Is it correct to say 'נִרְאֶה' or 'נִרְאָה'? The answer is that both forms are correct—but not at the same time.
The form 'נִרְאֶה' is the present tense:'נִרְאֶה לי שאת צודקת', 'אתה נִרְאֶה ממש טוב', 'נִרְאֶה לכם שאמרתי את זה?'This pronunciation of 'נִרְאֶה' in the present tense is common in expressions such as 'כְּנִרְאֶה', 'כַּכֹּל הַנִרְאֶה', 'רוֹאֶה וְאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה'.
The form 'נִרְאָה' is the past tense:'הוא נִרְאָה מצוין במסיבה אתמול', 'כבר לפני יומיים הוא נִרְאָה לי חיוור'.
The verb 'נִרְאֶה' is in the 'נפעל' form and comes from the root רא"י. This verb belongs to the ל"י group (also known as ל"ה). Verbs in this group consistently have a different final vowel between the past tense (third person singular) and the present tense (singular):
In the past tense, the final vowel is 'a': רָאָה, גִּלָּה, הִפְנָה, הִתְרַצָּה, and similarly, נִרְאָה, נִקְנָה, נִבְנָה.
In the present tense, the final vowel is 'e': רוֹאֶה, מְגַלֶּה, מַפְנֶה, מִתְרַצֶּה, and similarly, נִרְאֶה, נִקְנֶה, נִבְנֶה.
Many people use the form with 'קמץ'—'נִרְאָה'—without distinguishing between past and present. This usage stems from the lack of differentiation between past and present in the pronunciation of regular verbs ('שלמים') in the 'נפעל' form: נִכְנַס (past) and נִכְנָס (present), נִשְׁבַּע (past) and נִשְׁבָּע (present). However, when the language provides us with a clear distinction, there is no reason not to use it.
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