Streetwise Hebrew

There are people you don't want to mess with, and there are things you shouldn't do because they're too much of a hassle. How do you say all this in Hebrew? Well, you'd use the עסק root, of course! Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Laasok be- – To deal with – לעסוק ב Hu osek be-ze harbe shanim – He's been dealing with this for many years – הוא עוסק בזה הרבה שנים A...

In Hebrew עסקים means business. Today, Guy talks about the root עסק and introduces other nouns we should know. Bonus: What do you do when you see an unfamiliar transaction in your credit card statement? Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Esek – Business, matter – עסק Asakim – Business – עסקים Beit esek – Shop, store – בית עסק Ze lo ha-esek shelcha – It's none of yo...

The Hebrew word להגיש is a verb with several different meanings. Food, university papers and TV shows — these are all things we can להגיש. Guy explains. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Lehapil – To drop – להפיל, נפל Lehasi'ah – To drive someone somewhere – להסיע, נסע Lehagish bakasha – To submit a request, an application, or to apply for something – להגיש בקשה K...

In Hebrew, מתוק means sweet or sweetie. You might also hear מתוק used passive-aggressively by a person standing in a Tel Avivi line. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: "Matok, matok hu ta'am ha-hayim" – Sweet, sweet is the taste of life – מתוק, מתוק, הוא טעם החיים Matok li – It's too sweet – מתוק לי Matok/Metuka sheli – My darling – מתוק/מתוקה שלי Toda matok/metuka...

You're home, in front of the TV screen, watching one of the most important football games in the world cup. Suddenly, your team goes on the offensive. This could be the big moment. What Hebrew words and phrases do you shout in order to help bring them to victory? Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Yalla – Yalla – יאללה Nu – Come on – נו Yeshhhhhhhhh – Yeaaaaaah! –...

The words להזהיר and אזהרה are used to warn someone of something or someone. We have many Hebrew expressions with אזהרה, warning, including the saying, רְאו הוזהרתם. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Lehazhir – To warn – להזהיר "Ani mazhira otcha" – I am warning you – אני מזהירה אותך Lehazahir mishehu mi-mashehu – To warn someone of something – להזהיר מישהו ממשהו...

How would you warn a friend who is about to be hit by an electric bike speeding on the sidewalk? We would shout, !זהירות The Hebrew word זהירות is an important word to know. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Zehirut – Caution, care, watch out – זהירות "Adoni, hizaher, al tiga ba-iris" – Be careful, Sir, don't touch the iris – אדוני, היזהר, אל תיגע באיריס Tizaher!...

How could it be that we still didn't dedicate an entire episode to the Hebrew word כסף, money? Let's correct that wrong. Guy explains the slangy term for someone who is "loaded" with cash, and will also teach a special 'blessing' directed towards someone who stole from us. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Ke sef – Money – כסף Haavarat ksafim – Money transfer – הע...

Using banking apps in a foreign language is not the easiest thing. Guy is here to help. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Aplikatsyat tashlumim – Payment application – אפליקציית תשלומים Lo naim ledaber al kesef? – Does it feel awkward to talk about money? – לא נעים לדבר על כסף Heshbon over va-shav – Current account – חשבון עובר ושב Kartisei Ashrai – Credit cards –...

A Listener from Kansas City asked whether we use AM/PM in Hebrew. Here is the answer. Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: 4 pm = 16:00 6 pm = 18:00 8 pm = 20:00 Nifgashim be-shesh? – Are we meeting at six? – נפגשים בשש נפגשים ב6 נפגשים ב-6 נפגשים ב-18:00 Sheva ba-boker – 7 am – שבע בבוקר Az amarnu be-arba, ken? – So we said at four, right? – אז אמרנו בארבע, כן...

How do we say, "Oops, I'm sorry, I must have dialed the wrong number," in Hebrew? Guy continues to explain the root  ב.ל.ב.ל , this time in binyan pu'al and hitpael. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Ani mevulbal – I am confused – אני מבולבל Eize mevulbali/tooshtoosh ata – You got a bit confused, sweetie pie – איזה מבולבלי/טושטוש אתה Mevulbalim? – Are you all conf...

How do you say confusion, a bother, a mess in Hebrew? And what does it mean when we say, להיות בבלבלה? Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon     New Words and Expressions: Bilbul – Confusion – בלבול Haya bilbul – There was a mixup – היה בלבול Bilbul moach – A bother, a nuisance – בלבול מוח Bilbul moach echad gadol – One helluva mambo jumbo – בלבול מוח אחד גדול Levalbel – To confuse – לבלבל Balbel...

Who's last in line? You are? So I'm after you. Today, Guy explains the different uses of אחרון, meaning  last  or  lately , including the saying,  last but not least . Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Slicha, mi acharon? – Who's last in line? – סליחה, מי אחרון Slicha, ata acharon? – Are you the last? (M.) – סליחה, אתה אחרון  Slicha, at achrona?' – Are you the las...

What does this mean in Hebrew: חברים, רגע, אל תתפזרו לי. We use it to say, "let's get back on track!" On this episode, Guy talks about all things that can scatter, including people and the fog. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Ha-arafel hitpazer – The fog cleared – הערפל התפזר Ha-arafel yitpazer machar – The fog will clear tomorrow – הערפל יתפזר מחר Lehitpazer –...

The Hebrew word לפזר means to distribute, to spread, to dissolve, and is used in many different contexts including, לפזר את הילדים. Oh, and by the way, has anyone seen my phone? Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: "Eich nachon lefazer et ha-kompost" – How to correctly spread the compost – איך נכון לפזר את הקומפוסט "Anachnu natchil lefazer et ha-kompost" – We're goin...

The Hebrew word לצעוד means to march. But it can also mean to walk or to advance. No wonder politicians love this verb! Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Lits'od – To march – לצעוד "Gvirti Ha-nava" – My Fair Lady – גבירתי הנאווה "La-hatuna ets'ad ha-boker" – To the wedding I'll march this morning – לחתונה אצעד הבוקר "Leolam lo Tis'adi Levad" – You'll never walk al...

Tens of thousands marched in this year's מצעד הגאווה, gay pride parade, in Tel Aviv, which gave us a good excuse to talk about the Hebrew word מצעד and its root צ.ע.ד. Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Mitsa'ad ha-ga'avah – The gay pride – מצעד הגאווה Mits'ad ha-pizmonim / ha-shirim – Hit music parade – מצעד הפזמונים / השירים Ha-mits'ad ha-shnati – The year-e...

The word מפריע means 'bother', and is used in polite sentences like, "סורי אם אני מפריע". But politeness is not what you'll find when searching for מפריע on Twitter. Guy explains and gives some examples from the Twitterverse.   Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon     New Words and Expressions: Mafri'a – Disturbing, bothering – מפריע MafRIah (m.), mafriAH (f.), mafri'im (pl., m.), mafri'ot...

The Hebrew word להקפיץ means to cause something to jump. But how else can we use it? Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Ha-aba makpits et ha-tinok al ha-birkayim – The father is bouncing the baby up on his knees – האבא מקפיץ את התינוק על הברכיים Lehakpits et ha-regel – To move your foot restlessly – להקפיץ את הרגל Muzika makpitsa – Music that makes you jump, o...

The Hebrew word לקפוץ means to jump. But its root has many more uses than just that. For instance, there's a common phrase that's used to describe the actions of a person who has no shame: להשתין מהמקפצה. The phrase involves a diving board and… urine. Guy explains. Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: "Kol ha-yeladim koftsim rokdim" – All the kids are jumping an...

It's not always easy to host people. On the flip side, it's also important to know how to be good guests. Guy explains the secrets behind Israeli hospitality using the Hebrew root ארח, and covers common mistakes often made with similar sounding words. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Ore'ach – Guest – אורח Orchim – Guests – אורחים "Im ba-sha'ar yesh ore'ach… ma n...

The Hebrew word אסור means forbidden, must not. Its root, אסר, provides us all sorts of ways to say, "we shouldn't do that." So let's try to follow the rules because otherwise we might end up as an אסיר! Guy explains. Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Asur – Forbidden, unauthorized, must not – אסור Ze asur – It's not allowed, it's forbidden – זה אסור Asur le-...

Israelis google lots of questions with the word מותר. To whom are they turning for answers? Doctors, experts, rabbis and others knowledgeable people. They want to know what's allowed and what's forbidden. Sometimes you get the strangest questions… Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Mutar – Authorized, allowed, permitted – מותר Mutar le-mishehu laasot masheu –...

The Hebrew word לתאר means  to describe . It can also mean  to imagine . Guy explains how to use the verb לתאר and teaches a slang term to use when rolling your eyes at someone out of disbelief from what they just said. Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: "At yafa she-kashe leta-er" – You're pretty that it's hard to describe – את יפה שקשה לתאר Leta'er – To desc...

A listener wrote to us asking, "what can we say in Hebrew when we see the horrendous footage from Ukraine?" Guy explains some of the words and phrases we can use, and what to say when we are left speechless. Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Nora – Terrible, horrible, awful – נורא "Pashut nora, ma she-kore sham" – It's simply horrible, the things happening th...