Irregular Plurals in Hebrew

Overview

The concept of Irregular Plurals (ריבוי חריג) is a beginner-level topic in Hebrew grammar. Nouns with unexpected plural endings: שולחן→שולחנות (m→-ות), מילה→מילים (f→-ים), עיר→ערים (vowel changes). Common exceptions.

Understanding irregular plurals builds on your knowledge of Plural Formation and is essential for constructing natural-sounding Hebrew sentences. This topic is classified at the A1 level of the CEFR framework, meaning it is expected of learners at the beginner stage.

Even at the early stages, getting comfortable with irregular plurals will give you the confidence to express yourself more clearly. Hebrew learners often find that once they grasp this concept, many other parts of the language start to fall into place.

How It Works

Key Principles

Nouns with unexpected plural endings: שולחן→שולחנות (m→-ות), מילה→מילים (f→-ים), עיר→ערים (vowel changes). Common exceptions.

Core Forms

Hebrew	Meaning
שולחן → שולחנות	table → tables (m noun, -ות ending)
מילה → מילים	word → words (f noun, -ים ending)
עיר → ערים	city → cities (vowel change)
איש → אנשים	man → men (suppletive)

Types of Irregular Plurals

Type	Example	Explanation
M noun with -ות	שולחן → שולחנות	masculine noun takes feminine ending
F noun with -ים	מילה → מילים	feminine noun takes masculine ending
Vowel change	עיר → ערים	internal vowel changes
Suppletive	איש → אנשים	completely different form
Dual	יד → ידיים	body parts use dual -יים

Common Irregular Plurals to Memorize

Singular	Plural	Meaning
שנה	שנים	year(s)
אישה	נשים	woman/women
עיר	ערים	city/cities
שם	שמות	name(s)

Examples in Context

Hebrew	English	Note
שולחן → שולחנות	table → tables (m noun, -ות ending)	form transformation
מילה → מילים	word → words (f noun, -ים ending)	form transformation
עיר → ערים	city → cities (vowel change)	form transformation
איש → אנשים	man → men (suppletive)	form transformation
ביצה → ביצים	egg → eggs	feminine with -ים ending
חלון → חלונות	window → windows	masculine with -ות ending
אוזן → אוזניים	ear → ears	dual form for body parts
עין → עיניים	eye → eyes	dual form for paired organs

Common Mistakes

Gender agreement errors

• Wrong: Using a masculine adjective or verb with a feminine noun
• Right: Ensure all modifiers agree with the noun's gender
• Why: Gender agreement is fundamental to Hebrew grammar. Every noun has a fixed gender that affects the entire sentence.

Incorrect form changes

• Wrong: Keeping the base form unchanged when modification is required
• Right: Apply the correct morphological changes
• Why: Hebrew nouns often change form in certain grammatical constructions. These changes must be learned.

Overgeneralizing regular patterns

• Wrong: Applying the regular rule to an irregular form
• Right: Memorize the common exceptions
• Why: While Hebrew has regular patterns, many common words are exceptions. These must be learned individually.

Practice Tips

1. Create flashcards with examples of irregular plurals. On one side, write the Hebrew; on the other, the English translation and a note about the rule. Review daily until the pattern feels natural.
2. Practice with a language partner or tutor. Have them create sentences that test your understanding of irregular plurals, and then try producing your own sentences using the same patterns.

Related Concepts

• Plural Formation — prerequisite concept