יש גשר קטן על המים.

small

Breakdown of יש גשר קטן על המים.

• יש: there is
• מים: water
• גשר: bridge

Questions & Answers about יש גשר קטן על המים.

What does יש mean in this sentence?

יש is the Hebrew existential word meaning there is or there are.

So יש גשר קטן על המים literally means something like there exists a small bridge over the water.

A key point: יש does not change for singular vs. plural.

• יש גשר = there is a bridge
• יש גשרים = there are bridges

Why isn’t there a Hebrew word for is here?

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

But here, יש is not just the normal word is. It is used specifically to express existence:

• הגשר קטן = the bridge is small
• יש גשר קטן = there is a small bridge

So this sentence is not describing a known bridge first; it is introducing the existence of one.

Why is the word order יש גשר קטן?