how to say “poetry” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/שירה-#.m4a” /]שִׁירָה

If you’ve got some basic Hebrew, you probably know the word for song – שיר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/שירה-#.m4a” /]. You may also know the word for to sing – לשיר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/שירה-#.m4a” /], a hollow פעל verb.

Now, since שיר refers not only to a song but also to a poem, the word for poetry is שירה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/שירה-#.m4a” /]. It’s also a common Hebrew name for girls.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/שירה-#.m4a” /]השירה הישראלית עוסקת בנושאים פרטיים, לאומיים וכלל-עולמיים.

(The) Israeli poetry deals with topics private, national and universal.

The word appears as Biblical Hebrew as well:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/שירה-#.m4a” /]”אז ישיר משה את השירה הזאת…” (שמות ט”ו, א’)

“Moses then sang this song…” (Exodus 15:1)

שירה can also mean singing, as in the beloved Israeli activity, שירה בציבור[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/שירה-#.m4a” /] – singing as a group.