how to say “lifework” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/מפעל-חיים-#.m4a” /]מִפְעַל חַיִּים
Even if you have no Hebrew background whatsoever, you’ve probably heard the toast, !לחיים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/מפעל-חיים-#.m4a” /] – to life!
חיים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/מפעל-חיים-#.m4a” /] is life, while מפעל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/מפעל-חיים-#.m4a” /] is literally a factory, but also an enterprise or undertaking.
Thus מפעל חיים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/מפעל-חיים-#.m4a” /] is someone’s life’s work or lifework.
For example:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/מפעל-חיים-#.m4a” /]הקורונה הולידה לו את מפעל חייו.
Corona gave birth (for him) to his life’s work.
In the example above, חיים becomes חייו[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/מפעל-חיים-#.m4a” /] since it means literally his life.
The root of מפעל is פ.ע.ל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/מפעל-חיים-#.m4a” /] meaning action, also the root of the word פועל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/מפעל-חיים-#.m4a” /] – verb or action word.
