Free lessonLevel A212 min read10 practice words

Future Tense

The tense of plans, promises and requests. Instead of endings it uses four prefix letters, and once you hear them you can build the future of any verb.

In speech the future also does the job of the imperative: תַּעֲזֹר לִי? is “will you help me?” and “help me”, in one form.

Prefixes, not suffixes

Where the past ends, the future begins

The past tense marks the person with an ending. The future marks it with a letter in front: א for I, ת for you and she, י for he and they, נ for we. Israelis call them the אית״ן letters.

A few persons add a suffix as well: “you” (feminine) ends in ־ִי and plural “you” and “they” end in ־וּ. That is the whole system: four prefixes and two suffixes.

Because ת serves both “you” (m.) and “she”, תִּכְתֹּב is ambiguous. The pronoun or the subject settles it: הִיא תִּכְתֹּב.

Three sentences in the future

מָחָר אֶכְתֹּב לָךְ.

makhar ekhtov lakh

Tomorrow I will write to you.

בַּשָּׁבוּעַ הַבָּא נִפָּגֵשׁ בְּתֵל אָבִיב.

ba-shavua ha-ba nipagesh be-Tel Aviv

Next week we will meet in Tel Aviv.

הֵם יִלְמְדוּ עִבְרִית בַּקַּיִץ.

hem yilmedu ivrit ba-kayits

They will study Hebrew in the summer.

The אית״ן prefixesthe core table

One prefix per person

Take the future stem, here ־כְתֹּב, and put the person letter in front: אֶכְתֹּב, תִּכְתֹּב, יִכְתֹּב, נִכְתֹּב. For “you” (f.) add ־ִי, for “you” (pl.) and “they” add ־וּ.

In a regular פָּעַל verb every prefix takes a hiriq (“i”), except the א of “I”, which takes a segol: אֶכְתֹּב against תִּכְתֹּב, יִכְתֹּב, נִכְתֹּב. The stem vowel is where verbs really differ, and that is the next chapter.

When a suffix is added, the stem vowel drops out: יִכְתֹּב but יִכְתְּבוּ, תִּכְתֹּב but תִּכְתְּבִי.

Two regular verbs across all persons

Two regular verbs across all persons
Person	Prefix / suffix	לִכְתֹּב	לִלְמֹד
אֲנִי	אֶ־	אֶכְתֹּב	אֶלְמַד
אַתָּה	תִּ־	תִּכְתֹּב	תִּלְמַד
אַתְּ	תִּ־ ־ִי	תִּכְתְּבִי	תִּלְמְדִי
הוּא	יִ־	יִכְתֹּב	יִלְמַד
הִיא	תִּ־	תִּכְתֹּב	תִּלְמַד
אֲנַחְנוּ	נִ־	נִכְתֹּב	נִלְמַד
אַתֶּם / אַתֶּן	תִּ־ ־וּ	תִּכְתְּבוּ	תִּלְמְדוּ
הֵם / הֵן	יִ־ ־וּ	יִכְתְּבוּ	יִלְמְדוּ

The formal feminine plural (תִּכְתֹּבְנָה) exists in writing; everyday Hebrew uses תִּכְתְּבוּ / יִכְתְּבוּ for everyone.

Hear the person in the first letter

When someone speaks fast, the first sound of the verb tells you who: “e-” is I, “ti-” is you or she, “yi-” is he or they, “ni-” is we. Train your ear on that before anything else.

Quick check

1 of 3

I will write to you tomorrow.

אֲנִי ___ לְךָ מָחָר.

Practice the words from this lesson

The same words, five ways to play. Your best score is kept on this device; sign in to earn XP and keep your streak.

10 words

Ready to Test Your Knowledge?

Match each Hebrew word to its correct English translation. Build your streak and show off your skills! 🎯

10 questions

Two vowel patterns in פָּעַל

The “o” verbs and the “a” verbs

Most פָּעַל verbs keep an “o” in the future, like the infinitive: לִכְתֹּב ← יִכְתֹּב, לִסְגֹּר ← יִסְגֹּר.

Verbs whose second or third root letter is a guttural (ע, ח, א) switch to “a”: לִשְׁאֹל ← יִשְׁאַל, לִשְׁמֹעַ ← יִשְׁמַע, לִפְתֹּחַ ← יִפְתַּח. The infinitive still shows “o”, so learn the future form together with the verb.

A handful of frequent verbs take “a” without a guttural, notably לִלְמֹד ← יִלְמַד and לִלְבֹּשׁ ← יִלְבַּשׁ. Treat them as vocabulary.

From the infinitive to “he will”

לִכְתֹּביִכְתֹּבto write → he will writeo

לִסְגֹּריִסְגֹּרto close → he will closeo

לִשְׁאֹליִשְׁאַלto ask → he will aska

לִשְׁמֹעַיִשְׁמַעto hear → he will heara

לִפְתֹּחַיִפְתַּחto open → he will opena

לִשְׁלֹחַיִשְׁלַחto send → he will senda

The future in the other binyanimsame prefixes

The prefix vowel is the binyan's signature

The person letters are identical in every binyan; what changes is the vowel under them. The easiest place to hear it is the הוּא form: a shva means פִּעֵל (יְדַבֵּר), an “a” means הִפְעִיל (יַתְחִיל), and a hiriq (“i”) means the other binyanim in the table (יִכְתֹּב, יִתְלַבֵּשׁ, יִכָּנֵס). Two sounds to remember, and the rest falls into place.

Careful: some פָּעַל verbs also take “a” on the prefix: those that start with a guttural (יַעֲשֶׂה, יַעֲבֹד) and the two-letter verbs (יָבוֹא, יָקוּם). הִפְעִיל keeps the “i” of its stem (יַתְחִיל), and that is how you tell the two apart.

One verb per binyan

One verb per binyan
Binyan	אֲנִי	הוּא	הֵם
פָּעַל	אֶכְתֹּב	יִכְתֹּב	יִכְתְּבוּ
פִּעֵל	אֲדַבֵּר	יְדַבֵּר	יְדַבְּרוּ
הִפְעִיל	אַתְחִיל	יַתְחִיל	יַתְחִילוּ
הִתְפַּעֵל	אֶתְלַבֵּשׁ	יִתְלַבֵּשׁ	יִתְלַבְּשׁוּ
נִפְעַל	אֶכָּנֵס	יִכָּנֵס	יִכָּנְסוּ

The הוּא form is the binyan's signature. The אֲנִי form often takes a different vowel (אֶכְתֹּב, אֲדַבֵּר, אֶתְלַבֵּשׁ), so always compare binyanim down the הוּא column.

The verbs you use every day

Short verbs, short stems

The most common verbs have a short future stem. לָלֶכֶת drops its first root letter: אֵלֵךְ, יֵלֵךְ, and so do לָשֶׁבֶת and לָדַעַת, which lose their י: אֵשֵׁב, אֵדַע. Two-letter verbs keep their long vowel: אָבוֹא, יָבוֹא, אָקוּם, יָקוּם.

לָתֵת and לָקַחַת lose a letter and double the next one: אֶתֵּן, אֶקַּח. Verbs ending in ה end in ־ֶה in the future: אֶעֱשֶׂה, אֶרְאֶה, יִהְיֶה.

יִהְיֶה (will be) is the future of every nominal sentence and of יֵשׁ: יִהְיֶה לִי זְמַן (I will have time), יִהְיוּ לָנוּ אוֹרְחִים (we will have guests).

Eleven verbs to learn by heart

Eleven verbs to learn by heart
Verb	Meaning	אֲנִי	הוּא	הֵם
לִהְיוֹת	to be	אֶהְיֶה	יִהְיֶה	יִהְיוּ
לָלֶכֶת	to go	אֵלֵךְ	יֵלֵךְ	יֵלְכוּ
לָבוֹא	to come	אָבוֹא	יָבוֹא	יָבוֹאוּ
לָקוּם	to get up	אָקוּם	יָקוּם	יָקוּמוּ
לָתֵת	to give	אֶתֵּן	יִתֵּן	יִתְּנוּ
לָקַחַת	to take	אֶקַּח	יִקַּח	יִקְחוּ
לַעֲשׂוֹת	to do	אֶעֱשֶׂה	יַעֲשֶׂה	יַעֲשׂוּ
לֶאֱכֹל	to eat	אֹכַל	יֹאכַל	יֹאכְלוּ
לִרְאוֹת	to see	אֶרְאֶה	יִרְאֶה	יִרְאוּ
לָדַעַת	to know	אֵדַע	יֵדַע	יֵדְעוּ
לָשֶׁבֶת	to sit	אֵשֵׁב	יֵשֵׁב	יֵשְׁבוּ

Plans, requests, conditionsusage

Four jobs of the future tense

Plans and predictions take a time word: מָחָר אֶכְתֹּב. After אִם (if) and כְּשֶׁ (when) Hebrew uses the future on both sides, where English uses the present: אִם יִהְיֶה זְמַן, נֵלֵךְ.

In speech the future is the polite imperative: תַּעֲזֹר לִי? (help me). A negative command uses אַל + future: אַל תִּדְאַג (don't worry). לֹא + future is a plain statement: לֹא אָבוֹא (I will not come).

Israelis also use the present for the near future: מָחָר אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לַיָּם is fine in conversation. The future is the safer choice in writing.

Time words that go with the future

מָחָרtomorrowמָחֳרָתַיִםthe day after tomorrowבַּשָּׁבוּעַ הַבָּאnext weekבְּעוֹד שָׁעָהin an hourבְּקָרוֹבsoonאַחַר כָּךְafterwards

Sentences to read aloud

אִם יִהְיֶה זְמַן, נֵלֵךְ לַיָּם.

im yihye zman, nelekh la-yam

If there is time, we will go to the beach.

כְּשֶׁאֶגְמֹר, אֶתְקַשֵּׁר אֵלֶיךָ.

kshe-egmor, etkasher elekha

When I finish, I will call you.

תַּעֲזֹר לִי, בְּבַקָּשָׁה?

ta’azor li, bevakasha

Will you help me, please? (a request)

לֹא אָבוֹא מָחָר.

lo avo makhar

I will not come tomorrow.

אַל תִּדְאַג, הַכֹּל יִהְיֶה בְּסֵדֶר.

al tid’ag, ha-kol yihye beseder

Don't worry, everything will be fine.

Quick check

1 of 2

“Don't go!” to a man: the usual way to say it

Common mistakes

אֲנִי יִכְתֹּב מָחָראֶכְתֹּב מָחָר
“I” takes א, not י: אֶכְתֹּב. The pronoun is optional.
הִיא יִלְמַד עִבְרִיתהִיא תִּלְמַד עִבְרִית
“She” takes ת, the same prefix as “you” (m.).
לֹא תָּבוֹא מָחָר!אַל תָּבוֹא מָחָר!
As a command (“don't come tomorrow!”), the negative needs אַל, not לֹא. לֹא תָּבוֹא מָחָר is a statement (“you won't come tomorrow”) or a flat ban, not a request.
מָחָר הָלַכְתִּי לַיָּםמָחָר אֵלֵךְ לַיָּם
A future time word never takes a past verb: מָחָר אֵלֵךְ (or, in speech, מָחָר אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ).

What to remember

Four prefixes (א, ת, י, נ) and two suffixes (־ִי, ־וּ) build the whole future.
Regular פָּעַל verbs keep “o”; verbs with a guttural switch to “a” (יִשְׁמַע, יִפְתַּח).
The prefix vowel usually tells you the binyan: יְדַבֵּר, יַתְחִיל, יִתְלַבֵּשׁ.
After אִם and כְּשֶׁ use the future; אַל + future is a negative command.

Lesson test

Test yourself: Future Tense

5 questions from the whole lesson, about 2 min. Score 70% or more and the lesson counts as done.

Tip: answer with the number keys 1–4.

Free account

Keep going, it's free

The rest of this lesson and the lesson test
Hemy, the AI tutor who explains the rules and quizzes you
Your progress, synced between the website and the app
A review of the questions you got wrong

Prefer your phone? Practise this topic in the Hemy app

How was this lesson?

Thirty seconds of your feedback shapes the next lesson.

Tap a star to start

Practise Future Tense in the HEMY app

Games on this lesson's words and a voice conversation with AI on the same topic, so the rule turns into speech.

Download onApp Store Download onGoogle Play

Scan with your phone camera

Frequently asked questions

Why is תִּכְתֹּב both “you will write” and “she will write”?: Because the prefix ת covers both persons. In practice the subject is always clear: הִיא תִּכְתֹּב versus אַתָּה תִּכְתֹּב, or a name. For “you” (feminine) the suffix ־ִי removes the ambiguity: תִּכְתְּבִי.
Do Israelis really use the future to give commands?: Yes, all the time. The classic imperative (כְּתֹב, שֵׁב) can sound blunt or formal, so in conversation people say תִּכְתֹּב, תֵּשֵׁב. Negative commands, however, must use אַל + future: אַל תֵּשֵׁב.
How do I know whether a verb is יִכְתֹּב-type or יִלְמַד-type?: If the second or third root letter is ע, ח or א, expect “a”: יִשְׁמַע, יִפְתַּח, יִשְׁלַח. Otherwise expect “o”. A few verbs with no guttural, such as יִלְמַד and יִלְבַּשׁ, break the rule, so learn the future form with each new verb.
How do I say “I will have”?: With the future of יֵשׁ לִי: יִהְיֶה לִי for a masculine thing, תִּהְיֶה לִי for a feminine one, יִהְיוּ לִי for plural. As in the past, the verb agrees with the thing, not with you.

Finished this lesson?

Mark it complete to track your path through the grammar course.

Where to go next

All grammar lessons

Person

Prefix / suffix

לִכְתֹּב

לִלְמֹד

אֲנִי

אֶ־

אֶכְתֹּב

אֶלְמַד

אַתָּה

תִּ־

תִּכְתֹּב

תִּלְמַד

אַתְּ

תִּ־ ־ִי

תִּכְתְּבִי

תִּלְמְדִי

הוּא

יִ־

יִכְתֹּב

יִלְמַד

הִיא

תִּ־

תִּכְתֹּב

תִּלְמַד

אֲנַחְנוּ

נִ־

נִכְתֹּב

נִלְמַד

אַתֶּם / אַתֶּן

תִּ־ ־וּ

תִּכְתְּבוּ

תִּלְמְדוּ

הֵם / הֵן

יִ־ ־וּ

יִכְתְּבוּ

יִלְמְדוּ

Binyan

אֲנִי

הוּא

הֵם

פָּעַל

אֶכְתֹּב

יִכְתֹּב

יִכְתְּבוּ

פִּעֵל

אֲדַבֵּר

יְדַבֵּר

יְדַבְּרוּ

הִפְעִיל

אַתְחִיל

יַתְחִיל

יַתְחִילוּ

הִתְפַּעֵל

אֶתְלַבֵּשׁ

יִתְלַבֵּשׁ

יִתְלַבְּשׁוּ

נִפְעַל

אֶכָּנֵס

יִכָּנֵס

יִכָּנְסוּ

Verb

Meaning

אֲנִי

הוּא

הֵם

לִהְיוֹת

to be

אֶהְיֶה

יִהְיֶה

יִהְיוּ

לָלֶכֶת

to go

אֵלֵךְ

יֵלֵךְ

יֵלְכוּ

לָבוֹא

to come

אָבוֹא

יָבוֹא

יָבוֹאוּ

לָקוּם

to get up

אָקוּם

יָקוּם

יָקוּמוּ

לָתֵת

to give

אֶתֵּן

יִתֵּן

יִתְּנוּ

לָקַחַת

to take

אֶקַּח

יִקַּח

יִקְחוּ

לַעֲשׂוֹת

to do

אֶעֱשֶׂה

יַעֲשֶׂה

יַעֲשׂוּ

לֶאֱכֹל

to eat

אֹכַל

יֹאכַל

יֹאכְלוּ

לִרְאוֹת

to see

אֶרְאֶה

יִרְאֶה

יִרְאוּ

לָדַעַת

to know

אֵדַע

יֵדַע

יֵדְעוּ

לָשֶׁבֶת

to sit

אֵשֵׁב

יֵשֵׁב

יֵשְׁבוּ

Frequently asked questions

Why is תִּכְתֹּב both “you will write” and “she will write”?

Because the prefix ת covers both persons. In practice the subject is always clear: הִיא תִּכְתֹּב versus אַתָּה תִּכְתֹּב, or a name. For “you” (feminine) the suffix ־ִי removes the ambiguity: תִּכְתְּבִי.

Do Israelis really use the future to give commands?

Yes, all the time. The classic imperative (כְּתֹב, שֵׁב) can sound blunt or formal, so in conversation people say תִּכְתֹּב, תֵּשֵׁב. Negative commands, however, must use אַל + future: אַל תֵּשֵׁב.

How do I know whether a verb is יִכְתֹּב-type or יִלְמַד-type?

If the second or third root letter is ע, ח or א, expect “a”: יִשְׁמַע, יִפְתַּח, יִשְׁלַח. Otherwise expect “o”. A few verbs with no guttural, such as יִלְמַד and יִלְבַּשׁ, break the rule, so learn the future form with each new verb.

How do I say “I will have”?

With the future of יֵשׁ לִי: יִהְיֶה לִי for a masculine thing, תִּהְיֶה לִי for a feminine one, יִהְיוּ לִי for plural. As in the past, the verb agrees with the thing, not with you.