יש מים.

There is water.

Breakdown of יש מים.

• יש: there is
• מים: water

Questions & Answers about יש מים.

What does יש mean here?

יש is an existential word. In this sentence, it means there is or there are.

So יש מים means something like:

• There is water
• There’s some water

It is not a regular verb in the same way as English to be.

Why isn’t there a separate word for is or there?

Hebrew often expresses existence with יש all by itself.

In English, you need a structure like there is.
In Hebrew, יש already covers that idea.

So:

• יש מים = There is water
• יש ספר = There is a book
• יש אנשים = There are people

You do not add a separate word for there.

Why is מים used for water? It looks plural.

That is a very common learner question.

מים is the normal Hebrew word for water, even though it has a plural-looking ending.

Historically and grammatically, it behaves like a plural form, but in meaning it usually refers to water as a substance, not waters in the normal English sense.

That is why you may also see plural agreement with it in other sentences, for example:

• מים קרים = cold water
  literally, the adjective is in a plural form

So the important thing to remember is:

• מים = the ordinary word for water
• even though its form looks plural

Does יש change for singular or plural?

No. יש stays the same.

It can be used with both singular and plural nouns:

• יש ספר = There is a book
• יש ספרים = There are books
• יש מים = There is water

Unlike English is/are, Hebrew does not change יש here.

Why is there no word for some in יש מים?

Hebrew often does not need a separate word for some.

A bare noun like מים can mean:

• water
• some water

The exact sense depends on context.

So יש מים could naturally be understood as:

• There is water
• There is some water available

Hebrew has no indefinite article like English a/an, and often leaves this kind of thing unstated.

Why is there no the before מים?

Because the sentence is talking about water in a general or indefinite way, not the water.

Hebrew marks definiteness with ה־ attached to the noun. So:

• מים = water / some water
• המים = the water

In this sentence, יש מים sounds natural because it means water is available or present.

If you said יש המים, that would usually not be the normal way to express the idea.

How is יש מים pronounced?

It is pronounced approximately:

yesh MA-yim

A more detailed guide:

• יש = yesh
• מים = MA-yim

The stress in מים is on the first syllable: MA-yim.

Why is the order יש מים and not מים יש?

In ordinary existential sentences, Hebrew normally starts with יש.

So the usual pattern is:

• יש + noun

Examples:

• יש זמן = There is time
• יש בעיה = There is a problem
• יש מים = There is water

Putting מים first would sound marked, unusual, or dependent on special context.

Can יש מים also mean I have water?

Not by itself.

יש can also be used in possession sentences, but then Hebrew adds a prepositional pronoun:

• יש לי מים = I have water
• יש לך מים = You have water
• יש להם מים = They have water

So:

• יש מים = There is water
• יש לי מים = I have water

That difference is very important.

How would I make this sentence negative or turn it into a question?

To make it negative, Hebrew usually uses אין:

• אין מים = There is no water

To make it a yes/no question, you can usually just use intonation:

• יש מים? = Is there water?

So the basic pattern is:

• יש מים = There is water
• אין מים = There is no water
• יש מים? = Is there water?