Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| אֵיפֹה | |
| מֵאַיִן | me'áyin |
| הֵיכָן | hechán |
These terms are used to ask at or in what place something is located or to ask about a source or destination.
Which one should you use?
אֵיפֹה is the standard way to ask for a location. In contrast, מֵאַיִן specifically asks for the source or origin, translating to 'from where' or 'whence'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
אֵיפֹה is the standard, most common way to ask 'where' in both spoken and written Hebrew. הֵיכָן is a more formal or literary version that is rarely used in casual conversation. מֵאַיִן is a formal way to say 'from where', often found in literature or high-register speech. Additionally, לְאֵן is used in formal situations, especially when discussing a destination or direction.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word אֵיפֹה does not change based on the gender or number of the subject or the object being located.
Did you know?
- The word מאין is a contraction of the preposition מִן meaning 'from' and the word אין meaning 'nothing' or 'non-existence', literally asking 'from what void' something came.
- In modern Israeli slang, איפה is often used in the phrase איפה זה נגמר, which literally means 'where does it end' but is used to express that someone has gone too far or is being unreasonable.
- Using the word הֵיכָן in a modern setting like a Tel Aviv cafe will make you sound like a character from a 19th-century historical novel.
Examples in context
- לְאֵן אַתָּה הולך?Where are you going?
Example conversation
Ido and Agur are looking for a lost bag at the airport.
- עידו Idoעגור, אֵיפֹה התיק שלנו?Agur, eifo hatik shelanu?Agur, where is our bag?
- עגור Adiאני חושבת שהוא על המסוע.Ani choshevet shehu al hamasua.I think it is on the conveyor belt.
- עידו Idoאבל אני לא רואה אותו.Aval ani lo ro'e oto.But I don't see it.
- עגור Adiבוא נשאל את העובד שם.Bo nish'al et haoved sham.Let's ask the worker there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “where” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
