מָה

𐤌𐤄

mâh

H4100 particle

SILEX Entry

Definition

An interrogative particle used principally to ask about the nature, identity, quantity, or quality of entities or actions, often translated as 'what?' or 'how?'. Also functions in exclamations and indefinite or relative senses (e.g., 'whatever', 'that which'). The precise meaning is heavily context-dependent, ranging from direct questions ('what is this?'), to expressions of astonishment ('how mighty!'), to indirect questions or statements ('whatever you do').

Semantic Range

what?, how?, why?, what!, how!, whatever, that which, something, nothing, in indirect or relative clauses, with prefixed prepositions (e.g., whereby, wherefore, wherewith), as part of adverbial or conjunctive constructions

Root / Etymology

The form מָה (or מַה, מֶה, מָ) is considered a primitive interrogative particle with no clear, reconstructible root; it is an ancient Semitic pronoun preserved in cognate languages (e.g., Ugaritic mh, Aramaic מָא, Arabic mā).

Historical & Contextual Notes

מָה functions as the standard interrogative particle in Biblical Hebrew, frequently introducing direct and indirect questions, and found with both animate and inanimate referents. Its various forms are partially determined by subsequent letters (for euphony), and it regularly appears with prefixes (e.g., לָמָּה 'why', מַדּוּעַ 'why', מֶה־זֶּה 'what is this', כַּמָּה 'how much'). In exclamatory constructions it communicates wonder, surprise, or emphasis. It occasionally assumes an indefinite or relative function ('whatever', 'that which'). In post-exilic and later Hebrew, מָה continues as the basic term for 'what', while usage in Aramaic and other dialects further highlights its broad Semitic pedigree. Translation traditions often conflate what, how, and why, but in Hebrew, context determines nuance and grammatical role. It is distinct from מִי ('who?'), which refers specifically to personal identity.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מַה; or מָ; or מַ; also מֶה; a primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses; how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

uncertain (Baleadan) — uncertain

Root uncertain to question, to seek specification, to inquire
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1002 בִּירָה the citadel
H105 אֲגַרְטָל bowls of
H1081 בַּלְאֲדָן Baladan
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4100-09 מַה mah HTi what what? what 389
H4100-06 לָ֛/מָּה lamah HR/Ti why for what? why 142
H4100-13 וּ/מַה umah HC/Ti and what and what? and what 68
H4100-10 מֶ֣ה meh HTi what what? what 59
H4100-19 וְ/לָ/מָה֩ velamah HC/R/Ti and why and for what? and why 32
H4100-02 בַּ/מֶּ֖ה bameh HR/Ti in what in what? in what 14
H4100-14 וּ/מֶ֖ה umeh HC/Ti and what and what? and what 12
H4100-04 כַּ/מָּ֗ה kamah HR/Ti how long what? how many 9
H4100-01 בַּ/מָּ֗ה bamah HR/Ti In what with what? with what 7
H4100-16 וּ/בַ/מֶּ֗ה uvameh HC/R/Ti and with what and with what? and with what 4

Occurrences in Scripture

750 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4100-09 Genesis 2:19 מַה mah HTi what what? what?
H4100-09 Genesis 3:13 מַה mah HTi What what? what
H4100-06 Genesis 4:6 לָ֚/מָּה lamah HR/Ti Why for what? why
H4100-19 Genesis 4:6 וְ/לָ֖/מָּה velamah HC/R/Ti and why and for what? and why
H4100-10 Genesis 4:10 מֶ֣ה meh HTi What what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 12:18 מַה mah HTi What what? what
H4100-06 Genesis 12:18 לָ֚/מָּה lamah HR/Ti Why for what? for what
H4100-06 Genesis 12:19 לָ/מָ֤ה lamah HR/Ti Why for what? why
H4100-09 Genesis 15:2 מַה mah HTi What what? what
H4100-01 Genesis 15:8 בַּ/מָּ֥ה bamah HR/Ti how with what? with what
H4100-06 Genesis 18:13 לָ֣/מָּה lamah HR/Ti Why for what? why
H4100-10 Genesis 20:9 מֶֽה meh HTi what what? what
H4100-14 Genesis 20:9 וּ/מֶֽה umeh HC/Ti and what and what? and what
H4100-09 Genesis 20:10 מָ֣ה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 21:17 מַה mah HTi what what? what?
H4100-09 Genesis 21:29 מָ֣ה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 23:15 מַה mah HTi what what? what?
H4100-06 Genesis 24:31 לָ֤/מָּה lamah HR/Ti Why for what? why
H4100-06 Genesis 25:22 לָ֥/מָּה lamah HR/Ti why for what? why
H4100-19 Genesis 25:32 וְ/לָ/מָּה velamah HC/R/Ti and what profit/what good and for what? and for what?
H4100-09 Genesis 26:10 מַה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 27:20 מַה mah HTi How what? how
H4100-09 Genesis 27:37 מָ֥ה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-06 Genesis 27:45 לָ/מָ֥ה lamah HR/Ti why for what? why
H4100-06 Genesis 27:46 לָ֥/מָּה lamah HR/Ti what good for what? for what?
H4100-09 Genesis 28:17 מַה mah HTi How what? how
H4100-09 Genesis 29:15 מַה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 29:25 מַה mah HTi What what? what?
H4100-19 Genesis 29:25 וְ/לָ֖/מָּה velamah HC/R/Ti and why and for what? and why
H4100-09 Genesis 30:31 מָ֣ה mah HTi What what? what
H4100-10 Genesis 31:26 מֶ֣ה meh HTi What what? what
H4100-06 Genesis 31:27 לָ֤/מָּה lamah HR/Ti Why for what? why
H4100-06 Genesis 31:30 לָ֥/מָּה lamah HR/Ti why for what? why
H4100-09 Genesis 31:32 מָ֥ה mah HTi what what? what?
H4100-09 Genesis 31:36 מַה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 31:36 מַ֣ה mah-2 HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 31:37 מַה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 31:43 מָֽה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 32:28 מַה mah HTi What what? what
H4100-06 Genesis 32:30 לָ֥/מָּה lamah HR/Ti why for what? why
H4100-06 Genesis 33:15 לָ֣/מָּה lamah HR/Ti why for what? why
H4100-09 Genesis 37:10 מָ֛ה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 37:15 מַה mah HTi What what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 37:20 מַה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 37:26 מַה mah HTi What what? what?
H4100-09 Genesis 38:16 מַה mah HTi what what? what?
H4100-09 Genesis 38:18 מָ֣ה mah HTi what what? what is
H4100-09 Genesis 38:29 מַה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-09 Genesis 39:8 מַה mah HTi what what? what
H4100-06 Genesis 42:1 לָ֖/מָּה lamah HR/Ti why for what? why