Hebrew phrasebook

Modern Hebrew is spoken as a daily language in Israel and Biblical Hebrew is used as a religious language by Jews worldwide. It is written with a different alphabet than European languages, and is written from right to left. Pronunciation guide The Hebrew alphabet consists entirely of consonants, though some can function as vowels. Vowels are indicated with a system of dots and dashes next to the letters, but these are usually omitted except in Bibles and children's books. It is common for words, especially foreign words, to be spelled in more than one way; the Abu'l`afia Synagogue has five different spellings of its name on its signs. The accent is usually on the last syllable; most of the exceptions are segolates (words in which segol, the e-sound, was inserted after the accent), such as elef "thousand". Some words have a diphthong "ua" or "ia" which is one syllable but sounds like two, like English "oil". This is called pattach gnubah "stolen a-sound" and occurs in shavua "week", which is accented on the "u". Five letters (מנצפכ) have a different form at the end of a word (םןץףך, respectively). These are named by adding סופית (so-FEET) "final" to the name of the letter, e.g. נון סופית (Noon So-feet) א aleph  glottal stop or silent ('sometimes used as the letter a when rendering English in Hebrew') ב bet  like bear or maven ג gimel  like gone ד dalet  like dude ה he  like harp; silent at the end of a word, unless it has a dot in it ו vav  like violin; also or or tune when used as a vowel ז zayin  like zany ח chet  voiceless gargle, i.e. like the scotish loch ט tet  like tuck י yud  like yet; also say or honey when used as a vowel כ ך kaf  like keep, or halfway between keep and heap ל lamed  like leave מ ם mem  like mother נ ן nun  like never ס samekh  like some ע `ayin  constriction of the throat, but you can just say ', though there are some minimal pairs פ ף pe  like upon or loofa צ ץ tsadi  like boots ק koof  like coo, but further back in the throat ר resh  voiced gargle as in French ש sin, shin  like shoot or seem ת tav  like teeth; in some dialects sometimes like juice or teeth Phrase list Hebrew verbs conjugate according to the gender of the sentence's subject: different verb forms must thus be used when referring to men and women. These have been noted below when appropriate. Basics Hello. (Peace)  שלום. (shalom - shah-LOHM) The Hebrew greeting, literally "peace." The English "Hi" is also used. Bye. (Peace)  שלום. (shalom - shah-LOHM) Yes, the greeting is the same for the start and end of conversation. See also "See you later". See you later.  להתראות. (lehitra'ot - leh-hit-rah-'OHT) The most common farewell greeting, besides the English "Bye". Again, the English "Bye" is also used. Good morning.  בוקר טוב (boker tov - BOH-ker TOHV) Good afternoon.  צהריים טובים (tsohorayim tovim - tsoh-hoh-RAH-yeem toh-VEEM) (literally: "good noon", afternoon is אחר-צהריים - ahar tsohorayim tovim - aKHAR tsoh-hoh-RAH-yeem toh-VEEM) Good evening.  ערב טוב ('erev tov - EH-rev TOHV) Good night.  לילה טוב (laylah tov - LIGH-lah TOHV) How are you? (What's your wellbeing/peace?)- addressing to a man.  ‫מה שלומך?‬ (mah shlomkha? - mah shlom-KHAH) How are you? (What's your wellbeing/peace?)- addressing to a woman.  ‫מה שלומך?‬ (mah shlomekh? - mah shloh-MEKH) How are you? (What's being heard?).  ‫מה נשמע?‬ (mah nishma? - mah nish-MAH) What's up? (What's happening?).   מה קורה? (mah kore? - mah kor-EH) Thank you.  תודה (todah - toh-DAH) Please/ You're welcome.  בבקשה (bevakashah - be-vah-kuh-SHAH) Excuse me.  סליחה (slihah - slee-KHAH) I don't understand. (said by a man).  אני לא מבין (ani lo mevin - ahni loh meh-VEEN) I don't understand. (said by a woman).  אני לא מבינה (ani lo mevinah - ahni loh meh-VEENA) Pronouns (כינויי גוף kinuye guf) I  אני (ani - ah-NEE) You (singular, masc.)  אתה (atah - ah-TAH) You (singular, fem.)  את (at - aht) He  הוא (hu - hoo) She  היא (hi - hee) We  אנחנו (anahnu - ah-NAKH-noo) You (plural, masc.)  אתם (atem - ah-TEM) You (plural, fem.)  אתן (aten - ah-TEN) They (plural, masc.)  הם (hem - hem) They (plural, fem.)  הן (hen - hen) Asking Questions (שאלות she'elot) Who?  ‫מי?‬ (mi? - mee) What?  ‫מה?‬ (mah? - mah) Where is ...?  ‫איפה?‬ (eyfoh? - ey-FOH) Where to?  ‫לאן?‬ (le'an? - leh-AH-n) Where from?  ‫מאיפה\מאין?‬ (me'eifoh?/me'ayn? - meh-ey-FOH/meh-Ah-een) When?  ‫מתי?‬ (matai? - mah-TIGH) Why?  ‫למה?‬ (lamah? - lah-MAH), ‫מדוע?‬ (madua'? - mah-DOOah) How much? (also "how many")  ‫כמה?‬ (kamah? - kah-MAH) Where are you from? When speaking to a male: ‫מאיפה אתה?‬ (me'eifoh atah? - meh-ey-FOH ah-TAH) When speaking to a female: ‫מאיפה את?‬ (me'eifoh at? - meh-ey-FOH aht) Do you speak English? When speaking to a male: ‫אתה מדבר אנגלית?‬ (atah medaber anglit? - ah-TAH meh-dah-BEHR ahn-GLEET?) When speaking to a female: ‫את מדברת אנגלית?‬ (at medaberet anglit? - aht meh-dah-BEH-ret ahn-GLEET?) Numbers (מספרים misparim) 0  אפס (efes - EH-fess) 1  אחת (ahat - ah-KHAT) 2  שתיים (shtayim - SHTAH-yeem) 3  שלש (shalosh - shah-LOSH) 4  ארבע (arba' - AHR-bah) 5  חמש (hamesh - khah-MESH) 6  שש (shesh - shesh) 7  שבע (sheva' - SHEH-vah) 8  שמונה (shmoneh - shmo-NEH) 9  תשע (tesha' - TEY-shah) 10  עשר ('eser - EH-sehr) 11  אחת עשרה (ahat-'esreh - ah-khat es-REH) 12  שתים עשרה (shtem-'esreh - shtem es-REH) 13  שלוש עשרה (shlosh-'esreh - shlosh es-REH) 14  ארבע עשרה (arba'-'esreh - ar-bah es-REH) 15  חמש עשרה (hamesh-'esreh - kha-mesh es-REH) 16  שש עשרה (shesh-'esreh - shesh es-REH) 17  שבע עשרה (shva'-'esreh - shva es-REH) 18  שמונה עשרה (shmonah-'esreh - shmo-nah es-REH) 19  תשע עשרה (tshah-'esreh - tshah es-REH) 20  עשרים ('esrim - es-REEM) 25  עשרים וחמש ('esrim vehamesh - es-REEM ve-khah-MESH) 30  שלשים (shloshim - shlo-SHEEM) 40  ארבעים (arba'im - ar-bah-EEM) 50  חמשים (hamishim - khah-mee-SHEEM) 60  ששים (shishim - shee-SHEEM) 70  שבעים (shiv'im - shiv-EEM) 80  שמונים (shmonim - shmo-NEEM) 90  תשעים (tish'im - tish-EEM) 100  מאה (me'ah - MEH-'ah) 200  מאתיים (matayim - m'ah-TAH-yeem) 300  שלש מאות (shlosh-me'ot - sh-LOSH meh-'OHT) 1000  אלף (elef - EH-lef) 1%  אחוז (ahuz - ah-KHOOZ ah-KHAD) 5%  חמישה אחוזים (hamishah ahuzim - kha-misha ah-KHOOZIM) 100%  מאה אחוז (me'ah ahuz - MEH-'ah ah-KHOOZ) Half  חצי (hetsi - KHE-tsee) Quarter  רבע (reva' - REH-vah) More  יותר (yoter - yoh-TEHR) Less  פחות (pahot - pah-KHOHT) Time (זמן zman) Today  היום (hayom - hah-YOHM) Yesterday  אתמול (etmol - et-MOHL) Tomorrow  מחר (mahar - mah-KHAHR) The day before yesterday  שלשום (shilshom - shil-SHOHM) The day after tomorrow  מחרתיים (mahratayim - makh-rah-TAH-yeem) Days of the week (ימי השבוע yame hashavua') Except for Shabbat, these are ordinal numbers. But both these and the names of the first 6 letters in the Hebrew Alfa-Beit are used. Sunday  יום ראשון (yom rishon - yohm ree-SHOHN) Monday  יום שני (yom sheni - yohm shey-NEE) Tuesday  יום שלישי (yom shlishi - yohm shlee-SHEE) Wednesday  יום רביעי (yom revi'i - yohm rvee-EE) Thursday  יום חמישי (yom hamishi - yohm khah-mee-SHEE) Friday  יום ששי (yom shishi - yohm shee-SHEE) Saturday  שבת (shabat - shah-BAHT) Months (חודשים hodashim) In everyday life, most Israelis use the Gregorian Calendar. The month names pronunciation resembles Central-European (e.g. German) pronunciation. January  ינואר ("Yanuar") February  פברואר ("Februar") March  מרץ ("Merts") April  אפריל ("April") May  מאי ("May - Mah-ee) June  יוני ("Yuni - Yuh-nee") July  יולי ("Yuli - Yuh-lee") August  אוגוסט ("Ogust - O-guh-st") September  ספטמבר ("September") October  אוקטובר ("October") November  נובמבר ("November") December  דצמבר ("Detsember") For holidays and events, Israeli Jews and Jews worldwide use a lunisolar calendar, in which the month begins at the new moon and a thirteenth month is added every few years. The months with Tishrei (Sept.-Oct.) and run through Elul (August-September); thus Elul 5760 is followed by Tishrei 5761. Besides meaning "spring" and "Nisan", "Aviv" is also the name of a stage that the growth of barley reaches at that time. Tishrei  תשרי (tishrey - tish-REY) Cheshvan  חשון (heshvan - khesh-VAN) Kislev  כסלו (kislev - kis-LEV) Tevet  טבת (tevet - tey-VET) Shevat  שבט (shevat - shuh-VAT) Adar  אדר (adar - ah-DAR) Second Adar (the leap month)  אדר שני (adar sheni - ah-DAR shey-NEE) or אדר ב (adar beth - ah-DAR beth) Nisan  ניסן (nisan - nee-SAHN) Iyar  אייר (iyar - ee-YAHR) Sivan  סיון (sivan - see-VAHN) Tammuz  תמוז (tamuz - tah-MOOZ) Av  אב (av - ahv) Elul  אלול (elul - eh-LOOL) Duration (משך meshekh) Day  יום (yom - yom) Week  שבוע (shavua' - shah-VOOah) Month  חודש (hodesh - KHO-desh) Year  שנה (shanah - shah-NAH) Hour  שעה (sha'ah - shah-AH) Minute  דקה (daqah - dah-KAH) Second  שניה (shniyah - shnee-YAH) Time  זמן (zman - zmahn) Seasons (עונות 'onot) Spring  אביב (aviv - ah-VEEV) Summer  קיץ (kayits - KAH-yits) Autumn  סתיו (stav - stahv) Winter  חורף (horef - KHO-ref) What time is it?  מה השעה? (mah hasha'ah? - mah hah-shah-AH?) Colors (צבעים tsva'im) black  שחור (shahor - sha-KHOR) white  לבן (lavan - la-VAN) gray  אפור (afor - a-FOR) red  אדום (adom - a-DOM) blue  כחול (kahol - ka-KHOL) yellow  צהוב (tsahov - tza-HOV) green  ירוק (yaroq - ya-ROK) orange  כתום (katom - ka-TOM) purple  סגול (sagol - sa-GOL) brown  חום (hum - khum) Transportation (תחבורה tahburah) Bus and train (אוטובוס ורכבת otobus verakevet) How much is a ticket to _____?  כמה עולה כרטיס ל (kamah 'ole kartis le___? - KA-ma `oLE karTIS le___?) One ticket to _____, please.  כרטיס אחד ל___, בבקשה (kartis ehad le___, bevakashah - karTIS eKHAD le___, bevakaSHA) Where does this train/bus go?   ?לאן הרכבת הזאת נוסעת?/לאן האוטובוס הזה נוסע (le'an harakevet hazot nosa'at?/le'an ha'otobus haze nosea'? - le'anleAN haraKEvet haZOT noSA`at?/leAN haOtobus haZE noSEa?) Where is the train/bus to _____?   ?___איפה הרכבת ל___?/איפה האוטובוס ל (eifoh harakevet le___?/eifoh ha'otobus le___? - EIfo haraKEvet le___?/EIfo haOtobus le___?) Does this train/bus stop in _____?  הרכבת הזאת עוצרת ב___?/האוטובוס הזה עוצר ב(harakevet hazot 'otseret be___?/ha'otobus haze 'otser be___? - haraKEvet haZOT oTZEret be___?/haOtobus haZE oTZER be___?) When does the train/bus for _____ leave?  מתי יוצאת הרכבת ל___?/מתי יוצא האוטובוס ל (matai yotset harakevet le___?/matai yotse ha'otobus le___? - maTAI yoTZET haraKEvet le___?/maTAI yoTZE haOtobus le___?) When will this train/bus arrive in _____?  מתי הרכבת הזאת מגיעה ל___?/מתי האוטובוס הזה מגיע ל (matai harakevet hazot magi'ah le___? matai ha'otobus haze magia' le___? - maTAI haraKEvet haZOT magi`A le___?/maTAI haOtobus haZE magi`A le___?) Directions (כיוונים kivunim) How do I get to _____ ?  איך אני מגיע/ה ל (eikh ani magia'/magi'ah le___? - eikh aNI maGI`a/magi`A(f) le___?) ...the train station?  תחנת הרכבת (...tahanat harakevet? - takhaNAT haraKEvet) ...the bus station?  תחנת האוטובוס (...tahanat ha'otobus? - takhaNAT haOtobus) ...the airport?  שדה התעופה (...sde hate'ufah? - sde hateuFA) ...downtown?  מרכז העיר (...merkaz ha'ir? - merKAZ ha`IR) ...the youth hostel?  אכסניית נוער (...akhsaniyat no'ar? - akhsaniYAT NO`ar) ...the _____ hotel?  מלון (...malon ___? - maLON ___?) ...the American/British/French/Chinese/Indian/Russian/Polish consulate?  הקונסוליה ה אמריקאית/בריטית/צרפתית/סינית/הודית/רוסית/פולנית (konsuliyah ha'amerikait/habritit/hatsarfatit/hasinit/hahodit/harusit/hapolanit? - HaKonSULia ha ahmehriKAHit/BRItit/tsorfaTIT/SInit/HOdit/ruSIT/polaNIT?) Where are there a lot of...  איפה יש הרבה (eifoh yesh harbeh... - EIfo yesh harBE...) ...hotels?  מלונות (...melonot? - meloNOT) ...restaurants?  מסעדות (...mis'adot? - mis`aDOT) ...bars?  ברים (...barim? - BArim) ...things to see?  דברים לראות (...dvarim lir'ot? - dvaRIM lirOT) Can you show me on the map?  אפשר להראות לי במפה (efshar lehar'ot li bamapah? - efSHAR leharOT li bamaPA) street  רחוב (rehov - reKHOV) Go left.  לך שמאלה (lekh smolah - lekh SMOla) GO right.  לך ימינה (lekh yeminah - lekh yaMIna) left  שמאל (smol - smol) right  ימין (yamin - yaMIN) straight ahead  ישר (yashar - yaSHAR) towards the _____  לכיוון (lekivun ___ - lekiVUN) past the _____  אחרי ה (ahrey ha___ - akhaREY) before the _____  לפני ה (lifney ha___ - lifNEY) Watch for the _____.  חפש את ה (hapes et ha___ - khaPES et ha___) intersection  צומת (tsomet - TZOmet) north  צפון (tsafon - tzaFON) south  דרום (darom - daROM) east  מזרח (mizrah - mizRAKH) west  מערב (ma'arav - ma`aRAV) uphill  במעלה ההר (b`ma`aleh ha`har - b`ma`aLEH ha`HAR) downhill  במורד ההר (b`morad ha`har - b`moRAD ha`HAR) Taxi (מונית monit) Taxi!  מונית (monit! - moNIT!) Take me to _____, please.  קח אותי ל____, בבקשה (qah oti le___, bevakashah - kakh oTI le___, bevakaSHA) How much does it cost to get to _____?  כמה זה עולה עד ל (kamah ze 'oleh li 'ad le___? - KAma ze `oLE `ad le___) Take me there, please.  קח אותי לשם בבקשה (qah oti lesham, bevakashah - kakh oTI leSHAM, bevakaSHA) Could you use a counter/taximeter, please?  תוכל להשתמש במונה בבקשה? (tukhal lehishtamesh bemoneh bevakasha? - tuKHAL le-hish-ta-MESH be-moNEH be-va-ka-SHA?). A counter/taximeter (מונה - moneh) gives the price based on certain factors such as travel time and distance (plus initial price), rather than a fixed overprice. Luggage costs extra in either case. Eating In Israel, many restaurants and eating places are kosher meaning that they observe the Jewish dietary laws of kashrut. For a restaurant to be officially kosher and have a Kosher Certificate, in addition to serving only correctly prepared kosher food, it must also not open on the Shabbat - from sundown on Friday through sundown on Saturday. In many places in Israel such as Tel Aviv, there are non-kosher restaurants that will open on Shabbat and will serve non-kosher food (e.g. the restaurant serves both meat and milk dishes). Comparatively few places serve non-kosher food items like shrimp or pork. In some religious villages and small towns there are very few if any places that open on Shabbat. A table for one person/two people, please.  בבקשה, שולחן לאחד /לשניים (b'vakaSHA, shulKHAN l'ekhAD/ lishnAIYM) Can I look at the menu, please?  אפשר תפריט בבקשה (Efshar tafrit, b'vakasha?) I'm a vegetarian.  אני צמחוני /אני צמחונית (Ani tzimkhoni (masc)/ Ani tzimkhonit (fem)) I don't eat beef.  אני לא אוכל/ אני לא אוכלת בקר (Ani lo okhel bakar (masc)/ Ani lo okhelet bakar(fem)) I only eat kosher food.  אני אוכל /אוכלת רק אוכל כשר (Ani okhel (masc)/okhelet (fem) raq okhel kasher) Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)  אפשר עם פחות שמן בבקשה (Efshar im pakhot shemen bevakashah) breakfast  ארוחת בוקר (Arukhat boqer) lunch  ארוחת צהריים (Arukhat tzohorayim) supper  ארוחת ערב (Arukhat erev) I want _____.  אני רוצה _____. (Ani rotzeh (masc); Ani rotzah (fem)) I would like to eat _____.  אני רוצה לאכול _____. (Ani rotzeh/ rotzah le'ekhol) chicken  עוף (Off) beef  בקר (Baqar) fish  דג (Dag) cheese  גבינה (Gvinah) eggs  ביצה (Beitzah) salad  סלט (Salat) (fresh) vegetables  ירקות (Y'raqot) (fresh) fruit  פירות (Peirot) bread  לחם (Lekhem) toast  טוסט (Tost) noodles  נודלז (Nudelz) pasta  פסטה (Pastah) rice  אורז (Orez) chickpeas חומוס (Khumus) hummus: חומוס (Khumus) May I have a glass of _____?  אפשר כוס (Efshar qos) May I have a cup of _____?  אפשר כוס (Efshar qos) May I have a bottle of _____?  אפשר בקבוק (Efshar baqbuq) ...coffee  ...קפה (Kafeh) ...tea (drink)  תה (Teh) ...juice  ...מיץ (Mitz) ...(bubbly) water  ...סודה (Sodah) ...water  ...מים (Mayim) ...beer  ...בירה (Birah) ...red/white wine  ...יין אדום. יין לבן (Yain adom / Yain lavan) May I have some _____?  אפשר (Efshar) salt  מלח (Melakh) black pepper  פלפל שחור (Pilpel shakhor) Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server) סליחה (Slikhah) I'm finished.  סיימתי (Siamti) It was delicious.  היה מצוין (Hayah metzuyan) Please clear the plates.  אפשר לפנות (Efshar l'fanot) The check, please.  אפשר חשבון, בבקשה (Efshar kheshbon, b'vakasha) Where is the bathroom ?  איפה השירותים ? (Eifo Hasherutim?)