how to say “piano” in Hebrew

ByAmi Steinberger

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/פסנתר-#.m4a” /]פְּסַנְתֵּר

The non-Semitic (Greek) sounding word פסנתר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/פסנתר-#.m4a” /] makes its appearance in Biblical Aramaic, in the Book of Daniel, where it appears in a list among other music instruments. It’s not clear precisely what instrument the פסנתר was in biblical times, but Modern Hebrew uses it to mean piano.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/פסנתר-#.m4a” /]הוא מנגן בחצוצרה, והיא מנגנת בפסנתר.

He plays the trumpet, and she plays the piano.

Don’t confuse פסנתר with the word for chin – סנטר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/פסנתר-#.m4a” /].

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