The imperative in Hif’il is used to give commands or requests in a causative sense – telling someone to cause something to happen. It’s typically directed at the second person (you), and reflects the active, intentional nature of Hif’il verbs.
Let’s use the root ת־ח־ל (T-H–L), which in Hif’il means “to begin” or “to start.”
Structure
- No prefix (unlike infinitives)
- Begins with הַ־
- Vowel pattern typically follows הַקְטֵל or הַפְעֵל
Forms of הִתְחִיל – “to begin” (Imperative)
| Person | Form | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| You (m. sg.) | הַתְחֵל! | hatchél | Begin! |
| You (f. sg.) | הַתְחִילִי! | hatchilí | Begin! |
| You (m. pl.) | הַתְחִילוּ! | hatchilú | Begin! |
| You (f. pl.) (rare) | הַתְחֵלְנָה! | hatchélna | Begin! |
The feminine plural form (-נה) is rarely used in Modern Hebrew and mostly appears in Biblical or poetic contexts.