What is Hitpa'el?
Hitpa'el has two main uses:
- Reflexive — The subject performs the action on itself. Example: הוּא הִתְלַבֵּשׁ — "He dressed himself" (he got dressed).
- Reciprocal — Two or more subjects perform the action on each other. Example: הֵם נִפְגְּשׁוּ — but in Hitpa'el: הֵם הִתְחַבְּקוּ — "They hugged each other."
Recognition sign: The הִתְ prefix is always present — in past, present, future, and infinitive. In the present tense it becomes מִתְ. Example: מִתְלַבֵּשׁ (getting dressed), מִתְרַחֵץ (showering). This makes Hitpa'el one of the easiest binyanim to recognise.
Hitpa'el verbs form a large part of daily Hebrew vocabulary — especially for personal routines (waking up, getting dressed, showering) and emotional states.
Full Conjugation — ל-ב-שׁ (to get dressed, לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ)
| Person | Past (עָבָר) | Present (הוֹוֶה) | Future (עָתִיד) |
|---|---|---|---|
| אֲנִי | הִתְלַבַּשְׁתִּי | מִתְלַבֵּשׁ (m) / מִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת (f) | אֶתְלַבֵּשׁ |
| אַתָּה | הִתְלַבַּשְׁתָּ | מִתְלַבֵּשׁ | תִּתְלַבֵּשׁ |
| אַת | הִתְלַבַּשְׁתְּ | מִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת | תִּתְלַבְּשִׁי |
| הוּא | הִתְלַבֵּשׁ | מִתְלַבֵּשׁ | יִתְלַבֵּשׁ |
| הִיא | הִתְלַבְּשָׁה | מִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת | תִּתְלַבֵּשׁ |
| אֲנַחְנוּ | הִתְלַבַּשְׁנוּ | מִתְלַבְּשִׁים (m) / מִתְלַבְּשׁוֹת (f) | נִתְלַבֵּשׁ |
| אַתֶּם | הִתְלַבַּשְׁתֶּם | מִתְלַבְּשִׁים | תִּתְלַבְּשׁוּ |
| אַתֶּן | הִתְלַבַּשְׁתֶּן | מִתְלַבְּשׁוֹת | תִּתְלַבְּשׁוּ |
| הֵם / הֵן | הִתְלַבְּשׁוּ | מִתְלַבְּשִׁים (m) / מִתְלַבְּשׁוֹת (f) | יִתְלַבְּשׁוּ |
12 Common Hitpa'el Verbs
| Infinitive | Present (m.sg) | English |
|---|---|---|
| לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ | מִתְלַבֵּשׁ | to get dressed |
| לְהִתְרַחֵץ | מִתְרַחֵץ | to shower / bathe |
| לְהִתְעוֹרֵר | מִתְעוֹרֵר | to wake up |
| לְהִתְכּוֹנֵן | מִתְכּוֹנֵן | to prepare oneself |
| לְהִתְנַהֵג | מִתְנַהֵג | to behave |
| לְהִתְכַּעֵס | מִתְכַּעֵס | to get angry |
| לְהִתְאַהֵב | מִתְאַהֵב | to fall in love |
| לְהִתְחַתֵּן | מִתְחַתֵּן | to get married |
| לְהִתְגָּרֵשׁ | מִתְגָּרֵשׁ | to get divorced |
| לְהִתְפַּלֵּל | מִתְפַּלֵּל | to pray |
| לְהִתְאַמֵּן | מִתְאַמֵּן | to train / practice |
| לְהִתְנַדֵּב | מִתְנַדֵּב | to volunteer |