# personal pronouns with verbs in present tense (modern Hebrew)



## Encolpius

Hello, I couldn't find in any grammar book, if it is mandatory to use personal pronouns with verbs in present tense, does it depend on the context? So if it is evident, mostly in colloquial modern Hebrew. So I do not know, can I say simply: Lo yodea.  Thanks.


----------



## LXNDR

in certain phrases you can, if the subject is evident or was already mentioned in the conversation and it mostly applies to the 1st and the 2nd persons especially in negative statements it seems

*לא יודע/ת, לא חושב/ת, לא רוצה, לא מסכים/מה
*
in two other tenses the omission is also mostly relevant to the 1st and the 2nd persons with future tense being less suitable for it


----------



## Just in time

I remember someone told me something surprising and I replied, "be-emet?"
He replied, "noder." (I swear to God.) Obviously, he was talking about himself. 
But I think this kind of omission is strictly colloquial. In formal Hebrew you would have to say "ani noder."


----------



## LXNDR

Just in time said:


> He replied, "noder." (I swear to God.)



Was that person religious?


----------



## Just in time

I don't know. He was just a kid.
We Americans say "I swear (to God)." all the time. Even those who aren't religious use it.


----------



## Drink

Probably was not religious. Religious Jews aren't supposed to make nedarim.


----------



## LXNDR

I asked because i'd never heard the verb *noder* used in a mundane context. It would always be *nishba נשבע
Noder* is/was pretty rare. But maybe it has percolated into slang.

Not being supposed to and not to are not one and the same.


----------



## Drink

LXNDR said:


> Not being supposed to and not to are not one and the same.



But where would they have picked up such a habit, unless it were common among the secular? There are plenty of things religious Jews do that they aren't supposed to do, but as far as I know, making nedarim doesn't tend to be one of those things.


----------



## LXNDR

The mere use of word evoked associations with religious vocabulary.


----------



## bazq

Drink said:


> But where would they have picked up such a habit, *unless it were common among the secular?* There are plenty of things religious Jews do that they aren't supposed to do, but as far as I know, making nedarim doesn't tend to be one of those things.



Yes, in colloquial Hebrew נודר is an intensified נשבע (if not a complete synonym among certain age groups).


----------



## LXNDR

LXNDR said:


> Not being supposed to and not to are not one and the same.





> החילוניים גם חוטאים בשימוש יתר בשמו [של אלוקים]: נשבעים, מכדררים, שרים ומתלוננים עליו. דתי לעולם לא יגיד "בחיי אלוקים בספר התורה". כבר עדיף להישבע "באמ'שלי" בלי לערב את ריבונו



_ מתוך "סבא שלי היה רב" מאת אורי אורבך _

  כמו שאומרים אין עשן בלי אש ויש דברים בגו​


----------

