Your Daily Dose of Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/בכושר-#.m4a” /]בְּכֹשֶׁר (בְּכֹּשֶׁר) We may tend to think of the Hebrew word כשר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/בכושר-#.m4a” /] as meaning edible by observant Jews – in other words, kosher. And indeed, כשר means fit to be consumed or done. So it makes sense that the word for fitness is כושר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/בכושר-#.m4a” /]. Likewise, to be in shape is להיות בכושר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/בכושר-#.m4a” /], or…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/להתנשף-#.m4a” /]לְהִתְנַשֵּׁף The basic Hebrew word for to breathe is the simple verb לנשום[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/להתנשף-#.m4a” /]. Likewise, a breath is נשימה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/להתנשף-#.m4a” /], as in: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/להתנשף-#.m4a” /]עכשיו כולם, קחו נשימה עמוקה. Now everyone, take a deep breath. The root of these words is נ.ש.מ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/להתנשף-#.m4a” /], the same root as that of נשמה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/להתנשף-#.m4a” /] – soul…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/לעלות-במדרגות-#.m4a” /]לַעֲלוֹת בַּמַּדְרֵגוֹת Stairs are מדרגות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/לעלות-במדרגות-#.m4a” /], from the root ד.ר.ג[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/לעלות-במדרגות-#.m4a” /], one of the roots meaning level. How would you say to go up the stairs? That’s לעלות במדרגות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/לעלות-במדרגות-#.m4a” /], literally to go up in the stairs.  For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/לעלות-במדרגות-#.m4a” /]אפשר לעלות או במדרגות הרגילות או במדרגות הנעות. You can go up either the regular…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/מדרגות-נעות-#.m4a” /]מַדְרֵגוֹת נָעוֹת If you’ve got some basic Hebrew under your belt, you know the word for stairs – מדרגות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/מדרגות-נעות-#.m4a” /]. What about an escalator – a moving staircase? That’s מדרגות נעות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/מדרגות-נעות-#.m4a” /] – literally, moving stairs, where נעות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/מדרגות-נעות-#.m4a” /] is a form of the simple verb לנוע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/מדרגות-נעות-#.m4a” /] – one of the words…

חֹמֶר לְשִׁנּוּן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-1.mp3″ /] Review Material You spent time on your Hebrew this week. Use these review materials to make it yours to keep.      To take full advantage of the review material, click on “Choose a study mode” in the bottom right corner of the box above. [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-2.mp3″ /]שבת שלום, וסוף…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/שנת-הלימודים-#.m4a” /]שְׁנַת הַלְּמוּדִים The Hebrew expression for the school year is שנת הלימודים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/שנת-הלימודים-#.m4a” /]. For example, if you’ve got kids, you may be thinking: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/שנת-הלימודים-#.m4a” /]מתי כבר תתחיל שנת הלימודים?! When will the school year start already?! שנת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/שנת-הלימודים-#.m4a” /] is the form of the word שנה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/שנת-הלימודים-#.m4a” /] – year – when it appears…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/החל-מ-#.m4a” /]הֵחֵל מ– The basic Hebrew word for to start is להתחיל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/החל-מ-#.m4a” /], as in: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/החל-מ-#.m4a” /]מתי מתחיל הסרט? When does the movie start? A fancier word is להחל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/החל-מ-#.m4a” /], used most often in the form -החל מ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/החל-מ-#.m4a” /] (or -החל ב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/החל-מ-#.m4a” /]) – starting from (or starting with). You’ll hear it…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/יהיה-אפשר-#.m4a” /]יִהְיֶה אֶפְשָׁר The word אפשר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/יהיה-אפשר-#.m4a” /] means it’s possible, as well as one may, as in: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/יהיה-אפשר-#.m4a” /]אפשר להיכנס? May I come in? But what if you want to say that something was possible or will be possible? Just add a word for was: היה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/יהיה-אפשר-#.m4a” /] ( if what was possible is feminine, הייתה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/יהיה-אפשר-#.m4a” /]) …or…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/לעלות-לאוטובוס-#.m4a” /]לַעֲלוֹת לָאוֹטוֹבּוּס The Hebrew word for bus (or autobus) is simple enough to remember: אוטובוס[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/לעלות-לאוטובוס-#.m4a” /]. What about getting on the bus? That’s לעלות לאוטובוס[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/לעלות-לאוטובוס-#.m4a” /], as in: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/לעלות-לאוטובוס-#.m4a” /]אפשר לעלות לאוטובוס גם מהדלת האחורית. You can also get on the bus from the back door. לעלות ל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/לעלות-לאוטובוס-#.m4a” /] means literally to go up to….

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/דלת-אחורית-#.m4a” /]דֶּלֶת אֲחוֹרִית The Hebrew word for door is דלת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/דלת-אחורית-#.m4a” /], as in: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/דלת-אחורית-#.m4a” /]חבר’ה, אל תשכחו לסגור את הדלת אחריכם. Guys, don’t forget to close the door after yourselves. Here, אחריכם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/דלת-אחורית-#.m4a” /] means after you, combing אחרי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/דלת-אחורית-#.m4a” /] (after) with the כם-[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/דלת-אחורית-#.m4a” /] ending for more than one you. What about the back…

חֹמֶר לְשִׁנּוּן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-1.mp3″ /] Review Material You spent time on your Hebrew this week. Use these review materials to make it yours to keep.      To take full advantage of the review material, click on “Choose a study mode” in the bottom right corner of the box above. [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-2.mp3″ /]שבת שלום, וסוף…