Breakdown of התרגיל הזה קל יותר מהתרגיל של אתמול.
Questions & Answers about התרגיל הזה קל יותר מהתרגיל של אתמול.
Why does הזה come after התרגיל? In English we say this exercise, not exercise this.
In Hebrew, demonstratives like הזה (this, masculine singular) usually come after the noun:
- התרגיל הזה = this exercise
- literally: the exercise this
This is the normal Hebrew word order for this/that with nouns.
A few matching forms are:
- הזה = this (masculine singular)
- הזאת / זו = this (feminine singular)
- האלה = these
So:
- הספר הזה = this book
- הילדה הזאת = this girl
Why is there a ה־ at the beginning of התרגיל?
The prefix ה־ is the Hebrew definite article, equivalent to the in English.
So:
- תרגיל = an exercise / exercise
- התרגיל = the exercise
In התרגיל הזה, Hebrew uses both the definite article and the demonstrative:
- התרגיל הזה = this exercise
- literally: the exercise this
That is the standard pattern in Hebrew.
How is the comparison easier than formed in this sentence?
Hebrew often forms comparisons with:
- יותר = more
- adjective
- מ־ = than / from
So in this sentence:
- קל יותר = more easy = easier
- מהתרגיל של אתמול = than the exercise of yesterday
Structure:
- X + adjective + יותר + מ־Y
- or often X + יותר + adjective + מ־Y
Both patterns are common, and יותר קל is also very natural.
So:
- התרגיל הזה קל יותר מהתרגיל של אתמול
- התרגיל הזה יותר קל מהתרגיל של אתמול
Both mean the same thing.
Why does מהתרגיל mean than the exercise? I thought מ־ means from.
Good question. The prefix מ־ basically means from, but in comparisons Hebrew uses the same prefix for than.
So:
- מבית = from a house
- מהבית = from the house
- מהתרגיל = from the exercise / than the exercise
In a comparative sentence, English uses than, but Hebrew uses מ־.
Examples:
- הוא גבוה ממני = He is taller than me
- literally: He is tall from-me
So in your sentence:
- קל יותר מהתרגיל של אתמול = easier than yesterday’s exercise
Why is it של אתמול? Does that literally mean of yesterday?
Yes. של usually means of or shows possession, like 's in English.
So:
- התרגיל של אתמול = the exercise of yesterday
- natural English: yesterday’s exercise
Hebrew often uses של where English would use 's or an adjective-like phrase.
More examples:
- הספר של דני = Danny’s book
- הפגישה של מחר = tomorrow’s meeting
- החדשות של היום = today’s news
So של אתמול is a very normal way to say yesterday’s.
Why is the adjective קל and not קלה?
Because תרגיל is a masculine singular noun, and adjectives in Hebrew usually agree with the noun in gender and number.
- תרגיל = masculine singular
- so the adjective is קל = easy (masculine singular)
If the noun were feminine, you would use קלה:
- המשימה הזאת קלה יותר = this task is easier
Agreement patterns:
- קל = masculine singular
- קלה = feminine singular
- קלים = masculine plural
- קלות = feminine plural
Can I also say התרגיל הזה יותר קל מהתרגיל של אתמול?
Yes. That is completely natural Hebrew.
Both are common:
- התרגיל הזה קל יותר מהתרגיל של אתמול
- התרגיל הזה יותר קל מהתרגיל של אתמול
They both mean This exercise is easier than yesterday’s exercise.
The second version, with יותר before the adjective, is especially common in everyday speech.
How would this sentence be pronounced?
A simple pronunciation guide:
ha-tar-GIL ha-ZE kal yo-TER me-ha-tar-GIL shel et-MOL
A few notes:
- התרגיל = ha-targíl
- הזה = ha-zé
- יותר = yotér
- של = shel
- אתמול = etmól
The stress is usually on the last syllable in:
- תרגיל
- יותר
- אתמול
Why is התרגיל repeated instead of just saying מהשל אתמול or something shorter?
Hebrew normally keeps the noun:
- מהתרגיל של אתמול = than yesterday’s exercise
That is the clear, standard way to say it.
English often avoids repeating nouns more easily, but Hebrew frequently keeps them for clarity. So repeating התרגיל sounds natural here.
Is אתמול just a noun here, or is it acting like an adjective?
אתמול literally means yesterday, and in של אתמול it behaves like a time word linked by של.
So Hebrew is not using a special adjective meaning yesterday’s. Instead, it says:
- the exercise of yesterday
That is how Hebrew commonly expresses this idea.
Compare:
- העיתון של היום = today’s newspaper
- הפגישה של מחר = tomorrow’s meeting
So אתמול itself still means yesterday, but the whole phrase של אתמול means of yesterday / yesterday’s.
How would the sentence change if exercise were plural?
You would need to change both the noun and the adjective so they agree.
Singular:
- התרגיל הזה קל יותר מהתרגיל של אתמול
- This exercise is easier than yesterday’s exercise
Plural:
- התרגילים האלה קלים יותר מהתרגילים של אתמול
- These exercises are easier than yesterday’s exercises
Changes:
- התרגיל → התרגילים = the exercises
- הזה → האלה = these
- קל → קלים = easy (masculine plural)
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