Corona Optimism
Below are some must-know Hebrew terms on the topic of optimism in the time of COVID-19, based on the following conversation:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /]
אישה – התקופה הזאת לא פשוטה.
אבל אתה יודע מה, גם דברים טובים
יוצאים ממנה.
גבר – כמו מה?
אישה – גילינו שאפשר לעבוד
וללמוד גם מהבית,
בצורה מקוונת.
גבר – בזום?
אישה – כן, בזום. והמשבר
מכריח את הממשלה למצוא
פתרונות, וגם להסתדר ביניהם.
גבר – נקווה…
אישה – ואולי הדבר החשוב
ביותר – אנחנו לומדים
להסתגל למצבים חדשים.
Woman – This period is not a simple
one. But you know what, good things
have come of it.
Man – Like what?
Woman – We’ve discovered that it’s
possible to work and study from
home, online.
Man – On Zoom?
Woman – Yeah, on Zoom. And the crisis
is forcing the government to find
solutions, and to get along.
Man – Let’s hope…
Woman – And maybe the most
important thing – we’re learning
to adapt to new situations.
בצורה מקוונת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] – online
While Israelis also say אונליין[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] (online), the term בצורה מקוונת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] means literally in an online fashion, where מקוונת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] comes from the word קו[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] – line. Online lessons are שיעורים מקוונים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /].
“בזום”[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] – on Zoom
Note the ah sound under the ב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] – while in English we say on Zoom, in Hebrew it’s literally on the Zoom. Same goes for בפייסבוק[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] and בגוגל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /].
להכריח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] – to force
Hebrew has several words for to force. להכריח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /], a הפעיל verb, is perhaps the most forceful of them.
להסתדר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] – to get along
Even if you have slim to no experience with Hebrew, you probably know the expression הכל בסדר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] – everything is okay – or in order. סדר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] means order, and להסתדר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] means to get along – to put our interactions in order. להסתדר is a התפעל verb.
להסתגל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] – to adapt
You may recognize the root of להסתגל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /], the three letters ס.ג.ל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /], from the Biblical expression עם סגולה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] – treasured or chosen people. סגולה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/corona-optimism-#.m4a” /] means that which has been acquired, so that להסתגל – to adapt – is to acquire a new way of being. להסתגל is a התפעל verb.