טוב
tóv/tˤoːb/
The English word 'good' is translated into Hebrew as טוב (tóv).
טוב is used to describe something as pleasant or enjoyable. It is also the standard word used to describe something in a moral or qualitative sense. In colloquial spoken Hebrew, טוב can also function as an interjection meaning 'okay' or 'alright' to signal agreement or to transition between topics.
Meaning: pleasant, enjoyable (adj)
Which one should you use?
While טוב can mean 'pleasant' or 'enjoyable', it is also the standard word for 'good' in a moral or qualitative sense.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes based on the gender and number of the noun it describes: טוב is the masculine singular, טובה is the feminine singular, טובים is the masculine plural and טובות is the feminine plural. Additionally, when used as a noun referring to the forces of good, the forms טוב and טובה are used.
How do you pronounce it?
tóv
When do people say it?
Several common Hebrew phrases incorporate these concepts: boker tov means 'good morning', avodah tovah means 'good job' and טוב מאוד, תודה! means 'Very good, thank you!' If you want to say 'pleased to meet you', use na'im me'od.
Did you know?
- Using the phrase boker tov for 'good morning' is common, but a traditional reply is boker or, which means 'morning of light'.
- The word טוב is a cognate of the Arabic word ṭayyib, reflecting their shared origin in Proto-Semitic.
- In modern Israeli slang, saying טוב with a specific falling intonation can signal that you are giving up or conceding an argument, much like saying 'fine' in English.
Examples in context
- זה כל כך טוב.This is so good.This sentence is useful for expressing that something is very good.Tatoeba #1654498 by MrShoval, translation #3196397 by meric
- זה טוב, לא כן?That's good, isn't it?This sentence is useful for asking for confirmation that something is good.Tatoeba #1399178 by MrShoval, translation #435579 by CK
- גם זה סרט טוב.This is also a good movie.This sentence is useful for describing a movie as good.Tatoeba #1949579 by fekundulo, translation #792540 by CK
- 1602 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are eating at a new restaurant.
- עגור Adiאיך האוכל שלך?Eykh ha-okhel shelakh?How is your food?
- נועם Noamזה ממש טוב, את רוצה לטעום?Ze mamash tov, at rotsa lita'om?It's really good, do you want to taste?
- עגור Adiבטח, זה נראה טוב מאוד.Betakh, ze nir'a tov me'od.Sure, it looks very good.
- נועם Noamזה באמת טעים וטוב.Ze be'emet ta'im ve-tov.It really is tasty and good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good” translations and entries טוב, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries טוב, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
