מִשְׁקְפֵי שֶׁמֶשׁ Can’t read Hebrew yet? The Hebrew word for glasses is מִשְׁקָפַיִם , of the root שׁ.ק.פ (sh.k.p) having to do with visibility. Sunglasses, likewise, are ׁמִשְׁקְפֵי שֶׁמֶש – literally, glasses of the sun. For example: מֻמְלָץ לְהָבִיא מִשְׁקְפֵי שֶׁמֶשׁ לְבִקּוּרְכֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחָדְשֵׁי הַקַּיִץ. It’s recommended to bring sunglasses for…
עִירוֹנִי Can’t read Hebrew yet? The Hebrew word for city, going back to the earliest books in Bible, is עִיר . Already in Mishnaic times, Hebrew began employing עיר to describe the then-novel concepts of urban and municipal – as well as an urbanite (city dweller), rendering the word עִירוֹנִי . For example:…
אָכֵן Can’t read Hebrew yet? Indeed once was a common word in English. Today it’s used more often than not sarcastically or smugly (though sometimes it’s used sincerely as well). Its Hebrew equivalent, אָכֵן , is used in a similar vein. For example: סִיַּמְתָּ אֶת כָּל הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁלְּךָ לְהַיּוֹם? אָכֵן….
חֹמֶר לְשִׁנּוּן Review Material Can’t read Hebrew yet? Review, practice and test yourself on this week’s doses of Hebrew! Flashcards Game Test שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם, וְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ נָעִים! Shabbat Shalom, and have a nice weekend!
אֳפָקִים חֲדָשִׁים Can’t read Hebrew yet? The Hebrew word for horizon is אֹפֶק . For example: אֲנִי רוֹאֶה סְפִינָה בָּאֹפֶק. I (a male) see a ship on the horizon. אופק refers to the physical horizon, the meeting place of the sky and the earth, as well as to…
מְקוֹמוֹת יָפִים Can’t read Hebrew yet? If you’ve got a bit of Hebrew under your belt, you likely know the word for place – מָקוֹם– whose root is ק.ו.מ (k.w.m) meaning getting up (a place is situated somewhere, as if it were made to stand in that location). מקום is a masculine word, so that a nice…
לָקוּם Can’t read Hebrew yet? As in all Semitic languages, Hebrew roots have three letters. When used to form certain words, however, one or more letters from a root disappear. The letter ו (w) is one of those that often disappears. Take the simple verb לָקוּם – to get up or to arise – for…
מִשְׁמַעַת Can’t read Hebrew yet? Today, Israelis and Jews around the world pay tribute to those who fell defending the Jewish homeland, as well as those who were killed in acts of terror against it. A key trait for good soldiering is discipline – in Hebrew, מִשְׁמַעַת . This word derives from…
בְּרֵכַת שְׂחִיָּה Can’t read Hebrew yet? I’m loving the warm weather here in Israel. It’s perfect for swimming, my favorite sport. The Hebrew term for swimming is שְׂחִיָּה , derived from the simple verb לִשְׂחוֹת – to swim – of the root שׂ.ח.ה (s.kh.h). And a pool is a בְּרֵכָה ….
חֹמֶר לְשִׁנּוּן Review Material Can’t read Hebrew yet? Review, practice and test yourself on this week’s doses of Hebrew! Flashcards Game Test שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם, וְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ נָעִים! Shabbat Shalom, and have a nice weekend!
קָרְבָּן Can’t read Hebrew yet? Today, not much animal sacrifice is going on in Israel or elsewhere in the world. So the term that once referred to sacrificing an animal – קָרְבָּן – has been revived to refer to a person being “sacrificed” by circumstances – a victim. For example: …