how to say “certain places” in Hebrew

ByAmi Steinberger

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /]מְקוֹמוֹת מְסֻיָּמִים

The Hebrew word for place is מקום[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /], while the word for certain or specific is מסוים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /] when describing something masculine and מסוימת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /] for something feminine.

Now, מקום is a masculine word, so that a certain place is מקום מסוים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /].

But when speaking about places, מקום suddenly gets an ending that makes it look feminine: מקומות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /] are places, with the characteristically-feminine ות-[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /] ending.

Nevertheless, certain places are מקומות מסוימים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /], where מסוימים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /] has the masculine ים-[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /] ending. That’s because an adjective, the word describing the noun or thing, always takes on the true gender of the noun. And how can we know the true gender of the noun? By looking at it in the singular (although מקומות looks feminine, מקום is masculine, and that’s what determines the adjective).

Here’s an example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /]יש מקומות מסוימים במתחם שמותר לעשן.

There are certain places on the premises that smoking is allowed.

מסוים comes from the passive פועל verb form.

מקום is also used to refer to God himself – המקום[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/מסוים-#.m4a” /], the One who occupies space (where places are).

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