how to say “jasmine” in Hebrew
Note: the other day I taught that אונייה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/יסמין-3.m4a” /] and ספינה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/יסמין-4.m4a” /] were interchangeable words for ship. It turns out that אונייה refers to a larger ship and ספינה to a smaller one.
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/יסמין-1.m4a” /]יַסְמִין
The jasmine flower is named after a perfume from the Persian empire: jasmine – in Hebrew, יסמין[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/יסמין-1.m4a” /] – originates in Persian, migrated to Arabic and arrived in English sometime in the 16th century.
I don’t know at what point יסמין first appeared in Hebrew, but Israelis started calling their daughters יסמין during the 20th century (when there were Israeli citizens to call their daughters anything at all).
Here’s the word in context:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/יסמין-2.m4a” /]את מריחה את היסמין?
Do you (a female) smell the jasmine?
