הקפה שם.

Breakdown of הקפה שם.

קפה
coffee
שם
there
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Questions & Answers about הקפה שם.

Why is there no word for is in הקפה שם?

In Hebrew, the verb to be is usually not stated in the present tense.

So where English says The coffee is there, Hebrew simply says:

הקפה שם
literally: the coffee there

This is completely normal Hebrew.
If you wanted past or future, you would use a form of to be, for example:

  • הקפה היה שם = The coffee was there
  • הקפה יהיה שם = The coffee will be there
What does the ה־ at the beginning of הקפה mean?

The prefix ה־ is the Hebrew definite article, meaning the.

So:

  • קפה = coffee
  • הקפה = the coffee

Unlike English, Hebrew attaches the directly to the noun instead of writing it as a separate word.

How do you pronounce הקפה שם?

A common pronunciation is:

ha-ka-FE sham

More specifically:

  • הקפה = ha-ka-FE
  • שם = sham

The stress in קפה is on the last syllable: ka-FE.

What exactly does שם mean here?

Here, שם means there.

It is a very common Hebrew word for location. In this sentence, it tells you where the coffee is.

So the structure is:

  • הקפה = the coffee
  • שם = there

Together: The coffee is there.

Does שם ever mean something else?

Yes. The same spelling, שם, can also mean name.

The difference is in pronunciation and context:

  • שֵׁם = name
  • שָׁם = there

In unpointed everyday Hebrew writing, both are written the same way: שם.
In this sentence, because of the meaning and structure, it clearly means there.

Why is the word order הקפה שם and not something else?

הקפה שם is the most natural, neutral order for this simple statement:

  • subject: הקפה = the coffee
  • location: שם = there

Hebrew often uses this kind of straightforward order in simple present-tense sentences.

You can sometimes move words around for emphasis, but הקפה שם is the basic and most natural version.

Do I need a word like it in Hebrew, as in It is there?

No. Hebrew does not require a separate word like English it in this sentence.

English often needs a subject and a form of to be. Hebrew is less dependent on that in the present tense.

So instead of something like The coffee, it is there, Hebrew simply says:

הקפה שם

That is complete and correct.

Is קפה masculine or feminine?

קפה is normally treated as masculine in modern Hebrew.

That matters when you add adjectives or use verbs that show gender. For example:

  • הקפה חם = The coffee is hot
    (חם is masculine singular)

So in this sentence, even though there is no adjective or verb showing gender, learners should know that קפה is generally masculine.

Could קפה here mean café instead of coffee?

Normally, קפה by itself means coffee.

For café as a place, Hebrew usually says בית קפה, literally coffee house / coffee shop.

So in הקפה שם, the natural reading is The coffee is there, not The café is there.

How would I say The coffee is here instead?

You would usually say:

  • הקפה פה = The coffee is here
  • הקפה כאן = The coffee is here

Both פה and כאן can mean here.
So שם is the there version, while פה / כאן are the here versions.

Can this sentence be used for both there and over there?

Yes. שם is fairly broad and can often mean there, over there, or in that place, depending on context and tone.

If the exact distance matters, Hebrew can add more words, but on its own שם works well for the general idea of there.

How would this sentence look in Hebrew with vowel marks?

With vowel marks, it would normally be written:

הַקָּפֶה שָׁם

This helps show the pronunciation:

  • הַקָּפֶה = hakafe
  • שָׁם = sham

In everyday modern Hebrew, vowel marks are usually omitted, so you will normally just see:

הקפה שם