אוהל
óhel/ˈʔa.hel/
The Hebrew word for tent is אוהל, romanized óhel. Wiktionary also lists אֹהֶל (óhel).
Meaning: portable lodge (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| אוהל | óhel | /ˈʔa.hel/ (Palestinian) /ˈʔoː.hɛl/ |
|
| אֹהֶל | óhel | masculine |
אוהל is the everyday word for a tent used for camping or any portable shelter.
Which one should you use?
אֹהֶל is the same word written with vowel marks, as in dictionaries and children's books. Everyday Hebrew is written without them, as אוהל.
How does it change in a sentence?
אוהל is a masculine noun. The plural is אוהלים, and with the prefix meaning to or for it becomes לאוהל.
How do you pronounce it?
Romanized it is óhel, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Did you know?
- In modern Hebrew, the term אוהל is used in the phrase להקים אוהל to describe setting up a tent, but the verb להקים also means 'to establish' or 'to found' an institution.
- In biblical Hebrew, the word אוהל is often used as a metonym for the entire household, including the people and animals living within it.
- In modern Israel, אוהל is used in the term עיר אוהלים or 'tent city' to describe makeshift housing during social protests or humanitarian crises.
Examples in context
- אוהל עם רצפה ורוכסן הוא נקי מחרקים.A tent with a floor and a zipper is bug tight.The sentence opens with אוהל to describe a tent with a floor and a zipper.Tatoeba #5893748 by fekundulo, translation #2082717 by halfb1t
- שני הונגרים יצאו לפיקניק. אני אביא אוכל, אתה תדאג לאוהל, אמר לאצי לתמאש. טוב, אמר תמאש. בפיקניק היו להם שני אוהלים אבל הם נשארו רעבים.Two Hungarians went out for a picnic. "I will bring food, you take care of the tent", said Laci to Tamás. "Fine", said Tamás. At the picnic, they had two tents, but both of them remained hungry.The joke uses לאוהל for taking care of the tent and אוהלים for the two tents they ended up with.Tatoeba #3030361 by fekundulo, translation #3032618 by Eldad
- הם בונים אוהל גדול ביער.hem bonim ohel gadol ba-ya'ar.They are building a large tent in the forest.
Example conversation
Two friends are preparing for a camping trip.
- עידו Idoיש לנו אוהל חדש?yesh lanu ohel chadash?Do we have a new tent?
- נועה Noaכן, הוא כבר בתוך הרכב.ken, hu kvar betokh ha-rechev.Yes, it is already in the car.
- עידו Idoמעולה, אני אבדוק אותו אחר כך.me'ula, ani evdok oto acher kach.Great, I will check it later.
- נועה Noaאל תשכח להביא פנסים גם.al tishkach lehavi pensim gam.Don't forget to bring flashlights too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tent” translations and entries אוהל, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
