how to say “to play (an instrument)” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/לנגן-1.m4a” /]לְנַגֵּן
You’re at a bonfire in the beautiful Israeli desert. A guy pulls out a guitar and asks everyone:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/לנגן-2.m4a” /]מה לנגן?
What should I play?
What’s he’s saying literally is what to play? לנגן, an active-intensive verb, means to play a tune.
Likewise, נגן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/לנגן-3.m4a” /] means music player and ניגון[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/לנגן-4.m4a” /] is a melody .
For example:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/לנגן-5.m4a” /]בסדר פסח יש הרבה שירים וניגונים.
At the Passover Seder there are lots of songs and melodies.
What’s your favorite?
