how to say “job” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/משרה-#.m4a” /]מִשְׂרָה
It may seem strange, but Hebrew doesn’t have a direct translation for the word job. Rather, it has a few different terms, each with its own unique spin on the word.
There’s עבודה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/משרה-#.m4a” /], which means literally work. It’s the right word to use for job in the general sense:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/משרה-#.m4a” /]יש לי עבודה.
I have a job (literally, I have work).
There’s also תפקיד[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/משרה-#.m4a” /], which means role or position, as in:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/משרה-#.m4a” /]מי יאייש את התפקיד?
Who will fill the position?
Then there’s משרה, which is the most official of the terms, as in:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/משרה-#.m4a” /]מדובר במשרה מלאה או במשרה חלקית?
Are we talking about a full-time or part-time job?
The root of משרה is ש.ר.ה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/משרה-#.m4a” /], the same as that of the name Sarah and the words שר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/משרה-#.m4a” /] (masculine) and שרה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/משרה-#.m4a” /] (feminine) – government minister or person of power. Someone in a job has a certain amount of power.
You may recognize משרה from the liturgical song, אדון עולם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/משרה-#.m4a” /] – Master of the World.