Questions & Answers about יש לי קצת זמן עכשיו.
Why does Hebrew use יש לי here instead of a verb meaning have?
In modern Hebrew, possession in the present tense is usually expressed with יש + ל־ rather than with a separate verb meaning to have.
So:
- יש = there is / there exists
- לי = to me
Together, יש לי literally means there is to me, which Hebrew uses for I have.
This is one of the most important patterns in Hebrew:
- יש לי ספר = I have a book
- יש לה זמן = she has time
- יש לנו שאלה = we have a question
In past and future, Hebrew often uses forms of היה:
- היה לי זמן = I had time
- יהיה לי זמן = I will have time
What exactly does לי mean?