Language/Hebrew/Grammar/Review-of-Adjectives

Hebrew Grammar → Grammar Review → Review of Adjectives

As a Hebrew language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I have seen many students struggle with the concept of adjectives. In this Grammar Review lesson, we will review the basic concepts of adjectives in Hebrew, including gender and number agreement.

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Personal pronouns & How to Use Be.

What are Adjectives?

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns. In Hebrew, adjectives come after the noun they describe, unlike in English where they often come before the noun. For example, in Hebrew:

- The green apple = התפוח הירוק (Ha-tapuach ha-yarok)

Here, "הירוק" (ha-yarok) means "green" and comes after the noun "התפוח" (ha-tapuach) which means "the apple".

In Hebrew, adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in both gender and number. This means that if the noun is masculine, the adjective must also be masculine. If the noun is feminine, the adjective must also be feminine. Similarly, if the noun is singular, the adjective must also be singular. If the noun is plural, the adjective must also be plural.

Gender Agreement

In Hebrew, nouns are either masculine or feminine. It is important to note that the gender of a noun is not always determined by its biological gender. For example, the word for "land" (ארץ) is a feminine noun, while the word for "son" (בן) is a masculine noun. Adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun they describe.

Here are some examples of adjectives agreeing with gender:

Hebrew	Pronunciation	English
כלב חמוד	kelev chamud	cute dog (masculine singular)
חתולה חמודה	chatula chamuda	cute cat (feminine singular)
מכונית יפה	m'chonit yafa	beautiful car (feminine singular)
ילדים חמודים	yeladim chamudim	cute children (masculine plural)
פרחים יפים	perachim yafim	beautiful flowers (masculine plural)

Number Agreement

In Hebrew, nouns are either singular or plural. Adjectives must agree with the number of the noun they describe.

Here are some examples of adjectives agreeing with number:

Hebrew	Pronunciation	English
ילד גדול	yeled gadol	big boy (masculine singular)
ילדה גדולה	yalda gdola	big girl (feminine singular)
מכוניות יפות	m'choniyot yafot	beautiful cars (feminine plural)
פרחים צהובים	perachim tzahovim	yellow flowers (masculine plural)

Conclusion

Remember, adjectives are an important part of Hebrew grammar and it is crucial to understand the concept of gender and number agreement. Practice using adjectives with different nouns to help you master this important concept.

Sources

• Biblical Hebrew Grammar Workbook: Adjectives, Pronouns ...
• Biblical Hebrew Grammar Card By David Moster
• AN ASSESSMENT OF HORSNELL'S HEBREW GRAMMAR
• The Grammar of Modern Hebrew - Lewis Glinert - Google Books

Great work on completing this lesson! Take a moment to investigate these connected pages: Vowels & Review of Verbs.

Table of Contents - Hebrew Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Hebrew Alphabet

• Consonants
• Vowels
• Nikkud
• Reading Practice

  ---

Everyday Hebrew Vocabulary

• Greetings
• Numbers
• Family Members
• Colors, Shapes, and Sizes
• Food and Drink
• Clothing
• Transportation and Travel
• Weather
• Time and Calendar

  ---

Hebrew Grammar

• Nouns
• Pronouns
• Adjectives
• Verbs
• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Israeli Culture

• Jewish Holidays
• Israeli Society
• Famous Israelis
• Israeli Cuisine

  ---

Hebrew Expressions

• Common Phrases
• Slang
• Idioms

  ---

Hebrew Numbers

• Ordinal Numbers
• Fractions and Decimals

  ---

Hebrew Geography and Landmarks

• Cities and Regions
• Landmarks

  ---

Hebrew Literature and Language

• Hebrew Poetry
• Hebrew Proverbs

  ---

Grammar Review

• Review of Nouns and Pronouns
• Review of Adjectives
• Review of Verbs

Other Lessons

• How to Use Be
• Nouns
• Verb to Have
• Personal pronouns and the present tense
• Prepositions
• Reading Practice
• Adjectives
• Conjunctions
• Negation
• Conditional Mood