זֶה
ze
In Hebrew, the English pronoun 'it' is expressed using the demonstrative pronoun זֶה (ze) or זֹאת.
Meaning: subject, inanimate thing (pron)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| זֶה | ze |
| זֹאת | zot |
While English uses a single gender-neutral word for 'it', Hebrew often expresses 'it' by using the demonstrative pronouns for 'this'. You choose the form based on the grammatical gender of the inanimate object you are referring to.
Which one should you use?
Unlike the English 'it', which is gender-neutral, you must choose between זֶה and זֹאת based on the gender of the noun the pronoun replaces.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form זֶה is used when the inanimate object being referred to is grammatically masculine, while the form זֹאת is used when the inanimate object being referred to is grammatically feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
ze
Did you know?
- In modern Israeli slang, זה is frequently used as a filler word, similar to how English speakers might use 'like' or 'you know', to pause for thought.
- If you are referring to a person using these words, you are no longer saying 'it' but are actually pointing at them as 'this one', which can sound quite blunt or rude in certain social settings.
- The phrase זהו זה literally means 'this is it' and is commonly used to signal that a task is finished or a story has reached its conclusion.
Examples in context
- שְׁכַח מִזֶה!Forget it.This sentence is useful for learning how to use זֶה in a command to forget something.Tatoeba #2168122 by MrShoval, translation #20398 by Eldad
- זֶה מְאֹד טוֹב.ze me'od tov.It is very good.
Example conversation
Iti and Maya are looking at a gift in a shop.
- איתי Itayתִּרְאִי, זֶה יָפֶה מאוד!tiri, ze yafe me'od!Look, it is very beautiful!
- מאיה Mayaנכון, זה נראה נהדר.nachon, ze nira nehedar.True, it looks great.
- איתי Itayנִקְנה את זה?nikne et ze?Shall we buy it?
- מאיה Mayaכן, בטח שנקנה.ken, betach she-nikne.Yes, of course we will.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “it” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
