how to say and use “pleasant” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נעים-1.m4a” /]נָעִים

The Hebrew word for pleasant is נעים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נעים-1.m4a” /]. But whereas in English pleasant isn’t such a common word, Hebrew’s נעים appears in all kinds of common expressions.

For instance, you may recognize נעים from the equivalent of nice to meet you – literally, very pleasant – נעים מאוד[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נעים-2.m4a” /]. Another common phrase is לא נעים לי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נעים-3.m4a” /] – it’s unpleasant for me, or I’m uncomfortable with this. For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נעים-4.m4a” /]לא נעים לי להגיד, אבל סגור את הריצ’רץ’.

It’s awkward (unpleasant) for me to say, but zip (close) your fly.

The opposite is true as well, so that נעים לי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נעים-5.m4a” /] means I feel comfortable.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נעים-6.m4a” /]יש חימום וצבעים יפים – נעים לי פה בחדר.

There’s heating and pretty colors – I feel good (it’s pleasant for me) in this room.