קָטָן
katán
The Hebrew word for small is קָטָן (katán). If unsure, use קָטָן. Wiktionary also lists קטנה (katanah) and קטנים (katanim).
Meaning: not large (adj)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| קָטָן | katán | |
| קטנה | katanah | feminine |
| קטנים | katanim | masculine, plural |
| קטנות | katanot | feminine, plural |
The word is an adjective used to describe something that is not large.
Which one should you use?
The form used depends on the gender and number of the noun being described: קָטָן is the default masculine singular form, קטנה is feminine singular, קטנים is masculine plural and קטנות is feminine plural.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Yemenite Hebrew, the word קָטָין can be used to express small.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word must agree with the noun it modifies. Use קטנה for a feminine singular noun, such as a town (עיר) or a backyard (חצר). Use קטנים for masculine plural nouns or mixed-gender groups. Use קטנות for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
katán
Did you know?
- The word קטן is also used in the phrase קטן עין, which literally means 'small of eye' but describes a person who is envious or covetous.
- In religious and biblical texts, the term קָטָן is often used to denote a social subordinate or a youth regardless of their actual height.
- The root of the word קטן is shared with other Semitic languages, meaning the concept of smallness is ancient and linguistically connected to Arabic.
Examples in context
- יש לנו חצר קטנה.We have a small backyard.This sentence shows how to use the feminine singular form קטנה to describe a backyard.Tatoeba #4689098 by fekundulo, translation #2545083 by CK
- אני גר בעיר קטנה.I live in a small town.This sentence shows how to use the feminine singular form קטנה to describe a town.Tatoeba #1511241 by MrShoval, translation #258639 by CK
- זאת לא בעיה קטנה.This is not a small problem.This sentence shows how to use the feminine singular form קטנה to describe a problem.Tatoeba #1533254 by MrShoval, translation #1531881 by Spamster
- הכלב הקטןThe small dog
- הזהב הקטןThe small gold
- הרכב הקטןThe small car
- החתולה הקטנה מתרגשת.The small cat is excited.
- אנחנו גרים בבית קטן.We live in a small house.
- 118 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rotem and Ido are looking at a puppy.
- רוטם Rotemתראה, הכלב הזה כל כך קָטָן!Tireh, ha-kelev haze kol kach katan!Look, this dog is so small!
- עידו Idoהוא באמת נראה חמוד.Hu be-emet nir'eh hamud.He really looks cute.
- רוטם Rotemהוא יהיה גדול כשהוא יגדל?Hu yihye gadol kshe-hu yigdal?Will he be big when he grows up?
- עידו Idoבטח, הוא לא יישאר קָטָן לתמיד.Betach, hu lo yish'ar katan le-tamid.Sure, he won't stay small forever.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “small” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
