בראשית
bereshit
The Hebrew phrase for "in the beginning" is בראשית (bereshit).
בראשית is used to describe the start of time or the origin of the universe. It is most famously recognized as the opening word of the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible.
What does it mean word for word?
The word consists of the preposition ב (in) and the noun ראשית (beginning/start).
How does it change in a sentence?
While בראשית can mean 'in the beginning' in a general sense, it is also the proper name of the first book of the Torah.
How do you pronounce it?
bereshit
Did you know?
- Grammatically, בראשית literally translates to 'in a beginning' rather than 'in the beginning' because it lacks the definite article. This linguistic anomaly has puzzled scholars and commentators for centuries.
- In Hebrew, the name of the first book of the Torah is actually just its first word, בראשית. This is how the other books of the Torah are typically named as well.
Examples in context
- בראשית ברא אלוהים את השמים ואת הארץ.In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.This sentence shows the use of בראשית in the context of the creation of the heavens and the earth.Tatoeba #565620 by Geek_God, translation #3286750 by Abcormal
- בראשית ברא תום את בוסטון ואת אוסטרליה.In the beginning, Tom created Boston and Australia.This sentence demonstrates a modern application of בראשית.Tatoeba #9402865 by shekitten, translation #9401001 by shekitten
- בְּרֵאשִׁית – Bereishit bara Elohim et hashamayim ve'et ha'aretz.In the Beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
- בראשית היה רק חושך.bereshit haya rak choshech.In the beginning, there was only darkness.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a cosmology book.
- נועם Noamאת יודעת מה קרה בראשית הזמן?At yodiat ma kara breshit hazman?Do you know what happened in the beginning of time?
- עגור Adiלא, נועם, זה נשמע כמו שאלה קשה.Lo, Noam, ze nishma kmo she'ela kasha.No, Noam, that sounds like a hard question.
- נועם Noamהספר מסביר איך הכול התחיל בראשית.Hasefer masbir eich hakol hitkhil breshit.The book explains how everything started in the beginning.
- עגור Adiאני רוצה לקרוא אותו, עגור.Ani rotza likro eto, Agur.I want to read it, Agur.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries בראשית, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
