שפע
shafá'
The English word "abundance" is translated into Hebrew as שפע (shafá').
שפע is a noun used to describe a large quantity of something.
Meaning: large quantity (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
שפע is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
shafá'
Did you know?
- The word שפע is linguistically related to the Arabic word شَفَعَ, which refers to the concept of even numbers or pairs.
- In the Kabbalah, שפע is not just a quantity but a specific divine 'flow' of energy that descends to sustain the physical world.
- While שפע is used for 'abundance', modern Israelis usually use the word המון in casual daily speech to say they have 'a lot' of something.
Examples in context
- שפע של תרגומי חובבים של המאנגה היפנית באינטרנט מוכיח את הפופולריות שלו בחו"ל.The abundance of amateur translations of Japanese manga on the Internet is a testament to its popularity outside the country.This sentence shows how to use שפע to describe a large quantity of something on the internet.Tatoeba #1466029 by MrShoval, translation #5397059 by AlanF_US
- יש שפע של פירות בסל.yesh shefa shel perot ba-sal.There is an abundance of fruit in the basket.
Example conversation
Noa and Itay are standing in a local fruit market.
- נועה Noaאיתי, תראה את שפע הפירות כאן!Itay, t're et shefa ha-perot kan!Itay, look at the abundance of fruit here!
- איתי Itayזה נראה מצוין, נועה.Ze nir'e metzuyan, Noa.It looks excellent, Noa.
- נועה Noaאנחנו יכולים לקנות הרבה לסלט.Anachnu yacholim liknot harbe la-salat.We can buy a lot for the salad.
- איתי Itayבטח, בואי נבחר כמה יפים.Betach, bo'i nivchar kama yafim.Sure, let's pick some nice ones.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry שפע, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries שפע, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
