having trouble seeing the print? מֻשְׁלָג learn Hebrew through Israeli music The Hebrew word for snow is שֶׁלֶג. Since Jews saw שלג in Jerusalem and in other places in Israel not only today, but thousands of years ago as well, שלג appears in Biblical Hebrew: וַיָּבֵא יָדוֹ בְּחֵיקוֹ, וַיּוֹצִאָהּ, וְהִנֵּה יָדוֹ מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּׁלֶג. (שְׁמוֹת ד’:ו’) …and he (Moses)…
having trouble seeing the print? מֶתֶג check out music.ulpan.com With today’s entry I’m plugging a friend, the newest, best and most reliable and reasonable handyman in Jerusalem – in my opinion. A few months ago the light switch in my bathroom stopped working. Since I don’t have experience in fixing electronics, I called up Jochanan. Jochanan came over…
having trouble seeing the print? מַטָּרָה learn Hebrew through Israeli music When talking about soccer/football, the word goal when referring to scoring gets translated into Hebrew as גּוֹל, while the area designated as the goal is called a שַׁעַר– literally, gate. Likewise, a goalie is a שׁוֹעֵר. But when speaking of a goal in a shooting range (a target), or in…
having trouble seeing the print? תּוֹצָאָה check out music.ulpan.com A result is something that comes out of an action. For example, a colorful wall comes out of or results from the act of painting. Modern Hebrew thus employs the root י.צ.א (y.ts.a) meaning exiting to produce the word for result: תּוֹצָאָה . For example: קִיר צִבְעוֹנִי הוּא תּוֹצָאָה שֶׁל צְבִיעָה. A colorful…
having trouble seeing the print? שֵׁם, מוֹנִיטִין Vocabulary builder for the 2013 Israel elections this week’s video! Since the Torah portion to be read this Shabbat by Jews around the world is שְׁמוֹת – names of, I thought it appropriate to introduce another important word related the common word, name – שֵׁם. A reputation in English can also be called…
having trouble seeing the print? חָבֵר, חֲבֵרָה Our glossary for the 2013 Israel elections English distinguishes clearly between “just friends” and friends of a romantic nature. Hebrew, however, doesn’t have a special word for boyfriend/girlfriend, making interactions sometimes confusing or embarrassing, especially for those who don’t know the nuances. Here’s what you need to know. The…
having trouble seeing the print? דּוֹמֶה check out music.ulpan.com To express that someone looks like someone else, or that something looks like something else, use the word meaning resembles: דּוֹמֶה (one male/masculine object) דּוֹמָה (one female/feminine object) דּוֹמִים (more than one male/masculine object) דּוֹמוֹת (more than one female/feminine object) הַתְּאוֹמִים מְאֹד דּוֹמִים. The twins looks a lot alike. The similarity that דומה expresses is not limited to the visual…
having trouble seeing the print? לֶאֱהוֹב, לְחַבֵּב, לִמְצוֹא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי… learn Hebrew through Israeli music In English, there’s to like something (or someone), and then there’s to love something (or someone). Hebrew uses the word לֶאֱהוֹב (an active-simple פָּעַל verb) for both like and love, so that you’ll find people saying: הִיא אוֹהֶבֶת בְּרוֹקוֹלִי. She likes broccoli. just as easily…
having trouble seeing the print? מִתּוּג Need a HANDYMAN in Jerusalem? Jochanan is a personal friend and one of the most reliable people I know. Think Nike. What comes to mind? I bet shoes is at the top of your list, or close to it. That’s because Nike has branded itself so that you associate its…
having trouble seeing the print? כַּלְכָּלָה check out the new ulpan.com this week’s video! The Modern-Hebrew word for economy and the study of economics is כַּלְכָּלָה. An associated (active-intensive פִּעֵל) verb is לְכַלְכֵּל – to provide for, appearing in the Torah portion to be read this Shabbat by Jews around the world, as Joseph tells his brothers: וְעַתָּה,…
having trouble seeing the print? מְמֻצָּע check out the new ulpan.com The Hebrew word for (the) middle is אֶמְצַע. For example: הִיא עוֹמֶדֶת בְּאֶמְצַע הַחֶדֶר. She is standing in the middle of the room. The root of אמצע is מ.צ.ע, which appears as an active-intensive פִּעֵל verb – לְמַצֵּעַ in the Mishnah: כְּשֶׁהוּא מְנַחֵם אֶת אֲחֵרִים – דֶּרֶךְ…