אבל

See also: אָבֿל

Aramaic

Verb

אבל • (transliteration needed)

1. to mourn, to lament

Hebrew

Etymology 1

Conjunction

אֲבָל • (avál)

1. but

   אני רעב, אבל אין לי אוכל.

   ani ra'év, avál en li ókhel.

   I'm hungry, but I don't have food.

   אתם צריכים לעצור בסופר לקנות חלב, אבל אין לכם זמן

   atém tsrikhím la'atsór ba súper liqnót khaláv, avál en lakhém zman.

   You have to stop at the supermarket, but you don't have time.

2. however, though

   מה עשיתי אבל?!

   ma asíti avál?!

   What did I do, though?!

Etymology 2

Root
א־ב־ל (ʾ-b-l)
2 terms

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

אֵבֶל • (ével) m (singular construct אֵבֶל־)

1. mourning, bereavement

Declension

Declension of אֵבֶל

	isolated forms		with possessive pronouns
Number:	State:	form	Person:	singular		plural
				m	f	m	f
singular	indefinite	אֵבֶל	first	אֵבְלִי		אֵבְלֵנוּ
	definite	הָאֵבֶל	second	אֵבְלְךָ	אֵבְלֵךְ	אֵבְלְכֶם	אֵבְלְכֶן
	construct	אֵבֶל־	third	אֵבְלוֹ	אֵבְלָהּ	אֵבְלָם	אֵבְלָן

Derived terms

• מוֹדַעַת אֵבֶל (moda'át ével)

Verb

אָבַל • (aval) (pa'al construction)

1. (flowery) to bewail; to lament, to mourn

Conjugation

Conjugation of אָבַל (see also Appendix:Hebrew verbs)

non-finite forms		to-infinitive		לאבול / לֶאֱבֹל
		action noun		—
		passive participle		—
finite forms		singular		plural
		m	f	m	f
past	first	אָבַלְתִּי		אָבַלְנוּ
	second	אָבַלְתָּ	אָבַלְתְּ	אֲבַלְתֶּם1	אֲבַלְתֶּן1
	third	אָבַל	אָבְלָה	אָבְלוּ
present		אָבֵל	אֲבֵלָה	אֲבֵלִים	אֲבֵלוֹת
future	first	אֶאֱבַל		נֶאֱבַל
	second	תֶּאֱבַל	תֶּאֶבְלִי	תֶּאֶבְלוּ	תֶּאֱבַלְנָה2
	third	יֶאֱבַל	תֶּאֱבַל	יֶאֶבְלוּ	תֶּאֱבַלְנָה2
imperative	positive	אֱבַל	אִבְלִי	אִבְלוּ	אֱבַלְנָה2
	negative	אַל + Second person future tense

¹ Pronounced אָבַלְתֶּם and אָבַלְתֶּן in informal Modern Hebrew.
² Rare in Modern Hebrew.

References

• H56 in Strong, James (1979), Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• “אבל” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language
• "אבל" in the Noun Declension Tables of the Academy of Hebrew Language

Etymology 3

Root
א־ב־ל (ʾ-b-l)
2 terms

Noun

אָבֵל • (avel) m

1. a meadow, plain

References

• H58 in Strong, James (1979), Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible