How to say “the north pole” in Hebrew

הַקֹּטֶב הַצְּפוֹנִי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קוטב-1.mp3″ /]

The Hebrew word קֹטֶב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קוטב-2.mp3″ /] means pole, as in one of two points at the ends of an object.

Thus הַקֹּטֶב הַדְּרוֹמִי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קוטב-3.mp3″ /] is the South Pole, while הַקֹּטֶב הַצְּפוֹנִי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קוטב-1.mp3″ /] is the North Pole.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קוטב-4.mp3″ /]הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ זוֹרַחַת כָּל הַיּוֹם בַּקַּיִץ בַָּקֹּטֶב הַצְּפוֹנִי.

The sun shines all day in the summer at the North Pole.

To describe something as polar, the word is קָטְבִּי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קוטב-5.mp3″ /] in the masculine and קָטְבִּית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קוטב-6.mp3″ /] in the feminine.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קוטב-7.mp3″ /]לֹא בָּרוּר אֵיךְ הֵם מִסְתַּדְּרִים. הֵם הֲפָכִים קָטְבִּיִּם.

It’s not clear how they get along. They’re polar opposites.

Likewise, bipolar disorder is הַפְרָעָה דּוּ-קָטְבִּית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קוטב-8.mp3″ /].

Following this pattern, you might be surprised to learn that the Hebrew term for polar bear is דֹּב קֹטֶב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קוטב-9.mp3″ /] – literally, a bear of a pole, rather than the literal translation of polar bear.