זה

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ze"

Hebrew

Etymology

Related to Aramaic דִּי (dī) and Arabic ذُو (ḏū). Compare also the definite form הזה (haze) and Arabic هٰذَا (hāḏā).

Pronunciation

• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /zæː/, [zæː]
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /zɛ/, [zɛː]
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ze/

• Audio:

  (file)

Determiner

זֶה • (ze) m

1. this
   • Birkat Hamazon:

     הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יִשְׁלַח לָנוּ בְּרָכָה מְרֻבָּה בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה, וְעַל שֻׁלְחָן זֶה שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ עָלָיו.

     harakhaman hu yishlakh lanu baracha murubba babbayit hazze, v'al shulkhan ze she'akhalnu alav.

     The Merciful One will send to us a manifold blessing in this house, and on this table upon which we have eaten.

Usage notes

• There are three ways to use this determiner:
  • הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה (“this thing”): most common overall, especially in Biblical Hebrew and Modern Hebrew.
  • דָּבָר זֶה (“this thing”): common in Rabbinic Hebrew from Mishnaic to modern times, and in formal Modern Hebrew.
  • זֶה הַדָּבָר (“this thing”): common in some forms of Medieval Hebrew.

Pronoun

זֶה • (zé) m (plural אֵלֶּה or אֵלּוּ, feminine זֹאת or זוֹ)

1. this, this one.

   זה בחולצה הכחולה.

   ze bakhultsá hak'khulá.

   The one (male) in the blue shirt.

   זה שאין לנקוב בשמו.

   ze she'éin linkóv be'shemó.

   He-who-must-not-be-named.

2. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

   לראשונה זה 20 שנה ― larishoná zé 20 shaná ― for the first time in 20 years

Usage notes

• זה, although translated "this", is often used in circumstances where English speakers would use that. For example, a boy swinging a stick might be told הזהר עם זה, whereas in English he'd be told "be careful with that".
• Colloquially, זה is often used as a gender-neutral form of "it".

Derived terms

• בַּזֶּה אַחַר זֶה (bazé akhár zé)