מַתָּנָה
matanáfeminine
The English word 'gift' can be translated into Hebrew as מַתָּנָה (mataná) or שַׁי.
Meaning: something given to another voluntarily, without charge (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| מַתָּנָה | mataná | feminine |
| שַׁי | shay | masculine |
Both terms refer to something given to another person voluntarily and without charge.
Which one should you use?
מַתָּנָה is a feminine noun, while שַׁי is a masculine noun.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine noun מַתָּנָה has the plural form מַתָּנוֹת.
How do you pronounce it?
mataná
Did you know?
- Hebrew speakers may use the phrase מַתָּנָה מִשָּׁמַיִם, meaning 'a gift from heaven', to describe a stroke of extreme luck or an unexpected miracle.
- The word שַׁי (shay) is quite rare in modern spoken Hebrew and is often reserved for formal, literary, or poetic contexts.
- The root of מַתָּנָה is related to the verb לָתֵת, which means 'to give'.
Examples in context
- אני רוצה לתת לך מתנה מיוחדת.I want to give you a special gift.
- אני הבאתי לך מתנה מהטיול שלי.I brought you a gift from my trip.
- זו מַתָּנָה יפה.zu matana yafa.This is a beautiful gift.
- היא קיבלה מַתָּנָה מהחברה.hi kibla matana me'ha'chavera.She received a gift from her friend.
- האם זו מַתָּנָה או קנייה?ha'im zu matana o kniya?Is this a gift or a purchase?
Example conversation
Noam is giving a present to Rotem for her birthday.
- נועם Noamרוטם, הכנתי לך מַתָּנָה קטנה.Rotem, hekhanti lakh matana ktana.Rotem, I made a small gift for you.
- רוטם Rotemבאמת? תודה רבה, נועם!Be'emet? Toda raba, Noam!Really? Thank you so much, Noam!
- נועם Noamאני מקווה שתאהבי אותה.Ani mekave she'tehavi ota.I hope you will like it.
- רוטם Rotemזו מַתָּנָה מדהימה!Zu matana madhima!It is an amazing gift!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gift” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
