זה בית קטן.

this

Breakdown of זה בית קטן.

• בית: house
• קטן: small

Questions & Answers about זה בית קטן.

What does זה mean in this sentence?

Here זה means this in the sense of this is.

So זה בית קטן is literally something like:

• this / it — house — small

In natural English, that becomes This is a small house.

In modern Hebrew, זה can also sometimes feel like it or even that, depending on context, but in this pattern at the start of the sentence, learners usually meet it as this is.

Why is there no Hebrew word for is?

Because in the present tense, Hebrew usually does not use a separate word for am / is / are.

So:

• זה בית קטן = This is a small house
• literally: This small house

The meaning is is understood automatically.

But in the past or future, Hebrew does use forms of to be, for example from היה.

Why is בית translated as a house when there is no word for a?