how to say “cutlery” in Hebrew
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This one’s for Dolly.
Silverware, flatware, cutlery, tableware… in English each has its own connotations, but the bottom line is that they all get the job done. They also are all made up – at least in Western cultures – of forks, knives and spoons.
The conventional Hebrew term for cutlery (and therefore all the rest) is סַכּוּ”ם (sah-KOOM). It’s an acronym for סַכִּינִים וּמַזְלֵגוֹת (sah-kee-NEEM oo-mahz-leh-GOHT) – knives and forks.
For your convenience, here’s a list of things you might set on your dinner table, in singular and plural (for a more comprehensive list of household items and other groups of words, I highly recommend English Hebrew by Subject).
סַכִּין, סַכִּינִים (sah-KEEN, sah-kee-NEEM) – knife, knives
מַזְלֵג, מַזְלֵגוֹת (mahz-LEG, mahz-leh-GOHT) – fork, forks
כַּף, כַּפּוֹת (kahf, kah-POHT) – tablespoon, tablespoons
כָּפִּית, כַּפִּיּוֹת (kah-PEET, kah-pee-YOHT) – teaspoon, teaspoons
מַפִּית, מַפִּיּוֹת (mah-PEET, mah-pee-YOHT) – napkin, napkins
מַפָּה, מַפּוֹת (mah-PAH, mah-POHT) – tablecloth, tablecloths
צַלַּחַת, צַלָּחוֹת (tsah-LAH-khaht, tsah-lah-KHOT) – plate, plates
קְעָרָה, קְעָרוֹת (keh-ah-RAH, keh-ah-ROHT) – bowl, bowls
כּוֹס, כּוֹסוֹת (kohs, koh-SOHT) – cup/glass, cups/glasses
כְּלִי הַגָּשָׁה, כְּלֵי הַגָּשָׁה (keh-LEE hah-gah-SHAH, keh-LEH-ee hah-gah-SHAH) – serving utensil, serving utensils
And finally, for קִדּוּש (kee-DOOSH) – Kiddush for Shabbat and holidays:
גָּבִיע (gah-VEE-ah) – goblet.