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  • From: Bearpecs AT aol.com
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] VERBS
  • Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 15:59:20 EDT


In a message dated 7/26/2005 12:35:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time, joel AT exc.com
writes:

In Modern Hebrew, past-tense motion verbs (but not other
verbs) are used for future-tense suggestions (e.g., "HALAXNU?,"
literally "did we go?" meaning "shall we go?") [This example is
doubly interesting because "SHARNU," "did we sing?" cannot mean "shall
we sing?" It basically only works with motion verbs.]


But I have also heard "ma ratsita?" (lit. "what did you want?") to mean
"what do you want?" or better: the more polite (in English) "what would you
like?"






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