Samuel_Kim_en_uhg/content/number_plural/02.md

Article

A word can be plural if it refers to multiple persons or objects.

If it is a noun, it refers to the persons or objects directly. Other words, like adjectives, verbs, personal pronouns, or pronominal suffixes, also signal they refer to more than one person or object with the form they have.

Form

Nouns and adjectives

Feminine plural nouns usually end in ות.

Masculine plural nouns usually end in ים ִ with a hireq before the yod.

Paradigm

Word	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
Noun, masculine plural absolute	סוּסִים	susim	stallions
Noun, masculine plural construct	סוּסֵי	suse	stallions of
Noun, feminine plural absolute	סוּסוֹת	susoth	mares
Noun, feminine plural construct	סוּסוֹת	susoth	mares of
Adjective, masculine plural absolute	טוֹבִים	tovim	good
Adjective, masculine plural construct	טוֹבֵי	tove	good
Adjective, feminine plural absolute	טוֹבוֹת	tovoth	good
Adjective, feminine plural construct	טוֹבוֹת	tovoth	good

Other words

Besides nouns, a plural word can be recognized by a variety of changes to the form. These changes differ greatly from each other and are hard to sum up in a simple, helpful way. This paradigm shows a sample of the kinds of changes that signal a plural form.

Paradigm

Word	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
Qal suffix conjugation, common plural first person	קָטַלְנוּ	qatalnu	we killed
Qal suffix conjugation, second person masculine plural	קְטַלְתֶּם	qetaltem	you killed
Qal suffix conjugation, second person feminine plural	קְטַלְתֶּן	qetalten	you killed
Qal suffix conjugation, common plural third person	קָטְלוּ	qatlu	they killed
Qal prefix conjugation, common plural first person	נִקְטֹל	niqtol	we will kill
Qal prefix conjugation, second person masculine plural	תִּקְטְל	tiqtelu	you will kill
Qal prefix conjugation, second person feminine plural	תִּקְטֹלְנָה	tiqtolenah	you will kill
Qal prefix conjugation, third person masculine plural	יִקְטְלוּ	yiqtelu	they will kill
Qal prefix conjugation, third person feminine plural	תִּקְטֹלְנָה	tiqtolenah	they will kill
Independent personal pronoun, second person masculine plural	אַתֶּם	'attem	you
Independent personal pronoun, second person feminine plural	אַתֵּנָה	'attenah	you
Independent personal pronoun, third person masculine plural	הֵם / הֵמָּה	hem / hemmah	they
Independent personal pronoun, third person feminine plural	הֵן / הֵנָּה	hen / hennah	they
Object pronoun, second person masculine plural	אֹתְכֶֶם	'othekhem	you
Object pronoun, second person feminine plural	אֹתְכֶֶן	'thekhem	you
Object pronoun, third person masculine plural	אֶתְהֶם / אֹתָם	'ethhem / 'otham	them
Object pronoun, third person feminine plural	אֶתְהֶן / אֹתָן	'ethhen / 'othan	them
Pronomial suffix, second person masculine plural	לָכֶם / -כֶם	lakhem / -khem	(to) you
Pronomial suffix, second person feminine plural	לָכֶן / -כֶן	lakhen / -khen	(to) you
Pronomial suffix, third person masculine plural	לָהֶם / -הֶם / - ָם	lahem / -hem / -am	(to) them
Pronomial suffix, third person feminine plural	לָהֶן / -הֶן / - ָן	lahen / -hen / -an	(to) them

Function

Noun

More than one

This is the normal kind of plural, meaning more than one of a thing.

• ECC 10:7

רָאִ֥יתִי **עֲבָדִ֖ים** עַל־סוּסִ֑ים

ra'ithi **'avadim** 'al-**susim**

I-have-seen **servants** on_**horses**.

I have seen **servants** on **horses**.

Plural of extension

Some nouns can be singular or plural even though they look plural. Heaven/heavens and water/waters are common examples.

• GEN 1:1

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם

bereshith bara 'elohim 'eth **hashamayim**

In-beginning he-created God [dir.obj] **the-heavens**

In the beginning God created the **heavens**

• GEN 1:2

וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י **הַמָּֽיִם**׃

weruah 'elohim merahefeth 'al-pene **hammayim**

and-the-Spirit-of God was-moving on_the-face-of **the-waters**.

The Spirit of God was moving on the surface of the **waters**.

Abstract plurals

Some plural words in Hebrew are translated as singular in other languages. In English, abstract plurals are often singular and have endings like -ness, -hood, and -ship.

• GEN 19:11

הִכּוּ֙ בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֔ים

hikku **bassanwerim**

they-hit **with-the-blindnesses**

they struck them **with blindness**

• GEN 21:7

כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי בֵ֖ן **לִזְקֻנָֽיו**׃

ki-yaladti ven **lizqunayw**

for_I-bore son **to-his-old-ages**

yet I have borne him a son **in his old age**!

Summing up different parts of an action.

Hebrew uses plurals for actions that have multiple parts, such as embalming or committing adultery.

• GEN 50:3

כִּ֛י כֵּ֥ן יִמְלְא֖וּ יְמֵ֣י הַחֲנֻטִ֑ים

ki ken yimle'u yeme **hahanutim**

for so are-filled days-of **the-embalmings**.

for that was the full time for **embalming**.

• JER 13:27

נִֽאֻפַ֤יִךְ וּמִצְהֲלוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ ... רָאִ֖יתִי

**ni'ufayikh umitshalothayikh** ... ra'ithi

**Your-adulteries and-your-neighings** ... I-have-seen

I have seen **your adultery and neighing**

Adjectives

If the noun or person to which the adjective relates is plural, the adjective is also plural.

• DEU 8:12

וּבָתִּ֥ים **טֹובִ֛ים** תִּבְנֶ֖ה וְיָשָֽׁבְתָּ׃

uvottim **towvim** tivneh weyashavetta

and-houses **good** you-will-built and-you-will-live

and when you build **good** houses and live in them

Verbs

If the noun or person to which the verb relates is plural, the verb is also plural.

• JER 43:7

כִּ֛י לֹ֥א **שָׁמְע֖וּ** בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה

ki lo **shom'u** beqol yehwah

for not **they-listened** to-voice-of Yahweh.

because **they** did not **listen** to Yahweh's voice.

Personal pronouns and suffixes

• JOS 2:18

הִנֵּ֛ה **אֲנַ֥חְנוּ** בָאִ֖ים בָּאָ֑רֶץ

hinneh **'anahnu** va'im ba'arets

behold **we** coming-in in-the-land

behold, when **we** come into the land

• EZR 9:12

וְ֠עַתָּה **בְּֽנֹותֵיכֶ֞ם** אַל־תִּתְּנ֣וּ **לִבְנֵיהֶ֗ם וּבְנֹֽתֵיהֶם֙** אַל־תִּשְׂא֣וּ לִבְנֵיכֶ֔ם

we'attah **benowthekhem** 'al-tittenu **livnehem uvenothehem** 'al-tis'u **livnekhem**

And-now **your-daughters** not_give **to-their-sons and-their-daughters** not_take **for-your-sons**

So now, do not give **your daughters to their sons**; do not take **their daughters for your sons**