Hebrew 1 - Lesson 6

Lesson 6 introduces the rule of prepositions combinations.
In addition, the lessons introduces the vocab and the forms to express existence or lack of items (there is a cookie in the jar, there is no cookie in the jar).
Combination of prepositions:
When the preposition "Beh" (in/at) is used for a definite noun, two things happen:
1)The Hebrew definite article "Ha" is dropped.
2)The preposition "Beh" (in/at), gets the vowel of the "Ha" and becomes "Ba".

Existence of items/Lack of items:
To express existence the term "Yesh" is used.To express lack the term "Ein" is used.
There are students here.
There are no students here.
Simple.
In Hebrew there is the same simplicity when a reference to a different location is made (for example over there, or there).
There are students there.
There are no students there.

If there is any confusion at this point it is only in English. That is because the word "there" means two different things.The one at the beginning of the sentence means existence (and is followed by is/are).The one at the end of the sentence means location (a distant location).
There (location) is translated as "Sham".
There (existence) is translated as "Yesh".
Jerusalem at sunset
-
The town of Eilat


There are many examples in the lesson that combine the above two principles.
"There is mayonnaise in the salad"
"There is no sugar in the coffee"

"Yesh". as in English means abstract existence too. Such abstract existence may represent a commitment. There is a class, there is a quiz, there are good grades.This is true for "Ein" too - There is no class, there is no quiz, there are no grades.

Note! When an item is introduced for the first time in a conversation, it is foreign, and therefore not definite. The next time that the item is referred to, it becomes definite and rules of definite reference have to be applied.
This is coffee.
There is sugar in the coffee.
This is a classroom.
There are students in the classroom.

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