how to say “exam” in Hebrew
מִבְחָן, בְּחִינָה
English has two words for that event that fills students with anticipation or dread – test and exam.
Hebrew does too.
מִבְחָןand בְּחִינָה, both of the root ב.ח.נ (b.kh.n), are more or less synonymous. They do have subtle differences in usage, though, with מבחן tending to refer to something routine and בחינה to a more specific exam, usually a one-time activity.
and בְּחִינָה, both of the root ב.ח.נ (b.kh.n), are more or less synonymous. They do have subtle differences in usage, though, with מבחן tending to refer to something routine and בחינה to a more specific exam, usually a one-time activity.For example, math tests take place fairly often:
יֵשׁ לִי מָחָר מִבְחָן בְּמָתֶמָטִיקָה.
I have a math test tomorrow.
But a high-school matriculation exam in a particular subject takes place less frequently:
עֲשִׂיתִי כְּבָר בְּחִינַת בַּגְרוּת בְּהִסְטוֹרְיָה.
I’ve already done the matriculation exam in history.
Strictly speaking, מבחן is noun in the more proper sense – a word in which the process of testing is made into an institution. Other words of the same construction include מִטְבָּח– kitchen or place of butchering, and מִפְעָל– factory or enterprise.
– kitchen or place of butchering, and מִפְעָל– factory or enterprise.In contrast, בחינה is an abstract noun deriving from the simple verb לִבְחוֹן, to test or to examine. It means literally, testing.
, to test or to examine. It means literally, testing.