Hebrew has this interesting structure: Verb “haya” (past tense of “to be”) plus a conjugated verb in the present, like “hayiti holech.” It can mean several different things, and host Guy Sharett teaches us all of them, including some conditional phrases.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

“Hayita bone li kirot, hayita matkin menorot, sheyihye li or” – You would build walls for me, you’d install lamps, so that I’d have light – היית בונה לי קירות, היית מתקין מנורות, שיהיה לי אור

“Lu hayiti shnei alim ba-stav, hayiti nosheret alecha achshav” – If I were two leaves in the fall, I’d fall on you right now – לו הייתי שני עלים בסתיו, הייתי נושרת עליך עכשיו

Ma atem hayitem osim? – What would you do? – מה אתם הייתם עושים

Hayiti ochel pizza achshav – I could have a pizza now – הייתי אוכל פיצה עכשיו

“Ani zocher be-leilot shel yare’ach male, hayit ba’a elay” – I remember on full moon nights, you used to come to me – אני זוכר בלילות של ירח מלא, היית באה אליי

“Hayit sholachat yad ve-okeret et ha-pachad” – You used to stretch your hand and take away the fear – היית שולחת יד ועוקרת את הפחד

“Ilu hayit kan iti, hayiti noten lach mazkeret” – If you were with me, I would have given you a souvenir. – אילו היית כאן איתי, הייתי נותן לך מזכרת

“Ilu yacholti hayiti shocachat eich bati le-chan” – If I could, I would have forgotten how I got here – אילו יכולתי הייתי שוכחת איך באת לכאן

Ilu, lu – If (only for impossible condition sentences) – אילוּ, לוּ

Im hayita omer li she-ein ochel ba-bayit, hayiti kone mashehu – If you had told me there was no food at home, I would have bought something – אם היית אומר לי שאין אוכל בבית, הייתי קונה משהו

Playlist and Clips:

Eti Ankri – Ro’a Lecha Ba-einayim (lyrics)

Yael Levy – Ee Yarok Ba-yam (lyrics)

Knesiyat Ha-sechel – Hayinu osim ahava (lyrics)

Eyal Golan – Ha-ahava ha-yeshana sheli (lyrics)

Lahakat Pikud Tsafon – Malchut Ha-chermon (lyrics)

Riki Gal – Ilu Yacholti (lyrics)

Three possible meanings of haya + ba היה בא:

• 1. He would come, if he could
• 2. He would have come
• 3. He used to come