Learn Hardcore Hebrew: היא פותחת את הדלת עכשיו.

Because פותחת is feminine singular, a listener can often understand that the subject is she. Still, adding היא can make the sentence clearer, more explicit, or more natural in context.

Why is פותחת used here? Does it mean opens or is opening?

פותחת is the present tense feminine singular form of the verb לפתוח, meaning to open.

In Hebrew, the present tense often covers several meanings that English separates:

she opens
she is opening
sometimes even she does open, depending on context

So היא פותחת את הדלת עכשיו can naturally mean She is opening the door now, but the same verb form can also be used in other present-time contexts.

How do I know that פותחת is feminine?

The form פותחת is marked as feminine singular.

A very common contrast is:

פותח = masculine singular
פותחת = feminine singular

So:

הוא פותח את הדלת עכשיו = He is opening the door now
היא פותחת את הדלת עכשיו = She is opening the door now

This feminine ending is very common in the Hebrew present tense.

Why is there no separate word for is in the sentence?

In Hebrew, present-tense sentences normally do not use a separate word for is / am / are.

English says:

She is opening the door now

Hebrew simply says:

היא פותחת את הדלת עכשיו

So the idea of present time is already contained in the verb form פותחת, and Hebrew does not need an extra verb like is here.

What does את mean here? Why is it in the sentence if it does not seem to translate?

את is the direct object marker. It comes before a definite direct object.

Here, הדלת means the door, which is definite, so Hebrew uses את:

היא פותחת את הדלת = She is opening the door

Important: את usually is not translated into English. It is a grammar marker, not a separate meaning like with or to.

A useful comparison:

היא פותחת דלת = She is opening a door
היא פותחת את הדלת = She is opening the door

Why is it הדלת and not just דלת?

הדלת means the door, while דלת means a door or just door, depending on context.

The prefix ה־ is the Hebrew definite article, equivalent to English the.

So:

דלת = a door
הדלת = the door

Since the sentence refers to a specific door, Hebrew uses הדלת.

Is there a connection between את and הדלת being definite?

Yes. This is one of the most important things to notice.

Hebrew normally uses את before a direct object when that object is definite, for example:

with ה־ = the
with names
with pronoun objects

So:

פותחת את הדלת = definite object, so את appears
פותחת דלת = indefinite object, so את does not appear

This is a very common Hebrew pattern.

What does עכשיו mean exactly, and does it have to come at the end?

עכשיו means now.

It does not have to come at the end. Hebrew word order is fairly flexible, especially with time words like this. For example, all of these can work:

היא פותחת את הדלת עכשיו
עכשיו היא פותחת את הדלת
היא עכשיו פותחת את הדלת

The version with עכשיו at the end is very natural and straightforward. Moving it can change the emphasis slightly.

What is the basic dictionary form of פותחת?

The dictionary form is לפתוח, meaning to open.

Hebrew dictionaries usually list verbs in the infinitive form, often beginning with ל־, which often corresponds to English to:

לפתוח = to open

The form in the sentence, פותחת, is one conjugated form of that verb.

What is the root of פותחת?

The root is פ־ת־ח, often written as פתח.

This root is connected with the idea of opening. Hebrew builds many related words from roots, so recognizing the root helps you connect vocabulary.

For example, from the same root you may see forms related to opening in verbs and nouns.

In this sentence:

root: פ־ת־ח
verb: לפתוח = to open
form used: פותחת = present tense, feminine singular

How is this sentence pronounced?

A common pronunciation is:

hi potáchat et hadélet akhsháv

A rough breakdown:

היא = hi
פותחת = po-TA-chat
את = et
הדלת = ha-DE-let
עכשיו = akh-SHAV

The stress is usually near the end of פותחת, הדלת, and עכשיו.

Could the sentence mean a habitual action, not just something happening right now?

Yes, although עכשיו strongly points to something happening now.

Without עכשיו, היא פותחת את הדלת could mean either:

She opens the door
She is opening the door

Hebrew present tense often depends on context more than English does. Adding עכשיו makes the ongoing, right-now meaning much more likely.

Can this sentence be said without היא if the subject is already obvious?

Yes. Hebrew often drops subject pronouns when they are understood from the verb form or the context.

So both of these are possible:

היא פותחת את הדלת עכשיו
פותחת את הדלת עכשיו

The version with היא is more explicit. The version without it can sound natural when the subject is already clear from context.

How would the sentence change if the subject were he instead of she?

You would change both the pronoun and the verb form:

הוא פותח את הדלת עכשיו = He is opening the door now

Compare:

היא פותחת = she is opening
הוא פותח = he is opening

This is a good example of how Hebrew verbs in the present tense agree with gender and number.