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Questions & Answers about זאת אישה.
How do you pronounce זאת אישה?
It is usually pronounced zot isha.
A simple pronunciation guide:
- זאת = zot
- אישה = ee-SHA
The stress in אישה is on the last syllable: ee-SHA, not EE-sha.
Why is there no word for is in the sentence?
Because in Hebrew, the verb to be is usually not stated in the present tense.
So:
- זאת אישה literally looks like this woman
- but it means This is a woman
This is very normal Hebrew grammar. In the present tense, Hebrew often leaves out is / am / are.
Why is the first word זאת and not זה?
Because Hebrew words like this change for gender.
- זה = this for masculine
- זאת or זו = this for feminine
Since אישה means woman, which is feminine, Hebrew uses the feminine form זאת.
What does each word mean by itself?