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Breakdown of מחר בערב אנחנו אוכלים אצל סבא וסבתא, לא אצלנו בבית.
ו
and
לא
not
ב
in
מחר
tomorrow
לאכול
to eat
בית
home
אנחנו
we
ב
at
ערב
evening
סבא
grandpa
סבתא
grandma
אצל
at
אצלנו
at our place
Questions & Answers about מחר בערב אנחנו אוכלים אצל סבא וסבתא, לא אצלנו בבית.
Why is אוכלים in the present tense if the sentence is about tomorrow?
In Hebrew, the present tense is often used for a planned future event, especially in everyday speech. So מחר בערב אנחנו אוכלים... is like English Tomorrow evening we’re eating... It sounds natural for arrangements and scheduled plans. A more explicitly future form would be נאכל, but אנחנו אוכלים is very common here.
Does אוכלים mean eat or are eating?
It can mean either one, depending on context. Hebrew does not usually separate simple present and progressive the way English does. So אוכלים can mean eat, are eating, or, in a sentence like this, are going to eat / are eating tomorrow because the time expression makes the meaning clear.
Why is אנחנו included? Could Hebrew leave it out?
In the present tense, Hebrew verbs do not show person clearly. אוכלים can mean we eat, you all eat, or they eat, depending on context. Because of that, אנחנו is helpful and often necessary to show that the subject is we.
Why is it אוכלים and not אוכלות?
אוכלים is the masculine plural present form. Hebrew uses the masculine plural for a group of men or a mixed-gender group. If the speakers were all female, it would be אנחנו אוכלות.
What does אצל mean here?
אצל usually means at someone’s place, by, or sometimes with, depending on context. In this sentence, אצל סבא וסבתא means at Grandpa and Grandma’s place. This is a very common Hebrew way to talk about being at someone’s home.
Why does it say אצל סבא וסבתא and not אצל סבא וסבתא שלי?
Hebrew often leaves out שלי when the relationship is obvious from context. So סבא וסבתא can naturally mean my grandpa and grandma if that is already understood. If you want to be fully explicit, אצל סבא וסבתא שלי is also correct.
What exactly is אצלנו?
אצלנו is אצל plus the suffix ־נו, meaning at our place or with us. So לא אצלנו means not at our place. Hebrew often attaches pronoun endings directly to prepositions this way.
Why does the sentence say אצלנו בבית? Isn’t אצלנו enough?
Yes, אצלנו by itself could already mean at our place. Adding בבית makes it more explicit: at our house / at home. So לא אצלנו בבית is a natural, slightly fuller way to say not at our house.
Why is the time expression מחר בערב at the beginning of the sentence?
Putting time expressions first is very common in Hebrew. מחר בערב sets the scene right away: tomorrow evening. You could also say אנחנו אוכלים מחר בערב..., but starting with the time sounds very natural.
Why is לא placed before אצלנו בבית?
Because לא negates the phrase that follows it. Here the speaker is making a contrast: at Grandpa and Grandma’s place, not at our house. The comma helps show that contrast in writing, but in speech the main thing is the pause and emphasis.
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