how to say “tonsils” and “almonds” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/שקדים-#.m4a” /]שְׁקֵדִים

I’ve never seen a tonsil before, but I assume it looks like an almond, since Hebrew uses the same word for both: שקד[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/שקדים-#.m4a” /] for one, and שקדים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/שקדים-#.m4a” /] for two or more.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/שקדים-#.m4a” /]הסרת שקדים מתבצעת תחת הרדמה כללית.

Tonsil removal takes place under general anesthesia.

You may recognize the word שקד from the popular children’s song in honor of ט”ו בשבט[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/שקדים-#.m4a” /] – Tu Bishvat – השקדייה פורחת [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/שקדים-#.m4a” /] – The Almond Tree is in Bloom.