היא יושבת על הכיסא וקוראת עיתון.

she

Breakdown of היא יושבת על הכיסא וקוראת עיתון.

• ו: and
• כיסא: chair
• לשבת: to sit

Questions & Answers about היא יושבת על הכיסא וקוראת עיתון.

Why is there no separate word for is in this sentence?

In modern Hebrew, present-tense sentences usually do not use a separate word for is / am / are.

So:

• היא יושבת = she is sitting
• היא קוראת = she is reading

Hebrew simply uses the present-tense verb form, and English adds is when translating.

Why are the verbs יושבת and קוראת in these forms?

Both are present-tense feminine singular forms.

• יושבת = sitting
• קוראת = reading

They match the subject היא = she, which is feminine singular.

If the subject were masculine, the forms would change:

• הוא יושב על הכיסא וקורא עיתון.
• He is sitting on the chair and reading a newspaper.

How do I know that היא means she?

היא is the independent pronoun for she.

A few basic pronouns for comparison:

• הוא = he
• היא = she
• אני = I
• אתה = you, masculine singular
• את = you, feminine singular

So once you see היא, you expect feminine agreement in the rest of the sentence.

Why is the pronoun היא included at all? Doesn't the verb already show the subject?