אוהב + Noun / Infinitive

Liking Things and Activities

Level 2

אוהב can mean likes or loves. It takes a noun for a thing or person and an infinitive for an activity.

How It Works

Things and People

Learn אוהב, אוהבת, אוהבים and אוהבות. Use an indefinite or general noun directly, as in אוהב קפה. A particular definite object uses את: אוהב את הספר הזה.

Activities

To say that you like an activity, add its infinitive: אוהבת לרקוד. The infinitive remains unchanged for different subjects. An English -ing activity expression can therefore correspond to a Hebrew infinitive.

Meaning in Context

The same verb can express liking food and loving a person. Context supplies the strength. Do not force every אוהב into English love or assume that the activity must be happening now. אני אוהב לשחות can describe a preference even when the speaker is not swimming.

Examples (4)

  1. אני אוהבת מוזיקה.

    I like music.

    A general noun follows אוהבת.

  2. הוא אוהב לקרוא.

    He likes reading.

    לקרוא names the preferred activity.

  3. הם אוהבים את הספר הזה.

    They like this book.

    The definite object takes את.

  4. אנחנו אוהבות לרקוד.

    We like dancing.

    The female group uses אוהבות.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding את before an activity infinitive.

    אני אוהב את לקרוא.
    אני אוהב לקרוא.

    The infinitive itself follows אוהב without את.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

אוהב + Noun / InfinitiveLevel 2Liking Things and Activities

Learn This First

Distinguish noun objects from infinitive activities, using את for definite noun objects and keeping the liking predicate in agreement with its subject.