Gender: gender
In Ancient Hebrew, Gender is marked lexically on NOUNs, PROPNs, and PRONs and inflectionally on ADJs, most NUMs, and some forms of VERB.
Masc: masculine gender
Nouns referring to male people and animals are masculine. Other nouns which produce the same agreement pattern are also masculine, regardless of referent. In the plural, the masculine is also used for groups of mixed gender.
Masculine nouns are typically characterized by the absence of specific marking in the singular and by the plural suffix ים /im/.
Examples
- ADJ: גדול /gadol/ “large”
- NOUN: דבר /davar/ “thing”, אישׁ /ʼish/ “man”
- NUM: שלש /shalosh/ “three”
- PRON: הוא /huʼ/ “he”, הם /hem/ “they” (all male or mixed)
- VERB: ידבר /yidaber/ “he will speak”, שומרים /shomrim/ “guarding” (plural)
Fem: feminine gender
Nouns referring to female people and animals are feminine. Other nouns which produce the same agreement pattern are also feminine, regardless of referent.
Feminine nouns are often marked by ה /ah/ or ת /et/ in the singlar and ות /ot/ in the plural.
Examples
- ADJ: גדולה /gadolah/ “large”
- NOUN: עיר /ʻir/ “city”, בת /bat/ “daughter”, מנחה /minḥah/ “gift”
- NUM: שלשה /shaloshah/ “three”
- PRON: היא /hi’/ “she”, הן /hen/ “they” (all female)
- VERB: תדברי /tidabri/ “she will speak”, שומרת /shomeret/ “guarding”
ADJs agree with the NOUNs they modify, so that the words on either end of an amod arc will usually have the same value for Gender.
# sent_id = Masoretic-Genesis-15:15-hbo
# text = וְאַתָּ֛ה תָּבֹ֥וא אֶל־אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ בְּשָׁלֹ֑ום תִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּשֵׂיבָ֥ה טֹובָֽה׃
# translit = ṿeʼatah tavoʼ ʼel ʼavotekha beshalom tiḳaver beśevah ṭovah
# visual-style 12 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 12 fgColor:white
# visual-style 13 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 13 fgColor:white
# visual-style 12 13 amod color:blue
1-2 וְאַתָּ֛ה _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1 וְ ו CCONJ conj _ 3 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6917|Translit=ṿe
2 אַתָּ֛ה אתה PRON prps Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs 3 nsubj _ Gloss=you|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6918|Translit=ʼatah
3 תָּבֹ֥וא בוא VERB verb Aspect=Imp|Gender=Masc|HebBinyan=PAAL|Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ Gloss=come|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6919|Translit=tavoʼ
4 אֶל אל ADP prep _ 6 case _ Gloss=to|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6920|SpaceAfter=No|Translit=ʼel
5 ־ ־ PUNCT punct _ 4 punct _ Ref=GEN_15.15|SpaceAfter=No
6-7 אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
6 אֲבֹתֶ֖י אב NOUN subs Gender=Masc|Number=Plur 3 obl _ Gloss=father|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6921|Translit=ʼavote
7 ךָ אתה PRON prn Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs 6 nmod:poss _ Ref=GEN_15.15|Translit=ka
8-9 בְּשָׁלֹ֑ום _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
8 בְּ ב ADP prep _ 9 case _ Gloss=in|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6922|Translit=be
9 שָׁלֹ֑ום שׁלום NOUN subs Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 3 obl _ Gloss=peace|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6923|Translit=shalom
10 תִּקָּבֵ֖ר קבר VERB verb Aspect=Imp|Gender=Masc|HebBinyan=NIFAL|Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|VerbForm=Fin 3 parataxis _ Gloss=bury|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6924|Translit=tiḳaver
11-12 בְּשֵׂיבָ֥ה _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11 בְּ ב ADP prep _ 12 case _ Gloss=in|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6925|Translit=be
12 שֵׂיבָ֥ה שׂיבה NOUN subs Gender=Fem|Number=Sing 10 obl _ Gloss=age|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6926|Translit=śevah
13 טֹובָֽה טוב ADJ adjv Gender=Fem|Number=Sing 12 amod _ Gloss=good|Ref=GEN_15.15|Ref[BHSA]=6927|SpaceAfter=No|Translit=ṭovah
14 ׃ ׃ PUNCT punct _ 3 punct _ Ref=GEN_15.15
ואתה תבוא אל־אבתיך בשלום תקבר בשיבה טובה׃
ṿeʼatah tavoʼ ʼel ʼavotekha beshalom tiḳaver beśevah ṭovah
“And you will go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good age.”
There will still be agreement even if the nominal and the modifier are not directly attached, such as in depictives.
# sent_id = Masoretic-Genesis-41:22-hbo
# text = וָאֵ֖רֶא בַּחֲלֹמִ֑י וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים עֹלֹ֛ת בְּקָנֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד מְלֵאֹ֥ת וְטֹבֹֽות׃
# translit = ṿaʼereʼ baḥalomi ṿehineh shevaʻ shibolim ʻolot beḳaneh ʼeḥad meleʼot ṿeṭovot
# visual-style 10 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 10 fgColor:white
# visual-style 15 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 15 fgColor:white
# visual-style 17 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 17 fgColor:white
# visual-style 11 15 xcomp color:blue
1-2 וָאֵ֖רֶא _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1 וָ ו CCONJ conj _ 2 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22749|Translit=ṿa
2 אֵ֖רֶא ראה VERB verb HebBinyan=PAAL|Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ Gloss=see|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22750|Translit=ʼereʼ
3-5 בַּחֲלֹמִ֑י _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
3 בַּ ב ADP prep _ 4 case _ Gloss=in|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22751|Translit=ba
4 חֲלֹמִ֑ חלום NOUN subs Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 2 obl _ Gloss=dream|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22752|Translit=ḥalomi
5 י אני PRON prn Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs 4 nmod:poss _ Ref=GEN_41.22|Translit=
6-7 וְהִנֵּ֣ה _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
6 וְ ו CCONJ conj _ 11 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22753|Translit=ṿe
7 הִנֵּ֣ה הנה INTJ intj _ 11 discourse _ Gloss=behold|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22754|Translit=hineh
8 ׀ ׀ PUNCT punct _ 7 punct _ Ref=GEN_41.22
9 שֶׁ֣בַע שׁבע NUM subs Number=Sing|NumType=Card 10 nummod _ Gloss=seven|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22755|Translit=shevaʻ
10 שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים שׁבלת NOUN subs Gender=Fem|Number=Plur 11 nsubj _ Gloss=grain|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22756|Translit=shibolim
11 עֹלֹ֛ת עלה VERB verb Gender=Fem|HebBinyan=PAAL|Number=Plur|VerbForm=Part 2 conj _ Gloss=ascend|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22757|Translit=ʻolot
12-13 בְּקָנֶ֥ה _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12 בְּ ב ADP prep _ 13 case _ Gloss=in|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22758|Translit=be
13 קָנֶ֥ה קנה NOUN subs Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 11 obl _ Gloss=reed|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22759|Translit=ḳaneh
14 אֶחָ֖ד אחד NUM subs Number=Sing|NumType=Card 13 nummod _ Gloss=one|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22760|Translit=ʼeḥad
15 מְלֵאֹ֥ת מלא ADJ adjv Gender=Fem|Number=Plur 11 xcomp _ Gloss=full|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22761|Translit=meleʼot
16-17 וְטֹבֹֽות _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
16 וְ ו CCONJ conj _ 17 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22762|Translit=ṿe
17 טֹבֹֽות טוב ADJ adjv Gender=Fem|Number=Plur 15 conj _ Gloss=good|Ref=GEN_41.22|Ref[BHSA]=22763|Translit=ṭovot
18 ׃ ׃ PUNCT punct _ 2 punct _ Ref=GEN_41.22
וארא בחלמי והנה׀ שבע שבלים עלת בקנה אחד מלאת וטבות׃
ṿaʼereʼ baḥalomi ṿehineh shevaʻ shibolim ʻolot beḳaneh ʼeḥad meleʼot ṿeṭovot
“And I looked in my dream and behold, seven heads of grain going up from one stalk, full and good.”
Finite and participial VERBs, on the other hand, have a Gender value matching their subjects.
# sent_id = Masoretic-Ruth-4:16-hbo
# text = וַתִּקַּ֨ח נָעֳמִ֤י אֶת־הַיֶּ֨לֶד֙ וַתְּשִׁתֵ֣הוּ בְחֵיקָ֔הּ וַתְּהִי־לֹ֖ו לְאֹמֶֽנֶת׃
# translit = ṿatiḳaḥ naʻomi ʼet hayeled ṿatshitehu beḥeḳah ṿathi lo leʼomenet
# visual-style 2 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 2 fgColor:white
# visual-style 3 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 3 fgColor:white
# visual-style 2 3 nsubj color:blue
1-2 וַתִּקַּ֨ח _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1 וַ ו CCONJ conj _ 2 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357514|Translit=ṿa
2 תִּקַּ֨ח לקח VERB verb Gender=Fem|HebBinyan=PAAL|Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ Gloss=take|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357515|Translit=tiḳaḥ
3 נָעֳמִ֤י נעמי PROPN nmpr Gender=Fem|Number=Sing 2 nsubj _ Gloss=Naomi|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357516|Translit=naʻomi
4 אֶת את ADP prep _ 7 case _ Gloss=<object.marker>|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357517|SpaceAfter=No|Translit=ʼet
5 ־ ־ PUNCT punct _ 4 punct _ Ref=RUT_4.16|SpaceAfter=No
6-7 הַיֶּ֨לֶד֙ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
6 הַ ה DET art PronType=Art 7 det _ Gloss=the|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357518|Translit=ha
7 יֶּ֨לֶד֙ ילד NOUN subs Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 2 obj _ Gloss=boy|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357519|Translit=yeled
8-10 וַתְּשִׁתֵ֣הוּ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
8 וַ ו CCONJ conj _ 9 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357520|Translit=ṿa
9 תְּשִׁתֵ֣ שׁית VERB verb Gender=Fem|HebBinyan=PAAL|Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 2 conj _ Gloss=put|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357521|Translit=teshite
10 הוּ הוא PRON prn Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 9 obj _ Ref=RUT_4.16|Translit=hu
11-13 בְחֵיקָ֔הּ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11 בְ ב ADP prep _ 12 case _ Gloss=in|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357522|Translit=be
12 חֵיקָ֔ חיק NOUN subs Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 9 obl _ Gloss=lap|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357523|Translit=ḥeḳa
13 הּ היא PRON prn Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 12 nmod:poss _ Ref=RUT_4.16|Translit=h
14-15 וַתְּהִי _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
14 וַ ו CCONJ conj _ 20 cc _ Gloss=and|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357524|Translit=ṿa
15 תְּהִי היה AUX verb Gender=Fem|HebBinyan=PAAL|Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 20 cop _ Gloss=be|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357525|Translit=tehi
16 ־ ־ PUNCT punct _ 15 punct _ Ref=RUT_4.16|SpaceAfter=No
17-18 לֹ֖ו _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
17 לֹ֖ ל ADP prep _ 18 case _ Gloss=to|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357526|Translit=lo
18 ו הוא PRON prn Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 20 obl _ Ref=RUT_4.16|Translit=ṿ
19-20 לְאֹמֶֽנֶת _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
19 לְ ל ADP prep _ 20 case _ Gloss=to|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357527|Translit=le
20 אֹמֶֽנֶת אמן NOUN verb Gender=Fem|HebBinyan=PAAL|Number=Sing|VerbForm=Part 2 conj _ Gloss=be.firm|Ref=RUT_4.16|Ref[BHSA]=357528|Translit=ʼomenet
21 ׃ ׃ PUNCT punct _ 2 punct _ Ref=RUT_4.16
ותקח נעמי את־הילד ותשתהו בחיקה ותהי־לו לאמנת׃
ṿatiḳaḥ naʻomi ʼet hayeled ṿatshitehu beḥeḳah ṿathi lo leʼomenet
And Naomi took the child and she put him in her lap and she was a nurse to him.**
As with adjectives, participles exhibit agreement regardless of relative position.
# sent_id = Masoretic-Genesis-49:21-hbo
# text = נַפְתָּלִ֖י אַיָּלָ֣ה שְׁלֻחָ֑ה הַנֹּתֵ֖ן אִמְרֵי־שָֽׁפֶר׃ ס
# translit = naftali ʼayalah sheluḥah hanoten ʼimre shafer s
# visual-style 2 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 2 fgColor:white
# visual-style 3 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 3 fgColor:white
# visual-style 5 bgColor:blue
# visual-style 5 fgColor:white
# visual-style 2 3 acl:relcl color:blue
# visual-style 2 5 acl:relcl color:blue
1 נַפְתָּלִ֖י נפתלי PROPN nmpr Number=Sing 2 nsubj _ Gloss=Naphtali|Ref=GEN_49.21|Ref[BHSA]=28036|Translit=naftali
2 אַיָּלָ֣ה אילה NOUN subs Gender=Fem|Number=Sing 0 root _ Gloss=doe|Ref=GEN_49.21|Ref[BHSA]=28037|Translit=ʼayalah
3 שְׁלֻחָ֑ה שׁלח VERB verb Gender=Fem|HebBinyan=PAAL|Number=Sing|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass 2 acl:relcl _ Gloss=send|Ref=GEN_49.21|Ref[BHSA]=28038|Translit=sheluḥah
4-5 הַנֹּתֵ֖ן _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4 הַ ה SCONJ art _ 5 mark _ Gloss=the|Ref=GEN_49.21|Ref[BHSA]=28039|Translit=ha
5 נֹּתֵ֖ן נתן VERB verb Gender=Masc|HebBinyan=PAAL|Number=Sing|VerbForm=Part 2 acl:relcl _ Gloss=give|Ref=GEN_49.21|Ref[BHSA]=28040|Translit=noten
6 אִמְרֵי אמר NOUN subs Gender=Masc|Number=Plur 5 obj _ Gloss=antler|Ref=GEN_49.21|Ref[BHSA]=28041|SpaceAfter=No|Translit=ʼimre
7 ־ ־ PUNCT punct _ 8 punct _ Ref=GEN_49.21|SpaceAfter=No
8 שָֽׁפֶר שׁפר NOUN subs Gender=Masc|Number=Sing 6 compound:smixut _ Gloss=antlers|Ref=GEN_49.21|Ref[BHSA]=28042|SpaceAfter=No|Translit=shafer
9 ׃ ׃ PUNCT punct _ 2 punct _ Ref=GEN_49.21
10 ס ס PUNCT punct _ 2 punct _ Ref=GEN_49.21
נפתלי אילה שלחה הנתן אמרי־שפר׃ ס
naftali ʼayalah sheluḥah hanoten ʼimre shafer s
“Naphtali is a doe that is sent, that gives antlers.”
Gender in other languages: [bej] [bg] [cs] [cy] [el] [en] [es] [fr] [ga] [grc] [hbo] [it] [myv] [ps] [pt] [qpm] [ru] [sl] [sv] [u] [uk]