how to say “senior citizen” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-1.mp3″ /]אֶזְרָח וָתִיק

On buses throughout Israel you’ll find placards stating:

מִפְּנֵי שֵׂיבָה תָּקוּם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-2.mp3″ /]
stand up in the presence of the aged

This phrase taken right out of the Bible uses the word שֵׂיבָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-3.mp3″ /], referring specifically to hair that has gone white, and generally to those who typically bear white hair, the elderly.

Reading on in the biblical verse, we find:

וְהָדַרְתָּ פְּנֵי זָקֵן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-4.mp3″ /]
and you shall show grace upon the (face of the) elderly

זָקֵן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-5.mp3″ /] referring to a male and זְקֵנָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-6.mp3″ /] referring to a female are the common words for elderly person in Hebrew. Another word which is a bit more coarse though not disrespectful is קָשִׁישׁ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-7.mp3″ /] or קְשִׁישָׁה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-8.mp3″ /].

Still, the most politically-correct term is אֶזְרָח וָתִיק[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-1.mp3″ /] for a male and אֶזְרָחִית וָתִיקָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-9.mp3″ /] for a female – literally, senior citizen.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-10.mp3″ /]לְאֶזְרָחִים וָתִיקִים מַגִּיעוֹת זְכֻיוֹת מְיֻחָדוֹת.

Senior citizens are entitled to special privileges.