Questions & Answers about זאת המנה של החברה, וזאת המנה של החבר.
Why is there no separate word for is in this sentence?
In Hebrew, present-tense sentences like this often omit the verb to be. So זאת המנה של החברה literally looks like this the-portion of the ..., but it naturally means this is the portion of the .... In past or future sentences, Hebrew usually does use a form of to be, such as הייתה or תהיה.
Why does the sentence use זאת and not זה?
Because מנה is a feminine singular noun, and the demonstrative has to match it. זאת is feminine singular, while זה is masculine singular. So if the noun were masculine, you would expect זה instead.
Can I say זו instead of זאת?
Yes. In Modern Hebrew, זו and זאת are both used for feminine singular this. זאת is fully correct and very common, while זו is also extremely common, especially in everyday speech. So זו המנה של החברה would also sound natural.
Why is it זאת המנה and not המנה הזאת?