Adverbs תֹּאֲרֵי פֹּעַל
Many Israeli adverbs of manner are simply adjectives in the masculine singular: הִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת יָפֶה, הוּא רָץ מַהֵר. Others are frozen words (לְאַט, כְּבָר, עוֹד) or a בְּ plus an abstract noun (בִּזְהִירוּת).
Use a masculine-singular adjective, a frozen adverb, or בְּ + noun for manner; do not invent an extra ending to mark “-ly.”
טוֹב, יָפֶה, מַהֵר, חָזָק, and נָכוֹן often modify verbs without a change of form: הִיא שָׁרָה יָפֶה, אַתֶּם עֲשִׂיתֶם טוֹב. The same word can still be an adjective next to a noun: שִׁירָה יָפָה. Context, not a suffix, tells you which job it has. Agreement with the subject is not required when the word is modifying the verb.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| הִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת יָפֶה | hi medaberet yafeh | She speaks nicely | |
| הוּא רָץ מַהֵר | hu ratz maher | He runs fast | |
| עֲשִׂיתֶם טוֹב | asitem tov | You did well |
| Kind | Examples |
|---|---|
| Manner (adjective form) | מַהֵר, יָפֶה, טוֹב, חָזָק |
| Frozen manner | לְאַט |
| Degree | מְאוֹד, הַרְבֵּה, מְעַט |
| Time | כְּבָר, עוֹד, תָּמִיד, לִפְעָמִים |
| בְּ + noun | בִּזְהִירוּת, בְּשֶׁקֶט, בִּמְהִירוּת |
כְּבָר is “already,” עוֹד is “still / more,” עוֹד לֹא is “not yet,” and תָּמִיד / לִפְעָמִים / אַף פַּעַם set frequency. מְאוֹד follows the adjective: טוֹב מְאוֹד. הַרְבֵּה and מְעַט quantify verbs and nouns: אֲנִי אוֹכֵל הַרְבֵּה, יֵשׁ מְעַט זְמַן. רַק and גַּם sit before the focused word.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| אֲנִי כְּבָר בַּבַּיִת | ani kvar babayit | I am already home | |
| עוֹד לֹא אָכַלְתִּי | od lo akhalti | I have not eaten yet | |
| זֶה טוֹב מְאוֹד | ze tov me'od | That is very good |
When you need a clear manner and no adjective-adverb is handy, use בְּ plus a noun: בִּזְהִירוּת, בְּשֶׁקֶט, בְּנֶמֶס, בְּכַוָּנָה. This pattern is productive in both speech and writing. Repetition can soften manner: לְאַט לְאַט, מַהֵר מַהֵר.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| נְהַג בִּזְהִירוּת | nehag bizhirut | Drive carefully | |
| דַּבְּרוּ בְּשֶׁקֶט | dabru besheket | Speak quietly | |
| לְאַט לְאַט מְבִינִים | le'at le'at mevinim | Slowly, people understand |
Exceptions
Leat is not an adjective
לְאַט is only an adverb. The adjective “slow” is אִטִּי: אוֹטוֹבּוּס אִטִּי, but נוֹסֵעַ לְאַט. Do not say אוטובוס לאט.
| רֶכֶב אִטִּי, נוֹסֵעַ לְאַט | rekhev iti, nosea le'at | a slow vehicle, traveling slowly |
Meod does not precede like English “very”
Say עָיֵף מְאוֹד, not מאוד עייף, in the default order. Fronted מאוד exists in some emphatic speech, but the safe learner order is adjective then מְאוֹד.
Common mistakes
הִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת יָפָה as manner → הִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת יָפֶה
Manner uses the masculine-singular form, even with a feminine subject.
מְאוֹד טוֹב as the default order → טוֹב מְאוֹד
מְאוֹד follows the adjective in the ordinary pattern.
אוֹטוֹבּוּס לְאַט → אוֹטוֹבּוּס אִטִּי
לְאַט cannot modify a noun; use the adjective אִטִּי.
Go on to
Comparatives
Hebrew does not inflect adjectives into “-er” forms. You build a comparative with יוֹתֵר and mi, a superlative with הַכִּי in speech or בְּיוֹתֵר in writing, and equality with כְּמוֹ.
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