use מאחורי - The opposite is לפני (lifnei), "before"; "afterwards" is אחר כך or אחרי זה - Stress: a-kha-REI; the ח is /χ/
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56.1a אחרי after העבודה the-work
56.1b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after ha-avoda (ha-a-vo-DA) the-work-F.SG
56.2a אחרי after הארוחה the-meal
56.2b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after ha-arukha (ha-a-ru-KHA) the-meal-F.SG
56.3a בוא come אחריי after-me
56.3b bo (BO) come-IMP.M.SG akharai (a-kha-RAI) after-1SG
56.4a הוא he הגיע arrived אחרינו after-us
56.4b hu (HOO) he higi'a (hi-GEE-a) arrive-PAST.3M.SG akharenu (a-kha-RE-nu) after-1PL
56.5a היא she רצה ran אחריו after-him
56.5b hi (HEE) she ratsa (ra-TSA) run-PAST.3F.SG akharav (a-kha-RAV) after-3M.SG
56.6a אחרי after הסרט the-film נלך we-will-go לאכול to-eat
56.6b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after ha-seret (ha-SE-ret) the-film-M.SG nelekh (NE-lekh) go-FUT.1PL le'ekhol (le-e-KHOL) to-eat-INF
56.7a אחרי after שאכלנו that-we-ate שתינו we-drank קפה coffee
56.7b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after she-akhalnu (she-a-KHAL-nu) that-eat-PAST.1PL shatinu (sha-TEE-nu) drink-PAST.1PL kafe (ka-FE) coffee-M.SG
56.8a אחרי after שתסיים that-you-finish את ACC הספר the-book תחזיר you-give-back לי to-me אותו it
56.8b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after she-tesayem (she-te-sa-YEM) that-finish-FUT.2M.SG et (ET) ACC ha-sefer (ha-SE-fer) the-book-M.SG takhzir (takh-ZEER) give-back-FUT.2M.SG li (LEE) to-me oto (o-TO) him/it-ACC.M.SG
56.9a אחרי after שהוא that-he עזב left הבית the-house היה was שקט quiet
56.9b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after she-hu (she-HOO) that-he-M azav (a-ZAV) leave-PAST.3M.SG ha-bayit (ha-BA-yit) the-house-M.SG haya (ha-YA) be-PAST.3M.SG shaket (sha-KET) quiet-M.SG
56.10a אחרי after חצות midnight הרחוב the-street מתרוקן empties
56.10b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after khatsot (kha-TSOT) midnight ha-rekhov (ha-re-KHOV) the-street-M.SG mitroken (mit-ro-KEN) empty-PRES.M.SG
56.11a אחרי after יום day ארוך long אני I רק only רוצה want לישון to-sleep
56.11b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after yom (YOM) day-M.SG arokh (a-ROKH) long-M.SG ani (a-NEE) I rak (RAK) only rotse (ro-TSE) want-PRES.M.SG lishon (li-SHON) to-sleep-INF
56.12a אחרי after שנים years רבות many הם they נפגשו met שוב again בתחנה at-the-station
56.12b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after shanim (sha-NEEM) year-F.PL rabot (ra-BOT) many-F.PL hem (HEM) they-M nifgeshu (nif-ge-SHU) meet-PAST.3PL shuv (SHUV) again ba-takhana (ba-ta-kha-NA) at-the-station-F.SG
56.13a הילדים the-children רצים run אחרי after הכדור the-ball והכלב and-the-dog רץ runs אחריהם after-them
56.13b ha-yeladim (ha-ye-la-DEEM) the-child-M.PL ratsim (ra-TSEEM) run-PRES.M.PL akhrei (a-kha-REI) after ha-kadur (ha-ka-DUR) the-ball-M.SG ve-ha-kelev (ve-ha-KE-lev) and-the-dog-M.SG rats (RATS) run-PRES.M.SG akhareihem (a-kha-REI-hem) after-3M.PL
56.14a אחרי after שמסיימים that-they-finish את ACC הלימודים the-studies רוב most-of האנשים the-people מחפשים look-for עבודה work ורק and-only אחרי after כמה some חודשים months הם they מוצאים find אותה it
56.14b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after she-mesayemim (she-me-sa-ye-MEEM) that-finish-PRES.M.PL et (ET) ACC ha-limudim (ha-li-mu-DEEM) the-studies-M.PL rov (ROV) most-M.SG.CONSTR ha-anashim (ha-a-na-SHEEM) the-people-M.PL mekhapsim (me-khap-SEEM) look-for-PRES.M.PL avoda (a-vo-DA) work-F.SG ve-rak (ve-RAK) and-only akhrei (a-kha-REI) after kama (ka-MA) some khodashim (kho-da-SHEEM) month-M.PL hem (HEM) they-M motsim (mots-EEM) find-PRES.M.PL ota (o-TA) her/it-ACC.F.SG
56.15a אחרי after הכול the-all זה this רק only משחק game והחשוב and-the-important הוא is שהיינו that-we-were יחד together
56.15b akhrei (a-kha-REI) after ha-kol (ha-KOL) the-all ze (ZE) this rak (RAK) only miskhak (mis-KHAK) game-M.SG ve-ha-khashuv (ve-ha-kha-SHUV) and-the-important-M.SG hu (HOO) COP-M.SG she-hayinu (she-ha-YEE-nu) that-be-PAST.1PL yakhad (ya-KHAD) together
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56.1 אחרי העבודה — akhrei ha-avoda — "After work."
56.2 אחרי הארוחה — akhrei ha-arukha — "After the meal."
56.3 בוא אחריי — bo akharai — "Follow me." (to a man)
56.4 הוא הגיע אחרינו — hu higi'a akharenu — "He arrived after us."
56.5 היא רצה אחריו — hi ratsa akharav — "She ran after him."
56.6 אחרי הסרט נלך לאכול — akhrei ha-seret nelekh le'ekhol — "After the film we'll go and eat."
56.7 אחרי שאכלנו שתינו קפה — akhrei she-akhalnu shatinu kafe — "After we ate, we drank coffee."
56.8 אחרי שתסיים את הספר תחזיר לי אותו — akhrei she-tesayem et ha-sefer takhzir li oto — "After you finish the book, give it back to me." (to a man)
56.9 אחרי שהוא עזב הבית היה שקט — akhrei she-hu azav ha-bayit haya shaket — "After he left, the house was quiet."
56.10 אחרי חצות הרחוב מתרוקן — akhrei khatsot ha-rekhov mitroken — "After midnight the street empties."
56.11 אחרי יום ארוך אני רק רוצה לישון — akhrei yom arokh ani rak rotse lishon — "After a long day I only want to sleep." (a man speaking)
56.12 אחרי שנים רבות הם נפגשו שוב בתחנה — akhrei shanim rabot hem nifgeshu shuv ba-takhana — "After many years they met again at the station."
56.13 הילדים רצים אחרי הכדור והכלב רץ אחריהם — ha-yeladim ratsim akhrei ha-kadur ve-ha-kelev rats akhareihem — "The children run after the ball, and the dog runs after them."
56.14 אחרי שמסיימים את הלימודים רוב האנשים מחפשים עבודה, ורק אחרי כמה חודשים הם מוצאים אותה — akhrei she-mesayemim et ha-limudim rov ha-anashim mekhapsim avoda, ve-rak akhrei kama khodashim hem motsim ota — "After they finish their studies most people look for work, and only after some months do they find it."
56.15 אחרי הכול זה רק משחק, והחשוב הוא שהיינו יחד — akhrei ha-kol ze rak miskhak, ve-ha-khashuv hu she-hayinu yakhad — "After all, it is only a game, and what matters is that we were together."
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56.1 אחרי העבודה
56.2 אחרי הארוחה
56.3 בוא אחריי
56.4 הוא הגיע אחרינו
56.5 היא רצה אחריו
56.6 אחרי הסרט נלך לאכול
56.7 אחרי שאכלנו שתינו קפה
56.8 אחרי שתסיים את הספר תחזיר לי אותו
56.9 אחרי שהוא עזב הבית היה שקט
56.10 אחרי חצות הרחוב מתרוקן
56.11 אחרי יום ארוך אני רק רוצה לישון
56.12 אחרי שנים רבות הם נפגשו שוב בתחנה
56.13 הילדים רצים אחרי הכדור והכלב רץ אחריהם
56.14 אחרי שמסיימים את הלימודים רוב האנשים מחפשים עבודה, ורק אחרי כמה חודשים הם מוצאים אותה
56.15 אחרי הכול זה רק משחק, והחשוב הוא שהיינו יחד
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1. What kind of word it is. אחרי is a preposition (מילת יחס, milat yakhas). Before a noun it has one form only. It does not agree with anything: אחרי העבודה, אחרי הארוחה, אחרי הסרט, with the same אחרי. Like many Hebrew prepositions it looks like a plural noun in the construct state (compare לפני, lifnei, "before"), and this shows in the endings it takes (rule 5).
2. "After" a noun (time). The noun after אחרי may be definite (אחרי העבודה, 56.1; אחרי הארוחה, 56.2; אחרי הסרט, 56.6) or indefinite (אחרי חצות, 56.10; אחרי יום ארוך, 56.11; אחרי שנים רבות, 56.12). The definite article ה־ belongs to the noun; אחרי itself never takes it. The word may also stand with a number and a unit of time: אחרי שלוש שעות, "after three hours"; אחרי כמה חודשים (56.14), "after some months."
3. "After" a clause: אחרי ש־. Before a verb, אחרי is followed by ש־ (she-), "that," and a finite verb: אחרי שאכלנו (56.7), אחרי שתסיים (56.8), אחרי שהוא עזב (56.9). The ש־ is written joined to the next word, which is the verb (שאכלנו) or the subject (שהוא). It is never dropped: אחרי אכלנו is wrong. English "after eating" has no word-for-word Hebrew form: say אחרי שאכלנו, "after we ate," or use a noun, אחרי האכילה, "after the eating."
4. Which tense follows אחרי ש־. The verb takes the tense of the time it speaks about:
- Past, for something that has happened: אחרי שאכלנו שתינו קפה (56.7), "after we ate we drank coffee." - Future, for something still to come: אחרי שתסיים את הספר תחזיר לי אותו (56.8). English says "after you finish," in the present, and Hebrew says "after you will finish." - Present, for a habit: אחרי שמסיימים את הלימודים, רוב האנשים מחפשים עבודה (56.14), "after (people) finish their studies, most look for work."
5. The endings with pronouns. The forms are those of a plural noun with the possessive endings:
- אחריי (akharai) — after me - אחריך (akharekha) — after you, to a man - אחרייך (akharayikh) — after you, to a woman - אחריו (akharav) — after him - אחריה (akhareha) — after her - אחרינו (akharenu) — after us - אחריכם (akhareikhem) — after you, to men or to a mixed group - אחריכן (akhareikhen) — after you, to women - אחריהם (akhareihem) — after them, masculine or mixed - אחריהן (akhareihen) — after them, feminine
In everyday speech the plural forms אחריכן and אחריהן are often replaced by אחריכם and אחריהם. The endings are used in 56.3 (אחריי), 56.4 (אחרינו), 56.5 (אחריו), 56.13 (אחריהם), and in the dialogue below.
6. "After" in the sense of "following." When one thing moves behind another, Hebrew uses אחרי with a verb of motion: רצה אחריו (56.5), "she ran after him"; הכלב רץ אחריהם (56.13); בוא אחריי (56.3), "follow me." The same preposition goes with לרדוף (lirdof), "to chase": רדף אחריו (radaf akharav), "he chased after him." For a fixed position, "behind," Hebrew uses מאחורי (Lesson 55): הוא עומד מאחורי הדלת, "he is standing behind the door." Compare: הוא רץ אחריי, "he ran after me," and הוא עומד מאחוריי, "he is standing behind me."
7. Sequence and queues. אחרי puts things in order. Two nouns joined by אחרי mean "one after the other": יום אחרי יום (yom akhrei yom), "day after day"; אחד אחרי השני (ekhad akhrei ha-sheni), "one after the other." In a queue, a person says אני אחריך (ani akharekha), "I am after you," and asks מי אחרון? (mi akharon), "who is last?" The word אחרון, "last," has the same root.
8. "Afterwards," "after that." In everyday speech אחרי is not used alone for "afterwards"; it needs a noun or a clause after it. The adverb is אחר כך (akhar kakh) or אחרי זה (akhrei ze): נאכל, ואחר כך נלך, "we'll eat, and afterwards we'll go." The formal word of writing is לאחר, with its set phrase לאחר מכן (le-akhar mikhan), "after that": לאחר הפגישה, "after the meeting."
9. The opposite: לפני. "Before" is לפני (lifnei), with the endings of the same kind: לפניי (lefanai), לפניך (lefanekha), לפניו (lefanav), לפנינו (lefanenu), "before us," as in 56.24 below. אחרי and לפני can stand together: לפני הארוחה ואחרי הארוחה, "before the meal and after the meal."
10. Prefixes. The prefix ו־ ("and") is joined to אחרי and the stress does not move: ואחרי (ve-akhrei), as in ורק אחרי כמה חודשים (56.14) and ואחרי הפלאפל (56.20). The word ש־ before a verb is also a prefix: אחרי שהוא (akhrei she-hu), never "אחרי ש הוא."
- אחרי with a bare verb. אחרי אכלנו is wrong. Say אחרי שאכלנו. - Writing the ש־ as a separate word. It joins the next word: שאכלנו, שהוא, שתסיים. - The present for a single future event. אחרי שאתה מסיים suggests a habit. For "after you finish" (once), say אחרי שתסיים. - אחרי for a fixed place. "He is standing behind the door" is עומד מאחורי הדלת, not עומד אחרי הדלת. אחרי is for what moves or follows. - A pronoun after אחרי. "After me" is אחריי, not אחרי אני. "After them" is אחריהם, not אחרי הם. - Mixing אחר and אחרי in set phrases. The set phrases are אחר כך ("afterwards") and אחרי זה ("after that"). Keep the pairs as they are. - "After eating." Do not translate the English -ing form. Say אחרי שאכלנו or אחרי האכילה.
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אחרי is one of the commonest words of the language, neutral in register, heard at every hour. Its formal relative לאחר (le-akhar) is found in newspapers, contracts and announcements: לאחר מכן, "after that"; לאחר מותו, "after his death." In speech people say אחרי.
In Israel the autumn holidays, from Rosh Hashana to Simchat Torah, are followed by a long stretch in which many things are put off. The set phrase is אחרי החגים (akhrei ha-khagim), "after the holidays." Someone who does not want to decide now says נדבר אחרי החגים, "we'll talk after the holidays." The phrase is half a joke about the whole country, and half a true account of how the autumn goes.
אחריי! (akharai), "follow me!", is the well-known motto of Israeli army officers: the officer leads from the front, and the soldiers come after him. The preposition of this lesson says it in one word, with the leader in front and the others behind.
Many Israeli queues are not marked: people gather at a counter, a bus stop or a kiosk without a line. The way to take a place is the pair of questions and answers of the dialogue below: מי אחרון? ("who is last?"), then אני אחריך ("I am after you"). Once you have said it, you hold your place however the crowd moves.
The word is also a title. One weekly portion of the Torah, in the Book of Leviticus, is called אחרי מות (Acharei Mot), "after the death," from its opening words: "And the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron" (Leviticus 16:1; the text is that of Sefaria's Masoretic edition: וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן). The portions are named from their first distinctive words, so the name is the preposition of this lesson. In modern speech the phrase אחרי מות also means "after death."
- אחרי הכול (akhrei ha-kol) — "after all" - אחרי החגים (akhrei ha-khagim) — "after the holidays" - יום אחרי יום (yom akhrei yom) — "day after day" - אחד אחרי השני (ekhad akhrei ha-sheni) — "one after the other" - אחרי שנים (akhrei shanim) — "after years" - אחריי! (akharai) — "follow me!" - אחר כך (akhar kakh) — "afterwards" - אחרי מות (akhrei mot) — "after death," and the name of a weekly Torah portion
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The citation is from the Song of Songs, 1:4 (first half). A young woman asks her beloved to take her with him, and the verse asks it with the word of this lesson: "draw me after you." The word אחרי has here its first and physical sense, "behind you," and the verse is a request to follow. The text follows the Masoretic text as printed on Sefaria; the cantillation marks are omitted.
F.1a מָשְׁכֵנִי draw-me אַחֲרֶיךָ after-you
F.1b moshkheni (mosh-KHE-ni) draw-IMP.M.SG-me akharekha (a-kha-RE-kha) after-2M.SG
F.2a נָּרוּצָה let-us-run
F.2b narutsa (na-ru-TSA) run-COHORT.1PL
F.3a הֱבִיאַנִי brought-me הַמֶּלֶךְ the-king
F.3b hevi'ani (he-vee-A-ni) bring-PAST.3M.SG-me ha-melekh (ha-ME-lekh) the-king-M.SG
F.4a חֲדָרָיו chambers-his
F.4b khadarav (kha-da-RAV) room-M.PL-his
מָשְׁכֵנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ נָּרוּצָה; הֱבִיאַנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ חֲדָרָיו.
moshkheni akharekha narutsa; hevi'ani ha-melekh khadarav.
"Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers."
— Song of Songs 1:4 (translation: Latinum Institute, kept close to the Hebrew)
מָשְׁכֵנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ נָּרוּצָה; הֱבִיאַנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ חֲדָרָיו.
The verse has four short clauses, and the preposition is in the first:
- מָשְׁכֵנִי (moshkheni). "Draw me": the imperative of משך (mashakh), "to draw, to pull," with the ending ־ני, "me." The first vowel is the short o sound, written with a qamats, and it is read mosh-, not mash-. The modern word for "to draw, to pull" is למשוך (limshokh). - אַחֲרֶיךָ (akharekha). "After you," "behind you": אחרי with the ending of "you" to a man, exactly the form of Section D, rule 5. The woman asks to be drawn along behind him, and so the word has here the sense of rule 6, following. - נָּרוּצָה (narutsa). "Let us run": the first-person plural with the ending ־ה of the "cohortative," a form of urging in the Bible. The modern language says נרוץ (narutz) for the same thing, with no ending, as in "bo'i narutz" of Lesson 55. - הֱבִיאַנִי (hevi'ani). "He has brought me": the past הביא (hevi), "he brought," from the verb להביא (lehavi), with the ending ־ני. - חֲדָרָיו (khadarav). "His chambers": חדר (kheder), "room," in the plural with the ending of "his," the same ending ־יו as in אחריו.
The ending of אחריך and the ending of חדריו are one and the same kind: the plural noun with the possessive ending. This shows why אחרי takes the endings of a plural noun.
The Song of Songs is a book of love poems, and its title verse (1:1) names Solomon. It opens in the middle of a wish, with no introduction: the woman speaks first, and her first words are an imperative, "draw me." The preposition אחריך puts the man in front and the woman behind, and the next word, נרוצה, puts both of them in motion: she asks to be drawn, and says at once "let us run." For a learner, the verse is a short and exact picture of the first sense of אחרי: someone goes first, someone follows. Everyday Hebrew still says רצה אחריו (56.5) in the same way. The sense of time, "after lunch," "after the holidays," came from this one: what comes behind in space comes later in a sequence.
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56.16a תמר Tamar אחרי after הבחינה the-exam אני I רוצה want לאכול to-eat משהו something
56.16b Tamar (ta-MAR) Tamar akhrei (a-kha-REI) after ha-bkhina (ha-bkhee-NA) the-exam-F.SG ani (a-NEE) I rotsa (ro-TSA) want-PRES.F.SG le'ekhol (le-e-KHOL) to-eat-INF mashehu (ma-SHE-hu) something
56.17a עומר Omer גם also אני I אחרי after שלוש three שעות hours של of כתיבה writing אני I רעב hungry
56.17b Omer (o-MER) Omer gam (GAM) also ani (a-NEE) I akhrei (a-kha-REI) after shalosh (sha-LOSH) three-F sha'ot (sha-OT) hour-F.PL shel (SHEL) of ktiva (kti-VA) writing-F.SG ani (a-NEE) I ra'ev (ra-EV) hungry-M.SG
56.18a תמר Tamar מה what נעשה we-will-do אחרי after שנצא that-we-go-out מכאן from-here
56.18b Tamar (ta-MAR) Tamar ma (MA) what na'ase (na-a-SE) do-FUT.1PL akhrei (a-kha-REI) after she-netse (she-ne-TSE) that-go-out-FUT.1PL mi-kan (mi-KAN) from-here
56.19a עומר Omer אחרי after שנצא that-we-go-out נלך we-will-go לאכול to-eat פלאפל falafel בפינת at-corner-of הרחוב the-street
56.19b Omer (o-MER) Omer akhrei (a-kha-REI) after she-netse (she-ne-TSE) that-go-out-FUT.1PL nelekh (NE-lekh) go-FUT.1PL le'ekhol (le-e-KHOL) to-eat-INF falafel (fa-LA-fel) falafel-M.SG be-pinat (be-pee-NAT) at-corner-F.SG.CONSTR ha-rekhov (ha-re-KHOV) the-street-M.SG
56.20a תמר Tamar ואחרי and-after הפלאפל the-falafel אני I לא not רוצה want לחזור to-return הביתה home
56.20b Tamar (ta-MAR) Tamar ve-akhrei (ve-a-kha-REI) and-after ha-falafel (ha-fa-LA-fel) the-falafel-M.SG ani (a-NEE) I lo (LO) not rotsa (ro-TSA) want-PRES.F.SG lakhazor (la-kha-ZOR) to-return-INF ha-bayta (ha-BAI-ta) home-DIR
56.21a עומר Omer אחרי after הפלאפל the-falafel אפשר possible ללכת to-go לים to-the-sea אחרי after חצות midnight הוא it כמעט almost ריק empty
56.21b Omer (o-MER) Omer akhrei (a-kha-REI) after ha-falafel (ha-fa-LA-fel) the-falafel-M.SG efshar (ef-SHAR) possible lalekhet (la-LE-khet) to-go-INF la-yam (la-YAM) to-the-sea-M.SG akhrei (a-kha-REI) after khatsot (kha-TSOT) midnight hu (HOO) it-M kim'at (kim-AT) almost rek (REK) empty-M.SG
56.22a תמר Tamar רעיון idea טוב good אבל but אחרי after הים the-sea אני I תמיד always עייפה tired
56.22b Tamar (ta-MAR) Tamar ra'ayon (ra-a-YON) idea-M.SG tov (TOV) good-M.SG aval (a-VAL) but akhrei (a-kha-REI) after ha-yam (ha-YAM) the-sea-M.SG ani (a-NEE) I tamid (ta-MID) always ayefa (a-YE-fa) tired-F.SG
56.23a עומר Omer אז so אני I אביא I-will-bring קפה coffee ואחרי and-after הקפה the-coffee כבר already לא not תהיי you-will-be עייפה tired
56.23b Omer (o-MER) Omer az (AZ) so ani (a-NEE) I avi (a-VEE) bring-FUT.1SG kafe (ka-FE) coffee-M.SG ve-akhrei (ve-a-kha-REI) and-after ha-kafe (ha-ka-FE) the-coffee-M.SG kvar (KVAR) already lo (LO) not tihyi (tih-YI) be-FUT.2F.SG ayefa (a-YE-fa) tired-F.SG
56.24a תמר Tamar הנה here-is התור the-queue האיש the-man הזה the-this לפנינו before-us ואנחנו and-we אחריו after-him
56.24b Tamar (ta-MAR) Tamar hine (hi-NE) here-is ha-tor (ha-TOR) the-queue-M.SG ha-ish (ha-EESH) the-man-M.SG ha-ze (ha-ZE) the-this-M.SG lefanenu (le-fa-NE-nu) before-1PL ve-anakhnu (ve-a-NAKH-nu) and-we akharav (a-kha-RAV) after-3M.SG
56.25a עומר Omer סליחה excuse-me אתה you אחרון last אנחנו we אחריך after-you
56.25b Omer (o-MER) Omer slikha (sli-KHA) excuse-me ata (a-TA) you-M.SG akharon (a-kha-RON) last-M.SG anakhnu (a-NAKH-nu) we akharekha (a-kha-RE-kha) after-2M.SG
56.26a האיש the-man כן yes אני I אחרון last ואחריי and-after-me אתם you
56.26b ha-ish (ha-EESH) the-man-M.SG ken (KEN) yes ani (a-NEE) I akharon (a-kha-RON) last-M.SG ve-akharai (ve-a-kha-RAI) and-after-1SG atem (a-TEM) you-M.PL
56.27a המוכר the-seller אתם you אחריו after-him נכון right מה what תרצו you-will-want
56.27b ha-mokher (ha-mo-KHER) the-seller-M.SG atem (a-TEM) you-M.PL akharav (a-kha-RAV) after-3M.SG nakhon (na-KHON) right-M.SG ma (MA) what tirtsu (tir-TSU) want-FUT.2PL
56.28a תמר Tamar שתי two מנות portions ואחרי and-after האוכל the-food נשתה we-will-drink משהו something קר cold
56.28b Tamar (ta-MAR) Tamar shtei (SHTEI) two-F.CONSTR manot (ma-NOT) portion-F.PL ve-akhrei (ve-a-kha-REI) and-after ha-okhel (ha-O-khel) the-food-M.SG nishte (nish-TE) drink-FUT.1PL mashehu (ma-SHE-hu) something kar (KAR) cold-M.SG
56.29a המוכר the-seller בתאבון in-appetite ואחרי and-after שתאכלו that-you-eat תבואו you-will-come שוב again
56.29b ha-mokher (ha-mo-KHER) the-seller-M.SG be-te'avon (be-te-a-VON) in-appetite-M.SG ve-akhrei (ve-a-kha-REI) and-after she-to'khlu (she-to-KHLU) that-eat-FUT.2PL tavo'u (ta-vo-U) come-FUT.2PL shuv (SHUV) again
56.30a תמר Tamar בטח surely שנבוא that-we-will-come אחרי after פלאפל falafel כזה like-this אפשר possible גם also לשכוח to-forget את ACC הבחינה the-exam
56.30b Tamar (ta-MAR) Tamar betakh (BE-takh) surely she-navo (she-na-VO) that-come-FUT.1PL akhrei (a-kha-REI) after falafel (fa-LA-fel) falafel-M.SG kaze (ka-ZE) like-this efshar (ef-SHAR) possible gam (GAM) also lishko'akh (lish-KO-akh) to-forget-INF et (ET) ACC ha-bkhina (ha-bkhee-NA) the-exam-F.SG
56.16 תמר: אחרי הבחינה אני רוצה לאכול משהו — Tamar: akhrei ha-bkhina ani rotsa le'ekhol mashehu — "Tamar: After the exam I want to eat something."
56.17 עומר: גם אני, אחרי שלוש שעות של כתיבה אני רעב — Omer: gam ani, akhrei shalosh sha'ot shel ktiva ani ra'ev — "Omer: Me too. After three hours of writing I'm hungry."
56.18 תמר: מה נעשה אחרי שנצא מכאן — Tamar: ma na'ase akhrei she-netse mi-kan — "Tamar: What shall we do after we leave here?"
56.19 עומר: אחרי שנצא נלך לאכול פלאפל בפינת הרחוב — Omer: akhrei she-netse nelekh le'ekhol falafel be-pinat ha-rekhov — "Omer: After we leave, we'll go and eat falafel at the corner of the street."
56.20 תמר: ואחרי הפלאפל? אני לא רוצה לחזור הביתה — Tamar: ve-akhrei ha-falafel? ani lo rotsa lakhazor ha-bayta — "Tamar: And after the falafel? I don't want to go home."
56.21 עומר: אחרי הפלאפל אפשר ללכת לים, אחרי חצות הוא כמעט ריק — Omer: akhrei ha-falafel efshar lalekhet la-yam, akhrei khatsot hu kim'at rek — "Omer: After the falafel we can go to the sea; after midnight it's almost empty."
56.22 תמר: רעיון טוב, אבל אחרי הים אני תמיד עייפה — Tamar: ra'ayon tov, aval akhrei ha-yam ani tamid ayefa — "Tamar: Good idea, but after the sea I'm always tired."
56.23 עומר: אז אני אביא קפה, ואחרי הקפה כבר לא תהיי עייפה — Omer: az ani avi kafe, ve-akhrei ha-kafe kvar lo tihyi ayefa — "Omer: Then I'll bring coffee, and after the coffee you won't be tired any more."
56.24 תמר: הנה התור, האיש הזה לפנינו ואנחנו אחריו — Tamar: hine ha-tor, ha-ish ha-ze lefanenu ve-anakhnu akharav — "Tamar: Here's the queue; this man is in front of us and we are after him."
56.25 עומר: סליחה, אתה אחרון? אנחנו אחריך — Omer: slikha, ata akharon? anakhnu akharekha — "Omer: Excuse me, are you last? We're after you."
56.26 האיש: כן, אני אחרון, ואחריי אתם — ha-ish: ken, ani akharon, ve-akharai atem — "The man: Yes, I'm last, and you're after me."
56.27 המוכר: אתם אחריו, נכון? מה תרצו — ha-mokher: atem akharav, nakhon? ma tirtsu — "The seller: You're after him, right? What would you like?"
56.28 תמר: שתי מנות, ואחרי האוכל נשתה משהו קר — Tamar: shtei manot, ve-akhrei ha-okhel nishte mashehu kar — "Tamar: Two portions, and after the food we'll drink something cold."
56.29 המוכר: בתאבון, ואחרי שתאכלו תבואו שוב — ha-mokher: be-te'avon, ve-akhrei she-to'khlu tavo'u shuv — "The seller: Enjoy your meal, and after you've eaten, come again."
56.30 תמר: בטח שנבוא, אחרי פלאפל כזה אפשר גם לשכוח את הבחינה — Tamar: betakh she-navo, akhrei falafel kaze efshar gam lishko'akh et ha-bkhina — "Tamar: Of course we'll come; after falafel like this we can even forget the exam."
56.16 תמר: אחרי הבחינה אני רוצה לאכול משהו
56.17 עומר: גם אני, אחרי שלוש שעות של כתיבה אני רעב
56.18 תמר: מה נעשה אחרי שנצא מכאן
56.19 עומר: אחרי שנצא נלך לאכול פלאפל בפינת הרחוב
56.20 תמר: ואחרי הפלאפל? אני לא רוצה לחזור הביתה
56.21 עומר: אחרי הפלאפל אפשר ללכת לים, אחרי חצות הוא כמעט ריק
56.22 תמר: רעיון טוב, אבל אחרי הים אני תמיד עייפה
56.23 עומר: אז אני אביא קפה, ואחרי הקפה כבר לא תהיי עייפה
56.24 תמר: הנה התור, האיש הזה לפנינו ואנחנו אחריו
56.25 עומר: סליחה, אתה אחרון? אנחנו אחריך
56.26 האיש: כן, אני אחרון, ואחריי אתם
56.27 המוכר: אתם אחריו, נכון? מה תרצו
56.28 תמר: שתי מנות, ואחרי האוכל נשתה משהו קר
56.29 המוכר: בתאבון, ואחרי שתאכלו תבואו שוב
56.30 תמר: בטח שנבוא, אחרי פלאפל כזה אפשר גם לשכוח את הבחינה
- Plans in the future (56.18, 56.19, 56.23, 56.28, 56.29). The friends speak of what they will do, so the verbs are in the future: נעשה, נלך, אביא, נשתה, תבואו. After אחרי ש־ the future also stands for a single event still to come: אחרי שנצא (56.18, 56.19), אחרי שתאכלו (56.29). - Number and noun (56.17). The feminine noun שעות takes the feminine form שלוש: שלוש שעות. The phrase "of writing" is של כתיבה; it is "three hours of writing." - ואחרי (56.20, 56.23, 56.28, 56.29). The prefix ו־ ("and") joins אחרי and the stress stays on the last syllable: ve-a-kha-REI. In 56.20 the sentence has no verb: ואחרי הפלאפל? means "and after the falafel?" - Two uses in one sentence (56.21). אחרי הפלאפל gives the order of the evening, and אחרי חצות gives the hour. The pronoun הוא ("it") stands for הים, which is masculine, and with no word for "is" the sentence is הוא כמעט ריק, "it is almost empty." - כבר לא (56.23). "Already not," which is "no longer, not any more." The woman is addressed, so "you will be" is the feminine תהיי. - לפנינו and אחריו (56.24). The two prepositions are opposites: לפני, "before, in front of," and אחרי, "after, behind in the line." Each takes its pronoun ending: לפנינו, "in front of us"; אחריו, "after him." - The queue (56.25, 56.26, 56.27). Omer asks a man, so "you" is אתה and "after you" is the masculine אחריך. The man answers ואחריי אתם, "and after me, you" (the plural אתם is for the two of them). The seller uses the plural as well: אתם אחריו. The word אחרון, "last," comes from the root of אחרי (see the introduction). - שתי מנות (56.28). "Two portions": שתי is the form of "two" before a feminine noun (מנות, plural of מנה), here in the construct state. - בתאבון (56.29). "Bon appétit," literally "with appetite": תאבון (te'avon) with the prefix ב־. - בטח ש־ (56.30). "Of course (that)": בטח is "surely," and ש־ introduces what is certain: בטח שנבוא, "of course we'll come." - אחרי פלאפל כזה (56.30). "After falafel like this": the noun has no ה־, because it is a kind of food and not a particular portion; כזה, "such, like this," follows it.
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- IPA: /aχaˈʁei/, three syllables, stress on the last: a-kha-REI. In quick speech the middle vowel nearly disappears: /aχˈʁei/. - א (alef) at the start of the word is silent: it only carries the vowel /a/. - ח (khet) = /χ/, the rough sound of the ch in Scottish loch, made at the back of the mouth. - ר (resh) = /ʁ/, a uvular r made at the back of the throat, close to the French r. - ־י (yod) at the end spells the vowel -ei, as in English day (without the glide). - ואחרי (ve-akhrei) /veaχaˈʁei/ — ve-a-kha-REI: the stress does not move.
- אחריי (akharai) /aχaˈʁai/ — a-kha-RAI - אחריך (akharekha) /aχaˈʁeχa/ — a-kha-RE-kha - אחרייך (akharayikh) /aχaˈʁajiχ/ — a-kha-RA-yikh - אחריו (akharav) /aχaˈʁav/ — a-kha-RAV - אחריה (akhareha) /aχaˈʁeha/ — a-kha-RE-ha - אחרינו (akharenu) /aχaˈʁenu/ — a-kha-RE-nu - אחריכם (akhareikhem) /aχaˈʁeiχem/ — a-kha-REI-khem - אחריהם (akhareihem) /aχaˈʁeihem/ — a-kha-REI-hem - לפני (lifnei) /lifˈnei/ — lif-NEI - לפנינו (lefanenu) /lefaˈnenu/ — le-fa-NE-nu - אחר כך (akhar kakh) /aˈχaʁ kaχ/ — a-KHAR KAKH - לאחר (le-akhar) /leaˈχaʁ/ — le-a-KHAR - אחרון (akharon) /aχaˈʁon/ — a-kha-RON - אחריות (akhrayut) /aχʁaˈjut/ — akh-ra-YUT
- ח (khet) and כ without a dot (khaf) in אחרי, אחרון, אחר כך, חצות, מסיימים, חודשים: both /χ/, as in loch. - צ (tsadi) in חצות, רוצה, רצה, נצא, מוצאים: /ts/, as in English cats. - ע and א between vowels in הגיע (higi'a), שעות (sha'ot), רעיון (ra'ayon), בתאבון (be-te'avon), אחריו: a light break between the vowels, marked ' in the transliteration. - The ר (resh) in אחרי, רץ, רעב, רחוב, ארוחה: a uvular /ʁ/. - The final stress. Most of the words of this lesson, אחרי, אחריי, נצא, רצים, מסיימים, are stressed on the last syllable: a-kha-REI, ra-TSEEM.
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