השתתף hishtatéf, “take part, participate,” is a hitpa'el verb from שׁ־ת־ף. Its spelling displays hitpa'el metathesis: the prefix ת moves behind root-initial שׁ and lands immediately before the root’s own ת. The result really contains two tavs. Count the five consonant letters: ה־ש־ת־ת־ף. Leaving either ת out destroys the visible root-and-pattern structure.
Complete paradigm
| Person | Past | Future |
|---|---|---|
| אני | הִשְׁתַּתַּפְתִּי hishtatáfti | אֶשְׁתַּתֵּף eshtatéf |
| אתה | הִשְׁתַּתַּפְתָּ hishtatáfta | תִּשְׁתַּתֵּף tishtatéf |
| את | הִשְׁתַּתַּפְתְּ hishtatáft | תִּשְׁתַּתְּפִי tishtatfí |
| הוא | הִשְׁתַּתֵּף hishtatéf | יִשְׁתַּתֵּף yishtatéf |
| היא | הִשְׁתַּתְּפָה hishtatfá | תִּשְׁתַּתֵּף tishtatéf |
| אנחנו | הִשְׁתַּתַּפְנוּ hishtatáfnu | נִשְׁתַּתֵּף nishtatéf |
| אתם · אתן | הִשְׁתַּתַּפְתֶּם · הִשְׁתַּתַּפְתֶּן hishtatáftem · hishtatáften | תִּשְׁתַּתְּפוּ tishtatfú |
| הם · הן | הִשְׁתַּתְּפוּ hishtatfú | יִשְׁתַּתְּפוּ yishtatfú |
| Form type | Forms | Register and use |
|---|---|---|
| present | מִשְׁתַּתֵּף mishtatéf · מִשְׁתַּתֶּפֶת mishtatéfet · מִשְׁתַּתְּפִים mishtatfím · מִשְׁתַּתְּפוֹת mishtatfót | neutral; also supplies the agent noun “participant” |
| imperative | הִשְׁתַּתֵּף hishtatéf · הִשְׁתַּתְּפִי hishtatfí · הִשְׁתַּתְּפוּ hishtatfú | true imperative; natural in formal invitations and instructions |
| conversational command | תִּשְׁתַּתֵּף · תִּשְׁתַּתְּפִי · תִּשְׁתַּתְּפוּ | ordinary informal speech |
| infinitive | לְהִשְׁתַּתֵּף lehishtatéf | neutral |
| action noun | הִשְׁתַּתְּפוּת hishtatfút | participation or contribution; neutral to administrative |
Modern masculine-plural forms normally serve groups of every gender; dedicated feminine-plural past and future forms are formal or literary. The metathesized שתת sequence survives in every part of the paradigm and in השתתפות. Unpointed השתתף can be 3ms past or the masculine-singular true imperative; context separates “he participated” from “participate!”
מי משתתף בפגישה מחר בבוקר?
mi mishtatéf bapgishá makhár babóker?
Who's taking part in tomorrow morning's meeting?
תשתתפי בדיון רק אם יש לך מה להוסיף.
tishtatfí badiyún rak im yesh lakh ma lehosíf.
Join the discussion only if you have something to add. (ordinary speech, to a woman)
The activity takes ב־
The meeting, event, process or shared cost in which someone participates takes ב־: להשתתף בכנס, בתחרות, בהוצאות. English alternates among participate in, take part in and share the cost of; Hebrew keeps one frame. No direct object follows השתתף. Before a definite noun, ב־ absorbs the article and takes its vowel: בַּפגישה, בַּתוכנית. The broader pattern is on verbs with ב־.
השתתפנו בתחרות, אבל לא עלינו לגמר.
hishtatáfnu batakharút, avál lo alínu lagmár.
We took part in the competition but didn't make the final.
הוא לא רצה להשתתף במחאה, אז נשאר בבית.
hu lo ratsá lehishtatéf bamekha'á, az nishár babáyit.
He didn't want to take part in the protest, so he stayed home.
כל העובדים משתתפים בהוצאות הנסיעה.
kol ha'ovdím mishtatfím behotsa'ót hanesi'á.
All the employees contribute to the travel expenses.
The fixed condolence formula
משתתף בצערך / משתתפת בצערך is a conventional Israeli expression of condolence: literally “I share in your sorrow,” idiomatically “I’m sorry for your loss.” It keeps the same ב־ as ordinary participation, but the entire combination is formulaic. The ending on צערך identifies the mourner addressed; the form of משתתף identifies the speaker. To a family or group, משתתפים בצערכם is common. The fuller etiquette and traditional formulas are on condolences.
אני משתתף בצערך, יהי זכרו ברוך.
aní mishtatéf betsa'arkhá, yehí zikhró barúkh.
I'm sorry for your loss; may his memory be blessed. (m. speaker to a man)
כולנו משתתפים בצערכם ושולחים חיבוק למשפחה.
kulánu mishtatfím betsa'arkhém vesholkhím khibúk lamishpakhá.
We all share in your sorrow and send the family a hug. (to a family or group)
This formula is neutral and current, but it does not replace every traditional phrase. המקום ינחם אתכם and מן השמים תנוחמו carry specific religious traditions and registers; use their dedicated page when the setting calls for them.
השתתפות and משתתף as nouns
The action noun השתתפות ranges from ordinary participation to institutional finance. השתתפות פעילה is active participation; דמי השתתפות are a participation or registration fee; בהשתתפות introduces featured participants or collaborators in programs and publicity. The present participle משתתף / משתתפת also functions as the count noun “participant.”
דמי ההשתתפות כוללים ארוחת צוהריים וחומרי לימוד.
dmei hahishtatfút kolelím arukhát tsohoráyim vekhomréi limúd.
The participation fee includes lunch and study materials.
נשארו רק חמישה מקומות למשתתפי התוכנית.
nish'arú rak khamishá mekomót lemishtatféi hatokhnít.
Only five places remain for participants in the program.
השתתפות עצמית is the amount the insured person must pay before or alongside the insurer: an insurance excess, deductible or copayment, depending on the policy. The adjective עצמית does not mean participation by oneself here; the phrase is a fixed administrative term.
ההשתתפות העצמית על תיקון השמשה היא חמש מאות שקל.
hahishtatfút ha'atsmít al tikún hashimshá hi khamésh me'ót shékel.
The deductible for repairing the windshield is five hundred shekels. (administrative/insurance)
האירוע יתקיים בהשתתפות ראש העיר ונציגי השכונה.
ha'irúa yitkayém behishtatfút rosh ha'ír unetsigéi hashkhuná.
The event will take place with the participation of the mayor and neighborhood representatives. (formal/publicity)
Key Takeaways
- Metathesis puts the prefix ת immediately before the root’s ת: ה־ש־ת־ת־ף.
- The activity, event or shared cost always takes ב־: להשתתף בפגישה, בתחרות, בהוצאות.
- משתתף בצערך is a fixed, current condolence formula using the same preposition.
- השתתפות עצמית is an insurance deductible, excess or copayment; דמי השתתפות is a fee.
- משתתף / משתתפת can be a verb form or the noun “participant.”
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