כמו שכתוב בחשבון החשמל, התעריף שונה.

In the present tense, Hebrew usually does not use a separate word for to be.

So:

• התעריף שונה = The tariff/rate is different
• literally, it is just the tariff different

This is completely normal in Hebrew.
If you wanted past or future, then Hebrew would use forms of היה / יהיה:

• התעריף היה שונה = The tariff was different
• התעריף יהיה שונה = The tariff will be different

כמו שכתוב means as written or as it is written.

It breaks down like this:

• כמו = like / as
• ש־ = that / which / as
• כתוב = written

So the whole phrase means something like:

• as written
• as is written
• just as it says

This is a very common Hebrew expression when referring to something written in a text, bill, sign, contract, message, and so on.

The ש־ connects כמו to a whole clause.

• כמו שכתוב = as it is written
• not just like written

In English, we often need a full structure such as as it says or as is written. Hebrew uses ש־ very often to introduce that kind of subordinate clause.

So כמו שכתוב sounds natural, while כמו כתוב would sound incomplete or incorrect in normal usage.

כתוב is the passive participle of the verb לכתוב (to write).

So:

• כותב = writing / writes
• כתוב = written

In כמו שכתוב, it means written:

• כמו שכתוב בחשבון החשמל = as written on the electricity bill

This passive participle is very common in Hebrew:

• כתוב בספר = it is written in the book
• כתוב כאן = it is written here / it says here

בחשבון החשמל means in/on the electricity bill.

Breakdown:

• ב־ = in / on
• חשבון = bill / account
• החשמל = the electricity

Here חשבון החשמל is a construct phrase (called smikhut), meaning:

• bill of the electricity
• naturally in English: the electricity bill

In Hebrew construct phrases, the definiteness often appears on the second noun:

• חשבון החשמל = the electricity bill
• not החשבון החשמל in this structure

So this is the normal Hebrew way to say it.

Because חשבון החשמל is a construct chain.

In Hebrew construct chains:

• the first noun usually does not take ה־
• the second noun carries the definiteness for the whole phrase

So:

• חשבון חשמל = an electricity bill
• חשבון החשמל = the electricity bill

This is a very important Hebrew pattern. More examples:

• בית ספר = a school
• בית הספר = the school

So בחשבון החשמל is exactly what you would expect grammatically.

תעריף means rate, tariff, or sometimes pricing rate depending on context.

With ה־, it becomes התעריף = the tariff / the rate.

The sentence is talking about a specific rate, not just any rate, so the definite article makes sense.

Also, תעריף is masculine singular, which matters because the next word agrees with it.

שונה here agrees with התעריף, which is masculine singular.

So:

• masculine singular: שונה
• feminine singular: שונה
• masculine plural: שונים
• feminine plural: שונות

Even though masculine and feminine singular look the same here, the form is still chosen according to the noun it describes.

Since תעריף is masculine singular, שונה is the correct form.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Common meanings of שונה include:

• different
• changed
• unusual (in some contexts)

In this sentence, the most natural meaning is usually different:

• התעריף שונה = the rate is different

But in some situations, a listener might also understand something close to the rate has changed. Context decides which nuance is stronger.

If Hebrew wanted to say very clearly has changed, it might use another wording such as:

• התעריף השתנה = the tariff/rate changed

So שונה here is descriptive, while השתנה is more clearly an action/change.

Literally, ב־ usually means in. But in Hebrew, it is often used where English would say on, especially with written material.

So:

• כתוב בחשבון החשמל
• literally: written in the electricity bill
• natural English: written on the electricity bill

This is very normal. Hebrew often uses ב־ for something appearing inside a document, message, article, bill, contract, etc.

The sentence starts with a frame or reference point:

• כמו שכתוב בחשבון החשמל = as written on the electricity bill

Then it gives the main statement:

• התעריף שונה = the rate is different

This order is natural when the speaker wants to first point to the source of information and then make the claim.

English also does this:

• As written on the electricity bill, the rate is different

Hebrew could also rearrange things in some contexts, but this version sounds formal and clear.

The comma separates the introductory phrase from the main clause.

So the structure is:

• introductory phrase: כמו שכתוב בחשבון החשמל
• main clause: התעריף שונה

The comma helps the reader process the sentence more easily. It is similar to English punctuation after an opening phrase like:

• As written on the electricity bill, ...
• According to the bill, ...

In informal writing, people are not always perfectly consistent with commas, but here the comma is helpful and natural.

A simple pronunciation guide would be:

• k'mo she-kha-TUV be-khesh-BON ha-khash-MAL, ha-ta-A-rif sho-NEH

A few notes:

• כמו is often pronounced quickly, almost like k'mo
• כתוב is stressed on the last syllable: ka-TUV
• חשבון is stressed on the last syllable: khesh-BON
• חשמל is stressed on the last syllable: khash-MAL
• שונה is stressed on the last syllable: sho-NEH

The ח sound is a throaty sound with no exact English equivalent.