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אֲנַחְנוּ

𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤍𐤅

ʼănachnûw

H587 pronoun

SILEX Entry

Root אנכ to be, to exist, to be oneself, to refer to self

Definition

Personal pronoun designating the first person plural, functioning as the subject ('we', 'ourselves') in narrative or discourse, or as an emphatic self-reference to a group including the speaker. May also stand in apposition for emphasis ('we ourselves'). Notably used to distinguish collective agency, identity, or responsibility, as distinct from singular or third-person referents.

Semantic Range

we, ourselves, us (emphatic), group including the speaker, collective self-reference

Root / Etymology

From the root אנכ (likely connected to אָנֹכִי 'anoki', meaning 'I'), with the addition of the plural marker -נו (nu), forming a first person common plural pronoun. The exact morphological structure is debated; some see it as a fossilized archaic form.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אֲנַחְנוּ ('anachnu) is the standard form for 'we' throughout Biblical Hebrew, occurring in narrative, legal, poetic, and prophetic texts. Its usage highlights group identity, collective action, or communal declaration—frequently in contrast to singular personal pronouns (e.g., אָנֹכִי, 'I'). Different from the construct 'we' in other Semitic languages (e.g., Akkadian ni-nu), 'anachnu' is unique in Hebrew and distinct from later Aramaic and post-biblical forms. In late texts (e.g., Daniel, Ezra), Aramaic influences appear, but 'anachnu' remains the primary form in the Hebrew corpus. English translations consistently render it as 'we', though emphasis or syntactic function (subject, apposition, focus) may be lost in translation. The pronoun never directly means 'people' or 'community' but specifically the speaker's group or cohort. Contrast with second person plural (אַתֶּם 'you [pl]') and singular first person (אָנֹכִי/אֲנִי 'I').

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

apparently from אָנֹכִי; we; ourselves, us, we.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אנכ (ʾ-n-k) — to be, to exist, to be oneself, self-reference

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H589 אֲנִי I
H6041 עָנִי I

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H587-01 אֲנָֽחְנוּ anachenu HPp1cp we we ourselves 89
H587-03 וַ/אֲנַ֣חְנוּ vaanachenu HC/Pp1cp and we and we 31
H587-02 אנחנו nchnv HPp1cp we we ourselves 1

Occurrences in Scripture

121 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H587-01 Genesis 13:8 אֲנָֽחְנוּ anachenu HPp1cp we are we ourselves
H587-01 Genesis 19:13 אֲנַ֔חְנוּ anachenu HPp1cp we we ourselves
H587-01 Genesis 29:4 אֲנָֽחְנוּ anachenu HPp1cp we we ourselves
H587-01 Genesis 37:7 אֲנַ֜חְנוּ anachenu HPp1cp we we ourselves
H587-01 Genesis 42:11 אֲנַ֔חְנוּ anachenu HPp1cp we are we ourselves
H587-01 Genesis 42:13 אֲנַ֛חְנוּ anachenu HPp1cp we we ourselves
H587-01 Genesis 42:21 אֲנַחְנוּ֮ anachenu HPp1cp we we ourselves
H587-01 Genesis 42:31 אֲנָ֑חְנוּ anachenu HPp1cp we are we ourselves
H587-01 Genesis 42:32 אֲנַ֛חְנוּ anachenu HPp1cp we we ourselves
H587-01 Genesis 43:8 אֲנַ֥חְנוּ anachenu HPp1cp we we ourselves
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