המעיל בארון, אבל הכפפות על הכיסא.

The coat is in the closet, but the gloves are on the chair.

Breakdown of המעיל בארון, אבל הכפפות על הכיסא.

• אבל: but
• ב: in
• כיסא: chair
• על: on

Questions & Answers about המעיל בארון, אבל הכפפות על הכיסא.

Why is there no word for is/are in this sentence?

Because Hebrew usually leaves out the verb to be in the present tense.

So:

• המעיל בארון = The coat is in the closet
• הכפפות על הכיסא = The gloves are on the chair

This kind of sentence is very normal in Hebrew. In the past or future, Hebrew does use a form of to be:

• המעיל היה בארון = The coat was in the closet
• הכפפות יהיו על הכיסא = The gloves will be on the chair

So the original sentence is complete and natural even without a separate word for is/are.

Why do המעיל and הכפפות start with ה?

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

So:

• מעיל = a coat / coat
• המעיל = the coat
• כפפות = gloves
• הכפפות = the gloves

It attaches directly to the noun as a prefix, unlike English, where the is a separate word.

Why is בארון written as one word?