"הם לא אופים."

Translation: They do not bake.

[naomi535704]

how would you say, "they are not bakers"?

[cyanivde]

This way.

[leth_marc]

Is this the same as 'they are not baking'?

[NaftaliFri1]

Yes, the word for "baker" and "is baking" is the same (both singular and plural)

[Larry824711]

Then how can you distinguish between "they are not baking", as in at this moment although at other times they do, and "they do not bake", as in they don't know how so never do so?

[YardenNB]

Only by context.

[JimCopelan1]

Doesn't אופים also mean "chickens?"

[Hamutaltul]

you're talking about עוֹפוֹת [o-fot]

[Fesoy]

As far as I understand, the Hebrew culture eats Kosher and those animals that are kosher have another name for when they are being eaten as foods. Thus,

Chicken (food) = עוף
Chicken or rooster (as a living animal)= תרנגול

Beef (food) = בקר
Cow = פרה

Etc...

But pig would not be eaten as food so pig and pork are the same word i.e. חזיר.

But I am no native speaker, this is just an observation that I made. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[YardenNB]

Nice guess, you can half-add כבש (mutton) vs. כבשה (sheep). In this and in your example the meat name is also the living animal name, but not the word commonly used, or more general, or some other difference.

But check out אווז, ברווז, עגל, טלה and דג - all kosher, all used for the meat and the living animal alike.

[-Sruly]

So this would also mean like "the cupcakes aren't baking"?

[NaftaliFri1]

No, this is the active construct.

The passive is נאפים.

[-Sruly]

ty :)

[James376184]

Could this also mean They (the pizza rolls) are not baking?

[YardenNB]

No, that would be הם לא נאפים.