תאום
t'om/ˈtʔoːm/ [tʰoˈʔoːm]
The Hebrew word for twin is תאום (t'om). Wiktionary also lists תאומה and תְּאוֹם (teóm).
Meaning: either of two people who shared the same uterus, or of two similar or closely related objects (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| תאום | t'om | /ˈtʔoːm/ [tʰoˈʔoːm] /təˈʔøm/ [tʰøˈʔøːm] |
|
| תאומה | |||
| תְּאוֹם | teóm | masculine | |
| תְּאוֹמָה | teomá | feminine |
תאום is used to refer to either of two people who shared the same uterus, or to two similar or closely related objects. It can function as both a noun (a twin) and an adjective (twin/identical).
Which one should you use?
The masculine form תְּאוֹם is used for a twin brother or as a general term for a male twin, while the feminine form תְּאוֹמָה is used for a twin sister.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to a pair of twins, use the plural form תאומים.
How do you pronounce it?
t'om (ˈtʔoːm)
Did you know?
- The word תאום is used in Hebrew to describe 'twin' cities that have a formal partnership, which is known as ערים תאומות.
- The biblical story of Jacob and Esau, the most famous תאומים in Hebrew culture, describes them as 'fighting' even inside the womb.
- The Hebrew word תאום shares a common ancestor with the Akkadian word tu'amu, showing a linguistic connection that stretches back to ancient Mesopotamia.
Examples in context
- יש לי אח תאום זהה.I have an identical twin.This sentence shows how to use תאום as an adjective to mean identical.Tatoeba #1849455 by MrShoval, translation #249806 by CK
- לסבתא שלי יש אח תאום.My grandmother has a twin brother.This sentence shows how to use תאום to refer to a twin brother.Tatoeba #3728602 by schamsan, translation #5036698 by AlanF_US
- לתום אח תאום בשם ג'ון.Tom has a twin brother named John.This sentence shows how to use תאום when naming a twin brother.Tatoeba #5570304 by fekundulo, translation #5230627 by CK
- הַתְּאוֹם שֶׁלִּי אוֹהֵב לְשַׁחֵק בַּכְּדוּר.My twin loves to play with a ball.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rotem and Itay are looking at a photo of a boy.
- רוטם Rotemמי זה הילד בתמונה?Mi ze ha-yeled ba-tmuna?Who is the boy in the photo?
- איתי Itayזה תאום של חבר שלי.Ze ta'om shel chaver sheli.That is my friend's twin.
- רוטם Rotemהם נראים בדיוק אותו דבר!Hem nir'im bidyuk oto davar!They look exactly the same!
- איתי Itayכן, הוא תאום זהה.Ken, hu ta'om zehe.Yes, he is an identical twin.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “twin” translations and entries תאום, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries תאום, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
