how to say “marital status” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-1.m4a” /]מַצָּב אִישִׁי

The Hebrew word for marriage is נישואין[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-2.m4a” /]. It comes from the root נ.ש.א[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-3.m4a” /] meaning lifting up. Traditionally, a man would lift the woman into a greater status by marrying her (think crossing the threshold). He would in turn be uplifted as well by the woman he chose.

As for marital status, Hebrew uses a term that means in English personal status or personal situation: מצב אישי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-1.m4a” /].

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-4.m4a” /]הטופס מחייב לציין מצב אישי.

The form requires indicating a marital status.

Broken down:

מצב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-5.m4a” /] – situation

אישי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-6.m4a” /] – personal, from the word איש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-7.m4a” /] meaning man or, in effect, person

Jewish tradition casts the holiday of שבועות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-8.m4a” /] – Weeks or Pentacost – as the marriage – הנישואין[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-9.m4a” /] – between the people of Israel and their G-d.

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מצב-אישי-10.m4a” /] חג שמח!

Happy holiday!