how to say “to defend oneself” in Hebrew
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לְהִתְגּוֹנֵן, לְהָגֵן עַל עַצְמוֹ
There are two ways to say to protect oneself in Hebrew, both deriving from the root ג.נ.נ (g.n.n), but each to be used in a slightly different way.
1.
לְהִתְגּוֹנֵן 
listen and repeat has a defensive, almost passive tone to it. It’s the reflexive-intensive form of the root.
listen and repeat has a defensive, almost passive tone to it. It’s the reflexive-intensive form of the root. Here are a couple of examples:
הֵם הִתְגּוֹנְנוּ בַּבַּיִת נֶגֶד הַסְּעָרָה.
They protected themselves in the house against the storm.
הוּא הִתְגּוֹנֵן בְּעִקְבוֹת הַתְּקִיפָה הַמִּלּוּלִית.
He defended himself as a result of the verbal attack.
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| listen |
2.
לְהָגֵן עַל עַצְמוֹ listen and repeat – literally, to protect (on) himself, has a more active tone, even a heroic connotation. להגן listen and repeat is an active-causative verb, which I’ve discussed in another entry.
listen and repeat – literally, to protect (on) himself, has a more active tone, even a heroic connotation. להגן listen and repeat is an active-causative verb, which I’ve discussed in another entry. עמצו listen and repeat means himself, employing the word עֶצֶם listen and repeat (bone, essence, self in this case) and adding a suffix to indicate whose self we’re talking about.
listen and repeat means himself, employing the word עֶצֶם listen and repeat (bone, essence, self in this case) and adding a suffix to indicate whose self we’re talking about.A couple of examples:
אַל תִּתְיָאֵשׁ, תָּגֵן עַל עַצְמְךָ!
Don’t despair, defend yourself! (to a male)
הִיא יוֹדַעַת לְהָגֵן עַל עַצְמָהּ.
She knows (how) to defend herself.
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