Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| שלך | shelkha | /ʃɔ.ˈlɔx/ /ʃa.ˈlaχ/ (Modern Israeli) |
common, masculine |
| ־ך | -kha | formal, masculine |
In Hebrew, the word for "your" changes depending on whether the person you are talking to is male or female and whether you are addressing one person or many. This specific form, שלך, is used when addressing a single male.
What does it mean word for word?
The word שלך is composed of the preposition shel (of) and the second-person singular masculine suffix ־ך (you).
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, where "your" is a single word regardless of gender, Hebrew distinguishes between "your" for a male listener and a female listener. The form שלך is used for a male listener, while the feminine singular form is shelakh (שלך).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form ־ך is a formal version of the masculine singular possessive. The form שלך is common in everyday speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
While שלך is the singular masculine form, other forms include shelakh (שלך) for singular feminine, shelkhem (שלכם) for plural masculine or mixed groups and shelkhen (שלכן) for plural feminine groups.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ʃɔ.ˈlɔx/.
Did you know?
- The root of the word שלך is related to the action of plunging or throwing.
- The suffix ־ך can be attached directly to a noun to show possession, functioning as a much more compact way to say 'your' than the full phrase שלך.
- When addressing a mixed group of people, the masculine plural שלכם is used even if the group contains only one man and many women.
Examples in context
- מה סוג הדם שלך?What's your blood group?This sentence shows how to use שלך to ask about a blood group.Tatoeba #590100 by Eldad, translation #70730 by autuno
- בן כמה אבא שלך?How old is your father?This sentence shows how to use שלך when asking about someone's father.Tatoeba #1424162 by Eldad, translation #70960 by CK
- בן כמה הבן שלך?How old is your son?This sentence shows how to use שלך when asking about someone's son.Tatoeba #1481470 by Eldad, translation #436251 by lukaszpp
- החבר שלךYour friend (male)
- החברה שלךYour friend (female)
- 2659 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Noam and Agur are looking for a missing bag.
- נועם Noamזה התיק שלך?ze hatik shelach?Is this your bag?
- עגור Adiלא, זה לא שלי.lo, ze lo sheli.No, it is not mine.
- נועם Noamאיפה התיק שלך?eifo hatik shelach?Where is your bag?
- עגור Adiהוא בבית, נועם.hu babayit, Noam.It is at home, Noam.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “your” translations and entries שלך, ־ך, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries שלך, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
