Joined nouns
Smikhut: two nouns as one, like "school".
Two nouns can be joined into one phrase, called smikhut (סְמִיכוּת). The second noun describes the first, a bit like "of": בֵּית סֵפֶר beit sefer "school" is literally "house of book". The first noun often changes its form; the second stays as it is.
| Change | Alone | Joined |
|---|---|---|
| ־ָה becomes ־ַת | עוּגָה uga cake | עוּגַת שׁוֹקוֹלָד ugat shokolad chocolate cake |
| ־ִים becomes ־ֵי | סְפָרִים sfarim books | סִפְרֵי יְלָדִים sifrei yeladim children's books |
| the vowels change | בַּיִת bayit house | בֵּית סֵפֶר beit sefer school |
| the vowels change | חֶדֶר kheder room | חֲדַר שֵׁנָה khadar shena bedroom |
| no change | כּוֹס kos glass | כּוֹס מַיִם kos mayim a glass of water |
In the same way יְלָדִים yeladim "children" becomes יַלְדֵי yaldei.
"The" goes on the second noun
To make the phrase definite, put ה on the second noun only.
- beit sefera school
- beit haseferthe school
- yaldei haganthe kindergarten children
Agreement and plurals
The first noun is the head. An adjective comes after the whole phrase and agrees with the first noun, and to make the phrase plural you change the first noun.
- ugat shokolad te'imaa tasty chocolate cake
- beit hasefer hekhadashthe new school
- batei seferschools
In speech, smikhut is mostly used for set compounds like these. For a plain "of", use שֶׁל: הַבַּיִת שֶׁל דָּנִי habayit shel dani "Dani's house"; see Possession.
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.
What is smikhut (סְמִיכוּת)?
Two nouns joined into one phrase, the second describing the first
In a smikhut phrase, which noun can change its form: the first or the second?
The first; the second stays as it is.
What's the joined form of עוּגָה (uga, cake), as in 'chocolate cake'?
עוּגַת (ugat): עוּגַת שׁוֹקוֹלָד
What does the plural ending ־ִים become on the first noun, as in יְלָדִים (yeladim, children)?
־ֵי (-ei): יַלְדֵי (yaldei)
How do you say 'the school', starting from בֵּית סֵפֶר (a school)?
בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר (beit hasefer)
How do you say 'a tasty chocolate cake', starting from עוּגַת שׁוֹקוֹלָד and טָעִים (tasty)?
עוּגַת שׁוֹקוֹלָד טְעִימָה (ugat shokolad te'ima)
How do you make בֵּית סֵפֶר (school) plural?
בָּתֵּי סֵפֶר (batei sefer)
Smikhut or שֶׁל: which does everyday speech use for a plain 'of', like 'Dani's house'?
שֶׁל: הַבַּיִת שֶׁל דָּנִי (habayit shel dani)