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Questions & Answers about המשאבה מתחברת לשסתום.
Why does המשאבה start with ה-?
ה- is the Hebrew definite article, equivalent to the in English.
So:
- משאבה = a pump / pump
- המשאבה = the pump
It is attached directly to the noun, unlike English, where the is a separate word.
Why is the verb מתחברת and not מתחבר?
Because משאבה is a feminine singular noun, and the present-tense verb form has to agree with it.
In Hebrew present tense, these forms change for gender and number:
- מתחבר = masculine singular
- מתחברת = feminine singular
- מתחברים = masculine plural
- מתחברות = feminine plural
Since המשאבה is feminine singular, מתחברת is the correct form.
How do I know that משאבה is feminine?
A very common clue is the ending -ה. Many Hebrew nouns ending in -ה are feminine, and משאבה is one of them.
That does not mean every noun ending in -ה is feminine, but it is a strong and useful pattern for learners.
You can also see that it is feminine from the agreement in the sentence: the verb is מתחברת, not מתחבר.
What is the dictionary form of מתחברת?