2.15 הֵא היְדִיעָה - ה THE DEFINITE ARTICLE "THE"

In Hebrew when you want to talk about something like "the dog" or "the city"  the letter ה  is placed at the beginning of  the word. It is "the + a noun"   הכֶּלֶב or  העיר.    Here you are referring to a specific dog or city, not dogs or cities in general. The definite article ה  indicates that you are talking about a specific person, object, location etc. For example:

התיק חסֵר!     The purse is missing

הסֵפֶר חדש.        The book is new

 

Now let's add an adjective that is describing the purse, making it a black purse. So what purse is missing?   The black purse is missing!     התיק השחור חסֵר!

Notice that  the adjective "black" also has the definite article ה at the beginning of the word. Remember,  you are not talking about something in general, not just any purse but the black purse.

 NOTE: THE ה IS ALWAYS ATTACHED TO THE WORD - it is never separate and by itself.

If the noun is definite, the adjective must also be definite and refer to something specific.

ההורים הטובים  (the good parents (took their child to the doctor for a yearly physical

If the noun and adjective are about parents in general you

הורֶה טוב       (a good parent (feeds her children nutritional food

Think about whether the phrases below are specific or general. 

Say the Hebrew for each phrase:  

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a big book    __________________________________________   

the big book    __________________________________________

a good student     __________________________________________

the tall man     __________________________________________

the tall student     __________________________________________

the good student    __________________________________________

a new student     __________________________________________

the new student     __________________________________________

the tall (f) student     __________________________________________

 

 

יואב: מי זה שם?

נעמה: זה המורה החדש

            למתימטיקה.

יואב: הוּא מורֶה טוב?

נעמה: אני לא יודעת.

   יואב למורה החדש)

   יואב:    שלום, אני סטוּדנט בכּיתה.

   המורה: נעים מאוד. מה שימךָ?

   יואב:     שמי יואב.

   המורה: להתראות בכיתה
 

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2.15.1 תרגיל בדיקדוּק  ה  -More about the definite article

Using what you have learned about the prefix ב, ל and the definite article ה as a reference, translate the following sentences into Hebrew. Remember that adjectives must agree in number and gender with the noun.

The Hebrew words already provided are to help you with your spelling.  Remember:
1) Hebrew word order is not always the same as in English. Don't do direct word by word translations! 
2) If the noun is "definite" ( specific") it needs the ה  and the adjective does too.

1. The student is good in math .(  תלמיד, טוב  מתימטיקה)

 __________________________________________________________________________

2. The good student went to class. (   תלמיד )

__________________________________________________________________________

3. The good books are in the library ( סְפרים  ,סִפְריָיה)

__________________________________________________________________________

 

4. There is (יש) a good book in the library (  סֵפֶר ,ספרייה)

_________________________________________________

5. That is ( זֶה  )  a nice song  ( שיר, יפֶה   ) 

 _________________________________________________________________________

6. The nice songs are not long.  (  שירים,  יפים, ארוּכּים  )

______________________________________________________________________

7. The teacher (m) is tall. (  מורֶה,  גבוה )

 ______________________________________________________________________

8. The tall teacher is in the cafeteria.  ( מורֶה  )

 ________________________________________________

9. The long letter is in the purse. (  מיכְתב,  ארוך )

 ________________________________________________________________________

 

המורה: בוקֶר טוב. יואב, לֵךְ אֶל הלוּחַ בְבקשה.

יואב: מה לכְתוב?

המורה: בְבקשה לכְתוב את השעה. (יואב כתב חמֵש)

המורה: יואב, עכְשיו השעה לא חמֵש. השעה אחת

יואב: או, סליחה, המורה

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2.16 שֶל -EXPRESSING OWNERSHIP IN HEBREW

   Use with Software Chapter 2:10 "Expressing Possession with שֶל

'my-mine' and 'your-yours'   שֶלִי שֶלָךְ

A purse that was left on a bus seat could simply be a lost item, left behind because the person got off the bus in haste or because the owner was carrying so many packages that she simply didn't notice it was missing. However, it could also be a suspicious item! Or . . . it could simply be the purse of a woman who had moved to another seat on the bus to talk to a friend.

Imagine that someone has just informed the driver about the unattended bag. He promptly stops the bus and addresses the passengers, with a word used to address adults formally: רבּותיי.

 

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רבותַיי ! שֶל מי התיק?

At first, there is no answer ...

רבּותַיי ! רבּותַיי! שֶל מי התיק שם?

Then a woman interrupts her conversation

with her friend ...

"או, סְליחה, זה התיק שֶלי!"

The driver wants to be certain ...

"זה התיק שֶלָךְ, גְבֶרֶת?"

She assures him:

"כֵּן, כֵּן! זה התיק שֶלי."

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Now that we have solved the mystery of the missing purse-owner, let's review the conversation.

(Fill in the blanks as you think it through.)

He asked  :שֶל מי התיק?

What did he want to know? (answer in English) ___________________________________________

Now write in Hebrew what he asked. ____________________________________________________

She responded: זה התיק שֶלִי (Translate into English)  ____________________________________

Write what she said in Hebrew:  _________________________________________________________

Then he demanded: "Is that your purse?"

Express that in Hebrew:  _______________________________________________________________

1. What is the Hebrew word for 'purse'? _________________________

2. How did she express in Hebrew: "That's my purse."? ____________________________________

 

2.16.1 שֶל: הצוּרות ביחיד -  שֶל  The Singular forms of  

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IMPORTANT: The Noun must be preceded by the definite article: ה

and "שֶל" must always follow the noun it describes.

הַדוד שֶלִי              my uncle

הַדוד שֶלְךָ         your (m) uncle

הַדוד שֶלָךְ        your (f) uncle

הַדוד שֶלו            his uncle

הַדוד שֶלָהּ                      her uncle

Fill in the blanks in Hebrew. Listen to the audio to see if you did it correctly.  

my aunt ________________           his aunt (m) ________________

your aunt (m) ________________    her (f) aunt ________________

your (f) aunt  ________________

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Note: While not needed for this exercise, the plural forms of שֶל are found in 3.12.5

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Write the Hebrew translation for these sentences in the blanks     .

Don't omit the definite article before the noun!

הַהורים שֶלי my parents

your (m) parents  ________________________

your (f) parents  ________________________

his parents  ________________________

her parents  ________________________

my book  ________________________

your notebook  ________________________

my teacher  ________________________

your book is big  ________________________

your (m) notebook  ________________________

your (m) purse  ________________________

 

2.16.2 תרגיל תירגוּם - עבודה בִקְבוּצות -  Challenge: Translation Exercise 

You may find some new items in these sentences. Don't let that worry you. See if, working as a group, you can use context to figure out the meanings and even learn some new facts about Hebrew constructions.

Be sure to use all your Hebrew phrases in your comments to one another.

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תרְגֵם (Translate)

איפֹה ההורים שֶלְךָ? הֵם בְתֵל־אביב.

כתבְתי מיכְתב ארוך לַדוד שֶלי.

רינה, את אמרְת שֶהבַּיִת שֶלָך קטן. לֹא נכון! הבַּיִת שֶלָך גדול!

הסטוּדֶנְט החדש לא גר עִם ההורים שֶלו.

רחל, כבר למדְתְ לקרוא עברית... מי המורה שֶלך?

 

 

 

 

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לתרְגֵם (Translate)  

Can you guess the "meaning" of the plural forms of שֶל used below?

1. יְלדים, זֶה הבַיִת שֶלָכֶם?

   לֹא, הבַיִת שֶלנוּ שם.

2. שלום בנות: אֵיפֹה אבא שֶלָכֶן?

   אבא ואִמא הלְכוּ עִם החבֵרים שֶלָהֶם.

   רינה ודפנה הלכוּ עִם החבֵרות שֶלָהֶן

 

 

 

 

 

2.17 שירים -  SONGS

2.17.1   אני ואתה נְשַנֶה אֶת הָעולָם

     Use with Software Chapter 2 Drill 3 "Learning A Song"

Preparation for learning the song. Read the vocabulary below and look for the words and phrases in the song. Can you guess the meaning of the lines in the song?

Words and Phrases to Note:

it will be

יִהְיֶה

the world

העולם

 You and I

אני ואתה

they've said it before

אמְרוּ את זֶה קודֶם

before me

לְפניי

It doesn't matter / I don't care

זֶה לֹא מְשנֶה

 terrible

נורא

bad

רע

  

 

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אני ואתה נְשַנֶה אֶת הָעולָם

(הַבַּיִת הָרִאשון)

אֲנִי וְאַתָּה

נְשַנֶה אֶת הָעולָם

אֲנִי וְאַתָּה--

אָז יָבואו כְּבָר כּוּלָם

אָמְרוּ אֶת זֶה קודֶם לְפָנַי—

לֹא מְשַנֶה

אֲנִי וְאַתָּה נְשַנֶה אֶת הָעולָם!

 

(הַבַּיִת הַשֵנִי)

אֲנִי וְאַתָּה

נְנַסֶה מֵהַתְחָלָה

יִהְיֶה לָנוּ רַע-

אֵין דָבָר, זֶה לֹא נורָא

אָמְרוּ אֶת זֶה קודֶם, לְפָנַיי

לֹא מְשַנֶה

אֲנִי וְאַתָּה נְשַנֶה אֶת הָעולָם!  

1. What is this song about?

 

 

 

2. Which words express the couple's nonchalance about difficulties?

 

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