Hebrew has no word for 'a' or 'an' - an indefinite noun is simply the bare word. To say 'the', Hebrew adds the prefix הַ (ha-) directly to the beginning of the noun. The vowel of הַ changes before certain letters.

The Basic Rule

Add הַ (ha-) before the noun to make it definite. The next letter usually gets a dagesh (dot): סֵפֶר → הַסֵּפֶר (ha-SE-fer, the book).

Indefinite vs. Definite

IndefiniteTransliterationDefiniteTransliterationMeaning
יֶלֶדYE-ledהַיֶּלֶדha-YE-leda boy → the boy
סֵפֶרSE-ferהַסֵּפֶרha-SE-fera book → the book
יַלְדָּהyal-DAהַיַּלְדָּהha-yal-DAa girl → the girl
מוֹרֶהmo-REהַמּוֹרֶהha-mo-REa teacher → the teacher
כֶּלֶבKE-levהַכֶּלֶבha-KE-leva dog → the dog

Before Guttural Letters

Guttural letters (א, ה, ח, ע) and ר cannot take a dagesh. Before them, הַ changes its vowel:
• Before א, ע: הָ (ha with kamatz) - הָאִישׁ (ha-ISH, the man), הָעִיר (ha-IR, the city)
• Before ח, ה with kamatz: הֶ (he with segol) - הֶחָדָשׁ (he-kha-DASH), הֶהָרִים (he-ha-RIM)
• Before ר: הָ (ha with kamatz) - הָרוֹפֵא (ha-ro-FE, the doctor)

Adjectives Must Match

When a noun has הַ, its adjective must also have הַ:
• יֶלֶד גָּדוֹל = a big boy (both indefinite)
• הַיֶּלֶד הַגָּדוֹל = the big boy (both definite)
You cannot mix: ❌ הַיֶּלֶד גָּדוֹל means 'the boy is big' (a sentence, not a phrase).

In Sentences

הַסֵּפֶר עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן
ha-SE-fer al ha-shul-KHAN
The book is on the table
both nouns are definite
אֲנִי רוֹאֶה אֶת הַכֶּלֶב
a-NI ro-E et ha-KE-lev
I see the dog
את (et) marks a definite direct object
הַבַּיִת הַחָדָשׁ יָפֶה
ha-BA-yit he-kha-DASH ya-FE
The new house is beautiful
noun and adjective both get הַ
יֵשׁ סֵפֶר עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן
yesh SE-fer al ha-shul-KHAN
There is a book on the table
סֵפֶר without הַ = indefinite

Quick Tip

Hebrew has no separate word for 'a/an'. If a noun has no הַ prefix, it's automatically indefinite: סֵפֶר = 'a book', הַסֵּפֶר = 'the book'.