# Suffixes in Hebrew

There are several suffixes in Hebrew that are appended to regular words to introduce a new meaning. Suffixes are used in the Hebrew language to form plurals of nouns and adjectives, in verb conjugation of grammatical tense, and to indicate possession and direct objects. They are also used for the construct noun form. The letters which form these suffixes (excluding plurals) are called "formative letters" (Hebrew: אוֹתִיּוֹת הַשִּׁמּוּשׁ‎, Otiyot HaShimush).

## Gender and number

Due to noun-adjective agreement rules, these apply to nouns and to adjectival modifiers. In some cases, a masculine plural noun will have a feminine plural suffix and vice versa, but the adjectival modifiers are always the same.
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| ָ ה‎ (Kamatz and he) | feminine singular | סוּסָה‎ susa (mare) סוּסָה טוֹבָה‎ susa tova (good mare) |
| ִ ים‎ (Chirik, yud and final mem) | masculine plural | סוּסִים‎ susim (horses) סוּסִים טוֹבִים‎ susim tovim (good horses) |
| וֹת‎ (Cholam and tav) | feminine plural | סוּסוֹת‎ susot (mares) סוּסוֹת טוֹבוֹת‎ susot tovot (good mares) |
| ַ יִם‎ (Patach, yud with chirik and final mem) | masculine and feminine noun dual form | יָדַיִם‎ yadayim (two hands) |

## Construct state

| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| ַ ת‎ (Patach and tav) | Changes a singular feminine noun to the construct form. of | תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה‎ Torat Moshe (Torah of Moses) |
| ֵ י‎ (Tzere and yud) | Changes a plural masculine noun to the construct form. of | סִפְרֵי קְדֻשָּׁה‎ Sifre q'dusha (Books of holiness) |

## Pronominal suffixes
### Singular nouns

| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| ִ י‎ (Chirik and yud) | First person, singular possessive. My | סוּסִי‎ susi (my horse) תּוֹרָתִי‎ torati (my law) |
| ְ ךָ‎ (Shva and final khaf with kamatz) | Second person, singular, masculine possessive. Your | סוּסְךָ‎ suskha (your horse) תּוֹרָתְךָ‎ toratkha (your law) |
| ֵ ךְ‎ (Tzere and final khaf with shva) | Second person, singular, feminine possessive. Your | סוּסֵךְ‎ susekh (your horse) תּוֹרָתֵךְ‎ toratekh (your law) |
| וֹ‎ ( Cholam male) | Third person, singular, masculine possessive. His | סוּסוֹ‎ suso (his horse) תּוֹרָתוֹ‎ torato (his law) |
| ָ הּ‎ (Kamatz and he with mappiq) | Third person, singular, feminine possessive. Her | סוּסָהּ‎ susah (her horse) תּוֹרָתָהּ‎ toratah (her law) |
| ֵ נוּ‎ (Tzere and nun with shuruk) | First person, plural possessive. Our | סוּסֵנוּ‎ susenu (our horse) תּוֹרָתֵנוּ‎ toratenu (our law) |
| ְ כֶם‎ (Shva, khaf with segol, and final mem) | Second person, plural, masculine possessive. Your | סוּסְכֶם‎ suskhem (your horse) תּוֹרַתְכֶם‎ toratkhem (your law) |
| ְ כֶן‎ (Shva, khaf with segol and final nun) | Second person, plural, feminine possessive. Your | סוּסְכֶן‎ suskhen (your horse) תּוֹרַתְכֶן‎ toratkhen (your law) |
| ָ ם‎ (Kamatz and final mem) | Third person, plural, masculine possessive. Their | סוּסָם‎ susam (their horse) תּוֹרָתָם‎ toratam (their law) |
| ָ ן‎ (Kamatz and final nun) | Third person, plural, feminine possessive. Their | סוּסָן‎ susan (their horse) תּוֹרָתָן‎ toratan (their law) |

### Plural nouns

| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| ַ י‎ (Patach and yud) | First person, singular possessive. My | סוּסַי‎ susai (my horses) תּוֹרוֹתַי‎ torotai (my laws) |
| ֶ יךָ‎ (Segol, yud and final khaf with kamatz) | Second person, singular, masculine possessive. Your | סוּסֶיךָ‎ susekha (your horses) תּוֹרוֹתֶיךָ‎ torotekha (your laws) |
| ַ יִךְ‎ (Patach, yud with chirik, and final khaf with shva) | Second person, singular, feminine possessive. Your | סוּסַיִךְ‎ susayikh (your horses) תּוֹרוֹתַיִךְ‎ torotayikh (your laws) |
| ָ יו‎ (Kamatz, yud, and vav) | Third person, singular, masculine possessive. His | סוּסָיו‎ susav (his horses) תּוֹרוֹתָיו‎ torotav (his laws) |
| ֶ יהָ‎ (Segol, yud, and he with kamatz) | Third person, singular, feminine possessive. Her | סוּסֶיהָ‎ suseha (her horses) תּוֹרוֹתֶיהָ‎ toroteha (her laws) |
| ֵ ינוּ‎ (Tzere, yud, and nun with shuruk) | First person, plural possessive. Our | סוּסֵינוּ‎ suseinu (our horses) תּוֹרוֹתֵינוּ‎ toroteinu (our laws) |
| ֵ יכֶם‎ (Tzere, yud, khaf with segol, and final mem) | Second person, plural, masculine possessive. Your | סוּסֵיכֶם‎ suseikhem (your horses) תּוֹרוֹתֵיכֶם‎ toroteikhem (your laws) |
| ֵ יכֶן‎ (Tzere, yud, khaf with segol, and final nun) | Second person, plural, feminine possessive. Your | סוּסֵיכֶן‎ suseikhen (your horses) תּוֹרוֹתֵיכֶן‎ torateikhen (your laws) |
| ֵ יהֶם‎ (Tzere, yud, he with segol and final mem) | Third person, plural, masculine possessive. Their | סוּסֵיהֶם‎ suseihem (their horses) תּוֹרוֹתֵיהֶם‎ torateihem (their laws) |
| ֵ יהֶן‎ (Tzere, yud, he with segol, and final nun) | Third person, plural, feminine possessive. Their | סוּסֵיהֶן‎ suseihen (their horses) תּוֹרוֹתֵיהֶן‎ torateihen (their laws) |

## Conjugation of verbs
### Qal Perfect

| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| תִּי‎ (Tav with hiriq male) | 1st person sg. I did | שָׁמַרְתִּי‎ shamarti (I kept) |
| תָּ‎ (Tav with kamatz) | 2nd person, masc. sg. You did | שָׁמַרְתָּ‎ shamarta (you kept) |
| תְּ‎ (Tav with shva) | 2nd person, fem. sg. You did | שָׁמַרְתְּ‎ shamart (you kept) |
| -‎ (None, base form) | Qal perfect Did 3rd person, masc. sg. He did | שָׁמַר‎ shamar (kept/he kept) |
| ָ ה‎ (Kamatz and he) | 3rd person, fem. sg. She did | שָׁמְרָה‎ shamra (she kept) |
| נוּ‎ (Nun with shuruk) | 1st person pl. We did | שָׁמַרְנוּ‎ shamarnu (we kept) |
| תֶּם‎ (Tav with segol and final mem) | 2nd person, masc. pl. You did | שְׁמַרְתֶּם‎ shmartem (you kept) |
| תֶּן‎ (Tav with segol and final nun) | 2nd person, fem. pl. You did | שְׁמַרְתֶּן‎ shmarten (you kept) |
| וּ‎ (Shuruk) | 3rd person pl. They did | שָׁמְרוּ‎ shamru (they kept) |

### Imperfect

| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| ִי‎ (Chirik male) | Second person, feminine singular. You will do | תִּשְׁמְרִי‎ tishm'ri (you will keep) |
| וּ‎ (Shuruk) | Third and Second person, masculine plural. They will do, You will do | יִשְׁמְרוּ‎ yishm'ru (they will keep) תִּשְׁמְרוּ‎ tishm'ru (you will keep) |
| נָה‎ (Nun with kamatz and he) | Third and Second person, feminine plural. They will do, You will do | תִּשְׁמֹרְנָה‎ tishmorna (they will keep) תִּשְׁמֹרְנָה‎ tishmorna (you will keep) |

## Imperative

| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| ִ י‎ (Chirik male) | Feminine singular. do! | שִׁמְרִי‎ shimri (keep!) |
| וּ‎ (Shuruk) | Masculine plural. do! | שִׁמְרוּ‎ shimru (keep!) |
| נָה‎ (Nun with Kamatz and He) | Feminine plural. do! | שְׁמֹרְנָה‎ shmorna (keep!) |

## Derivative
### Diminutive

| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| וֹן‎ (Cholam male and final nun) | Diminutive, sometimes masculine | סֵפֶר‎ sefer (book) → סִפְרוֹן‎ sifron (booklet) מַחְשֵׁב‎ machshev (computer) → מַחְשְׁבוֹן‎ machshevon (calculator) מִטְבָּח‎ mitbach (kitchen) → מִטְבָּחוֹן‎ mitbachon (kitchenette) |
| ֹנֶת‎ (Cholam chaser, nun with segol, and tav) | Diminutive, a feminine version of ־וֹן‎ | יֶלֶד‎ yeled (child, boy) → יַלְדוֹן‎ yaldon (boy (diminutive)) → יַלְדֹּנֶת‎ yaldonet (girl (diminutive)) טִפָּה‎ tippa (drop) → טִפֹּנֶת‎ tipponet (drop (diminutive)) חָמוּד‎ chamud (cute) → חֲמוּדוֹן‎ chamudon (cutie (male)) → חֲמוּדֹנֶת‎ chamudonet (cutie (feminine)) |
| ִ ית‎ (Chirik male and tav) | Diminutive, sometimes feminine | שַׂק‎ saq (sack) → שַׂקִּית‎ saqqit (bag) כַּף‎ kaf (spoon) → כַּפִּית‎ kappit (teaspoon) |

### Abstract nouns

| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| וּת‎ (Qubbutz and tav) | Abstractive, feminine | נַגָּר‎ nagar (carpenter) → נַגָּרוּת‎ nagarut (carpentry) חָבֵר‎ chaver (friend) → חֲבֵרוּת‎ chaverut (friendship) |

### Collective nouns

| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
| וֹן‎ (Cholam male and final nun) | Collective, masculine | זְכוּת‎ zchut (right) → זְכוּתוֹן‎ zchuton (a collection of rights) מִלָּה‎ mila (word) → מִלּוֹן‎ milon (dictionary (a collection of words)) |

## Loanwords

These suffixes (Hebrew: סוֹפִית‎ sofit) often come from loanwords from English (Latin, Greek, etc...) which are especially prevalent with technical and academic terms.
| Suffix | Origin | Hebrew | Meaning | Examples |
| -graphy | Ladino | גְרַפְיָה‎- -grafya | field of study; writing | גֵּאוֹגְרַפְיָה‎ geografya (hard g) geography קָלִיגְרַפְיָה‎ qaligrafya calligraphy |
| -ic/-ical | Biblical Hebrew/ English | ִי‎- i | of or pertaining to | נוֹסְטַלְגִּי‎ nostalgi nostalgic פּוֹלִיטִי‎ politi political מִיתִי‎ miti mythic(al) מוֹלֶקוּלָרִי‎ molequlari molecular קַוִּי‎ qavi (means: line-pertaining to) linear |
| -ian/-an/-ish | Biblical Hebrew/ English | ִי‎- i | belonging to | רוּסִי‎ rusi Russian אוּטוֹפִּי‎ utopi utopian גֶּרְמָנִי‎ germani (hard g) German בְּרִיטִי‎ briti British פּוֹלִיטִיקַאי‎ politiqai politician קוֹמִיקַאי‎ qomiqai comedian |
| -ism | English | יזְם‎- -izm | movement; discriminatory belief | לִיבֶּרָלִיזְם‎ liberalizm liberalism סֶקְסִיזְם‎ seqsizm sexism |
| -kinesis | Greek | קִינֶזִיס‎- -qinezis | movement, motion | טֶלֶקִינֶזִיס‎ teleqinezis telekinesis פְּסִיכוֹקִינֶזִיס‎ psikhoqinezis psychokinesis |
| -logy (and -ology) | Ladino | לוֹגְיָה‎- -logya | branch of learning | בִּיוֹלוֹגְיָה‎ biyologya (hard g) biology טְרִילוֹגְיָה‎ trilogya trilogy |
| -mania | Greek | מַנְיָה‎- -manya | obsession | פִּירוֹמַנְיָה‎ piromanya (means: pyro-mania) pyromania קְלֶפְּטוֹמַנְיָה‎ qleptomanya (means: klepto-mania) kleptomania |
| -maniac | English | מָן‎- -man | person with obsession | פִּירוֹמָן‎ piroman (means: pyro-maniac) pyromaniac קְלֶפְּטוֹמָן‎ qleptoman (means: klepto-maniac) kleptomaniac |
| -oid | English | וֹאִיד‎- -oid | similar, but not the same | אַנְדְּרוֹאִיד‎ android android הוּמָנוֹאִיד‎ humanoid humanoid |
| -onym | English | וֹנִים‎- -onim | name | אֶפּוֹנִים‎ eponim eponym הֶטְרוֹנִים‎ hetronim heteronym |
| -scope | English | סְקוֹפּ‎- -sqop | instrument for viewing | טֶלֶסְקוֹפּ‎ telesqop telescope מיקרוסקופ‎ miqrosqop microscope |
| -esque | French | ֶסְקָה‎- -esqa | resembling | בּוּרְלֶסְקָה‎ burlesqa burlesque הוּמוֹרֶסְקָה‎ humoresqa humoresque גְּרוֹטֶסְקִי‎ grotesqi grotesque |
| -y | Ladino | יָה‎- -ya | having the quality of | קוֹמֶדְיָה‎ qomedya comedy הִיסְטוֹרְיָה‎ historya history פִילוֹסוֹפְיָה‎ filosofya philosophy |
| -meter | English | מֶטֶר‎- -meter | measuring device; units of measure | בָּרוֹמֶטֶר‎ barometer barometer קִילוֹמֶטֶר‎ qilometer kilometer |
| -nik | Yiddish/Russian | נִיק‎- nik | one connected with | מוֹשַׁבְנִיק‎ moshavniq moshav member/resident נוּדְנִיק‎ nudniq bothersome person |