Adjective Agreement in Hebrew

Overview

The concept of Adjective Agreement (תארים) is a beginner-level topic in Hebrew grammar. Adjectives agree in gender/number, follow the noun: ילד גדול (big boy), ילדה גדולה (big girl). Both take הַ- when definite.

Understanding adjective agreement builds on your knowledge of Noun Gender and is essential for constructing natural-sounding Hebrew sentences. This topic is classified at the A1 level of the CEFR framework, meaning it is expected of learners at the beginner stage.

Even at the early stages, getting comfortable with adjective agreement will give you the confidence to express yourself more clearly. Hebrew learners often find that once they grasp this concept, many other parts of the language start to fall into place.

How It Works

Key Principles

Adjectives agree in gender/number, follow the noun: ילד גדול (big boy), ילדה גדולה (big girl). Both take הַ- when definite.

Core Forms

Hebrew	Meaning
ספר טוב	a good book
ילדה יפה	a pretty girl
הבית הגדול	the big house
חברים טובים	good friends

Agreement Rules

Adjectives in Hebrew must agree with their noun in three ways: gender, number, and definiteness.

Noun	Adjective	Combined	English
ילד (m.sg)	גדול	ילד גדול	a big boy
ילדה (f.sg)	גדולה	ילדה גדולה	a big girl
ילדים (m.pl)	גדולים	ילדים גדולים	big boys
ילדות (f.pl)	גדולות	ילדות גדולות	big girls

Definite Agreement

When the noun is definite (has הַ-), the adjective must also take הַ-:

Indefinite	Definite
ילד גדול (a big boy)	הילד הגדול (the big boy)
ילדה יפה (a pretty girl)	הילדה היפה (the pretty girl)

Examples in Context

Hebrew	English	Note
ספר טוב	a good book	common usage
ילדה יפה	a pretty girl	common usage
הבית הגדול	the big house	common usage
חברים טובים	good friends	common usage
ספרים טובים	good books	masculine plural agreement
ילדות קטנות	small girls	feminine plural agreement
הסרט הישן	the old movie	definite agreement
מכונית חדשה	a new car	feminine singular agreement

Common Mistakes

Wrong word order

• Wrong: Placing the comparative/modifier in the English position
• Right: Follow Hebrew word order conventions
• Why: Hebrew has specific rules about where modifiers and comparatives are placed relative to the words they modify.

Forgetting agreement rules

• Wrong: Leaving adjectives or quantifiers in their base form
• Right: Agree in gender, number, and definiteness as required
• Why: Hebrew requires strict agreement between nouns and their modifiers.

Mixing up formal and informal forms

• Wrong: Using הכי in formal writing or ביותר in casual speech
• Right: Match the form to the register
• Why: Hebrew has distinct formal and informal ways to express the same concept. Mixing registers sounds awkward.

Practice Tips

1. Create flashcards with examples of adjective agreement. On one side, write the Hebrew; on the other, the English translation and a note about the rule. Review daily until the pattern feels natural.
2. Practice with a language partner or tutor. Have them create sentences that test your understanding of adjective agreement, and then try producing your own sentences using the same patterns.

Related Concepts

• Noun Gender — prerequisite concept
• Comparison — builds on this concept
• Quantifiers and Intensifiers — builds on this concept
• Complex Agreement Patterns — builds on this concept