how to say “dark-skinned” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/כהה-עור-#.m4a” /]כֵּהֶה עוֹר

חשוך[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/כהה-עור-#.m4a” /] means dark when referring to darkness – the absence of light.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/כהה-עור-#.m4a” /]חשוך פה.

It’s dark (in) here.

כהה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/כהה-עור-#.m4a” /], however, refers to dark as distinguished from a light or bright color, so that כהה עור[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/כהה-עור-#.m4a” /] means dark-skinned when referring to a male, while כהת עור[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/כהה-עור-#.m4a” /] refers to a female.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/כהה-עור-#.m4a” /]אנשים מארצות חמות יותר הם בדרך כלל כהי עור.

People from warmer countries are usually dark-skinned.

כהה עור, כהת עור and כהי עור are “of” phrases (סמיכות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/כהה-עור-#.m4a” /] – the construct state). It’s like saying dark of skin.