מה
ma/maː/
The English word "what" is translated into Hebrew as מה (ma).
מה is a versatile interrogative pronoun used to ask "what". It can also function as an interjection to express surprise, often written with a question mark as מָה?
Meaning: what? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
Which one should you use?
מה is used specifically to ask "what", whereas איזה is used to ask "which" or "what kind of".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When מה functions as the direct object of a verb, it is often preceded by the accusative particle את, forming את מה.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /maː/ (ma).
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using מה? on its own to ask someone to repeat what they said can sometimes come across as rude. Instead, consider using סליחה? to be more polite.
Did you know?
- The word מה is a cognate with the Arabic word مَا and the Aramaic מָה, meaning they all share a common ancestor from the Central Semitic language family.
- In many Semitic languages, including Hebrew, the word for 'what' is part of a family of words that can also function as demonstrative pronouns to point at things.
- In certain colloquial settings, מה can be used as a filler word or a conversational marker, similar to how 'what's up' functions as a greeting rather than a question.
Examples in context
- מה יש לך שם?What do you have there?This sentence shows how to use מה to ask what someone has.Tatoeba #4670553 by fekundulo, translation #2645657 by CK
- מה יש לך ביד?What do you have in your hand?This sentence uses מה to ask what is in someone's hand.Tatoeba #1443877 by Eldad, translation #69234 by CK
- את מה הם רצו?What did they want?This sentence demonstrates using the form את מה as a direct object.Tatoeba #2166737 by fekundulo, translation #1886794 by CK
- 4667 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Agur are talking in the kitchen.
- דניאל Danielמה את עושה?Ma at osa?What are you doing?
- עגור Adiאני מכינה ארוחת ערב.Ani machina aruchat erev.I am making dinner.
- דניאל Danielמה יש לאכול?Ma yesh le'echol?What is there to eat?
- עגור Adiיש פסטה במטבח.Yesh pasta ba'mitbach.There is pasta in the kitchen.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries מה, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries מה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
