שמע

Aramaic

Alternative forms

• ܫܡܰܥ

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *šamaʕ-.

Verb

שְׁמַע • (šəmaʿ)

1. to hear

Hebrew

Root
שׁ־מ־ע (sh-m-ʿ)
10 terms

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *šamaʕ-. Cognate with Arabic سمع.

Pronunciation

• (שֵׁמַע, shéma), noun:
  • (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃimʕ/
  • (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʃeː.maʕ/, [ˈʃeː.maʕ]
  • (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʃe.maʕ/, [ˈʃeː.mæʕ]
  • (Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʃe.maʕ/ (East), /ˈʃe.ma/ (West)
  • (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʃej.ma/
  • (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʃe.ma/

• (שָׁמַע, shamá), verb:
  • (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃaːˈmaʕ/
  • (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃɔːˈmaʕ/, [ʃɔˑˈmaː.aʕ]
  • (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃɔˈmaʕ/, [ʃɔ(ː)ˈmaːʕ]
  • (Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃaˈmaʕ/ (East), /ʃaˈma/ (West)
  • (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃɔˈma/
  • (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃaˈma/

• (שְׁמַע, sh'má), proper noun:
  • (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʃmaʕ/, [ʃaˈmaː.aʕ]
  • (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃəˈmaʕ/, [ʃæˈmæːʕ]
  • (Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃeˈmaʕ/ (East), /ʃeˈma/ (West)
  • (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃma/
  • (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃma/

Noun

שֵׁמַע • (shéma) m (plural indefinite שמעים, singular construct שמע־, plural construct שמעי־) [pattern: קֵטֶל]

1. audio

Verb

שָׁמַע • (shamá) (pa'al construction, passive counterpart נִשְׁמַע)

1. to hear
2. to listen

Conjugation

Conjugation of שָׁמַע (see also Appendix:Hebrew verbs)

non-finite forms		to-infinitive		לשמוע / לִשְׁמֹעַ
		action noun		שְׁמִיעָה
		passive participle		שָׁמוּעַ
finite forms		singular		plural
		m	f	m	f
past	first	שָׁמַעְתִּי		שָׁמַעְנוּ
	second	שָׁמַעְתָּ	שָׁמַעְתְּ	שְׁמַעְתֶּם1	שְׁמַעְתֶּן1
	third	שָׁמַע	שָׁמְעָה	שָׁמְעוּ
present		שׁוֹמֵעַ	שׁוֹמַעַת	שׁוֹמְעִים	שׁוֹמְעוֹת
future	first	אֶשְׁמַע		נִשְׁמַע
	second	תִּשְׁמַע	תִּשְׁמְעִי	תִּשְׁמְעוּ	תִּשְׁמַעְנָה2
	third	יִשְׁמַע	תִּשְׁמַע	יִשְׁמְעוּ	תִּשְׁמַעְנָה2
imperative		שְׁמַע	שִׁמְעִי	שִׁמְעוּ	שְׁמַעְנָה2

¹ Pronounced שָׁמַעְתֶּם and שָׁמַעְתֶּן in informal Modern Hebrew.
² Rare in Modern Hebrew.

Descendants

• Samaritan Hebrew: ࠔࠌࠏ (šmʿ)

Proper noun

שְׁמַע • (sh'má)

1. the Shema
   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Berachot 1:1:

     מאימתי קורין את שמע בערבית

     me'ematái kor[']ín et sh'má b'ar'vít

     From what time do we recite the Shema in the evening?

Synonyms

• שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל (sh'má yisra'él)

Anagrams

• מעש
• שעם