The word binyan denotes the system of seven conjugations in Hebrew. binyan means building and is derived from the word boneh – to build.

Three binyanim are active conjugations (like to see), three more are the corresponding passive conjugations (like to be seen) and one binyan, the hitpa’el, is reflexive (like to adapt oneself)

Each of the seven conjugations or binyanim has a name, which derives from the shoresh (root) pe, ayin and lamed. This shoresh (p/a/l) denotes the verb pa’al – to act (therefore po’al = verb).

The name of the binyan shows always the third person male singular past tense of the respective binyan: so the first binyan is called pa’al / פעל. The word means he acted. In this form, i.e. in the 3^rd person singular of the past tense, the root consonants of verb are easiest to recognized, because there are the least additional consonants in and around the word.

systematic diagram: