נָחָשׁ
nakháshmasculine
The English phrase 'serpent' can be translated into Hebrew as נָחָשׁ (nakhásh) or שָׂרָף.
Meaning: snake (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| נָחָשׁ | nakhásh | masculine |
| שָׂרָף | saraf | masculine |
The term נָחָשׁ is the standard, everyday word for a snake. In a religious or literary context, specifically referring to the serpent in the Garden of Eden, the term נָחָשׁ is also used in the Hebrew Bible.
Which one should you use?
נָחָשׁ is the common term for a snake, whereas שָׂרָף refers specifically to a 'seraph' or a more poetic, often celestial or fiery, type of serpent used in biblical contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both נָחָשׁ and שָׂרָף are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation for נָחָשׁ is nakhásh.
Did you know?
- The root of נָחָשׁ is related to the concept of 'whispering' or 'hissing'. This connects the physical sound a snake makes to the act of secret divination.
- The word שָׂרָף is the singular form of the word for the high-ranking angels known as 'Seraphim' in the Bible. This implies that these celestial beings are essentially 'fiery serpents'.
- The term שָׂרָף can be used in modern poetic Hebrew to describe something glowing or shimmering, moving away from the animal meaning entirely.
Examples in context
- יש נָחָשׁ קטן בגינה.yesh nachash katan ba-gina.There is a small snake in the garden.
- ראיתי נָחָשׁ ירוק על העץ.ra'iti nachash yarok al ha-etz.I saw a green snake on the tree.
Example conversation
Two friends are hiking in the desert.
- עידו Idoעגור, תסתכלי! יש שם נָחָשׁ.Agar, tistakli! Yesh sham nachash.Agar, look! There is a snake there.
- עגור Adiאיפה? אני לא רואה כלום.Eifo? Ani lo ro'ah klum.Where? I don't see anything.
- עידו Idoהוא נמצא ליד הסלע הגדול.Hu nimtza lyad ha-sela ha-gadol.It is by the big rock.
- עגור Adiבוא נתרחק ממנו במהירות.Bo nitrachak mimeno be-mehirut.Let's move away from it quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “serpent” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
