אוֹרָה
oráfeminine
The Hebrew word for light is אוֹרָה (orá) or אוֹר.
Meaning: visible light, brightness (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| אוֹרָה | orá | feminine |
| אוֹר | or | masculine |
The term refers to light. While the phenomenon of light itself is uncountable, you can use the plural form אורות when referring to specific light sources, such as street lights or decorative lights.
Which one should you use?
The masculine form אוֹר is the standard way to refer to light in most modern, non-literary contexts. The feminine form is אוֹרָה.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word אוֹרָה is feminine, while אוֹר is masculine. The adjective forms for 'having light' are מואר and מוארת. The verb meaning 'to illuminate' is האיר.
How do you pronounce it?
orá
Did you know?
- In Jewish tradition, the 'light' created on the first day is distinguished from the 'lights' מאורות created on the fourth day, which refer specifically to the sun and moon.
- While אוֹר is the standard noun, the root או-ר-ה is also the basis for the name of the popular Israeli singer 'Ora' (meaning 'light' or 'radiance').
- The verb האיר (to illuminate) can also be used in the context of 'shining' or 'radiating' a specific emotion, like 'radiating joy'.
Examples in context
- וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי-אוֹר.And God said: Let there be light. And there was light.This sentence is useful for illustrating the use of אוֹר in a biblical context.Tatoeba #7880662 by fekundulo, translation #663803 by bluepie88
- וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחשֶׁךְ.God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness.This sentence is useful for seeing how אוֹר is used in a biblical description of light and darkness.Tatoeba #3464494 by fekundulo, translation #7903807 by shekitten
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Rotem are discussing the lighting in a room.
- דניאל Danielרוטם, יש פה מספיק אוֹרָה לקריאה?Rotem, yesh po maspik ora likri'a?Rotem, is there enough light here for reading?
- רוטם Rotemלא, אני חושבת שהאוֹרָה חלשה מדי.lo, ani choshevet she-ha-ora chalasha miday.No, I think the light is too weak.
- דניאל Danielאולי נפתח את החלון כדי להכניס אוֹרָה.ulay niftach et ha-chalon kedei lehachnis ora.Maybe we should open the window to let in light.
- רוטם Rotemזה רעיון מצוין, דניאל.ze ra'ayon metzuyan, Daniel.That is a great idea, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “light” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
