המשאבה מתחברת לשסתום.

ה- is the Hebrew definite article, equivalent to the in English.

So:

• משאבה = a pump / pump
• המשאבה = the pump

It is attached directly to the noun, unlike English, where the is a separate word.

Because משאבה is a feminine singular noun, and the present-tense verb form has to agree with it.

In Hebrew present tense, these forms change for gender and number:

• מתחבר = masculine singular
• מתחברת = feminine singular
• מתחברים = masculine plural
• מתחברות = feminine plural

Since המשאבה is feminine singular, מתחברת is the correct form.

A very common clue is the ending -ה. Many Hebrew nouns ending in -ה are feminine, and משאבה is one of them.

That does not mean every noun ending in -ה is feminine, but it is a strong and useful pattern for learners.

You can also see that it is feminine from the agreement in the sentence: the verb is מתחברת, not מתחבר.

The dictionary form is the infinitive להתחבר, which means to connect, to attach, or in other contexts to join.

So the forms are:

• להתחבר = to connect / to join
• מתחבר = connects / is connecting / connecting (masculine singular)
• מתחברת = connects / is connecting / connecting (feminine singular)

The root is ח-ב-ר, which is connected with ideas like joining, connecting, or linking.

Yes. מתחברת comes from the Hitpa'el pattern (התפעל).

A very useful way to recognize it in the present tense is the prefix:

• מת- in the present tense often points to Hitpa'el

So:

• להתחבר = infinitive
• מתחברת = present feminine singular

This pattern often has reflexive, reciprocal, or intransitive-like meanings, but you do not need to force a single English label onto it. In this sentence, the natural meaning is simply that the pump connects to the valve.

Because the verb להתחבר normally goes with the preposition ל-, meaning to.

So Hebrew says:

• להתחבר ל-... = to connect to ...

That is why the sentence uses:

• מתחברת לשסתום = connects to the valve / to a valve

This is similar to English, where we also usually say connect to, not just connect by itself in this kind of sentence.

Because שסתום is not a direct object here. It is part of a prepositional phrase introduced by ל-.

Hebrew uses את only before a definite direct object.

Compare:

• אני רואה את השסתום = I see the valve
  
  • here השסתום is a direct object, so את appears

But in your sentence:

• המשאבה מתחברת לשסתום
  
  • לשסתום means to the valve / to a valve
  • it is introduced by ל-
  • so את is not used

Without vowel marks, it can be either one.

In normal modern Hebrew spelling, both of these look the same:

• לְשסתום = to a valve
• לַשסתום = to the valve

So לשסתום is ambiguous in unpointed text. Context tells you which meaning is intended.

This is very common in Hebrew, because prepositions like ל-, ב-, and כ- attach directly to the following word, and when they combine with ה- (the), the difference is usually not shown in everyday spelling.

No. This is an important difference.

• מתחברת = connects / is connecting / gets connected
• מחוברת = connected / is connected

So:

• המשאבה מתחברת לשסתום = the pump connects to the valve / is connecting to the valve
• המשאבה מחוברת לשסתום = the pump is connected to the valve

In technical or instructional language, מתחברת can describe how something attaches, while מחוברת describes the state after the connection already exists.

Yes. מתחברת is a present-tense form.

In Hebrew, present-tense forms often behave a bit like participles, so depending on context they can translate in several ways:

• connects
• is connecting
• connecting

In a technical sentence like this, the most natural English is often a simple present such as the pump connects to the valve.

Yes. המשאבה מתחברת לשסתום is a very normal, neutral word order.

It is basically:

• subject: המשאבה
• verb: מתחברת
• prepositional phrase: לשסתום

Hebrew word order is more flexible than English, but this sentence sounds straightforward and standard.

שסתום is a noun, and it is masculine singular.

Its gender does not affect the verb in this sentence, because it is not the subject. The subject is המשאבה, so the verb agrees with המשאבה, not with שסתום.

That is why the verb is feminine singular:

• המשאבה מתחברת...

even though שסתום itself is masculine.