אֲנוּ
𐤀𐤍𐤅
ʼănûw
H580 pronoun
SILEX Entry
Definition
First person plural independent pronoun: 'we' (nominative), used to refer collectively to the speaker and others associated with the speaker. In biblical Hebrew, אֲנוּ is a contracted or shortened form of the standard full pronoun אֲנַחְנוּ (ʼanăḥnû). Its primary function is as the subject of a verb, expressing that the action or state described is performed or experienced by a plural group including the speaker. The word does not denote gender or number beyond the plural and is contextually inclusive of all people in the group addressed (i.e., male, female, or mixed-gender groups).
Semantic Range
we (subject), we ourselves (emphatic), used for collective self-reference in narrative, speech, poetry
Root / Etymology
From the root אנח (uncertain meaning, used specifically for personal pronouns). אֲנוּ is a contracted form of אֲנַחְנוּ, the standard first person plural pronoun in Biblical Hebrew. The contraction occurs through elision of the medial guttural and length reduction, a common process in Hebrew pronoun forms. The root itself is not otherwise attested in regular Hebrew verbs and occurs principally in pronoun forms.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The form אֲנוּ is less common than the full pronoun אֲנַחְנוּ, appearing mostly in poetic, archaic, or specific dialectical contexts within Biblical Hebrew. Both forms are functionally identical, though the contracted form tends to have a higher frequency in older or poetic texts such as Psalms and Job. While English pronouns distinguish only between 'we' and 'us,' Hebrew pronouns often serve across subject and predicate positions with some variation for emphasis (so-called 'emphatic' pronouns). There is no precise English equivalent for the subtle distinctions sometimes present when אֲנוּ is used for emphasis or inclusion. Unlike later periods where the form evolved or faded (with post-biblical Hebrew developing different pronominal usages), in the biblical period, both אֲנוּ and אֲנַחְנוּ were in use with overlapping meaning. The use of 'we' in English translations fully captures the lexical scope of אֲנוּ, though English does not mark contraction or register shifts found in Hebrew text.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
contracted for אֲנַחְנוּ; we; we.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אנח (ʾ-n-ḥ) — to be, to exist (inferred in pronoun formation)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H580-01 |
אנו | nv | HPp1cp |
we | we | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H580-01 |
Jeremiah 42:6 | אנו | nv | HPp1cp |
we | we |