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unfoldingWord Hebrew Grammar ⌂

Pronoun Demonstrative

Summary

A demonstrative pronoun refers to a specific person(s) or thing(s) in particular. In English, the following words are demonstrative pronouns: "this", "that", "these", "those".

Article

In Biblical Hebrew, demonstrative pronouns can function either as nouns or adjectives. Demonstrative pronouns can change form according to gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) but NOT according to person (i.e. first, second, or third person).

Form

Paradigm

Demonstrative Pronoun Paradigm
Parsing Hebrew Transliteration Gloss
masculine singular near (or זֶה (זֹה / זֹו zeh (or zow / zoh) this
feminine singular near זֹאת zoth this
masculine singular far הוּא hu that
feminine singular far הִיא hi that
common plural near אֵלֶּה 'elleh these
masculine plural far הֵם / הֵמָּה hemmah / hem those
feminine plural far הֵנָּה hennah those

Note

The "far" demonstrative pronouns are identical to certain personal pronouns and must be distinguished by the context.

Function

As a noun

Example: JDG 7:4
וְהָיָ֡ה אֲשֶׁר֩ אֹמַ֨ר אֵלֶ֜יךָ זֶ֣ה ׀ יֵלֵ֣ךְ
אִתָּ֗ךְ ה֚וּא יֵלֵ֣ךְ אִתָּ֔ךְ
wehayah 'asher 'omar 'eleykha zeh yelekh 'ittakh hu yelekh
'ittakh
And-it-is that I-will-say to-you this will-go with-you that
will-go with-you
If I say to you, "This one will go with you," he will go with
you

Reciprocal

Demonstrative pronouns can be used to distinguish individuals within a group interacting with each other.

Example: ISA 6:3
וְקָרָ֨א זֶ֤ה אֶל־זֶה֙
weqara zeh 'el-zeh
And-it-called this to_this
And each one called to another

Apposition to a noun

Example: GEN 27:21
הַֽאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֛ה בְּנִ֥י
ha'attah zeh beni
the-you this my-son
you are my true son

As an adjective

as an attributive adjective

When used as an attributive adjective, a demonstrative pronoun often follows the noun, and both terms can take the definite article. Sometimes neither the noun nor the demonstrative pronoun takes the definite article. In either case, the demonstrative pronoun makes the described noun definite.

Example: ISA 18:23
הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה
haddevarim ha'elleh
the-words the-these
these words
Example: JOS 2:20
דְּבָרֵ֣נוּ זֶ֑ה
devarenu zeh
our-business this
this business of ours
Example: 1KI 19:5
וְהִנֵּֽה־זֶ֤ה מַלְאָךְ֙
wehinneh-zeh mal'akh
And-behold this angel
Suddenly an angel

as a Predicative adjective

Example: JDG 4:14
זֶ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙
zeh hayyom
this the-day
this is the day

As a relative particle

Example: PSA 74:2
הַר־צִ֝יֹּ֗ון זֶ֤ה׀ שָׁכַ֬נְתָּ בֹּֽו׃
har-tsiyyown zeh shakhanta bow
Mount_Zion this you-lived in-it.
Mount Zion, where you live.
Example: PSA 104:26
לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן זֶֽה־יָצַ֥רְתָּ
liwyathan zeh-yatsarta
Leviathan this_you-formed
Leviathan, which you formed
Example: GEN 47:6
אֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְפָנֶ֣יךָ הִ֔וא
'erets mitsrayim lefaneykha hiw
Land-of Egypt to-your-face that
The land of Egypt is before you