how to say “background noise” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/רעש-רקע-#.m4a” /]רַעַשׁ רֶקַע

The Hebrew word for noise is רעש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/רעש-רקע-#.m4a” /]. In Biblical Hebrew, רעש also refers to an earthquake, probably because it makes a lot of noise. In Modern Hebrew, earthquake is רעידת אדמה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/רעש-רקע-#.m4a” /].

A background is רקע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/רעש-רקע-#.m4a” /] (related to the biblical רקיע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/רעש-רקע-#.m4a” /] – firmament, a sort of cosmic background). So background noise is רעש רקע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/רעש-רקע-#.m4a” /], as in:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/רעש-רקע-#.m4a” /]קשה להבין את מה שהם אומרים בסרטון בגלל רעש רקע.

It’s hard to understand what they’re saying in the video because of background noise.

רעש ברקע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/רעש-רקע-#.m4a” /] – noise in the background – is a more common expression. 

For example, you might want to say to the person you’re talking on the phone with:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/רעש-רקע-#.m4a” /]יש הרבה רעש ברקע, אולי תלך למקום שקט יותר?

There’s a lot of noise in the background, could you (maybe you’ll) go to a quieter place?