how to say “witty” in Hebrew
having trouble seeing the print?
שָׁנוּן, שְׁנוּנָה
 |
| highly recommended for further vocabulary growth  |
If you’re familiar with Jewish prayer in its original Hebrew, you probably know the phrase וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ ( ) – and you shall teach them to your children. The root of ושננתם ( ) is שׁ.נ.נ (sh.n.n) meaning learning by repetition. It’s also the root of the word מִשְׁנָה ( ) – Mishnah.
) – and you shall teach them to your children. The root of ושננתם ( ) is שׁ.נ.נ (sh.n.n) meaning learning by repetition. It’s also the root of the word מִשְׁנָה ( ) – Mishnah.Modern Hebrew employs that root to refer to someone who has apparently learned enough to make wisecracks and witty statements: this person is שָׁנוּן ( ) if a male and שְׁנוּנָה ( ) if a female – in both cases, witty.
) if a male and שְׁנוּנָה ( ) if a female – in both cases, witty.For example:
אָדָם שָׁנוּן לְעִתִּים קְרוֹבוֹת מַצְלִיחַ אָבָל הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים גַּם נוֹפֵל.
A witty person often succeeds but many times also falls.
Wit or sharpness is שְׁנִינוּת ( ).
).
