אֲפֵלָה
afeláfeminine
The English word darkness is אֲפֵלָה (afelá) in Hebrew. Wiktionary also lists חֹשֶׁךְ (ẖóshech) and עֲלָטָה ('alatá).
Meaning: state of being dark (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| אֲפֵלָה | afelá | feminine |
| חֹשֶׁךְ | ẖóshech | masculine |
| עֲלָטָה | 'alatá | feminine, literary |
The Hebrew language uses different words to express the state of being dark.
Which one should you use?
While אֲפֵלָה (afelá) often carries a more poetic, heavy or profound connotation of darkness, חֹשֶׁךְ (ẖóshech) is the standard, most common word used in everyday speech.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation for the default form is afelá.
Did you know?
- In Jewish mysticism, the concept of חֹשֶׁךְ is sometimes viewed not as the opposite of light, but as a 'hidden light' that is too intense for human eyes to perceive.
- In biblical texts, the word אֲפֵלָה (afelá) is frequently used to describe a darkness so thick it feels physical, almost like a liquid or a shroud.
- Hebrew has a distinct word for the 'half-darkness' of twilight or dusk, which separates the absolute darkness of חֹשֶׁךְ from the brightness of day.
Example sentences for Hebrew are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “darkness” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
