how to say “to prepare” in Hebrew
The Hebrew root כ.ו.נ (k.w.n), the concept of foundation, can be found all over the place in such everyday words such as נָכוֹן (nah-KHOHN) – correct, מְכוֹנִית (meh-khoh-NEET) – automobile/car, and one of those first words that Hebrew learners learn, כֵּן (ken) – yes.
A group of words that employ this ubiquitous root are those having to do with preparation.
לְהָכִין (leh-hah-KHEEN) means to prepare something, such as הִיא מֵכִינָה אִינְגֶ’רָה (hee meh-khee-NAH EEN-jeh-rah) – She is preparing injera (traditional Ethiopian food). להכין is a “causative” הִפְעִיל (heef-EEL) verb.
That’s to prepare something else. But to prepare oneself or to get ready is לְהִתְכּוֹנֵן (leh-heet-koh-NEN). This word falls into the “reflexive” התפעל (heet-pah-EL) form, though the token dot in the second letter of the root is missing, as the second root letter is the weak ו (vav – w) and the third letter, נ (nun – n), is doubled.
For example, אֲנַחְנוּ מִתְכּוֹנְנִים לִקְרַאת פֶּסַח (ah-NAHKH-noo meet-koh-neh-NEEM leek-RAHT PEH-sahkh) – We are getting ready for Passover. Perhaps you are too!
We’ve still got a few spots……
