אנוכי

Hebrew

FWOTD – 12 January 2020

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Semitic *ʔanāku. The adjectival and adverbial uses are modern innovations.

Pronunciation

• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔa.noːˈkʰiː/
• (Samaritan Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔɒ.nɒ.kiː/, [ʔɒːˈnɒːkiˑ]
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔɔː.noːˈχiː/, [ʔɔː.noˑˈχiː]
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔɔ.nøˈχi/, [ʔɔː.nø(ː)ˈχiː], [ʔɔː.ne(ː)ˈχiː]
• (Persian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔɒ.noˈχi/
• (Iraqi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔa.noˈχi/
• (Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)a.noˈχi/
• (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)ɔ.nojˈχi/
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)a.noˈχi/

• Audio:

  (file)

Pronoun

אנוכי / אָנֹכִי • (anokhí) m or f

1. (archaic or formal) I (first-person singular nominative pronoun).
   • c. 600 BCE, “Chapter 5”, in Shoftim (Judges):

     שִׁמְע֣וּ מְלָכִ֔ים הַאֲזִ֖ינוּ רֹֽזְנִ֑ים אָֽנֹכִ֗י לַֽיהֹוָה֙ אָנֹכִ֣י אָשִׁ֔ירָה אֲזַמֵּ֕ר לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

     Hear, O kings, give ear, O princes; I, to the Lord I shall sing, I shall sing to the Lord, the God of Israel.

Usage notes

• In Modern Hebrew, the form אֲנִי (aní, “I”) is used almost exclusively, though אנוכי \ אָנֹכִי may be used for emphasis, or to imitate Biblical style.

See also

Hebrew personal pronouns

		singular	plural
1st person		אֲנִי (aní), אנוכי / אָנֹכִי (anokhí)[PP 1]	אֲנַחְנוּ (anákhnu), אָנוּ (ánu)[PP 2]
2nd person	m	אַתָּה (atá)	אַתֶּם (atém)
	f	אַתְּ (at)	אַתֶּן (atén)
3rd person	m	הוּא (hu)	הֵם (hem)[PP 3]
	f	הִיא (hi)	הֵן (hen)[PP 3]

1. The form אנוכי / אָנֹכִי (anokhí) occurs many times in the Hebrew Bible, but is basically obsolete today.
2. In Modern Israeli Hebrew, the form אָנוּ (ánu, “we”) is the more formal, אֲנָחנוּ (anákhnu) the more colloquial.
3. In colloquial Modern Israeli Hebrew, the nominally masculine forms אַתֶּם (atém) and הֵם (hem) are sometimes taken as gender-neutral and substituted for אַתֶּן (atén) and הֵן (hen), this is sometimes considered incorrect.

References

• H595 in Strong, James (1979), Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible

Adjective

אָנוֹכִי • (anokhí) (feminine אָנוֹכִית, masculine plural אָנוֹכִים or אָנוֹכִיִּים, feminine plural אָנוֹכִיּוֹת)

1. selfish, egotistical
   • 2025 August 26, לירון שרון, “אוזיל הזמין את נשיא טורקיה השנוי במחלוקת לחתונתו”, in Maariv:

     ״הם השתמשו בי באופן אנוכי כחלק מתעמולה פוליטית.״

     "Hem hishtamshu bi b'ofen anochi k'khelek m'ta'amula politit."

     "They used me in a selfish manner as part of political propaganda."

Adverb

אָנוֹכִי • (anokhí)

1. selfishly
   • 2025 August 26, אפרת עמורבן, “קליין: "כולם שיחקו חזק, אף אחד פה לא אנוכי"”, in Ynet:

     ״זו באמת ברכה להיות בנבחרת״, אמר קליין. ״אנחנו צריכים להמשיך נגד סרביה. כולם שיחקו חזק, אף אחד לא משחק אנוכי״.

     "It's truly a blessing to be on the team," said Klein. "We have to go against Serbia next. Everyone played hard, no one plays selfishly."