Perek אחד עשר or אחת עשרה? Why Both Are Correct – and Not the Same

Ever stumbled trying to say a chapter number in Hebrew? You’re not alone—and here’s the twist: both “פרק אחד עשר” and “פרק אחת עשרה” are grammatically correct. But they don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Let’s break it down:

Option 1: Ordinal Numbers (מספר סודר)

This is the classic “first, second, third” style—used to describe the position of something in a sequence.

In Hebrew, ordinal numbers must match the gender of the noun they describe. Since פרק (chapter) is masculine, the number also has to be masculine.

So you get:

• פרק ראשון

• פרק שני

• פרק אחד עשר

• פרק העשרים ושלושה

You can also add the definite article ("ה") if needed:

• הפרק הראשון

• הפרק השלושים וחמישה

In titles and lists, both with or without the “ה” are acceptable.

Option 2: Cardinal Numbers Used as Titles (מספר סתמי)

In this style, the number isn’t functioning as an adjective. It’s used as a label, like a name or code.

When Hebrew uses numbers as standalone labels (not as descriptive adjectives), they’re treated as inherently feminine—no matter the gender of the noun they’re attached to.

So you’ll see:

• פרק אחת

• פרק שתיים

• פרק אחת עשרה

• פרק עשרים ושלוש

Even though "פרק" is masculine, the number follows this fixed rule: standalone numbers = feminine form.

Why This Matters

The difference isn’t just academic—it can affect how you interpret or name things.

For example, you might say:

• “עוד לא ראיתי את הפרק השלושים וחמישה של הסדרה” (with ordinal number, descriptive)But on Netflix, the episode title might be:

• “פרק עשרים ושתיים” (with cardinal number, as a label)

Both are correct—but they come from different grammatical places.

Bonus Nerd Corner

Ordinal and cardinal numbers don’t always match in meaning. For example:

• בית מספר 2 isn’t necessarily הבית השני on the street—it could be the first one

  
  

• A building might label floors as קומה 0 or קומה 2, even if those aren't the literal second or third levels.

  
  

So just because a number is smaller or bigger, doesn’t mean it fits neatly into a sequence.

Bottom line? If you're reading or writing in Hebrew and wondering whether to use “פרק אחד עשר” or “פרק אחת עשרה” – just ask yourself:Am I describing the chapter’s order (ordinal)? Or just labeling it (cardinal)?Once you know the role of the number, the grammar falls right into place.