אם

See also: אַם, Appendix:Variations of "am", and Appendix:Variations of "im"

Hebrew

Etymology 1

Root
א־מ־ם (ʾ-m-m)
4 terms

From Proto-Semitic *ʔimm-.

Pronunciation

• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʔeːm/, [ˈʔeː.em]
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʔem/, [ˈʔeːm]
• (Persian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)em/
• (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ejm/
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)em/
• Rhymes: -em

Noun

אֵם • (em) f (plural indefinite אימהות / אִמָּהוֹת or אִמּוֹת, singular construct אֵם־, masculine counterpart אָב) [pattern: קֵטֶל]

1. (formal, dated) mother (a female parent, especially of a human; a female who parents a child (which she has given birth to, adopted, or fostered))
   • Tanach, Exodus 2:8, with translation of the King James Version:

     וַתֵּלֶךְ הָעַלְמָה וַתִּקְרָא אֶת אֵם הַיָּלֶד

     vatelékh ha'almá vatikrá et em hayáled

     And the maid went and called the child's mother.

2. mother, feminine originator or codifier (as in "the mother of all battles")

Declension

Declension of אֵם

	isolated forms		with possessive pronouns
Number:	State:	form	Person:	singular		plural
				m	f	m	f
singular	indefinite	אֵם	first	אִמִּי		אִמֵּנוּ
	definite	הָאֵם	second	אִמְּךָ	אִמֵּךְ	אִמְּכֶם	אִמְּכֶן
	construct	אֵם־	third	אִמּוֹ	אִמָּהּ	אִמָּם	אִמָּן
plural	indefinite	אימהות / אִמָּהוֹת	first	אימותיי / אִמּוֹתַי		אימותינו / אִמּוֹתֵינוּ
	definite	האימהות / הָאִמָּהוֹת	second	אימותיך / אִמּוֹתֶיךָ	אימותייך / אִמּוֹתַיִךְ	אימותיכם / אִמּוֹתֵיכֶם	אימותיכן / אִמּוֹתֵיכֶן
	construct	אימות־ / אִמּוֹת־	third	אימותיו / אִמּוֹתָיו	אימותיה / אִמּוֹתֶיהָ	אימותם / אִמּוֹתָם	אימותן / אִמּוֹתָן

Synonyms

• אִמָּא (íma) (more common, less formal)

Derived terms

• אֵם הַדֶּרֶךְ (em hadérekh)
• אַמְנוּן (amnún)
• אֵם קְרִיאָה (em k'ri'á)
• שְׂפַת אֵם (s'fát ém)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Semitic *šim.

Pronunciation

• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔim/, [ʔim]
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔim/, [ʔiːm]
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔim/, [ʔim]
• (Persian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)im/
• (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /im/
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔim/, /im/
• Rhymes: -im

• Audio (Israel):

  (file)

Conjunction

אִם • (im)

1. if, whether

   אם תצליחי או לא נהיה איתך.

   im tatslíkhi o lo nihyé itákh.

   Whether you (f) succeed or not we will be with you.

2. in case, if

   אִם אַתָּה רוֹצֶה, אֲנִי אוּכַל לָבוֹא מָחָר.

   im atá rotsé, aní ukhál lavó makhár.

   If you want, I can come tomorrow.

3. or

Usage notes

In contrast to English, in predictive conditional sentences the future tense is commonly used in both the antecedent and the consequent, e.g.

.אם תשמרי את המכתבים שלי, אשמור את המתנות שלָךְ (If you keep my letters, I will keep your presents.)

Derived terms

• אִם וְרַק אִם (im v'rák im)

References

• “אם” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language

Further reading

• אם (משפחה) on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he