4. 1. Absolute State
The form memorized as vocabulary word
Fully accented
2. Construct State
Related closely to the word that follows
Weakly accented
5. Two or more nominals are moved
so closely to one another that
they form a linguistic unit and at
the same time also express a unit
of meaning.
6. Construct State is a
variation of accent with a
syntactical function.
dwID" !B, Son of David
absolute construct definite determining
state state word word
7. Most of the time we can use
“of” to connect the two
words that make up the
construct chain.
8. The word in construct state loses its primary stress.
In the tone syllable, the long vowels qamets (ā) and tsere
(ē) can be shortened to patach (a).
In the pre-tone syllable, a Schwa or short vowel will
appear.
Examples:
דם » דם
ָּ ָּ
דברָּ» ְּדבר
זקן » זְּ קן
ָּ ָּ
9. 1. In a construct chain, the nominal in the absolute
state carries the primary stress.
2. The nominal in construct state changes its form
accordingly.
3. When an original short “a” now appears in an
unaccented, closed syllable, it normally changes to
“i” (Chireq).
10. st abs st c st abs st c
antepenultimate antepenultimate
Primary Stress Primary Stress
syllable syllable
הב ִרית
ְּ דם הביִ ת זְָּּ קן
דוִ ד ד בר
ְָּּ ְָּּ בב האיׁש
ִ ל
דוִ ד ִד ְָּּ רי
ב
13. 1. Singular
2. Plural
3. Dual
indicating 2 of something
number and measurement
parts of the body (or things that occur in pairs)
14. 1. Masculine nouns have no distinct ending in singular.
2. Feminine nouns have 2 different singular endings:
absolute state: ָה
construct state: ָת
ּתורה instruction (law)
ּתורתָּאהֹלהים
ָּ ִ ָּ the instruction (law) of God
15. 1. Dual endings are the same for both genders.
2. Absolute state: ~yI ;ñ
3. Construct state: y e
יום ָּ a day
יומִָּים
ֶ֫ two days
*יומי two days of
שפה lip
שפתִָּים
ֶ֫ ְּ (two) lips
16. 1. Masculine
absolute state: ָים
ָּ ִ
construct state: ָי
2. Feminine is same for both: .ות
17. סּוס a horse
סּוסים
ָּ ִ horses
סּוסי horses of …
סּוסה mare
סּוסות mares [or mares of …]
18. masculine feminine
st a st c st a st c Overview of
Nominal Endings
Singular – – h' t;
Dual ~yI ;ñ ye ~yIt;ñ ' yte
Plural ~y i ye tA
19. As a result of a shift in the tone
syllable, the vowels often
change with the addition of
endings on nouns.
See § 10.