how to say “meeting” in Hebrew

 

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פְּגִישָׁה, מִפְגָּשׁ, אָסֵפָה, יְשִׁיבָה
 

 

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As you can tell from the title, there are many words in Hebrew for meeting. Here’s a digest for you.
 
פגישה
 
פגישה
 
The most common word for meeting is פְּגִישָׁה listen and repeat. It comes from the active-simple verb לִפְגּוֹשׁ listen and repeat to meet – of the root פ.ג.שׁ (p.g.sh) (related to the root פ.ג.ע (p.g.a) meaning to harm in Modern and Biblical Hebrew, but also to make contact in Biblical).
 
פגישה refers to a meeting of a fairly formal quality, usually between two people. פגישה is also the Hebrew word for a romantic date, used at times instead of the more common דֵּייט listen and repeat.
 
מפגש
 
A מִפְגָּשׁ listen and repeat, also of the root פ.ג.שׁ is a less-formal meeting, often a gathering of friends מִפְגַּשׁ חֲבֵרִים listen and repeat.
 
 
אספה
 
An אֲסֵפָה listen and repeat is, literally, a gathering. It comes from the active-simple verb לֶאֱסוֹף listen and repeat to gather, of the root א.ס.פ (a.s.p).
 
A parent-teacher meeting is called אֲסֵפַת הוֹרִים listen and repeat – literally, a parents’ gathering.
 
 
ישיבה
ישיבה
 
יְשִׁיבָה listen and repeat is the most formal of the words for meeting. It comes from the active-simple verb לָשֶׁבֶת listen and repeat to sit – of the root י.שׁ.ב (y.sh.b). Although the primary meaning of לשבת is to sit, it is used to mean to meet as well. 
 
A ישיבה is usually a meeting involving several people of decision-making authority.
 
For example:
 
בַּכְּנֶסֶת קָרְאוּ לִישִׁיבַת חֵרוּם.
The Knesset called for (literally, in the Knesset they called for) an emergency meeting.
 
תפילה בבית כנסת
 
 
The word ישיבה also refers to a place of Torah-learning, where people gather together to sit and engage in something of a common purpose.
 
 
by Ami SteinbergerFounder and Director, Ulpan La-Inyan
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