ידע

Aramaic

Verb

יְדַע • (yeda')

1. to know

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
י־ד־ע (y-d-ʿ)
21 terms

From Proto-Semitic *wadaʕ- (to know), cognate with Aramaic ידע (“know”), Phoenician 𐤉𐤃𐤏 (ydʿ, “know”), Akkadian 𒍪 (edûm, “to know”), Ugaritic 𐎊𐎄𐎓 (ydʿ, “know”), Qatabanian 𐩺𐩵𐩲 (ydʿ, “find out”), and Arabic دَعَا (daʕā, “to call on for help, to seek directions, to find the means or a way”) by metathesis.

Pronunciation

• (יֶדַע, yéda), noun:
  • (Modern Israeli Hebrew, Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈjeda/
  • (Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈjed̪aʕ/, [ˈjed̪aŋ]
  • (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈjæðæʕ/
  • (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈjɛðaʕ/, [ˈjɛː.ðäʕ]
• (יָדַע, yadá), verb:
  • (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jaˈda/
  • (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jɔ.da/
  • (Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jaˈd̪aʕ/, [jaˈd̪aŋ]
  • (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jɔˈðæʕ/
  • (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jɔˈðaʕ/, [jɔːˈðäː.äʕ]

Noun

יֶדַע • (yéda) m (no plural forms, singular construct יֶדַע־) [pattern: קֶטֶל]

1. Knowledge: that which is known (to a given knower).

Verb

יָדַע • (yadá) (pa'al construction, passive counterpart נוֹדַע)

1. To know (a fact).
   • Tanach, Exodus 3:19:

     וַאֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי לֹא יִתֵּן אֶתְכֶם מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לַהֲלֹךְ וְלֹא בְּיָד חֲזָקָה׃

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   לא, אני לא רוצה לדעת למה היא ישנה עם הנעליים שלו.

   lo, ani lo rotse/rotsa lada'at lama hi y'shena im hana'alayim shelo.

   No, I don't want to know why she sleeps with his shoes.

2. To know how (to do something).
3. (literary) To know (a person or place).
4. (archaic, euphemistic) To know, to have sex with.

Conjugation

Conjugation of יָדַע (see also Appendix:Hebrew verbs)

non-finite forms		to-infinitive		לָדַעַת
		action noun		יְדִיעָה
		passive participle		יָדוּעַ
finite forms		singular		plural
		m	f	m	f
past	first	יָדַעְתִּי		יָדַעְנוּ
	second	יָדַעְתָּ	יָדַעְתְּ	יְדַעְתֶּם1	יְדַעְתֶּן1
	third	יָדַע	יָדְעָה	יָדְעוּ
present		יוֹדֵעַ	יוֹדַעַת	יוֹדְעִים	יוֹדְעוֹת
future	first	אֵדַע		נֵדַע
	second	תֵּדַע	תֵּדְעִי	תֵּדְעוּ	תֵּדַעְנָה2
	third	יֵדַע	תֵּדַע	יֵדְעוּ	תֵּדַעְנָה2
imperative		דַּע	דְּעִי	דְּעוּ	דַּעְנָה2

¹ Pronounced יָדַעְתֶּם and יָדַעְתֶּן in informal Modern Hebrew.
² Rare in Modern Hebrew.

Derived terms

• אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ צוּרַת א׳ (einó yodéa' tzurát álef)
• מַדּוּעַ (madúa)

See also

• הִכִּיר (hikír) to be familiar with, to know (someone)

Verb

יִדֵּעַ • (yidéa) (pi'el construction)

1. defective spelling of יידע

Verb

יֻדַּע • (yudá) (pu'al construction)

1. defective spelling of יודע

References

• H3045 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible