Author: Ami Steinberger

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שואב-אבק-1.m4a” /]שׁוֹאֵב אָבָק The Hebrew word for dust is אבק[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שואב-אבק-2.m4a” /]. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שואב-אבק-3.m4a” /]רוח מדברית מביאה איתה הרבה אבק. A desert wind brings with it lots of dust. And a vacuum cleaner? Though it’s often called a הובר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שואב-אבק-4.m4a” /] after the successful brand (Hoover), many Israelis call it שואב אבק[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שואב-אבק-1.m4a”…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/להעלות-חרס-1.m4a” /]לְהַעֲלוֹת חֶרֶס בְּיָדוֹ Hebrew does have a word for to fail – להיכשל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/להעלות-חרס-2.m4a” /]. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/להעלות-חרס-3.m4a” /]הוא נכשל במבחן. He failed (on) the exam. But there’s another, softer expression: להעלות חרס בידו[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/להעלות-חרס-1.m4a” /] – literally to raise clay on his hand. The phrase is often shortened to להעלות חרס – to raise clay. For…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/רוח-מדברית-1.m4a” /]רוּחַ מִדְבָּרִית On these cold Jerusalem nights I dream of a draft from down south – רוח מדברית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/רוח-מדברית-1.m4a” /] – a desert wind. In a Hebrew sentence: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/רוח-מדברית-2.m4a” /]נושבת כאן רוח מדברית נעימה. A pleasant desert wind is blowing here. מדברית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/רוח-מדברית-3.m4a” /] takes the word מדבר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/רוח-מדברית-4.m4a” /] – desert – and adds…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/אי-נעימות-1.m4a” /]אִי-נְעִימוּת Unpleasantness is a dictionary word in English, but it’s hardly used – unlike its Hebrew counterpart אי-נעימות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/אי-נעימות-1.m4a” /], an expression that is very much alive in Israeli culture. For example, at the Ben Gurion airport, you’ll hear something like: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/אי-נעימות-2.m4a” /]נא להימנע מאי-נעימות מיותרת הכרוכה בגרירת רכב. Please avoid unnecessary…

חֹמֶר לְשִׁנּוּן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-1.mp3″ /] Review Material Can’t read Hebrew yet? You spent time on your Hebrew this week. Use these review materials to make it yours to keep.  Flashcards . Scatter . Gravity . Test [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-2.mp3″ /]שבת שלום, וסוף שבוע נעים! Shabbat Shalom, and have a nice weekend!

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/חדר-הלבשה-1.m4a” /]חֲדַר הַלְבָּשָׁה To wear is ללבוש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/חדר-הלבשה-2.m4a” /]. To get dressed is להתלבש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/חדר-הלבשה-3.m4a” /]. To dress someone else is להלביש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/חדר-הלבשה-4.m4a” /]. A dressing room is חדר הלבשה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/חדר-הלבשה-1.m4a” /]. For example, you might see this on the list of rules at the community pool: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/חדר-הלבשה-5.m4a” /]יש להתנגב במגבת לפני היציאה לחדר ההלבשה. Dry off…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/מגב-1.m4a” /]מַגָּב Yesterday we saw the Hebrew word for towel – מגבת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/מגב-2.m4a” /]. What we might call the masculine form of מגבת is מגב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/מגב-1.m4a” /] – a mop. מגב is usually for cleaning floors, but it could also refer to a smaller mop-like device, as in: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/מגב-3.m4a” /]יש לך מגב לנקות את השמשה?…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/מגבת-1.m4a” /]מַגֶּבֶת This is a useful word if you’re stuck in a sub-par hotel and realize there’s nothing with which to dry yourself after a shower. מגבת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/מגבת-1.m4a” /] comes from the root נ.ג.ב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/מגבת-2.m4a” /] meaning to wipe. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/מגבת-3.m4a” /]יש לך מגבת ספייר? Do you (a male) have an extra towel?…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שמשה-1.m4a” /]שִׁמְשָׁה קִדְמִית The Hebrew word for window pane is שִׁמְשָׁה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שמשה-2.m4a” /] (often pronounced שְׁמָשָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שמשה-3.m4a” /]), deriving from the word שמש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שמשה-4.m4a” /] – sun. The kind of pane that shields the people in a car from wind is called in Hebrew שמשה קדמית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שמשה-1.m4a” /] – a frontal pane, though the phrase is usually shortened…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ברד-1.m4a” /]בָּרָד Mind you, this is not hail as in All hail the king! This is hail in the frozen rain sense: ברד[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ברד-1.m4a” /]. For example: This is not rain, this is hail. [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ברד-2.m4a” /]זה לא גשם, זה ברד. ברד can also refer to a frozen beverage like those sold at 7-Eleven. The word is related…

חֹמֶר לְשִׁנּוּן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-1.mp3″ /] Review Material Can’t read Hebrew yet? You spent time on your Hebrew this week. Use these review materials to make it yours to keep.  Flashcards . Scatter . Gravity . Test [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-2.mp3″ /]שבת שלום, וסוף שבוע נעים! Shabbat Shalom, and have a nice weekend!