אם האוכל עדיין קפוא, אני לא אוכלת אותו עכשיו.

I

Breakdown of אם האוכל עדיין קפוא, אני לא אוכלת אותו עכשיו.

• עכשיו: now
• לא: not
• לאכול: to eat

Questions & Answers about אם האוכל עדיין קפוא, אני לא אוכלת אותו עכשיו.

Why is there no Hebrew word for is in האוכל עדיין קפוא?

In present-tense Hebrew, the verb to be is usually omitted.

So האוכל עדיין קפוא literally looks like:

• the food
• still
• frozen

But it means the food is still frozen.

This is very normal Hebrew.
If you were talking about the past or future, you would use forms of to be:

• האוכל היה קפוא = the food was frozen
• האוכל יהיה קפוא = the food will be frozen

But in the present, Hebrew normally just leaves is/am/are out.

What does אם mean here, and does it always need a future tense after it?

אם means if.

It does not automatically require the future tense. Hebrew can use אם with present, past, or future depending on the meaning.

In this sentence:

• אם האוכל עדיין קפוא = If the food is still frozen
• אני לא אוכלת אותו עכשיו = I’m not eating it now

This is a present-time condition about a present-time decision, so the present tense is natural.

Why is it קפוא and not some other form?