Modern Hebrew Verb Conjugation - Gerunds

Gerunds

Gerunds (ˈʃmot peʕuˈla) are nouns expressing an action. Gerunds are created in Hebrew by putting the root of a verb in a miʃˈkal (see Modern Hebrew grammar#Nouns). Five of the binyanim have gerunds: pa'al, pi'el, hif'il, hitpa'el, and nif'al. For example:

• שמר /ʃaˈmaʁ/ (guarded — pa'al) → שמירה /ʃmiˈʁa/ (guarding)
  • שב /ˈʃav/ (returned — hollow pa'al) → שיבה /ʃiˈva/ (returning, a return)
  • שתה /ʃaˈta/ (drank — weak pa'al) → שתייה /ʃtiˈja/ (drinking, a drink)
• נכנס /niχˈnas/ (enter — nif'al) → היכנסות /hikanˈsut/ (entering)
• ביקר /biˈkeʁ/ (visited — pi'el) → ביקור /biˈkuʁ/ (visiting, a visit)
• הפתיע /hifˈtiaʕ/ (surprised — hif'il) → הפתעה /hafteˈʕa/ (surprising, a surprise)
• התחמם /hitħaˈmem/ (warmed — hitpa'el) → התחממות /hitħameˈmut/ (warming)

Note that unlike in English (where gerunds and present participles share the same form but different etymology), Hebrew gerunds cannot be used as adjectives.