Chetzi, shlish, pi: a share, a multiple and a difference
A share is a "part": chetzi — a half, shlish — a third, reveva — a quarter, chamushit — a fifth. After the share comes mi-: shlish mehatalmidim — a third of the pupils. For example: “חצי הכיתה כאן, שליש בבית.” — Half the class is here, a third is at home. A rule from the Hebrew course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A share is a "part": chetzi — a half, shlish — a third, reveva — a quarter, chamushit — a fifth. After the share comes mi-: shlish mehatalmidim — a third of the pupils.
A multiple is the word pi, literally "mouth": pi shnaim — twice, pi eser — ten times. The number is, as it were, pronounced anew.
A difference is expressed by the preposition be-: ala beshlish — it grew by a third. And "one and a half" is simply "and a half": shaa vachetzi — an hour and a half.
Table
| what we express | how | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| a share | chetzi + noun | חצי הכיתה | half the class |
| a share | shlish + mi- | שליש מהתלמידים | a third of the pupils |
| a multiple | pi + number | פי שניים יותר | twice as much |
| a difference | be- + share | עלה בשליש | grew by a third |
| one and a half | noun + vachetzi | שעה וחצי | an hour and a half |
| two out of | metoch | שניים מתוך עשר | two out of ten |
By example
- חצי הכיתה כאן, שליש בבית.хеци ха-кита кан, шлис бабаит.Half the class is here, a third is at home.
- המכונית החדשה מהירה פי שניים.ха-мехонит ха-хадаша махира пей шнаим.The new car is twice as fast.
- השכירות עלתה בשליש השנה.ха-шхирут альта бе-шлис ха-шана.The rent grew by a third this year.
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
How to say one and a half in Hebrew?
A difference is expressed by the preposition be-: ala beshlish — it grew by a third. And "one and a half" is simply "and a half": shaa vachetzi — an hour and a half.
What does pi shnaim mean?
A multiple is the word pi, literally "mouth": pi shnaim — twice, pi eser — ten times. The number is, as it were, pronounced anew.
Fractions in Hebrew?
A share is a "part": chetzi — a half, shlish — a third, reveva — a quarter, chamushit — a fifth. After the share comes mi-: shlish mehatalmidim — a third of the pupils.
What does it look like in a Hebrew example sentence?
“חצי הכיתה כאן, שליש בבית.” (хеци ха-кита кан, шлис бабаит.) — Half the class is here, a third is at home. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.