If you’ve shopped in Israel or have taken our Level 1 class, you certainly know the word for inexpensive – זוֹל (transliterations here). To say that a price has been reduced, or made more inexpensive, you’d say, הַמְּחִיר הוּזָל. You can also say, הַמְּחִיר הֻפְחַת – the price has been lessened, where הופחת is…
If you know some Hebrew, you surely know the word for wise or smart – חָכָם/חֲכָמָה. But sophisticated is more than smart. It takes smart to a whole different level. Thus Hebrew takes the root ח.כ.מ (kh.k.m) and adds a ת (t) to the beginning, taking the meaning of words derived to a whole new level. …
At the front of a synagogue, usually hanging over the ark, shines a light that stays on on a regular basis. This light is called the נֵר תָּמִיד (nehr tah-MEED), the “always” candle. Diligence and persistence are about doing something regularly. It’s the best way to get something done that takes a long…
If you know some Hebrew, you likely know the word for truth – אֶמֶת (eh-MET). Suppose a woman representing your credit card company calls to inform you that you and your family have won a trip to Euro Disney. She’d ask you to verify your details. This is how she might say it: אֲנִי…
מַאֲמָץ The Hebrew word for courage and valor is אֹמֶץ (OH-mets). The word for an effort or exertion, or an act of valor is מַאֲמָץ (mah-ah-MAHTS). For example, אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה מַאֲמָץ לֶאֱכוֹל בָּרִיא (ah-NEE oh-SEH mah-ah-MAHTS le-eh-KHOHL bah-REE) – I make an effort to eat healthy. To make an effort, often a physical one, is לְהִתְאַמֵּץ (le-heet-ah-METS). A synonym…
Perhaps you know Israeli men or boys with the name נָדָב (nah-DAHV). One of the star instructors on the Ulpan La-Inyan staff bears that name. The root נ.ד.ב (n.d.b) is the concept of giving and contributing. To volunteer oneself, as in cleaning up a beach or spending quality time with underprivileged children, is לְהִתְנַדֵּב (le-heet-nah-DEV). This…
Last night 150 refugees were deported back to Sudan from Israel. The phrase for illegal in Hebrew is בִּלְתִּי חֻקִּי (beel-TEE khoo-KEE). The word בלתי functions in Hebrew in a similar way to how the prefixes in- and un- function in English – such as in impossible – בלתי אֶפְשָׁרִי (beel-TEE ef-shah-REE) – and בלתי נִשְׁכַּח (beel-TEE neesh-KAHKH)….
לְמִידָה מֵרָחוֹק Distance learning has become quite an industry. In Hebrew, it’s לְמִידָה מֵרָחוֹק (le-mee-DAH me-rah-KHOHK). Literally, that’s learning from afar. We use למידה as opposed to לִמּוּד (lee-MOOD), which means teaching. We at Ulpan La-Inyan are offering our renowned classes to distance learners. If you’d like to take one of our courses, fill…
סְעָרָה If you’re living on the east coast of the United States, or perhaps in Norway or London or Brazil… you know quite well what a storm is. In Israel we almost forgot this year – that is, until Friday when it started pouring in Tel Aviv. The Hebrew word for storm is…
I’m reading a book written by a cousin of my grandmother’s, who was among those in Budapest that helped rescue Jews during the Holocaust. One of the missions he participated in was smuggling Jews across the Romanian border to safety, on their way to אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (EH-rets yees-rah-EL) – the Land of Israel. …
To get excited in Hebrew is לְהִתְרַגֵּש (le-heet-rah-GESH). It comes from the root ר.ג.ש (r.g.sh), which means, in Modern Hebrew, emotion. The word להתרגש falls into the התפעל (heet-pah-EHL) verb pattern. To say that something is exciting or stirring of emotion, you’d use the word מְרַגֵּש (me-rah-GESH). For example, a couple of the songs I played on…