חֻלְדָּה
ḥuldáfeminine
The Hebrew word for rat is חֻלְדָּה (ḥuldá). Wiktionary also lists עַכְבְּרוֹשׁ ('akhbarósh).
Meaning: rodent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| חֻלְדָּה | ḥuldá | feminine |
| עַכְבְּרוֹשׁ | 'akhbarósh | masculine |
Which one should you use?
While חֻלְדָּה refers to a rat, עַכְבָּר is the word for a mouse. The form עַכְבְּרוֹשׁ is a colloquial or diminutive-style term often used for a rat, whereas חֻלְדָּה is the more formal/biological term.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun חֻלְדָּה is feminine, and its plural form is חֻלְדּוֹת. The term עַכְבְּרוֹשׁ is masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
ḥuldá
Did you know?
- While 'rat' in English is often used to describe a person who is a traitor, the Hebrew word חֻלְדָּה carries no such social or moral weight.
- The word חֻלְדָּה ('rat') is used in Hebrew to describe a specific type of mole or burrowing animal, not just the common rat.
- The root of the word for mouse, עכבר, is shared with the Hebrew word for 'computer mouse', showing how ancient animal names are repurposed for modern technology.
Examples in context
- היא ראתה חֻלְדָּה במטבח.hi ra'at khulda ba'mitbakh.She saw a rat in the kitchen.
- יש חֻלְדָּה בתוך המחסן.yesh khulda be'tokh ha'makhsan.There is a rat inside the warehouse.
Example conversation
Ido and Noa are cleaning the garage.
- עידו Idoנועה, תסתכלי! יש פה חֻלְדָּה.Noa, tistakli! Yesh po chuldah.Noa, look! There is a rat here.
- נועה Noaאיפה? אני לא רואה כלום.Eifo? Ani lo ro'ah klum.Where? I don't see anything.
- עידו Idoהחֻלְדָּה התחבאה מאחורי הארגז.Ha-chuldah hitchab'ah me'achorei ha-argaz.The rat hid behind the box.
- נועה Noaבוא נצא מכאן מהר.Bo netze mikan maher.Let's get out of here quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rat” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
