Questions & Answers about את עייפה; שבי כאן ונוחי קצת לפני העבודה.
Why is את used here, and how is it pronounced?
Here את is the pronoun you for one female. It is pronounced at.
A common source of confusion is that Hebrew also has a different word spelled את, pronounced et, which marks a definite direct object. In this sentence, though, את is clearly the subject, so it means you and is pronounced at.
Why does the sentence use עייפה and not עייף?
Because the person being addressed is feminine singular.
Hebrew adjectives agree with the person or thing they describe in gender and number:
- את עייפה = you (female) are tired
- אתה עייף = you (male) are tired
So עייפה matches את.
Is a form of to be missing in את עייפה?
Yes—from an English point of view, it looks missing, but in Hebrew that is normal.
In the present tense, Hebrew usually does not use a word for am / is / are. So:
- את עייפה literally looks like you tired
- but it means you are tired
That is standard Hebrew grammar.
What are שבי and נוחי exactly?