יֶלֶד
yéledmasculine, usually
In Hebrew, 'child' can be expressed as יֶלֶד (yéled). Wiktionary also lists יַלְדָּה (yaldá) and בֵּן (ben).
Meaning: son or daughter, someone's child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| יֶלֶד | yéled | masculine, usually |
| יַלְדָּה | yaldá | feminine |
| בֵּן | ben | masculine |
| בַּת | feminine |
The term יֶלֶד refers to a child. It can also be used metaphorically to mean a 'kid' or 'youngster' in a non-biological sense.
Which one should you use?
The forms בֵּן (son) and בַּת (daughter) are used when you want to specifically emphasize the biological or legal relationship to a parent. In contrast, יֶלֶד is used to refer more generally to a person's age or status as a child. While יֶלֶד is the masculine form, it is often used as a generic term for a child of any gender when referring to a group.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of יֶלֶד is יְלָדִים, which is used for a group of boys or a mixed group of boys and girls. If you are referring specifically to a group of female children, you use the plural form of יַלְדָּה, which is יְלָדוֹת.
How do you pronounce it?
yéled
Did you know?
- When referring to 'children' as a collective concept in a philosophical or biblical sense, Hebrew often uses the term זֶרַע, which literally means 'seed'.
- In modern Hebrew, the word בֵּן (son) is also the word used for 'student' in many contexts, such as 'student of a rabbi'.
- While יֶלֶד means 'child', the word for 'boy' is נַעַר, which carries a slightly more formal or literary tone than the everyday 'child'.
Examples in context
- אני רוצה לעזור לילדI want to help the child
- הילדה הקטנה חולקת איתי את הסודות שלהThe little girl shares her secrets with me
- הַיֶלֶד הַזֶּה מְאוֹד חָשׂוּב לִי.ha-yeled ha-ze me'od chashuv li.This child is very important to me.
- אֲנִי רוֹאֶה יֶלֶד בַּחוֹץ.ani ro'e yeled ba-chutz.I see a child outside.
- הַיֶלֶד שׁוֹתֶה חָלָב.ha-yeled shots chalav.The child is drinking milk.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “child” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
