פרעה
par'oh
The English word "pharaoh" is translated into Hebrew as פרעה (par'oh).
פרעה is a noun used to refer to the supreme ruler of ancient Egypt.
Meaning: supreme ruler of ancient Egypt (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
par'oh
Did you know?
- The Hebrew word פרעה originally meant 'great house' rather than a person. It started as a term for the king's palace and only later shifted to describe the king himself.
- Because פרעה is used as a proper noun in the Bible, it often appears without a definite article. In contrast, a common noun for a ruler would typically require the word 'the' in Hebrew.
- The modern usage of פרעה as a common noun to describe any ancient Egyptian ruler is a relatively recent development. This shift was likely triggered by the influence of European languages on modern Hebrew.
Examples in context
- פרעה היה צורר אכזר.Pharaoh was a cruel oppressor.This sentence is useful for describing the character of the פרעה.Tatoeba #2569165 by VirtuOZ, translation #12857759 by rul
- רעמסס השני היה פרעה מצרי.Ramses II was an Egyptian pharaoh.This sentence is useful for identifying Ramses II as an Egyptian פרעה.Tatoeba #3259061 by fekundulo, translation #4763711 by AlanF_US
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a history documentary at a cafe.
- מאיה Mayaהאם ראית את הסרט על פרעה?ha'im ra'it et hasert al phra'a?Did you see the movie about pharaoh?
- נועם Noamכן, זה היה מרתק מאוד.ken, ze haya meratek meod.Yes, it was very fascinating.
- מאיה Mayaנועם, אתה אוהב היסטוריה עתיקה?noam, ata ohev historia atika?Noam, do you love ancient history?
- נועם Noamמאיה, אני מאוד אוהב את זה.maya, ani meod ohev et ze.Maya, I love it very much.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries פרעה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
