how to say “to get electrocuted” in Hebrew

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

The Hebrew word for electricity is חשמל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתחשמל-2.m4a” /]. This word appears in the biblical book of יחזקאל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתחשמל-3.m4a” /] (Ezekiel), a document written long before Benjamin Franklin helped discover that form of energy that lights up our cities at night and powers the device from which you’re reading this post. The meaning of the word חשמל in יחזקאל is not entirely clear, though it probably has something to do with sparks.

Electricity benefits us, but it can also be dangerous. To get electrocuted is להתחשמל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתחשמל-1.m4a” /], a reflexive-intensive verb that uses חשמל as a four-letter root.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתחשמל-4.m4a” /]זהירות! אל תתחשמל!

Be careful! Don’t get electrocuted! (to a male)