Streetwise Hebrew

You probably know that אוכל כשר means kosher food. But did you know that כשר also means fit, valid, or reliable? And what does the verb להכשיר   mean, and how is it all related to talent? Guy explains. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Kasher – Kosher, fit, valid, reliable – כשר Mashehu po lo kasher – Something is a bit dodgy here – משהו פה לא כשר Kashrut – Kosher...

In Hebrew, רופא (doctor) means "healer." So how do you bless someone to get well soon? And how is the first name Raphael related to all this? In this episode Guy Sharett explains all things medical. Listen to the All-Hebrew Version on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Refu'ah – Medicine, cure – רפואה Refu'ah alternativit – Alternative medicine – רפואה אלטרנטיבית Refu'ah shlema – (May you reach)...

The shoresh ר.ש.מ is one of those Hebrew roots with so many different words stemming from it, you could easily get baffled. Whether you want to make an impression, write a list, pick up a prescription, register for an event, or create a flow chart, Guy will help you make sense of it all. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: "Im yesh lachen she'elot aten muzmanot lirs...

The word משחק can mean so many things in Hebrew – from a game, a match, or a toy, to acting in a movie or a play. Guy explains this root, שֹחק, and teaches us how to thank a good friend who brought coffee to our office desk without even being asked. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Lesachek – To play a game, to play with a toy, to play in a movie – לשחק "Lo lesac...

In Hebrew, עניין (inyan) means matter, business, or thing. Many Hebrew learners confuse מעוניין and מתעניין, often switching between them as if they are one and the same, which they are not. So in this episode, Guy explains these important differences. Oh! and he goes over some useful slang expressions using עניין and ניינים as well!   Exclusive content   New words & expressions: Inyan – Matter –...

"I don't know" is one of the most important things you need to know how to say in any language. Guy explains how to say to someone that you don't have a clue in Hebrew, and even suggests what you should do with your shoulders and bottom lip while saying it. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Ani lo yode'a / yoda'at – I don't know – אני לא יודע / אני לא יודעת "Lo yo...

Sometimes we're just "in basa" – in a state of annoyance, not really angry, but just bummed. Guy teaches us verbs derived from "basa," plus more nouns like "hitba'asut," which could be translated as "the process of getting bummed out." Who said Hebrew isn't a rich language? Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Bassa – Bummer – באסה Eize bassa – What a bummer – איזה ב...

This week we're celebrating half a million downloads of our podcast, so Guy decided to dedicate this episode to חצי – "half" in Hebrew. From telling the time, to sports, to fashion, "hetsi" gets everywhere. But when do we say "hetsi" and when "hatsi"? Listen to find out. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Hatsi/hetsi, hatsa'eem – Half, halves – חצי, חצאים "Omrim li...

The Middle East is a place where people swear "on the honor of their mom" without thinking too much. Guy teaches us all the uses of the Hebrew word כבוד – "honor" – right from the Prime Minister's official title to what you jot on the front of an envelope. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Kavod – Respect, honor – כבוד Kol ha-kavod – Well done – כל הכבוד Kol ha-ka...

Even advanced learners have difficulties with the פגש-נפגש verb forms, both meaning 'he met.' Guy explains the differences between the two, so you know how to meet up with your best friends as well as how to bump into them. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Lo taaminu et mi pagashti – You won't believe whom I bumped into – לא תאמינו את מי פגשתי Eifo nifgashim – Wh...

The word for "support" – תמיכה – is used widely in Hebrew, mainly in the context of tech support. The verb is לתמוך. Guy has a special message at the end of the show related to this. Curious? Have a listen and click below. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Hu tamach – He supported – הוא תמך Litmoch be-mishehu/be-mashehu – To support someone or something – לתמוך במ...

The word דקירה can take us from a relaxing acupuncture treatment to the newsy mayhem of a stabbing attack. Guy explains the full gamut of uses provided to us by the root דקר. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Pigu'ah – Terror attack – פיגוע Dkira – Stabbing – דקירה "Bo nikach dkira ktana" – Let's take a little sting/prick – בוא ניקח דקירה קטנה "Mashehu mukar et li...

We are going through some ימים משוגעים – "crazy days" – in Israel at the moment, so let's talk about how we drive someone crazy in Hebrew. Guy promises a special sanity episode once things get back to normal. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Yamim meshugaim – Crazy days – ימים משוגעים Meshuga – Crazy – משוגע Pgu'a nefesh – Suffering from mental illness – פגוע נפש...

How do we sleep in Hebrew? What about snoozes and power naps? Guy talks about our sacred שנ"צ, and introduces us to some very sleepy words. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Hu yashen – He is sleeping / he is asleep – הוא ישן Hi yeshena – She is sleeping / she is asleep – היא ישנה Lishon – To sleep – לישון Shoel "gam at yashant?" – I am asking "Were you sleeping a...

This is from our 100th podcast episode, and we felt it was time to say, "toda raba," thanks so much. This is a good opportunity to learn how to thank someone profusely and cynically in Hebrew. Hear the all-Hebrew Episode   New Words and Expressions: Toda – Thanks – תודה Toda al ha-osher – Thanks for the happiness – תודה על האושר Toda la-el – Thank God – תודה לאל Toda le-mishehu al mashehu – Thanks...

Hebrew has this interesting structure: Verb "haya" (past tense of "to be") plus a conjugated verb in the present, like "hayiti holech." It can mean several different things, and host Guy Sharett teaches us all of them, including some conditional phrases. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: "Hayita bone li kirot, hayita matkin menorot, sheyihye li or" – You would bui...

It's been exactly a year since we had Gadi (Grego) in the TLV1 studio for a short conversation. He's made aliyah since then. We wanted to check in with Gadi to see how he's doing and to get some Hebrew speaking tips from him. Last year's interview:  http://tlv1.fm/streetwise-hebrew/2014/09/02/how-a-peruvian-interpreter-goes-about-learning-hebrew-streetwise-hebrew

An עוזר is an "assistant," but it could also mean "he's helping" – a verb in the present tense. How are you supposed to know which one it is? Guy teaches us how to work it out from the context, and he explains what initials religious people jot on every piece of paper they write on. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Shalom, efshar laazor- Hello, may I help? – שלום...

Omed , "stands," and omed le- , "is about to," are two different things. Guy teaches us the important words in this shorseh ("root"), ע.מ.ד, one of which is also a sexual term. At the end of the episode, Guy explains how you can learn Hebrew from reading tombstones at an old Tel Aviv cemetery. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: La'amod – To stand – לעמוד "Ha-kol om...

How do you say "have a great day" in Hebrew? In English it's so easy, but in Hebrew you have to take into account a few different things, like the gender of what you're wishing. Guy Sharett teaches us some useful formulas, and tells us a story about an interesting wedding that didn't end like it started… Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: She-yihye lach tov –...

Many things "happen" here in the Holy Land, which is why the root "kara" – ק.ר.ה – with all its derivatives, is so popular. Guy Sharett explains how it's related to murder, earthquakes, and soy milk, and finishes with an anecdote (in Hebrew) about a lady called Carmela. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Karah – Happened – קרה "Ma kara la-yeled" – What happened to...

How many times have you called a company or a bank and had to deal with מענה קולי, an automated answering service? Today we'll learn words and phrases you'll be hearing while waiting on the telephone line, plus a tip how to quickly reach a real live customer service representative. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Ma'ane koli – Voice answering service – מענה קולי...

תאומים are twins, from the root תאמ which is used in Hebrew for anything to do with matching, suiting, fitting, and coordinating. Let's learn how to use this family of words in our everyday life. Mat'im lachem? Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Te'om, te'omim – Twin, twins – תאום, תאומים Zug te'omot siamyot – A pair of siamese twins (f.) – זוג תאומות סיאמיות Migda...

The Hebrew word 'sherut' means 'service,' but the plural – 'sherutim' – is more commonly used to mean something quite different. From toilets to angels, Guy Sharett teaches us what else we can learn from this root. Hope you're happy with our sherut! Listen to the All-Hebrew Version on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Sherut – Service – שירות Lesharet – To serve – לשרת Hi mesharetet – She serve...

Why is it that some mistakes in a foreign language sound worse than others? It's unfair, but some things Hebrew learners say sound more cringy to the Israeli ear than others. Guy Sharett teaches us what mistakes make Israelis cringe so we can try to avoid them at all costs! Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Ka'asher – When (archaic) – כאשר K'sheh – When –  כש K'sh...