אני גאה בך, כי את מדברת עברית טוב מאוד.

I am proud of you, because you speak Hebrew very well.

Breakdown of אני גאה בך, כי את מדברת עברית טוב מאוד.

• אני: I
• את: you
• לדבר: to speak
• עברית: Hebrew

Questions & Answers about אני גאה בך, כי את מדברת עברית טוב מאוד.

Is את here the direct object marker, or does it mean you?

Here את means you, specifically you addressed to one female person.

Hebrew has two different words that are both written את in ordinary spelling:

• את = you feminine singular
• את = the direct object marker used before definite direct objects

In this sentence, it is clearly the pronoun you, because it comes before מדברת and acts as the subject:

• את מדברת = you speak to one woman or girl

If it were the object marker, it would come before a definite noun, not before a verb.

Why is the verb מדברת and not מדבר?

Because Hebrew present-tense verbs agree with the subject in gender and number.

Since the subject is את, which is feminine singular, the verb must also be feminine singular:

• את מדברת = you speak, feminine
• אתה מדבר = you speak, masculine

So מדברת matches את.

Could מדברת also mean she speaks?