how to say “to like (to find favor)” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/למצוא-חן-בעיני-#.m4a” /]לִמְצוֹא חֵן בְּעֵינָיו

The Hebrew verb לאהוב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/למצוא-חן-בעיני-#.m4a” /] can create some confusion for English speakers, since it means to love in the full-on passionate sense, but also simply to like.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/למצוא-חן-בעיני-#.m4a” /]אני אוהב סלט ירקות, אבל לא כמו שאני אוהב שניצל.

I like green salad, but not as much as I like schnitzel.

Here’s another term that expresses liking something, but in a less ambiguous way: למצוא חן בעיני[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/למצוא-חן-בעיני-#.m4a” /] – literally, to find favor in the eyes of. The idea here is that if I like something or someone, that something or someone “finds favor in my eyes.”

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/למצוא-חן-בעיני-#.m4a” /]היא מוצאת חן בעיניו.

He likes her (she finds favor in his eyes).

Since it’s not a simple A likes B scenario, the term can be a bit confusing. Watch today’s video to practice using it in different forms.