how to say “hill” in Hebrew

  [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/פסגת-ההר-1.m4a” /]פִּסְגַּת הָהָר One of Jerusalem’s northern neighborhoods, close to the university on הר הצופים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/פסגת-ההר-2.m4a” /] (Mt. Scopus), is פסגת זאב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/פסגת-ההר-3.m4a” /] – Pisgat Zeev. This means literally, Zeev’s (mountain) Peak or Zeev’s Summit. Unattached to another word, peak or summit is פסגה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/פסגת-ההר-4.m4a” /]. For example hikers or competitive business people might say: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/פסגת-ההר-5.m4a”…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/צנוע-1.m4a” /]צָנוּעַ According to Wikipedia, the name of the capital city of Yemen, Sana’a (صنعاء‎‎), probably means well fortified, derived from a Southern Arabian dialect. Since the Mishnaic Hebrew word להצניע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/צנוע-2.m4a” /] means to hide or to store something, it’s not far-fetched to connect these two Semitic words: in order to store something, one needs to fortify it so that…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/שמרטף-1.m4a” /]בֵּייבִּיסִיטֶר, שְׁמַרְטַף To watch the kids in Hebrew is לשמור על הילדים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/שמרטף-2.m4a” /], literally, to watch/keep/guard the children. But the professional who assume this role when parents are away is not called a watchperson or a guardian in English – they’re called a babysitter. This term is so lovely to the ear that Israelis use it to…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/הזיה-#.m4a” /]הֲזָיָה When we see or hear things that are not really there, we’re either dreaming or hallucinating. While to dream in Hebrew is לחלום[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/הזיה-#.m4a” /] (a simple verb), to hallucinate is להזות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/הזיה-#.m4a” /] (a simple verb). Likewise, hallucination is הזיה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/הזיה-#.m4a” /], as in: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/הזיה-#.m4a” /]האם זה היה חלום או הזיה? Was that…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/החוג-הארקטי-#.m4a” /]הַחוּג הָאַרְקְטִי If you’ve got basic Hebrew down, you most likely know the word for holiday – חג[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/החוג-הארקטי-#.m4a” /]. How about the Arabic word for pilgrimage – حاج (haj)? Both have to do with people coming in from outer circles to a central place – in Islam, Mecca, and in Judaism, Jerusalem (until about…