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

• (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".