The definite article
ה for "the".
"The" is ה ha- joined to the front of the word. There is no word for "a".
- bayita house
- habayitthe house
- habayit hagadolthe big house
- habayit gadolthe house is big
Adjectives take it too
An adjective takes ה when its noun does; without it, the phrase is a sentence, as the last example shows (see Sentences without "is").
- hayeled hakatanthe little boy
- hayalda hakhadashathe new girl
The vowel of ה
ה is usually הַ ha- and doubles the next letter, shown by a dagesh in pointed text. The letters א, ה, ח, ע and ר can't be doubled, and before them the vowel may change instead. In speech it is ha- in all but the last row.
| Before | Article | Example |
|---|---|---|
| most letters | הַ, next letter doubled | הַבַּיִת habayit, הַסֵּפֶר hasefer |
| א, ע, ר | הָ | הָאִישׁ ha'ish the man, הָעִיר ha'ir the city, הָרַכֶּבֶת harakevet the train |
| ה, ח | הַ | הַחֶדֶר hakheder the room |
| ח with a kamats, and an unstressed הָ or עָ | הֶ | הֶחָבֵר hekhaver the friend, הֶעָרִים he'arim the cities |
After ב, ל and כ
After ב, ל and כ the ה drops and its vowel stays: בַּבַּיִת babayit "in the house". See One-letter words.
אֶת before a definite object
A definite direct object takes אֶת et. Names and nouns with ה are definite.
- ra'iti et habayitI saw the house.
- ra'iti bayitI saw a house.
- ani makir et danaI know Dana.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.
How do you say 'the' in Hebrew?
ה (ha-), joined to the front of the word.
How do you say 'a' or 'an' in Hebrew?
You don't: Hebrew has no word for 'a'.
How do you say 'the big house'?
הַבַּיִת הַגָּדוֹל (habayit hagadol)
What does הַבַּיִת גָּדוֹל (habayit gadol) mean?
The house is big.
How is the article ה pointed before א, ע or ר?
הָ, with a kamats, still said ha-.
How do you say 'the friend', with the article on חָבֵר (khaver)?
הֶחָבֵר (hekhaver)
What does אֶת (et) mark?
A definite direct object.
How does a man say 'I know Dana'?
אֲנִי מַכִּיר אֶת דָּנָה. (ani makir et dana)