When I first started to learn Hebrew, I thought I could just translate English sentences word for word. Spoiler alert: that didn’t work out so well. Hebrew has its own unique rhythm and structure — but once you grasp the basics, it starts to feel intuitive. In this post, we’ll explore the fundamentals of Hebrew sentence structure, especially tailored for beginners.
Understanding how Hebrew sentences are built is essential if you want to communicate clearly, avoid common mistakes, and make real progress. Whether you’re learning for travel, religion, or just for fun, mastering sentence structure will give your Hebrew skills a serious boost.
Let’s break it down, step by step.
Hebrew for Beginners: The SVO Structure (Sometimes)
In English, we often follow the SVO pattern: Subject–Verb–Object.
For example:
"I eat apples."
Subject = I, Verb = eat, Object = apples.
In Hebrew, the default sentence structure is also SVO, but there are a few twists.
Example in Hebrew:
אני אוכל תפוחים (ani okhel tapuchim) – "I eat apples."
אני (ani) = I
אוכל (okhel) = eat (masculine)
תפוחים (tapuchim) = apples
So far, pretty familiar, right? But here’s where Hebrew gets interesting…
Gender and Verb Agreement in Hebrew Sentences
Hebrew verbs agree in gender and number with the subject — something English doesn’t do. This means verbs change depending on whether you're male, female, singular, or plural.
Examples:
אני אוכל (ani okhel) – "I eat" (male)
אני אוכלת (ani ochelet) – "I eat" (female)
אנחנו אוכלים (anachnu okhlim) – "We eat" (group of males or mixed)
אנחנו אוכלות (anachnu okhlot) – "We eat" (group of females)
✅ Hebrew language tip: When learning Hebrew verbs, always learn both the masculine and feminine forms — it’ll save you from awkward mix-ups later.
Word Order with Adjectives and Nouns
Another important difference is the order of nouns and adjectives.
In English:
“A big house” → adjective comes first
In Hebrew:
בית גדול (bayit gadol) – "house big"
בית (bayit) = house
גדול (gadol) = big (masculine)
If the noun is feminine, the adjective must match:
מכונית אדומה (mekhonit aduma) – "red car" (feminine noun and adjective)
✅ Hebrew for beginners tip: Always match adjectives to the gender and number of the noun.
Asking Questions in Hebrew
Here's something fun: you don’t need to change word order to ask a question in Hebrew.
In English:
“Are you coming?” (Verb-Subject)
In Hebrew:
אתה בא? (ata ba?) – literally, "You coming?"
It’s all about intonation — just raise your voice a bit at the end.
Some question words you’ll use often:
מה (ma) – what
מי (mi) – who
איפה (eyfo) – where
מתי (matai) – when
למה (lama) – why
איך (eych) – how
Example:
מה אתה עושה? (ma ata ose?) – "What are you doing?"
Hebrew Sentence Structure with Negation
Want to say "I don’t eat apples"? Just add לא (lo) before the verb.
אני לא אוכל תפוחים (ani lo okhel tapuchim) – "I don't eat apples"
It’s that simple! No need to restructure the sentence. Just insert לא before the verb, and you’re good to go.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are a few beginner traps I fell into — so you don’t have to:
Using English word order: Hebrew doesn't say “red apple” as "red apple", but "apple red" → תפוח אדום
Forgetting gender agreement: Saying ילדה יפה (yalda yafeh) instead of ילדה יפה (yalda yafa) – a very common error!
Mixing up verb forms: Especially confusing at first, but don’t skip practicing them.
✅ Tip: Focus on learning Hebrew sentence patterns, not just vocabulary. It’s like learning music — rhythm matters.
Practice: Build Your Own Hebrew Sentences
Try making your own sentence with this simple formula:
[Subject] + [Verb] + [Object/Complement]
Example 1:
אני לומד עברית (ani lomed ivrit) – "I am learning Hebrew" (spoken by a male)
Example 2:
את לומדת עברית (at lomedet ivrit) – "You (female) are learning Hebrew"
Want to add an adjective?
היא אישה חכמה (hi isha chachama) – "She is a smart woman"
Try switching out subjects, verbs, and objects to build your own mini-conversations.
Conclusion: Start Speaking with Confidence
Learning Hebrew sentence structure might feel intimidating at first, but trust me — with a little practice, you’ll start to recognize patterns and speak more naturally. The key is not to memorize long lists, but to build real sentences and use them in context.
So here’s my challenge to you:
Write three sentences in Hebrew today. Keep it simple, and say them out loud. Make it a daily habit. You’ll be surprised how quickly it sticks.
If you found this guide helpful, explore more Hebrew language tips on our blog — and happy learning!