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Pi'el & Hitpa'el Binyanim

Lesson 30 · פיעל והתפעל

Pi'el and Hitpa'el are the second and third most-used binyanim. Pi'el = intensive / professional / repeated action (teach, speak, fix). Hitpa'el = reflexive / reciprocal, action done on oneself or between people (get dressed, get used to, correspond).

Pi'el: Intensive / Professional Action

How to recognize Pi'el, Present tense verbs starting with מ (me-): מְדַבֵּר (medaber), מְלַמֵּד (melamed), מְבַקֵּשׁ (mevakesh).

Pi'el Conjugation: לְדַבֵּר (ledaber, "to speak")

Hitpa'el: Reflexive / Reciprocal

How to recognize Hitpa'el, Always starts with הִתְ (hit-) in past tense, מִתְ (mit-) in present. Action done on oneself: "get dressed", "wash oneself", "get angry".

Hitpa'el Conjugation: לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ (lehitlabesh, "to get dressed")

Reciprocal Hitpa'el (each other)


Example Sentences