how to say “captivity” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /]שֶׁבִי

The Hebrew word for captivity – שבי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /] – looks like it could be related to to sit – לשבת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /], especially considering the fact that !שבי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /] means have a seat! when speaking to a female.

But whereas the root of לשבת is י.ש.ב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /], that of שבי (captivity) is ש.ב.ה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /]. And though they also have ש.ב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /] in them, these roots also differ from that of שבת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /] – Sabbath, whose root is ש.ב.ת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /].

Here’s שבי in action:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /]הוא ישב בשבי מעל חמש שנים.

He sat in captivity for over five years.

To capture is לשבות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/שבי-#.m4a” /], and so is to go on strike. But the root of לשבות – to capture – is ש.ב.ה, and לשבות – to go on strike – is ש.ב.ת.