segunda-feira, 14 de maio de 2012

The direct object marker אֶת

The Hebrew direct object is only strictly direct when it is indefinite, as in:

take a chair - קַח כִּיסֵא
take meat - קַח בָּשָׂר
When definite (e.g. הַכִּיסֵא 'the chair'), it is generally introduced by the special preposition אֶת .
This is known as the direct object marker. By definite we mean:
a. a noun with הַ
b. a name
c. a definite pronoun

Take Mikhal to a film (qa7 et mikhal leseret) - קַח אֶת מִיכַל לְסֶרֶט
Take this (qa7 et ze) - קַח אֶת זֶה
Who did you take? (et mi laqa7ta?) - אֶת מִי לַקַחְתָּ؟
take the chair - קַח אֶת הַכִּיסֵא
 Genesis 1:1





בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ
bereshit bara elohim et hashamayim ve'et ha'arets
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Note:
מִי (who) is considered definite, but מַה (what) is not. So, to ask "what did you take?" you have to say "מַה לַקַחְתָּ؟" without the direct object marker.


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