הספל נשבר, אבל הכוס לא נשברה.

but

Breakdown of הספל נשבר, אבל הכוס לא נשברה.

• לא: not
• כוס: glass
• ספל: mug

Questions & Answers about הספל נשבר, אבל הכוס לא נשברה.

What is the difference between ספל and כוס?

Both can sometimes be translated as cup, but they are not exactly the same.

• ספל usually means a mug or a cup, often something sturdier, often with a handle.
• כוס usually means a drinking glass or cup.

So in everyday English, the exact translation may depend on context. Hebrew is making a distinction here between two different drinking vessels.

Why is it נשבר with הספל, but נשברה with הכוס?

Because the verb agrees with the noun in gender.

In the past tense, Hebrew third-person verbs change according to whether the subject is masculine or feminine:

• ספל is masculine singular → נשבר
• כוס is feminine singular → נשברה

So:

• הספל נשבר = the mug broke
• הכוס לא נשברה = the glass did not break

This is a very common feature of Hebrew grammar.

How do I know that ספל is masculine and כוס is feminine?