גֶּבֶר
géver
In Hebrew, the English word man can be translated as גֶּבֶר (géver) or אִישׁ.
Meaning: adult male human (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| גֶּבֶר | géver | |
| אִישׁ | ish | masculine |
Both words refer to an adult male human. אִישׁ is the standard formal word for man in Hebrew, while גֶּבֶר refers to a man in a more physical, biological or robust sense, often emphasizing masculinity or strength.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of אִישׁ is אִישִׁים, and the plural form of גֶּבֶר is גְּבָרִים. Note that the word אִיֵּשׁ is a verb meaning to supply with staff or crew, and אנושות is a term used for the genus Homo.
How do you pronounce it?
géver
Did you know?
- While אִישׁ means 'man', it is also the standard word for 'husband' in many contexts, meaning a person's 'man'.
- In biblical Hebrew, גֶּבֶר was often used specifically to denote a man of military age or a warrior.
- While אִישׁ is formal, if you use גֶּבֶר to describe a man in a professional setting, it might sound overly blunt or even slightly crude depending on the tone.
Examples in context
- נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדֹֽרֹתָיו אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים הִתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹחַ:Noah was a just and perfect man in his generation, he walked with God.This sentence shows how to use אִישׁ to describe a person's character.Tatoeba #8289407 by fekundulo, translation #7948917 by carlosalberto
- אֶתְמוֹל בַּמַּדְרֵגוֹת עָלִיתִי // פָּגַשְׁתִי אִישׁ שֶׁלֹּא רָאִיתִי // וְגַם הַיּוֹם הוּא נֶעֱלָם // שֶׁיִּסְתַּלֵּק לוֹ לְעוֹלָם.As I was going up the stair // I met a man who wasn't there // He wasn't there again today // I wish that man would go away.This sentence shows how to use אִישׁ when referring to a person encountered.Tatoeba #1369225 by MrShoval, translation #1369222 by MrShoval
- איך אוכל לעזור לך, חבר?How can I help you, buddy?
Example conversation
Rotem is describing a new neighbor to Ido.
- עידו Idoמי גר בדירה ליד?mi gar ba-dira lyad?Who lives in the apartment next door?
- רוטם Rotemזה גֶּבֶר נחמד שזה עתה עבר.ze gever nimchad she-ze ata avar.It is a nice man who just moved in.
- עידו Idoהוא נראה צעיר?hu nir'ah tza'ir?Does he look young?
- רוטם Rotemכן, הוא גֶּבֶר בשנות השלושים שלו.ken, hu gever be-shnot ha-shloshim shelo.Yes, he is a man in his thirties.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “man” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
