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את. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
את, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
את in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
את you have here. The definition of the word
את will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
את, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Aramaic
Etymology 1
Pronoun
אַתְּ • (ʾatt) m sg (plural אַתּוּן (ʾattūn), feminine אַתִּי (ʾattī) or אַתְּ (ʾatt), feminine plural אַתֵּין (ʾattēn))
- Alternative form of אַנְתְּ (ʾant)
Etymology 2
Pronoun
אַתְּ • (ʾatt) f sg
- feminine singular of אַתְּ (ʾatt)
Hebrew
Etymology 1
Related to Phoenician 𐤀𐤉𐤕 (ʾyt), Punic 𐤀𐤕 (ʾt), and Aramaic ית.
Pronunciation
Preposition
אֵת, אֶת־ • (et, et-)
- Used to introduce a semantically definite direct object.
Tanach, Genesis 1:1, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ:- bereshít bará elohím et hashamáyim ve'ét ha'árets.
- In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Tanach, Deuteronomy 6:5, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ:- veahávta et adonáy elohékha b'khól levav'khá uv'khól nafshekhá uv'khól me'odékha
- And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
1994, The Lion King, spoken by Scar (Eli Gorenstein):אני הרגתי את מופסה!- Aní harágti et Mufása!
- I killed Mufasa!
2019 October 31, Naomi Niddam, Local Call:את ספרו החשוב הראשון פירסם בישראל בשנות ה-70, ובחר לכתוב אותו בערבית ספרותית- Et sifró hakhashúv harishón pirsém b'yisraél bishnót hashiv'ím, uvakhár likhtóv otó be'aravít sifrutít.
- He published his first important book in Israel in the 70s, and chose to write it in Literary Arabic.
Usage notes
- In the event of a semantically indefinite direct object, את is not used; instead, the direct object is unmarked. In general, את is used when the direct object is a proper noun, a personal pronoun (in which case it is incorporated into the form of את), a noun phrase beginning with ה־ (ha-, “the”), or a noun phrase headed by a noun compound ending in one of these.
Inflection
Inflection table (direct object marker)
Non-personal-pronoun-including form |
אֵת (et) |
Personal-pronoun- including forms |
Singular |
Plural |
Masculine |
Feminine |
Masculine |
Feminine |
First person |
אוֹתִי (otí) |
אוֹתָנוּ (otánu) |
Second person |
אוֹתְךָ (otkhá) |
אוֹתָךְ (otákh) |
אֶתְכֶם (etkhém), אוֹתְכֶם (otkhém)1 |
אֶתְכֶן (etkhén), אוֹתְכֶן (otkhén)1 |
Third person |
אוֹתוֹ (otó) |
אוֹתׇהּ (otáh) |
אוֹתָם (otám) |
אוֹתָן (otán) |
Notes |
1. The forms etkhém and etkhén are considered more correct, but the forms otkhém and otkhén are also common in everyday usage.
|
Further reading
H853 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
Etymology 2
Cognate with Akkadian 𒀉𒋾 (itti, “with”).
Pronunciation
Preposition
אֵת, אֶת־ • (et, et-)
- (Biblical Hebrew) To, with.
2015 September 29, Ran Boker, “לונדון את קירשנבאום תשודר כמו בימי חייו של מוטי (“London et Kirschenbaum will be broadcasted like in the lifetime of Moti”)”, in ynet:
Usage notes
- The inflected forms of the otherwise archaic sense “to” or “with” are still used, but now belong to the (suppletive) preposition עִם (im, “with”).
- In modern sources, the separate use of אֵת as meaning 'with', is influenced more by Romance et. (see quote above)
Inflection
Inflection table (archaic sense “to” or “with”)
Etymology 3
From Proto-Semitic *ʔanti.
Pronunciation
Pronoun
אַתְּ • (át) f (Biblical Hebrew pausal form אָתְּ)
- You, thou: (the feminine singular second-person personal pronoun).
Usage notes
- In Mishnaic sources, the second-person masculine singular is inflected exactly as the feminine singular should be.
See also
Etymology 4
Noun
אֹת • (ot) m (plural אֹתֹת or אֹתוֹת)
- (rare, Biblical Hebrew) defective spelling of אוֹת: sign.
Etymology 5
Pronunciation
Noun
אֵת • (et) m (plural indefinite אִתִּים, singular construct אֵת־, plural construct אִתֵּי־)
- shovel
- spade
Usage notes
- in addition to the pronunciation אִתִּים (itím) the plural is also pronounced אֵתִים (etím)
Anagrams