טָלֶה
talémasculine
The Hebrew word for lamb is טָלֶה (talé), or alternatively שֶׂה.
Meaning: young sheep (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| טָלֶה | talé | masculine |
| שֶׂה | se | masculine |
Both words are used to refer to a young sheep.
Which one should you use?
שֶׂה is another masculine noun used for the same animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both טָלֶה and שֶׂה are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
talé
Did you know?
- The word שֶׂה is used in the Hebrew expression for a 'scapegoat', although the actual animal used in the ritual was a goat, not a lamb.
- The word שֶׂה can be used to describe a 'fool' or someone easily manipulated, a meaning that is much harsher than simply calling someone 'gentle' in English.
- While טָלֶה is common in formal and biblical texts, שֶׂה is the word most likely to be heard in a modern Israeli marketplace or farm.
Examples in context
- ראיתי טָלֶה קטן בחוות הכבשים.ra'iti tale katan be-khavat ha-keveshim.I saw a small lamb at the sheep farm.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lamb” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
