Adjectives
After the noun, agreeing with it, and words like "very" and "too".
An adjective follows its noun and agrees with it in gender and number (Gender and number), and it takes ה when the noun does (The definite article). Several adjectives just follow one another, each agreeing with the noun.
- bayit gadol veyafea big, beautiful house
- hamekhonit ha'aduma hakhadashathe new red car
Colours
| Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|
| אָדֹם adom | red |
| כָּחֹל kakhol | blue |
| יָרֹק yarok | green |
| צָהֹב tsahov | yellow |
| לָבָן lavan | white |
| שָׁחֹר shakhor | black |
Red, blue, green and yellow share a pattern: before an ending, the o becomes u and the last letter doubles. So אָדֹם adom has אֲדֻמָּה aduma, אֲדֻמִּים adumim and אֲדֻמּוֹת adumot.
Very, too, a bit
| Word | Where | Example |
|---|---|---|
| מְאוֹד me'od very | after | יָפֶה מְאוֹד yafe me'od very beautiful |
| מַמָּשׁ mamash really | before | מַמָּשׁ יָפֶה mamash yafe really beautiful |
| כָּל כָּךְ kol kakh so | before | כָּל כָּךְ יָפֶה kol kakh yafe so beautiful |
| קְצָת ktsat a bit | before | קְצָת קַר ktsat kar a bit cold |
| מִדַּי midai too | after | יָקָר מִדַּי yakar midai too expensive |
In speech, "too" is often יוֹתֵר מִדַּי yoter midai.
- hadira yafa me'odThe apartment is very nice.
- hamarak ktsat karThe soup is a bit cold.
- ze yakar midai bishviliIt's too expensive for me.
Adjectives in ־ִי
Many adjectives, nationalities among them, end in ־ִי -i, and their feminine ends in ־ִית -it: יִשְׂרְאֵלִי yisre'eli, יִשְׂרְאֵלִית yisre'elit "Israeli". The name of a language is the feminine form: עִבְרִית ivrit "Hebrew", אַנְגְּלִית anglit "English", צָרְפָתִית tsarfatit "French", עֲרָבִית aravit "Arabic".
- hi yisre'elitShe's Israeli.
- hi medaberet tsarfatitShe speaks French.
Without the noun
When it's clear what you mean, an adjective with ה stands for the noun: הַגָּדוֹל "the big one". As a direct object it takes אֶת.
- ani rotse et ha'adomI want the red one.a man speaking
Cards from this guide
8 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Nouns and describing words cards.
Where does an adjective go: before or after its noun?
After: בַּיִת גָּדוֹל (bayit gadol).
What's the feminine of אָדֹם (adom, red)?
אֲדֻמָּה (aduma).
Does מְאוֹד (me'od, very) go before or after the adjective?
After: יָפֶה מְאוֹד (yafe me'od).
How do you say 'too expensive'?
יָקָר מִדַּי (yakar midai).
How do you say 'a bit cold'?
קְצָת קַר (ktsat kar).
What's the feminine of יִשְׂרְאֵלִי (yisre'eli, Israeli)?
יִשְׂרְאֵלִית (yisre'elit).
Why is the Hebrew language called עִבְרִית (ivrit)?
The name of a language is the feminine form of its adjective.
How does a man say 'I want the red one'?
אֲנִי רוֹצֶה אֶת הָאָדֹם (ani rotse et ha'adom).