how to say “no big deal” in Hebrew
having trouble seeing the print?

having trouble seeing the print?

כֶּסֶף מְזֻיַּף (KEH-sef me-zoo-YAHF) is counterfeit money. לְזַיֵּף (le-zah-YEF) is to counterfeit. The root of both is ז.י.פ (z.y.p/f). One can also counterfeit a decent voice while singing. In English we call this phenomenon singing off-key. In Hebrew, we call it לזייף – to sing off-key – or זִיּוּף (zee-YOOF) – the act of singing off…
Courses starting soon! (your daily dose follows) Our second summer session of fun, friendly state-of-the-art conversational Hebrew courses starts August 7 throughout Israel. Check us out!
Breaking the ice… Next week, I’m doing a presentation in Raanana (Tues eve) and Jerusalem (Wed eve) entitled “The Hebrew You Always Wanted to Know… But Were Too Afraid to Ask.” You can send me your requests as well as get the details for the event, here. If you’re around, it would be…
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/קלפי-2-#.m4a” /]קַלְפִּי The Hebrew word for ballot box – קלפי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/קלפי-2-#.m4a” /] – comes from the Ancient Greek word κάλπη (kalpi), which referred to an urn used to collect votes. קלפי made its way to Hebrew in Mishnaic times, when the Greeks ruled the Land of Israel. Today it refers not only to the physical ballot…
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/זעם-#.m4a” /]זַעַם You may know the Hebrew word for anger – כעס[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/זעם-#.m4a” /]. You may also know the verb לכעוס[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/זעם-#.m4a” /] – to be angry. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/זעם-#.m4a” /]כעסתי עליו, אבל סלחתי לו. I was angry with him, but I forgave him. The word for to rage is לזעום[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/זעם-#.m4a” /]. Likewise, rage is זעם[audioclip…
לִגְלוֹשׁ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לגלוש-1.mp3″ /] Suppose you’re on a weekend getaway in Netanya, Israel, which is situated on the beach. And suppose you like to surf – לִגְלוֹשׁ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לגלוש-1.mp3″ /]. You might ask the man selling falafel on the boardwalk: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לגלוש-2.mp3″ /]אֵיפֹה אֶפְשָׁר לִגְלוֹשׁ? Where can I surf? לגלוש is used not only for surfing the…