אנוכי
Hebrew
FWOTD – 12 January 2020
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Semitic *ʔanāku. The adjectival and adverbial uses are modern innovations.
Pronunciation
- (Biblical Hebrew) IPA(key): /ʔa.noːˈkʰiː/
- (Samaritan Hebrew) IPA(key): /ʔɒ.nɒ.kiː/, [ʔɒːˈnɒːkiˑ]
- (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA(key): /ʔɔː.noːˈχiː/, [ʔɔː.noˑˈχiː]
- (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA(key): /ʔɔ.nøˈχi/, [ʔɔː.nø(ː)ˈχiː], [ʔɔː.ne(ː)ˈχiː]
- (Persian Hebrew) IPA(key): /ʔɒ.noˈχi/
- (Iraqi Hebrew) IPA(key): /ʔa.noˈχi/
- (Sephardi Hebrew) IPA(key): /(ʔ)a.noˈχi/
- (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA(key): /(ʔ)ɔ.nojˈχi/
- (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA(key): /(ʔ)a.noˈχi/
Audio: (file)
Pronoun
אנוכי / אָנֹכִי • (anokhí) m or f
- (archaic or formal) I (first-person singular nominative pronoun).
- c. 600 BCE, “Chapter 5”, in Shoftim (Judges):
- שִׁמְע֣וּ מְלָכִ֔ים הַאֲזִ֖ינוּ רֹֽזְנִ֑ים אָֽנֹכִ֗י לַֽיהֹוָה֙ אָנֹכִ֣י אָשִׁ֔ירָה אֲזַמֵּ֕ר לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
- Hear, O kings, give ear, O princes; I, to the Lord I shall sing, I shall sing to the Lord, the God of Israel.
Usage notes
- In Modern Hebrew, the form אֲנִי (aní, “I”) is used almost exclusively, though אנוכי \ אָנֹכִי may be used for emphasis, or to imitate Biblical style.
See also
| singular | plural | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | אֲנִי (aní), אנוכי / אָנֹכִי (anokhí)[PP 1] |
אֲנַחְנוּ (anákhnu), אָנוּ (ánu)[PP 2] | |
| 2nd person | m | אַתָּה (atá) | אַתֶּם (atém) |
| f | אַתְּ (at) | אַתֶּן (atén) | |
| 3rd person | m | הוּא (hu) | הֵם (hem)[PP 3] |
| f | הִיא (hi) | הֵן (hen)[PP 3] | |
- ^ The form אנוכי / אָנֹכִי (anokhí) occurs many times in the Hebrew Bible, but is basically obsolete today.
- ^ In Modern Israeli Hebrew, the form אָנוּ (ánu, “we”) is the more formal, אֲנָחנוּ (anákhnu) the more colloquial.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 In colloquial Modern Israeli Hebrew, the nominally masculine forms אַתֶּם (atém) and הֵם (hem) are sometimes taken as gender-neutral and substituted for אַתֶּן (atén) and הֵן (hen), this is sometimes considered incorrect.
References
Adjective
אָנוֹכִי • (anokhí) (feminine אָנוֹכִית, masculine plural אָנוֹכִים or אָנוֹכִיִּים, feminine plural אָנוֹכִיּוֹת)
- selfish, egotistical
- 2025 July 31, לירון שרון, “אוזיל הזמין את נשיא טורקיה השנוי במחלוקת לחתונתו”, in Maariv:
- ״הם השתמשו בי באופן אנוכי כחלק מתעמולה פוליטית.״
- "Hem hishtamshu bi b'ofen anochi k'khelek m'ta'amula politit."
- "They used me in a selfish manner as part of political propaganda."
Adverb
אָנוֹכִי • (anokhí)
- selfishly
- 2025 July 31, אפרת עמורבן, “קליין: "כולם שיחקו חזק, אף אחד פה לא אנוכי"”, in Ynet:
- ״זו באמת ברכה להיות בנבחרת״, אמר קליין. ״אנחנו צריכים להמשיך נגד סרביה. כולם שיחקו חזק, אף אחד לא משחק אנוכי״.
- "It's truly a blessing to be on the team," said Klein. "We have to go against Serbia next. Everyone played hard, no one plays selfishly."