שָׁלוֹשׁ
shaloshfeminine
The Hebrew word for three is שָׁלוֹשׁ (shalosh) or שְׁלוֹשָׁה.
Meaning: cardinal number 3 (num)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| שָׁלוֹשׁ | shalosh | feminine |
| שְׁלוֹשָׁה | shlosha | masculine |
The phrase refers to the cardinal number 3. It is also used to refer to the digit or figure 3, expressed as שלוש.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, the Hebrew word for 'three' must change its form to match the grammatical gender of the noun it is quantifying.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form שְׁלוֹשָׁה is used when counting masculine nouns, while the feminine form שָׁלוֹשׁ is used when counting feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
shalosh
Did you know?
- Hebrew uses a system of 'gematria' where every letter has a numerical value. The word שלוש itself equals 334, which is then used to find hidden connections between different words in the Torah.
- In Jewish tradition, the number three is often seen as the minimum required to create a legal majority or a 'minyan' for certain specific small-group contexts, though ten is the standard for a full prayer group.
- In Hebrew literature and mysticism, the number three is frequently associated with a balance between two opposites, acting as the mediating force that resolves a conflict.
Examples in context
- יש לי שלושה ספרים על המדף.I have three books on the shelf.
- שלושה חתוליםThree cats
Example conversation
Agur and Itay are talking about their pets.
- עגור Adiאיתי, כמה חתולות יש לך?Itay, kama chatulot yesh lecha?Itay, how many female cats do you have?
- איתי Itayיש לי רק חתול אחד.Yesh li rak chatul echad.I only have one cat.
- עגור Adiעגור, יש לי שָׁלוֹשׁ חתולות בבית.Agur, yesh li shalosh chatulot babayit.Agur, I have three female cats at home.
- איתי Itayוואו, זה המון חתולים!Wow, ze hamon chatulim!Wow, that is a lot of cats!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “three” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
