how to say “to settle a place” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ליישב-#.m4a” /]לַיַּשֵּׁב

A human settlement of any kind is a יישוב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ליישב-#.m4a” /]. Its root is י.ש.ב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ליישב-#.m4a” /], meaning sitting or dwelling.

Now, יישוב is a verbal noun: it derives from the פיעל verb ליישב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ליישב-#.m4a” /], to settle.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ליישב-#.m4a” /]האירופאים הראשונים התחילו ליישב את אמריקה לפני אלף שנה.

The first Europeans started settling America a thousand years ago.

That’s to settle a place. But to settle oneself in a place is להתיישב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ליישב-#.m4a” /], a התפעל verb.

ליישב can also mean to settle an issue: ליישב סוגיה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ליישב-#.m4a” /].