Questions & Answers about הוא כועס עליי, אבל אני לא יודע למה.
Why is כועס used here? Is it a verb or an adjective?
כועס literally behaves like an adjective/participle meaning angry. In modern Hebrew, words like this are often used where English uses to be + adjective.
So:
- הוא כועס = he is angry
- literally, something like he angry
Hebrew usually does not use a present-tense word for is in sentences like this. So you do not say a separate word for is here.
Also, כועס changes for gender and number:
- כועס = masculine singular
- כועסת = feminine singular
- כועסים = masculine/mixed plural
- כועסות = feminine plural
Why does Hebrew say כועס עליי? Why על?
Because כועס normally goes with the preposition על when you say who someone is angry at.
So:
- הוא כועס עליי = he is angry at me
- אני כועס עליך = I’m angry at you
- היא כועסת עליו = she is angry at him
This is just the standard pattern in Hebrew. A learner has to memorize כועס על... as a set expression.
What exactly is עליי?