The construct state (smikhut) is how Hebrew expresses 'X of Y' - like 'house of book' = school. The first noun changes its form and the two words become a tight unit with a single meaning.
How Smikhut Works
Two nouns are joined: the first noun (nismakh) changes form + the second noun (somekh) stays normal. Only the second noun can take הַ (the): בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר (the school), not הַבֵּית סֵפֶר.
Common Construct Pairs
| Hebrew | Transliteration | Literally | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| בֵּית סֵפֶר | beit SE-fer | house of book | school |
| חֲדַר שֵׁנָה | kha-DAR she-NA | room of sleep | bedroom |
| בֵּית חוֹלִים | beit kho-LIM | house of sick | hospital |
| חֲדַר אֹכֶל | kha-DAR O-khel | room of food | dining room |
| בֵּית כְּנֶסֶת | beit KNE-set | house of assembly | synagogue |
| בֵּית קָפֶה | beit ka-FE | house of coffee | café |
How the First Noun Changes
| Normal Form | Construct Form | Change |
|---|---|---|
| בַּיִת (BA-yit) | בֵּית (beit) | vowel change |
| חֶדֶר (KHE-der) | חֲדַר (kha-DAR) | vowel change |
| שֻׁלְחָן (shul-KHAN) | שֻׁלְחַן (shul-KHAN) | final vowel shortens |
| דְּבַר (dvar) | דְּבַר (dvar) | no change (already short) |
| מִלָּה (mi-LA) | מִלַּת (mi-LAT) | -ה becomes -ת |
In Sentences
אֲנִי לוֹמֵד בְּבֵית הַסֵּפֶר
a-NI lo-MED be-veit ha-SE-fer
I study at the school
חֲדַר הַשֵּׁנָה שֶׁלִּי קָטָן
kha-DAR ha-she-NA she-LI ka-TAN
My bedroom is small
הוּא עוֹבֵד בְּבֵית חוֹלִים
hu o-VED be-veit kho-LIM
He works at a hospital
בּוֹא נֵשֵׁב בְּבֵית קָפֶה
bo ne-SHEV be-veit ka-FE
Let's sit at a café
Quick Tip
Many smikhut pairs are fixed expressions - learn them as single vocabulary items rather than trying to analyze each part. בֵּית סֵפֶר is just 'school', the way 'hot dog' in English doesn't mean a warm puppy.