את מכירה אותם מהעבודה, אבל אני רואה אותם רק היום.

Hebrew has two different words spelled את in normal writing:

• אַת = you, feminine singular
• אֶת = the direct object marker

In this sentence, את מכירה... means you know..., so את is the subject pronoun you.

A useful clue is the next word:

• את מכירה = you feminine know
• אני רואה את... would be I see ... with the object marker before a noun

In speech, they sound different:

• אַת = at
• אֶת = et

Because את is feminine singular, and the present-tense verb form agrees with it.

• את מכירה = you feminine know
• אתה מכיר = you masculine know

So the sentence is being said to one woman. If you were speaking to one man, it would be:

• אתה מכיר אותם מהעבודה...

This is a very common learner question.

Hebrew usually uses:

• להכיר for knowing a person, being acquainted with someone, recognizing someone
• לדעת for knowing facts, information, or how to do something

So:

• אני מכיר אותו = I know him / I am acquainted with him
• אני יודע את התשובה = I know the answer

In this sentence, since the object is them as people, להכיר is the natural verb.

Because אותם means them as a direct object, while הם means they as a subject.

• הם = they
• אותם = them

So:

• הם עובדים פה = They work here
• אני רואה אותם = I see them

Also, אותם is the masculine plural form, and it is also used for a mixed-gender group. For an all-female group, you would normally use אותן.

Because each verb has its own direct object.

The sentence has two clauses:

• את מכירה אותם מהעבודה
• אבל אני רואה אותם רק היום

In each clause, them is the object of the verb, so Hebrew repeats אותם.

English can sometimes avoid repetition in similar sentences, but in Hebrew this repetition is completely normal and natural.

מהעבודה is made of:

• מ־ = from
• העבודה = the work / the job

Together:

• מ + העבודה = מהעבודה

This happens because the preposition מ־ combines with the definite article ה־.

In context, מהעבודה usually means something like:

• from work
• through work
• from the workplace
• via work

Here, מכירה אותם מהעבודה means you know them through work or from work.

Because Hebrew normally does not use the verb to be in the present tense.

So:

• אני רואה = I see / I am seeing
• היא עייפה = she is tired
• אנחנו בבית = we are at home

Hebrew simply leaves out the present-tense am / is / are.

In unpointed Hebrew writing, רואה can represent either:

• masculine singular ro'eh
• feminine singular ro'ah

So on the page, אני רואה is ambiguous.

In speech, the pronunciation shows the speaker’s gender:

• male speaker: אני רואה = ani ro'eh
• female speaker: אני רואה = ani ro'ah

So the written sentence could be said by either a man or a woman.

Sometimes yes, because Hebrew often allows subject pronouns to be left out when the verb already shows the person, number, or gender.

But in this sentence, keeping them is very natural because there is a contrast:

• את know them from work,
• אבל אני only see them today.

The pronouns help highlight the contrast between you and I.

It means only today or just today.

So the idea is:

• You know them from work,
• but I am seeing them only today.

The placement of רק matters. In this sentence, רק היום means the limitation is on today.

Compare:

• אני רואה אותם רק היום = I see them only today
• אני רואה רק אותם היום = I see only them today

So changing the position of רק changes what is being emphasized.

Yes. It is very natural.

A basic way to view it is:

• את = subject
• מכירה = verb
• אותם = object
• מהעבודה = prepositional phrase

and then:

• אבל = but
• אני = subject
• רואה = verb
• אותם = object
• רק היום = time expression with emphasis

So the sentence follows a very common Hebrew pattern and sounds normal in everyday speech.