how to say “continent” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/יבשת-1.m4a” /]יַבֶּשֶׁת
The Hebrew word for dry is יבש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/יבשת-2.m4a” /].
So dry land is יבשה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/יבשת-3.m4a” /], as in this partial Biblical verse:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/יבשת-4.m4a” /]וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ בַיַּבָּשָׁה בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם. (שמות י”ד)
And the Children of Israel walked on the dry land inside the sea. (Exodus 14)
In Biblical Hebrew, יבשה is used synonymously with יבשת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/יבשת-1.m4a” /]. But Modern Hebrew distinguishes the two, so that יבשה means dry land, while יבשת refers to a continent.
For example:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/יבשת-5.m4a” /]ישנן שבע יבשות בכדור הארץ.
There are seven continents on the planet Earth.
and
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/יבשת-6.m4a” /]על איזו יבשת אתם גרים?
On which continent do you (plural) live?
