how to say “bro” in Hebrew

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

In Biblical Hebrew, adding an ee sound to the end of a word means that that thing is mine. For example, ביתי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אחי-2.m4a” /] is my house – my בית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אחי-3.m4a” /] (house).

In Modern Hebrew, we tend to use שלי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אחי-4.m4a” /] instead to express possession, so that my house is הבית שלי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אחי-5.m4a” /] – literally, the house of mine.

One exception to this tendency is the Hebrew word for my brother – אחי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אחי-5.m4a” /], where אח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אחי-6.m4a” /] means brother (in Arabic as well). אחי is what Israeli men call each other to express affection… or as a replacement for the guy’s real name that the speaker has forgotten.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אחי-7.m4a” /]מה העניינים, אחי?

How’s it going, bro?

Sis or my sister as a term of endearment is heard far more rarely in English than bro or my brother. The same is true for Hebrew, though the word to describe the speaker’s actual sister – אחותי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אחי-8.m4a” /] – does get used.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אחי-9.m4a” /]אחותי גרה בניו יורק.

My sister lives in New York.