how to say “comfortable” in Hebrew

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

To rest, in Hebrew, is לנוח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נוח-2.m4a” /]. It’s an active-simple verb of the hollow variety.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נוח-3.m4a” /]לך, דוד, תנוח על הספה.

Go, David, rest on the sofa. (spoken to a male)

Once sitting down, David hopefully feels comfortable. You might ask him:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נוח-4.m4a” /]נוח לך?

Is it comfortable for you?

Whereas in English you might ask are you comfortable?, in Hebrew you wouldn’t say ?אתה נוח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נוח-5.m4a” /]. That’s because נוח describes not the state of feeling comfortable, but rather the ability to provide that feeling.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נוח-6.m4a” /]זאת ספה נוחה מאוד.

This is a very comfortable sofa.

Note that the sofa itself doesn’t feel comfortable, but the person lounging on it does.

Also note that נוח meaning physically comfortable is not from the same root as the name נח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נוח-7.m4a” /] – Noah. Rather, the ark-builder’s name abbreviates the root נ.ח.מ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נוח-8.m4a” /] meaning consolation or to comfort in the emotional sense.