שְׁמוֹנֶה
shmónefeminine
The Hebrew word for the cardinal number eight is שְׁמוֹנֶה (shmóne) or שְׁמוֹנָה.
Meaning: cardinal number 8 (num)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| שְׁמוֹנֶה | shmóne | feminine |
| שְׁמוֹנָה | shmoná | masculine |
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, the form of the number eight changes based on the gender of the noun it is counting.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is שְׁמוֹנָה and the feminine form is שְׁמוֹנֶה.
How do you pronounce it?
shmóne
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget that Hebrew numbers have gender and may use the wrong form for the noun they are counting.
Did you know?
- In Hebrew, the number eight is linked to the letter ח, which has a numerical value of eight. This system of assigning numbers to letters is known as Gematria and is used widely in Jewish mysticism.
- In Jewish tradition, the number שְׁמוֹנָה represents a transition from the natural world to the supernatural. This is why the holiday of Hanukkah lasts for eight days, signaling a miracle beyond the normal cycle of seven.
- While most Hebrew numbers are based on roots, the phonetic structure of שְׁמוֹנֶה is closely mirrored in the Arabic word 'thamāniyah', showing a shared linguistic ancestor.
Examples in context
- אני מחכה לך מחוץ לבניין. חייג אליי כשתהיה פנוי ב-8 ערב.I'll be waiting for you outside the building. Give me a call when you're free at 8 PM.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eight” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
