מִלָּה
miláfeminine
The Hebrew word for 'word' is מִלָּה (milá). Wiktionary also lists דבר (davár).
Meaning: unit of language (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| מִלָּה | milá | feminine | |
| דבר | davár | /daˈvaʁ/ (Modern Israeli) /dɔ.vɔr/ |
Biblical, masculine |
The term מִלָּה is used to refer to a linguistic unit or a single unit of speech within a sentence. Related to this is the verb ניסח, which means to say or write using particular words.
Which one should you use?
In everyday modern Hebrew, use מִלָּה when referring to a single unit of language. In contrast, דבר is used in more formal, biblical or literary contexts. While מִלָּה focuses on the linguistic unit, דבר often refers to 'a word' in the sense of a spoken statement or a thing said.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the formal/biblical word דבר is דְּבָרִים.
How do you pronounce it?
milá
Did you know?
- The word דבר has a double meaning in Hebrew because it means both 'a word' and 'a thing'. This creates a philosophical link in Jewish thought between speaking and creating a physical object.
- The word מִלָּה appears in the Hebrew word for 'dictionary', which is מִלְאוֹן, sharing the same core root.
- When a Hebrew speaker says בְּדַבְרֵי הַקּוֹדֶשׁ (literally 'in the things of the holy'), they are referring specifically to the 'words of the Bible' or religious texts.
Examples in context
- הוא לא אמר דבר.He didn't say a word.This sentence is useful for showing the use of דבר to mean 'a word'.Tatoeba #1978100 by fekundulo, translation #27808 by CK
- אל תגיד דבר לחברתי!Don't breathe a word of this to my girlfriend.This sentence shows how דבר can mean 'a word' in the context of a secret.Tatoeba #2310497 by fekundulo, translation #5099040 by AlanF_US
- הוא תמיד מקיים את דבריו.He always keeps his word.This sentence demonstrates the use of דבריו (a form of דבר) to mean 'his word'.Tatoeba #2803350 by Eldad, translation #289227 by Dejo
- מה דעתך על הסרט החדש?What do you think of the new movie?
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “word” translations and entries דבר, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
