מה השופט עושה?

A common pronunciation is ma ha-sho-FET o-SE?

• מה = ma
• השופט = ha-sho-FET
• עושה = o-SE

The stress is usually on the last syllable of השופט and עושה.

מה means what.

In this sentence, it introduces a question about an action: What is the judge doing?

The prefix ה־ is the Hebrew definite article, meaning the.

So:

• שופט = judge
• השופט = the judge

That is why the sentence refers to the judge, not just a judge or judge in general.

עושה comes from the verb לעשות, which means to do or to make.

Here, עושה means doing / does, depending on context.

So Hebrew עושה can correspond to English:

• does
• is doing

In this sentence, the natural English translation is is doing.

In modern Hebrew, present-tense sentences usually do not use a separate word for am / is / are.

So Hebrew says:

• מה השופט עושה?

literally something like:

• What the judge doing?

But in natural English, we must say:

• What is the judge doing?

This is very normal in Hebrew. The present-tense verb form itself carries the meaning.

It is the masculine singular present form of לעשות.

In Modern Hebrew, the present tense often covers both:

• simple present: does
• present progressive: is doing

So depending on context, מה השופט עושה? could be understood as:

• What does the judge do?
• What is the judge doing?

In many everyday situations, especially if you are asking about what is happening now, it means What is the judge doing?

Yes. Hebrew present-tense forms agree with the subject in gender and number.

Since השופט is masculine singular, the verb form is עושה.

Some related forms are:

• masculine singular: עושה
• feminine singular: עושה
  same spelling without vowel marks, but pronounced differently
• masculine plural: עושים
• feminine plural: עושות

So agreement is important in Hebrew.

Yes, השופט is masculine singular: the male judge or just the judge when the judge is male.

For a female judge, Hebrew uses:

• השופטת = the female judge

Then the sentence would be:

• מה השופטת עושה?

Because עושה without vowel marks can also represent the feminine singular form, the spelling stays the same here, but the pronunciation changes.

The given sentence מה השופט עושה? is completely natural.

Hebrew can sometimes also say:

• מה עושה השופט?

Both are possible, but they may sound slightly different in emphasis or style depending on context.

For a learner, מה השופט עושה? is a very good, straightforward pattern to remember:

• question word + subject + present-tense verb

Because Hebrew forms questions differently from English.

English often needs extra words like:

• What does the judge do?
• What is the judge doing?

Hebrew usually does not add an extra helper verb in the present tense. It simply uses:

• a question word like מה
• the subject
• the present-tense verb

So Hebrew asks the question more directly.

You can answer with השופט + verb/complement. For example:

• השופט כותב. = The judge is writing.
• השופט מדבר. = The judge is speaking.
• השופט עובד. = The judge is working.

A very short answer could also be:

• הוא קורא. = He is reading.

So the question pattern is easy to reuse with many other verbs.