שאל

שאל

See also: שאַל‎

Aramaic

Etymology

From root ש-א-ל.

Verb

שאל • (transliteration needed)

1. to ask, to inquire
2. to lend, to borrow

Related terms

• שאול‎

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Hebrew

Etymology

Root
שׁ־א־ל‎ (š-ʾ-l)

Compare Arabic سَأَلَ‎ (saʾala), Ge'ez ሰአለ (säʾälä).

Verb

שָׁאַל • (sha'ál) (pa'al construction, future יִשְׁאַל‎, passive participle שָׁאוּל‎, passive counterpart נִשְׁאַל‎)

1. to ask (a question), to query
2. to borrow (an item)

Usage notes

• (ask): Unlike English ask, Hebrew שָׁאַל is not usually used in the sense of “request”; for that, ביקש / בִּקֵּשׁ‎ (bikésh, “ask for, request”) is used.
• (borrow): Unlike English borrow, Hebrew שָׁאַל is not used with loans that are not returned exactly, such as money (since one does not return the same money that one borrows, as in the same bills or coins or the like, but rather an equivalent amount of money); for that, הלווה / הִלְוָה‎ (hilvá, “borrow (money, etc.)”) is used.

Conjugation

Conjugation of שָׁאַל (see also Appendix:Hebrew verbs) 

non-finite forms		to-infinitive: לשאול / לִשְׁאֹל‎ action noun: שְׁאִילָה‎ passive participle: שָׁאוּל‎
finite forms		singular		plural
		m.	f.	m.	f.
past	first	שָׁאַלְתִּי‎		שָׁאַלְנוּ‎
	second	שָׁאַלְתָּ‎	שָׁאַלְתְּ‎	שְׁאַלְתֶּם‎1	שְׁאַלְתֶּן‎1
	third	שָׁאַל	שָׁאֲלָה‎	שָׁאֲלוּ‎
present		שׁוֹאֵל‎	שׁוֹאֶלֶת‎	שׁוֹאֲלִים‎	שׁוֹאֲלוֹת‎
future	first	אֶשְׁאַל‎		נִשְׁאַל‎
	second	תִּשְׁאַל‎	תִּשְׁאֲלִי‎	תִּשְׁאֲלוּ‎	תִּשְׁאַלְנָה‎2
	third	יִשְׁאַל‎	תִּשְׁאַל‎	יִשְׁאֲלוּ‎	תִּשְׁאַלְנָה‎2
imperative		שְׁאַל	שַׁאֲלִי‎	שַׁאֲלוּ‎	שְׁאַלְנָה‎2
notes		Pronounced שָׁאַלְתֶּם‎ and שָׁאַלְתֶּן‎ in informal Modern Hebrew. Rare in Modern Hebrew.

Derived terms

• שָׁאַל אֶת עַצְמוֹ‎ (sha'ál et atsmó)

Related terms

• שְׁאֵלָה‎
• הִשְׁאִיל‎

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Yiddish

Noun

שאל • (shal) f, plural שאלן‎ (shaln), diminutive שאליקל‎ (shalikl)

1. (nonstandard) Unpointed form of שאַל‎ (shal).