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

Noun

יֶדַע • (yédam (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

See also

Verb

יִדֵּעַ • (yidéa) (pi'el construction)

  1. defective spelling of יידע

Verb

יֻדַּע • (yudá) (pu'al construction)

  1. defective spelling of יודע

References