לפקוח In English, we use the word open for virtually anything we’re opening. In Hebrew, there’s a special word for opening eyes. Whereas לִפְתּוֹח (leef-TOH-akh) is to open in the general sense – such as פָּתַחְתִּי אֶת הַבַּקְבּוּק (pah-TAKH-tee et hah-bahk-BOOK) – I opened the bottle; לִפְקוֹח (leef-KOH-akh) means to open eyes, as in פָּקַחְתִּי…
להרתם Even if you’re more or less fluent in Hebrew, there’s a good chance you don’t know this word. To enlist oneself or to devote oneself – say, to a cause – is לְהֵרָתֵם (le-heh-rah-TEHM). For example, כָּל הַיְּלָדִים נִרְתָּמִים לַעֲזוֹר בַּבָּיִת (kohl hah-yeh-lah-DEEM neer-tah-MEEM lah-ah-ZOHR bah-BAH-yeet) – all the kids “are enlisting” to help…
לקבל If you know a little Hebrew (for example, if you’ve taken Level 1 of Ulpan La-Inyan), you’re more than likely familiar with the word for to receive or to accept – לְקַבֵּל (le-kah-BEHL). What you may not know, unless you’ve immersed yourself in Hebrew culture, is that to express the idea of accepting a…
לפגוע If you spent time in Israel between 2000 and 2005, you certainly know the Hebrew word for terror attack – פִּגּוּע (pee-GOO-ah). This word means, literally, an act of causing hurt. To hurt someone emotionally is לִפְגּוֹע (leef-GOH-ah). For example, לֹא רָצִיתִי לִפְגּוֹעַ בָּך (lo rah-TSEE-tee leef-GOH-ah bahkh) means I didn’t want…
Class starts on July 25… and the discount ends today! (Thursday) Come join our nutty professors (just kidding – our teachers are super-hip) and learn to speak Hebrew in a way you’ve probably never before come across… that is, unless you’ve taken a course with us before, in which case you get more discounts. Today…
לתרום If you’re familiar with Jewish tradition and Jewish law, you probably know the word for contribution – תְּרוּמָה (troo-MAH). The root ת.ר.מ (t.r.m), which makes up the word תרומה, is itself actually derived from a more basic root – ר.ו.מ (r.w.m), which carries the basic meaning of height and loftiness. So a תרומה…
לתקשר If you’ve taken our Level 1 conversational Hebrew class, or if you have equivalent background in Hebrew, you know that one of the words for to call someone on the phone is לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר (le-heet-kah-SHEHR). The root of that word is ק.ש.ר (k.sh.r) – connection. So when you call someone, you’re connecting with them. This guy…
Special show for the Three Weeks As many of you know, I deliver a radio show once a week of Hebrew/Israeli music with some English explanation. The show is broadcast live at RustyMike Radio on Mondays from 3-4pm Israel time, and is rebroadcast the following Sunday early morning from 2-3am. In observance of…
להזדהות If you’ve made aliyah, you surely know the term for ID card – תְּעוּדַת זֶהוּת (teh-oo-DAHT zeh-HOOT). The root of זהות – identity – is ז.ה.ה (z.h.h). To identity with someone or something is לְהִזְדָּהוֹת (leh-heez-dah-HOHT). For example, הוּא מִזְדָּהֶה עִם הָעָם הַיְּהוּדִי (hoo meez-dah-HEH eem hah-AHM hah-yeh-hoo-DEE) – he identifies with the Jewish…
להתחלק, לשתף To share a thing with one or more people – such as rent for an apartment – is לְהִתְחַלֵּק (le-heet-hah-LEK). To share a feeling or an experience, however, is לְשַׁתֵּף (le-shah-TEF). For example, רָחֵל שִׁתְּפָה אוֹתִי עַל הַטִּיּוּל שֶׁלָּהּ לְאֵירוֹפָּה (rah-HEL sheet-FAH oh-TEE ahl ha-tee-YOOL sheh-LAH le-ei-ROH-pah) – Rachel shared with me…
להקשיב, להאזין The most common word for to listen in Hebrew is לְהַקְשִׁיב. For example, אֲנִי מַקְשִׁיב לְךָ, חָבֵר (ah-NEE mahk-SHEEV leh-KHAH hah-VEHR) means I’m listening to you, friend, when both the speaker and the friend are male. קֶשֶׁב (KEH-shev), with the same root as להקשיב, means attention. Another word is לְהַאֲזִין (leh-hah-ah-ZEEN). If…