how to say “powerful” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/עוצמתי-#.m4a” /]עָצְמָתִי
The basic Hebrew word for power or energy is כוח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/עוצמתי-#.m4a” /], as in:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/עוצמתי-#.m4a” /]אין לי כוח!
I don’t have energy! (I don’t feel like it!)
But the adjective form, כוחני[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/עוצמתי-#.m4a” /], means forceful, which has a negative connotation. So what’s the word for powerful, which has a positive connotation? That’s עוצמתי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/עוצמתי-#.m4a” /], coming from עוצמה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/עוצמתי-#.m4a” /] – strength or intensity.
Here’s עוצמתי in action:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/עוצמתי-#.m4a” /]לזמרת הזאת יש קול עוצמתי.
This (female) singer has a powerful voice.