Pronoun Demonstrative¶
Summary¶
A demonstrative pronoun
refers to a specific person(s) or thing(s) in particular. In English, the following words are
demonstrative pronouns: “this”, “that”, “these”, “those”.
Article¶
In Biblical Hebrew, demonstrative pronouns can function either as nouns or adjectives. Demonstrative pronouns can change form according to gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) but NOT according to person (i.e. first, second, or third person).
Form¶
Paradigm¶
Parsing |
Hebrew |
Transliteration |
Gloss |
---|---|---|---|
masculine singular near |
(or זֶה (זֹה / זֹו |
zeh (or zow / zoh) |
this |
feminine singular near |
זֹאת |
zoth |
this |
masculine singular far |
הוּא |
hu |
that |
feminine singular far |
הִיא |
hi |
that |
common plural near |
אֵלֶּה |
‘elleh |
these |
masculine plural far |
הֵם / הֵמָּה |
hemmah / hem |
those |
feminine plural far |
הֵנָּה |
hennah |
those |
Note
The “far” demonstrative pronouns are identical to certain personal pronouns and must be distinguished by the context.
Function¶
As a noun¶
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Reciprocal¶
Demonstrative pronouns can be used to distinguish individuals within a group interacting with each other.
וְקָרָ֨א זֶ֤ה אֶל־זֶה֙ |
weqara zeh ‘el-zeh |
And-it-called this to_this |
And each one called to another |
Apposition to a noun¶
הַֽאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֛ה בְּנִ֥י |
ha’attah zeh beni |
the-you this my-son |
you are my true son |
As an adjective¶
as an attributive adjective¶
When used as an attributive adjective, a demonstrative pronoun often follows the noun, and both terms can take the definite article. Sometimes neither the noun nor the demonstrative pronoun takes the definite article. In either case, the demonstrative pronoun makes the described noun definite.
הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה |
haddevarim ha’elleh |
the-words the-these |
these words |
דְּבָרֵ֣נוּ זֶ֑ה |
devarenu zeh |
our-business this |
this business of ours |
וְהִנֵּֽה־זֶ֤ה מַלְאָךְ֙ |
wehinneh-zeh mal’akh |
And-behold this angel |
Suddenly an angel |
as a Predicative adjective¶
זֶ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ |
zeh hayyom |
this the-day |
this is the day |
As a relative particle¶
הַר־צִ֝יֹּ֗ון זֶ֤ה׀ שָׁכַ֬נְתָּ בֹּֽו׃ |
har-tsiyyown zeh shakhanta bow |
Mount_Zion this you-lived in-it. |
Mount Zion, where you live. |
לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן זֶֽה־יָצַ֥רְתָּ |
liwyathan zeh-yatsarta |
Leviathan this_you-formed |
Leviathan, which you formed |
אֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְפָנֶ֣יךָ הִ֔וא |
‘erets mitsrayim lefaneykha hiw |
Land-of Egypt to-your-face that |
The land of Egypt is before you |