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Past-tense Verbs
Lesson 12 · פעלים בעבר
In the past tense, Hebrew verbs take suffixes that change with the person. Each verb has 7 distinct forms (vs. 4 in present). The good news: the root stays recognizable and the endings are consistent.
No pronoun needed, Past-tense endings already show the person. לָמַדְתִּי (lamadti) already means "I learned", no need for אֲנִי.
Pattern: לָמַד (lamad: to learn)
The Verb "to BE" in Past Tense (היה: haya)
"Was / had been", In present, "to be" disappears. In past, it returns with the verb הָיָה (haya, was).
5 Common Verbs in Past Tense (1st person: I...)
5 Common Verbs in Past Tense (3rd person: he/she...)
Example Sentences