Verified answer

It denotes the direct object of a verb, but the object must be specific (including people).

Example:

I see a book = Ani ro'eh sefer.

I see the book = Ani ro'eh et ha-sefer.

I see David = Ani ro'eh et David.

Rachel loves Hebrew = Rachel ohevet ivrit.

Rachel loves the Hebrew language = Rachel ohevet et ha-safah ivrit.

If the direct object of the verb is a pronoun, then "et" can be changed to reflect this:

You see me = At ro'ah oti (oti = 1st person singular declension of "et")

I love you = Ani ohev otcha (otcha = 2nd person singular male declension of "et")

I love you = Ani ohev otcha (otcha = 2nd person singular female declension of "et")

They love us = Hem ohavim otanu (otanu = 1st person plural declension of "et")

Who do you love? = Et mi at ohevet? ("et mi" means the "who" is the direct object of "love")

Sentence structure can be poetically changed (used a lot in biblical Hebrew, which frequently uses the sentence structure VERB SUBJECT et OBJECT):

Etchem ra'iti = I saw you (etchem = 2nd person plural male declension of "et")

I agree that this is a difficult word, and I think native speakers don't struggle with it the way others do. This is what I found online (hope it helps!):

Etymology 1

Preposition

אֵת, אֶת־ (et, et-)

Used to introduce a semantically definite direct object.

(archaic) To, with.

Usage notes

(used to introduce a direct object): In the event of a semantically indefinite direct object, את is simply dropped; no other preposition is used instead. Note that the choice to include or not include את is based on semantics rather than form; את is used when the direct object is a proper noun, or a personal pronoun (in which case it is incorporated into the form of את), or a noun phrase beginning with ה־ (ha-, “the”), or a noun phrase headed by a noun compound ending in one of these.

Inflection

The two senses are inflected differently.

Furthermore, the inflected forms of the otherwise archaic sense “to” or “with” are still used, but now belong to the (suppletive) preposition עִם (im, “with”).

Et is a weird word. It doesn't really mean anything, at least in English. You sort of have to figure out when to use it. Sorry how unhelpful that is, but it's what I've been told many times.

Jew is a word that's derived from Judah, oftentimes potential "of the tribe of Judah". Yiddish is a mix of languages and is greater of a slang language in a lot the comparable experience that American English is seen as a "slang" while in comparison with the English spoken in England (that's seen suitable English). customarily Society, a Jew is a race and a faith. one could be a Jew yet no longer have any faith (evidence of this could be a universal precise right here in solutions... i'm an Atheist). you will even be a Jew by utilising faith (conversion) yet no longer be of the Jewish race. Hebrew is the language. Israelite is one born and/or residing in Israel as a citizen - nevertheless it particularly is extensively utilized as a term for those of the Jewish faith besides. at a loss for words yet? =)