Shaal eifo, bikesh she-, amru she-: other people's speech
Other people's words are put into a frame, and there are several frames. The tense does not shift by a single step — that is simpler here than in English. For example: “היא שאלה איפה הרכבת עוצרת.” — She asked where the train stops. A rule from the Hebrew course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Other people's words are put into a frame, and there are several frames. The tense does not shift by a single step — that is simpler here than in English.
A statement is introduced by she-: amar shehu magia — he said that he is coming. The present stays present, and the future stays future: amar sheyagia machar. No comma before she- is needed — it has glued to the next word.
A question keeps its question word: shaala eifo harakevet otzeret; shaal matai ata magia. If there was no question word, im is taken: shaal im yesh zman.
A request goes through she- with the future: bikesh sheachake — he asked me to wait. And "ostensibly" and "as if" — kvivchol and lekore — are used when you have not checked yourself.
Table
| what is passed on | what introduces it | example | how it reads | translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a statement | ש- | אמר שמגיע | amar shemagia | said he is coming |
| a question with a word | איפה, מתי, מי | שאל מתי אתה מגיע | shaal matai ata magia | asked when you are coming |
| a question without a word | אם | שאל אם יש זמן | shaal im yesh zman | asked whether there is time |
| a request | ש- + future | ביקש שאחכה | bikesh sheachake | asked me to wait |
| an order | ש- + future | אמר שנלך | amar shenelech | told us to go |
| other words | כביכול | שמעתי שכביכול מכר | shamati shekivchol machar | I heard he ostensibly sold |
| seeming | לכאורה | לכאורה הוא בחו"ל | lekore hu bachul | ostensibly he is abroad |
| the source | לדברי | לדברי עד ראייה | lidvarei ed reiya | according to an eyewitness |
By example
- היא שאלה איפה הרכבת עוצרת.хи шала эйфо ха-ракевет оцэрэт.She asked where the train stops.
- אמרו שהכל יהיה בסדר.амру ше-хаколь йихье бэ-седер.They said everything would be fine.
- ביקשו ממני לחכות רגע.бикшу ми-мени ле-хахот рэга.I was asked to wait a minute.
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Shaal eifo, bikesh she-, amru she-: how does it work in Hebrew?
Other people's words are put into a frame, and there are several frames. The tense does not shift by a single step — that is simpler here than in English.
What does it look like in a Hebrew example sentence?
“היא שאלה איפה הרכבת עוצרת.” (хи шала эйфо ха-ракевет оцэрэт.) — She asked where the train stops. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.