Questions & Answers about זאת ודאי הכתובת הנכונה.
Why does the sentence start with זאת? What exactly is it doing here?
זאת is the feminine singular demonstrative, meaning this or sometimes that, depending on context.
In this sentence, it points to something being identified:
זאת ודאי הכתובת הנכונה = This is certainly the correct address.
So זאת is functioning like English this in This is the correct address.
A learner should also know that in modern Hebrew, זו is very common instead of זאת, especially in speech. So you may also hear:
זו ודאי הכתובת הנכונה
with basically the same meaning.
Why is there no Hebrew word for is in the sentence?
Because Hebrew normally leaves out the verb to be in the present tense.
So where English says:
- This is the correct address
Hebrew often simply says:
- זאת הכתובת הנכונה
That kind of sentence is called a nominal sentence: no present-tense is/am/are appears.
However, in the past or future, Hebrew does use forms of to be:
- זאת הייתה הכתובת הנכונה = This was the correct address
- זאת תהיה הכתובת הנכונה = This will be the correct address
What does ודאי mean, and how is it used here?