שלילה: לא
Negation with לא and אין in Hebrew
Can negate sentences and express absence using לא and אין
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
הוא לא עייף.
He is not tired.
אני לא מבין.
I don't understand.
אין לי זמן.
I have no time.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
שלילה בעברית פשוטה יחסית — המילה לא מוצבת לפני הפועל:
- אני כותב → אני לא כותב (I don't write)
- הוא אוכל → הוא לא אוכל (He doesn't eat)
שלילת הווה עם 'להיות' (to be): בעברית אין פועל 'להיות' בהווה. שלילה: לא לפני שם עצם/תואר:
- אני סטודנט → אני לא סטודנט (I'm not a student)
- הספר חדש → הספר לא חדש (The book is not new)
אין = there is not / I don't have:
- יש ספר → אין ספר (There is no book)
- יש לי כסף → אין לי כסף (I have no money)
Placing לא after the verb instead of before it. Confusing לא (action negation) with אין (existence/possession negation). Translating 'I am not' as a verb negation when Hebrew uses לא + noun directly.
English speakers: no do-support needed in Hebrew (not 'I do not write' but simply לא + verb). Ru/Cs speakers: לא is simpler than не + aspect considerations.
Common Error Patterns
Placed לא in wrong position (after verb or at end of sentence)
לא always immediately precedes the verb or predicate being negated
Used לא where אין is needed or vice versa
Use אין for existence (אין ספר = there is no book) and possession (אין לי = I don't have); use לא for action negation
הוא לא עייף.
He is not tired.
No 'to be' verb exists in Hebrew present tense — לא + adjective directly.
אני לא מבין.
I don't understand.
לא comes directly before the verb מבין — no auxiliary verb needed.
אין לי זמן.
I have no time.
אין לי = I don't have (lit. there-is-not to-me). Use אין for possession negation, not לא.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises