how to say “sponge” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ספוג-1.m4a” /]סְפוֹג

Appearing in the Mishnah, the Hebrew word for sponge – ספוג[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ספוג-1.m4a” /] – borrows from the Greek σπόγγος (spongos). From that source comes the active-simple verb לספוג[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ספוג-2.m4a” /] – to absorb (both physically and metaphorically), and the word for those חנוכה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ספוג-3.m4a” /] (Hanukkah) favorites, סופגניות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ספוג-4.m4a” /] – doughnuts.

The word in context:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ספוג-5.m4a” /]הספוג כבר לא מנקה את הכלים, צריך לקנות חדש.

The sponge doesn’t clean the dishes, we need (one needs) to buy a new one.