Questions & Answers about זה לא יום רגיל; יש לנו פגישה חשובה.
Why does the sentence begin with זה? Does it mean this or it here?
In this sentence, זה can be understood as this or it, depending on how naturally you translate it into English.
Hebrew often uses זה in simple identification-type sentences where English might say it is or this is. So:
- זה לא יום רגיל = This is not a normal day / It’s not a normal day
Because Hebrew usually does not use a present-tense word for is, זה helps anchor the sentence.
Why is there no word for is in זה לא יום רגיל?
Hebrew normally leaves out the present-tense verb to be.
So where English says:
- It is not a normal day
Hebrew simply says:
- זה לא יום רגיל
There is no separate word for is in the present tense. This is one of the most important differences from English.
In past and future, Hebrew does use forms of to be:
- זה היה יום רגיל = It was a normal day
- זה יהיה יום רגיל = It will be a normal day
Why is the negative word לא used here, and not אין?