Hebrew numbers 1-10 have masculine and feminine forms — counter-intuitively, masculine nouns take the feminine-looking number and vice versa
Can use numbers 0-10 correctly with both masculine and feminine Hebrew nouns
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
שְׁלֹשָׁה יְלָדִים, שָׁלֹשׁ יְלָדוֹת
Three boys, three girls
אֲנִי גָּר כַּאן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים.
I have lived here five years.
יֵשׁ לִי עֲשָׂרָה שְׁקָלִים.
I have ten shekels.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Hebrew numbers 1-10 have two gender forms. Counter-intuitively, the form ending in ה (looks feminine) is used with masculine nouns, and the shorter form is used with feminine nouns.
| Number | With masculine noun | With feminine noun |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | אֶחָד | אַחַת |
| 2 | שְׁנַיִם | שְׁתַּיִם |
| 3 | שְׁלֹשָׁה | שָׁלֹשׁ |
| 5 | חֲמִישָׁה | חָמֵשׁ |
| 10 | עֲשָׂרָה | עֶשֶׂר |
Memory trick: the ה ending (looks feminine) goes with masculine nouns!
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesUses masculine-looking number form with masculine noun (e.g., שָׁלֹשׁ ספרים instead of שְׁלֹשָׁה ספרים)
Remember: ה ending (looks feminine) = use with MASCULINE nouns. No ה ending (looks masculine) = use with FEMININE nouns.
Places number after noun instead of before (number precedes noun in Hebrew: שְׁלֹשָׁה ספרים not ספרים שְׁלֹשָׁה)
In Hebrew, the cardinal number comes BEFORE the noun: שְׁלֹשָׁה ספרים (three books), not ספרים שְׁלֹשָׁה.
שְׁלֹשָׁה יְלָדִים, שָׁלֹשׁ יְלָדוֹת
Three boys, three girls
יְלָדִים (boys, masculine) → שְׁלֹשָׁה (looks feminine with ה). יְלָדוֹת (girls, feminine) → שָׁלֹשׁ (looks masculine). Counter-intuitive but consistent!
אֲנִי גָּר כַּאן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים.
I have lived here five years.
שָׁנִים (years) is feminine plural → use חָמֵשׁ (the masculine-looking form for feminine nouns).
יֵשׁ לִי עֲשָׂרָה שְׁקָלִים.
I have ten shekels.
שְׁקָלִים (shekels) is masculine → עֲשָׂרָה (the feminine-looking form ending in ה is used with masculine nouns). יֵשׁ לִי = 'there is to me' = I have.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises