שמים

שמים

Hebrew

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *šamāy- (“sky, heaven”). Cognate with Arabic سَمَاء‎ (samāʾ, “sky”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -im
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃaˈmajim/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): [ʃɔːˈmaːjim]

Noun

שמיים / שָׁמַיִם • (shamáyim) m pl (singular construct שְׁמֵי־‎, Biblical Hebrew pausal form שָׁמָיִם)

1. (plural only) The sky, skies, heavens, heaven.
2. (figuratively) God.

Usage notes

• Like its English translations, the word is usually found in the definite form הַשָּׁמַיִם (ha-shamáyim).

Declension

Declension of שָׁמַיִם

Number	Isolated forms		With possessive pronouns
	State	Form	Person	singular		plural
				m.	f.	m.	f.
plural	indefinite	שָׁמַיִם	first	שמיי / שָׁמַי‎		שָׁמֵינוּ‎
	definite	הַשָּׁמַיִם‎	second	שָׁמֶיךָ‎	שמייך / שָׁמַיִךְ‎	שְׁמֵיכֶם‎	שְׁמֵיכֶן‎
	construct	שְׁמֵי־‎	third	שָׁמָיו‎	שָׁמֶיהָ‎	שְׁמֵיהֶם‎	שְׁמֵיהֶן‎

Synonyms

• שְׁחָקִים‎ m pl (sh'khakím)

Derived terms

• שְׁמֵימִי‎ (shmeymiy)

Further reading

• שמים on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he