במקרר יש ביצים, גבינה ומלפפון אחד.

Breakdown of במקרר יש ביצים, גבינה ומלפפון אחד.

יש
there is
ו
and
ב
in
ביצה
egg
גבינה
cheese
מקרר
fridge
מלפפון
cucumber
אחד
one

Questions & Answers about במקרר יש ביצים, גבינה ומלפפון אחד.

Why is ב attached directly to מקרר in במקרר?

Because Hebrew often attaches short prepositions directly to the next word.

  • ב־ = in
  • מקרר = refrigerator / fridge

So במקרר is literally in + refrigerator.

This is very normal in Hebrew. You will also see the same thing with other short prepositions, such as ל־ (to/for) and כ־ (as/like).

What happened to the ה of המקרר if the meaning is in the fridge?

When ב־ combines with ה־ (the), Hebrew usually merges them.

So underlyingly, this is:

  • ב + ה + מקרר

And in normal writing it becomes:

  • במקרר

In pronunciation, the definite form is typically ba-mekarer, even though the ה is no longer written as a separate letter.

Does במקרר always mean in the fridge, or could it also mean in a fridge?

In unpointed Hebrew spelling, במקרר can be ambiguous.

It can represent either:

  • in the fridge
  • in a fridge

Usually, context tells you which one is meant. In everyday situations, with something like a household fridge, people often understand it as in the fridge.

What does יש mean in this sentence?

יש means there is or there are.

It is used to express existence:

  • יש ביצים = there are eggs
  • יש גבינה = there is cheese

So in this sentence, יש introduces the things that are present in the fridge.

Why doesn’t Hebrew use a normal present-tense verb for there are here?

Because Hebrew normally does not use a present-tense form of to be the way English does.

In an existence sentence, Hebrew uses יש instead.

Compare:

  • במקרר יש ביצים = There are eggs in the fridge
  • הביצים במקרר = The eggs are in the fridge

In the second sentence, there is no separate present-tense word for are.

Why is יש the same even though ביצים is plural?

Because יש does not change for singular or plural.

English distinguishes:

  • there is
  • there are

Hebrew usually just uses יש for both:

  • יש מלפפון אחד = there is one cucumber
  • יש ביצים = there are eggs

So יש stays the same no matter how many things follow.

Why is אחד after מלפפון instead of before it?

In Modern Hebrew, when אחד/אחת means the number one, it usually comes after the noun.

So:

  • מלפפון אחד = one cucumber
  • ביצה אחת = one egg

This is different from English, where one usually comes before the noun.

Why is it אחד and not אחת?

Because מלפפון is a masculine noun, and אחד is the masculine form of one.

  • masculine: אחד
  • feminine: אחת

So:

  • מלפפון אחד = one cucumber
  • ביצה אחת = one egg

The number has to match the grammatical gender of the noun.

Why is there no word for a/an before מלפפון?

Because Hebrew has no indefinite article.

English has:

  • a cucumber
  • an egg

Hebrew usually just uses the noun by itself for that idea.

So מלפפון can mean a cucumber depending on context. In this sentence, אחד does not mean a; it specifically means one.

Why is גבינה singular, while ביצים is plural?

Because גבינה is being used as a mass noun, like English cheese.

You normally say:

  • יש גבינה = there is cheese

not because there is exactly one cheese, but because it is an uncounted substance.

By contrast, ביצים are individual countable items, so the plural is used naturally:

  • יש ביצים = there are eggs
Could the word order be different?

Yes. Hebrew has some flexibility here.

במקרר יש ביצים, גבינה ומלפפון אחד is very natural because it starts with the location: in the fridge.

You could also say:

  • יש במקרר ביצים, גבינה ומלפפון אחד

The meaning is basically the same, but the emphasis shifts a little. Starting with במקרר helps set the scene first.

AI Language TutorTry it ↗
What's the best way to learn Hebrew grammar?
Hebrew grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Hebrew

Master Hebrew — from במקרר יש ביצים, גבינה ומלפפון אחד to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • AI tutor to answer your grammar questions