המתנה כאן, ואני רוצה לתת אותה לסבתא.

The gift is here, and I want to give it to Grandma.

Breakdown of המתנה כאן, ואני רוצה לתת אותה לסבתא.

• אני: I
• לרצות: to want
• כאן: here
• ו: and

Questions & Answers about המתנה כאן, ואני רוצה לתת אותה לסבתא.

Why is there no Hebrew word for is in המתנה כאן?

In Hebrew, present-tense sentences often leave out the verb to be.

So המתנה כאן is literally the gift here, but it means The gift is here.

This is very normal in Hebrew. Compare:

• המתנה כאן = The gift is here
• המתנה הייתה כאן = The gift was here
• המתנה תהיה כאן = The gift will be here

In the past and future, Hebrew does use a verb for be, but usually not in the present.

What does the ה־ at the beginning of המתנה mean?

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

So:

• מתנה = a gift / gift
• המתנה = the gift

It is attached directly to the noun, rather than written as a separate word the way English writes the.

How do I know המתנה here means the gift and not the waiting?