The binyan (plural: binyanim) system is the backbone of Hebrew grammar. Every Hebrew verb belongs to one of seven patterns (binyanim), each of which adds a layer of meaning to a three-letter root. Understanding binyanim lets you decode and generate thousands of Hebrew words.
The Root System: Hebrew verbs are built on three-letter roots (שֹׁרֶשׁ, shoresh). The root carries the core meaning; the binyan pattern shapes how it's used.
Example root: כ-ת-ב (k-t-v) — core meaning: writing
Example root: כ-ת-ב (k-t-v) — core meaning: writing
All 7 Binyanim
| # | Binyan Name | Transliteration | Function | Example (root כ-ת-ב) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | פָּעַל (קַל) | Pa'al (Kal) | Simple active action — the most common | כָּתַב — katav — he wrote |
| 2 | נִפְעַל | Nif'al | Passive of Pa'al / Reflexive | נִכְתַּב — nichtav — it was written |
| 3 | פִּיעֵל | Pi'el | Intensive or causative active | כִּתֵּב — kitav — he dictated / inscribed |
| 4 | פֻּעַל | Pu'al | Passive of Pi'el | כֻּתַּב — kutav — it was dictated (passive) |
| 5 | הִתְפַּעֵל | Hitpa'el | Reflexive or reciprocal | הִתְכַּתֵּב — hitkitev — to correspond (by letter) |
| 6 | הִפְעִיל | Hif'il | Causative active — makes something happen | הִכְתִּיב — hichtiv — he dictated (caused writing) |
| 7 | הֻפְעַל | Huf'al | Passive of Hif'il | הֻכְתַּב — huchtav — it was dictated (passive) |
Real-World Example — Root ל-מ-ד (learning)
| Binyan | Hebrew | English |
|---|---|---|
| Pa'al | לָמַד | he studied / learned |
| Pi'el | לִמֵּד | he taught (caused learning in others) |
| Hitpa'el | הִתְלַמֵּד | he trained / apprenticed |
| Hif'il | הֶלְמִיד | he caused to learn (archaic) |
Examples for Each Binyan
1 — Pa'al (קַל) — Simple everyday action. The most common binyan.
הוּא הָלַךְ הַבַּיְתָה. — Hu halach habayta. — He went home.
אֲנִי שׁוֹמֵעַ מוּזִיקָה. — Ani shome'a muzika. — I'm listening to music.
הִיא יָדְעָה אֶת הַתְּשׁוּבָה. — Hi yad'a et hatshuba. — She knew the answer.
הוּא הָלַךְ הַבַּיְתָה. — Hu halach habayta. — He went home.
אֲנִי שׁוֹמֵעַ מוּזִיקָה. — Ani shome'a muzika. — I'm listening to music.
הִיא יָדְעָה אֶת הַתְּשׁוּבָה. — Hi yad'a et hatshuba. — She knew the answer.
2 — Nif'al (נִפְעַל) — Passive of Pa'al; something happens to the subject.
הַדֶּלֶת נִפְתְּחָה. — Hadelet niftecha. — The door was opened (by itself / by someone).
הַסֵּפֶר נִמְכַּר מַהֵר. — Hasefer nimkar maher. — The book sold quickly.
הוּא נִפְגַּשׁ עִם חֲבֵרִים. — Hu nifgash im chaverim. — He met with friends (reflexive).
הַדֶּלֶת נִפְתְּחָה. — Hadelet niftecha. — The door was opened (by itself / by someone).
הַסֵּפֶר נִמְכַּר מַהֵר. — Hasefer nimkar maher. — The book sold quickly.
הוּא נִפְגַּשׁ עִם חֲבֵרִים. — Hu nifgash im chaverim. — He met with friends (reflexive).
3 — Pi'el (פִּיעֵל) — Intensive or causative; often means doing something to someone else.
הַמּוֹרָה לִמְּדָה אוֹתָנוּ עִבְרִית. — Hamora limda otanu Ivrit. — The teacher taught us Hebrew.
הוּא דִּבֵּר שָׁעָה שְׁלֵמָה. — Hu diber sha'a shelema. — He spoke for a full hour.
אֲנִי מְנַקֶּה אֶת הַבַּיִת. — Ani menake et habayit. — I'm cleaning the house.
הַמּוֹרָה לִמְּדָה אוֹתָנוּ עִבְרִית. — Hamora limda otanu Ivrit. — The teacher taught us Hebrew.
הוּא דִּבֵּר שָׁעָה שְׁלֵמָה. — Hu diber sha'a shelema. — He spoke for a full hour.
אֲנִי מְנַקֶּה אֶת הַבַּיִת. — Ani menake et habayit. — I'm cleaning the house.
4 — Pu'al (פֻּעַל) — Passive of Pi'el; rarely used as a standalone tense, mostly in formal/written Hebrew.
הַמִּכְתָּב כֻּתַּב בְּעִבְרִית. — Hamichtav kutav be'Ivrit. — The letter was written in Hebrew.
הַיֶּלֶד גֻּדַּל בְּאַנְגְלִיָּה. — Hayeled gudal be'Anglia. — The child was raised in England.
הַמֶּחְקָר פֻּרְסַם אֶתְמוֹל. — Hamechkar pursam etmol. — The research was published yesterday.
הַמִּכְתָּב כֻּתַּב בְּעִבְרִית. — Hamichtav kutav be'Ivrit. — The letter was written in Hebrew.
הַיֶּלֶד גֻּדַּל בְּאַנְגְלִיָּה. — Hayeled gudal be'Anglia. — The child was raised in England.
הַמֶּחְקָר פֻּרְסַם אֶתְמוֹל. — Hamechkar pursam etmol. — The research was published yesterday.
5 — Hitpa'el (הִתְפַּעֵל) — Reflexive (doing to yourself) or reciprocal (doing to each other).
אֲנִי מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בַּבֹּקֶר. — Ani mitlabesh baboker. — I get dressed in the morning.
הֵם הִתְכַּתְּבוּ בְּמַיְיל. — Hem hitkitvu bemail. — They corresponded by email.
הִיא מִתְאַמֶּנֶת כָּל יוֹם. — Hi mit'amenet kol yom. — She trains every day.
אֲנִי מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בַּבֹּקֶר. — Ani mitlabesh baboker. — I get dressed in the morning.
הֵם הִתְכַּתְּבוּ בְּמַיְיל. — Hem hitkitvu bemail. — They corresponded by email.
הִיא מִתְאַמֶּנֶת כָּל יוֹם. — Hi mit'amenet kol yom. — She trains every day.
6 — Hif'il (הִפְעִיל) — Causative; making something happen or causing someone to do something.
הוּא הִכְנִיס אֶת הַמַּפְתֵּחַ. — Hu hichnis et hamafteach. — He inserted the key.
אֲנִי הֶאֱרַכְתִּי אֶת הַחוֹזֶה. — Ani he'erachti et hachozeh. — I extended the contract.
הַמּוֹרָה הִסְבִּירָה אֶת הַחֹק. — Hamora hisbira et hachok. — The teacher explained the rule.
הוּא הִכְנִיס אֶת הַמַּפְתֵּחַ. — Hu hichnis et hamafteach. — He inserted the key.
אֲנִי הֶאֱרַכְתִּי אֶת הַחוֹזֶה. — Ani he'erachti et hachozeh. — I extended the contract.
הַמּוֹרָה הִסְבִּירָה אֶת הַחֹק. — Hamora hisbira et hachok. — The teacher explained the rule.
7 — Huf'al (הֻפְעַל) — Passive of Hif'il; mostly formal/written Hebrew.
הַהַחְלָטָה הֻעֲבְרָה לַמֶּמְשָׁלָה. — Hahachlatа hu'avra lamemshalа. — The decision was passed to the government.
הַדּוֹח הֻגַּשׁ בַּזְּמַן. — Hadoch hugash bazman. — The report was submitted on time.
הַיֶּלֶד הֻשְׁאַר לְבַד. — Hayeled husha'ar levad. — The child was left alone.
הַהַחְלָטָה הֻעֲבְרָה לַמֶּמְשָׁלָה. — Hahachlatа hu'avra lamemshalа. — The decision was passed to the government.
הַדּוֹח הֻגַּשׁ בַּזְּמַן. — Hadoch hugash bazman. — The report was submitted on time.
הַיֶּלֶד הֻשְׁאַר לְבַד. — Hayeled husha'ar levad. — The child was left alone.
Where to start: You don't need to master all seven binyanim immediately. Start with Pa'al — it covers the vast majority of everyday verbs. Pi'el and Hif'il come next as they are very common in modern speech.