ערב
érev/ˈeʁev/
The Hebrew word for 'eve' is ערב (érev).
ערב is used to describe the day or night immediately preceding a specific event, such as a holiday or an election. In general daily usage, it also serves as the standard word for 'evening'.
Meaning: day or night before (noun)
Which one should you use?
While ערב refers to 'eve' in the context of the day before a significant event, it is also the common word for 'evening' in a general sense.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are referring to a specific eve, such as 'the eve of the election', you add the definite article to form הערב (ha'erev).
How do you pronounce it?
érev
Did you know?
- In Hebrew, the concept of a new day actually begins at sunset rather than midnight. Therefore, if you are celebrating an event on the 'eve' of a holiday, you are technically already in the first moments of that holiday.
- The word ערב can also be used to describe a 'guarantor' or 'surety' in a legal context. Although it is spelled the same way, it has a completely different meaning related to providing a security bond.
- The word ערב is related to the direction 'west' through its cognate in Arabic. In many Semitic languages, the concept of 'evening' is tied to the sun setting in the west.
Examples in context
- האם החלטת איפה תחגגי את ערב חג המולד?Have you decided where you're going to celebrate Christmas Eve?This sentence shows how to use ערב to refer to Christmas Eve.Tatoeba #2227501 by fekundulo, translation #2239908 by AlanF_US
- אחד המועמדים לנשיאות המדינה הותקף ערב הבחירות.One of the candidates for the presidency of the country was attacked on the eve of the election.This sentence demonstrates using ערב to describe the period before an election.Tatoeba #2753484 by Nikka, translation #2753433 by mervert1
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ערב, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ערב, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
