Numbers

1. אַחַת, שְׁתַּיִם, שָׁלֹשׁ

   Akhat, shtayim, shalosh

   One, two, three

   Usage

   Feminine form used for counting. Masculine form: "ekhad, shnaym, shlosha." Context determines which to use.

   Grammar Note

   Hebrew numbers have grammatical gender. From 3 to 10 there is a counterintuitive reversal: the "feminine" forms (shalosh, arba…) go with masculine nouns, and the "masculine" forms (shlosha, arba'a…) with feminine nouns. 1 and 2 agree with the noun's gender (ekhad/akhat, shnayim/shtayim).

2. אַרְבַּע, חָמֵשׁ, שֵׁשׁ

   Arba, khamesh, shesh

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   Feminine (independent) forms of 4–6. Used for counting and telling time.

   Grammar Note

   "Khamesh" pairs with "khamisha" (masculine). The Jewish "Hamsa" (hand of protection symbol) derives from "khamesh" (five).

3. שֶׁבַע, שְׁמוֹנֶה, תֵּשַׁע

   Sheva, shmone, tesha

   Seven, eight, nine

   Usage

   Feminine (independent) forms of 7–9. "Shavua" (week) shares the root with "sheva" (seven).

   Grammar Note

   Root sh-b-' of "sheva" means fullness, linked to "shavua" (week). Seven is a sacred number in Judaism.

4. עֶשֶׂר, עֶשְׂרִים, מֵאָה

   Eser, esrim, mea

   Ten, twenty, one hundred

   Usage

   Commonly used for prices and shopping. "Meah shekel" (100 shekels) is a typical usage.

   Grammar Note

   Tens (20, 30, 40...) have no gender distinction. "Esrim" (20), "shloshim" (30), "arba'im" (40) all remain unchanged.

5. כַּמָּה שֶׁקֶל זֶה?

   Kama shekel ze?

   How many shekels is this?

   Usage

   Israel's currency is the shekel (₪). Used to ask about prices in markets and shops.

   Grammar Note

   "Shekel" derives from an ancient weight unit mentioned in the Bible. The New Israeli Shekel (NIS) has been used since 1985.

6. שְׁלֹשָׁה בְּמֵאָה

   Shlosha bemea

   Three for one hundred

   Usage

   Used in market bargaining. Combine a quantity and price to propose a bundle deal.

   Grammar Note

   A common bargaining pattern in markets. Adaptable: "shnaym be-50" (two for 50), "khamisha be-200" (five for 200).

7. הַמִּסְפָּר שֶׁלִּי הוּא...

   Hamispar sheli hu...

   My number is...

   Usage

   Used to give a phone number or reservation number. Fill in the digits after the phrase.

   Grammar Note

   Though Hebrew drops the copula in present tense, "hu" (he/it, m.) or "hi" (she/it, f.) can serve as copulas for emphasis or clarity.

8. מָה הַשָּׁעָה עַכְשָׁיו?

   Ma hashaa akhshav?

   What time is it now?

   Usage

   Basic phrase to ask the time. "Ha-sha'a khamesh" (it's five o'clock) is a typical response.

   Grammar Note

   Time is expressed as "ha-sha'a (the hour is) + number." "Ha-sha'a shalosh" (3 o'clock), "ha-sha'a shesh va-khatsi" (6:30).

9. בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, בְּשָׁעָה תֵּשַׁע

   Beyom rishon, beshaa tesha

   On Sunday at nine o'clock

   Usage

   Used to state appointment times. Israel's week begins on "yom rishon" (Sunday, "first day").

   Grammar Note

   Hebrew weekdays are numbered (rishon=1st, sheni=2nd...). Only Saturday "Shabbat" has a proper name.

10. אֲנִי צָרִיךְ עוֹד שְׁנַיִם

    Ani tsarikh od shnayim

    I need two more (male speaker)

    Usage

    Male form. Female: "ani tsrikha od shnaym." Useful for shopping or ordering extra items.

    Grammar Note

    "Tsarikh" is a modal adjective used without a copula. It inflects by gender: male "tsarikh", female "tsrikha", plural "tsrikhim/tsrikhot."

11. אֲנִי בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים וְשֶׁבַע

    Ani ben esrim vesheva

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    How to answer "ben kama ata?" (how old are you?). This is the masculine form; a female speaker says "bat".

    Grammar Note

    Age is expressed as "ben / bat + numeral". Because the counted noun "shana" (year) is feminine, the numeral takes the feminine form "sheva", not "shiv'a".

12. הַשָּׁנָה אֶהְיֶה בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה

    Hashana ehye ben esrim ushmone

    I turn 28 this year

    Usage

    Used in the year your age changes. This is the masculine form; a female speaker says "bat".

    Grammar Note

    "Hashana" is "shana" (year) with the definite article, used adverbially for "this year". "Ehye" is the first-person singular future of "lihyot" (to be). The conjunction "ve-" becomes "u-" before a consonant with a shva (here "sh" in "shmone").

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