hazeh

Hazeh is a Hebrew demonstrative word meaning "this" in English. It functions as a masculine singular demonstrative determiner or pronoun and is written as הזה in Hebrew. In ordinary usage, hazeh appears after a noun to specify a nearby item, most commonly in phrases like ha-sefer hazeh, meaning "this book." The noun itself carries the definite article, while hazeh marks the demonstrative sense.

In addition to hazeh, Hebrew has related forms used for different genders and reflexes. The standalone masculine demonstrative pronoun is zeh (זה), meaning "this." The feminine forms include zot (זו) as a common pronoun for "this" or "this one," and hazot (הזאת) when used as a feminine demonstrative following a noun or in emphasized constructions. Together, these forms cover near-demonstratives for both masculine and feminine references, and they appear in both biblical and modern Hebrew.

Usage context remains largely consistent across varieties of Hebrew: the demonstrative aligns with the gender of the noun it accompanies or refers to, and it frequently appears in phrases where a specific item is being singled out or contrasted with others. Hazeh and its related forms are common in everyday speech, teaching, literature, and media, reflecting Hebrew’s broader demonstrative system that distinguishes near and familiar references from others.