← Back

Nouns, Gender & the Definite Article

Masculine/feminine nouns, plurals, the definite article ה and noun patterns
זכר ונקבה
masculine and feminine
zachar u'nekeva
Every Hebrew noun is masculine or feminine
ילד (m) / ילדה (f)
boy / girl
yeled / yalda
Feminine often ends in ָה (-a) or ת (-t)
ה — ה' הידיעה
the definite article ה
ha-
ה prefix = 'the': ספר → הספר (the book)
ספר (m sg) / ספרים (m pl)
book / books
sefer / sfarim
Masculine plural usually adds ־ים (-im)
מילה (f sg) / מילים (f pl)
word / words
mila / milim
Feminine plural usually adds ־ות (-ot)
שולחן (m) → שולחנות
table → tables
shulchan → shulchanot
Some masculine nouns take -ot plural (irregular)
ה + שם עצם
the + noun
ha-sefer, ha-mila
Definite article attaches directly to the noun
אין צורת 'a/an'
no indefinite article
no indefinite article
Hebrew has no 'a/an'; ספר = a book or book
זוגי: יומיים, שבועיים
dual form: two days, two weeks
yomayim, shvu'ayim
Special dual ending ־יים for pairs/time units
שם עצם + שם תואר
noun + adjective order
noun then adjective
Adjectives follow the noun: ספר גדול (book big)