Samuel_Kim_en_uhg/content/particle_interrogative.rst

:github_url: https://git.door43.org/Door43/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/particle_interrogative.rst

.. _particle_interrogative:

Particle Interrogative
======================

Summary
-------

The interrogative particle shows that a sentence is a question.

Article
-------

The interrogative particle can be a ה-prefix, but also appears in the
form of separate words such as מָה and מִי and לָמָה. The interrogative
particle typically appears at the beginning of a clause in order to
indicate that the following clause or sentence is a question.

Form
----

The interrogative particle appearing a ה-prefix can be differentiated
from the :ref:`particle_definite_article`
by checking the context and also the vowels under the ה, and the lack of
a dagesh since the radical after the interrogative ה is not doubled.
Also, the definite article can only occur before
:ref:`adjective`,
:ref:`pronoun`,
and
:ref:`participle_active`,
while the interrogative particle can appear before other words as well.

Paradigm
~~~~~~~~

**With a standard noun**

.. csv-table::
  :header-rows: 1

  Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
  noun,סוּס,sus,horse
  noun + definite article,הַסּוּס,hassus,the horse
  noun + interrogative particle,הֲסוּס,hasus,a horse?

**With a shewa under the first letter**

.. csv-table::
  :header-rows: 1

  Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
  noun,מְרַגֵּל,meraggel,spy
  noun + definite article,הַמְּרַגֵּל,hammeraggel,the spy
  noun + interrogative particle,הַמְרַגֵּל,hamraggel,a spy?

**With a first guttural**

.. csv-table::
  :header-rows: 1

  Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
  noun,אִישׁ,'ish,man
  noun + definite article,הָאִישׁ,ha'ish,the man
  noun + interrogative particle,הַאִישׁ,ha'ish,a man?

**With a first guttural that has a qamets**

.. csv-table::
  :header-rows: 1

  Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
  noun,אָב,'av,father
  noun + definite article,הָאָב,ha'av,the father
  noun + interrogative particle,הֶאָב,he'av,a father?

Examples
--------

.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 43:7

  הֲיֵ֣שׁ לָכֶ֣ם אָ֔ח
  **hayesh** lakhem 'ah
  **[quest.]-is-there** to-you brother
  **Do** you **have** a brother\ **?**

.. csv-table:: Example: 2SA 20:17

  הַאַתָּ֥ה יוֹאָ֖ב
  **ha'attah** yo'av
  **[quest.]-are-you** Joab
  **Are you** Joab\ **?**

איך and איכה
~~~~~~~~~~~~

איך and איכה = how? why? how!

.. csv-table:: Example: PSA 137:4

  אֵ֗יךְ נָשִׁ֥יר
  **'ekh** nashir
  **How** will-we-sing
  **How** could we sing?

אי and איה
~~~~~~~~~~

אי and איה = where? where is?

.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 4:9

  אֵ֖י הֶ֣בֶל
  **'e** hevel
  **Where** Abel
  **Where** is Abel?

מָתַי
~~~~~

The major temporal adverb is מָתַי "when?" It is often in the
combination עַד־מָתַי "how long?"

.. csv-table:: Example: JOB 7:4

  מָתַ֣י אָ֭קוּם
  **mathay** 'aqum
  **When** will-I-get-up
  **How long will it be** until I get up?

.. csv-table:: Example: PSA 74:10

  עַד־מָתַ֣י אֱ֭לֹהִים יְחָ֣רֶף צָ֑ר
  **'ad-mathay** 'elohim yeharef tsar
  **How\_long** God will-throw-insults enemy
  "God, **how long** will our enemies make fun of you?"

לָמָ֪ה and לָֽמָּה‮‬
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

לָמָ֪ה and לָֽמָּה‮‬ "why?"

.. csv-table:: Example: PSA 42:9 (PSA 42:10 in Hebrew)

  "לָמָ֪ה שְׁכַ֫חְתָּ֥נִי **לָֽמָּה**\ ־קֹדֵ֥ר אֵלֵ֗ךְ בְּלַ֣חַץ
     אוֹיֵֽב׃"
  **lamah** shekhahtani **lammah**-qoder 'elekh belahats 'oyev
  "**Why** have-you-forgotten-me **why** mourning I-will-go
     because-of-oppression-of enemy"
  "**Why** have you forgotten me? You know the hardships that my enemies
     bring on me."

מַדּ֖וּעַ
~~~~~~~~~

מַדּ֖וּעַ why?

.. csv-table:: Example: 2KI 8:12

  מַדּ֖וּעַ אֲדֹנִ֣י בֹכֶ֑ה
  **maddua'** 'adoni vokheh
  **Why** my-master is-weeping
  "Sir, **why** are you crying?"

עַד־אָן
~~~~~~~

עַד־אָן how long?

.. csv-table:: Example: JOB 8:2

  עַד־אָ֥ן תְּמַלֶּל־אֵ֑לֶּה
  **'ad-'an** temallel-'elleh
  **How\_long** will-you-say\_these-things
  **How much longer** will you talk like this?

אֵ֥י מִזֶּ֖ה
~~~~~~~~~~~~

אֵ֥י מִזֶּ֖ה from where?

.. csv-table:: Example: 1SA 25:11

  לַֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי **אֵ֥י מִזֶּ֖ה** הֵֽמָּה׃
  la'anashim 'asher lo yada'ti **'e mizzeh** hemmah
  to-men who not I-know **where from this** they.
  to men who come **from** I do not know **where**?