Your Daily Dose of Hebrew

קָצֶפֶת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קצפת-1.mp3″ /] Next week, Jews around the world will be observing the Feast of Weeks – חַג הַשָּׁבֻעוֹת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קצפת-2.mp3″ /]. This holiday has a tradition of eating dairy products, some of which are covered in that sugary substance called frosting. The Hebrew word for frosting or whipped cream is קָצֶפֶת.[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/קצפת-1.mp3″ /] For example:…

אֶבֶן, סֶלַע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אבן-1.mp3″ /] Just as English has the words stone and rock, Hebrew has אֶבֶן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אבן-2.mp3″ /] and סֶלַע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אבן-3.mp3″ /]. אבן might refer to the rock a child holds in his hand, or it might make up the name of the prehistoric period as we saw last week.  It could also be the…

חֹמֶר לְשִׁנּוּן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-1.mp3″ /] Review Material Can’t read Hebrew yet? You spent time on your Hebrew this week. Use these review materials to make it yours to keep. Flashcards Game Test [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-2.mp3″ /]שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם, וְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ נָעִים! Shabbat Shalom, and have a nice weekend!

מִלְגָּה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מלגה-1.mp3″ /] The Hebrew word for scholarship or stipend is מִלְגָּה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מלגה-1.mp3″ /]. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מלגה-2.mp3″ /]אוּלְפָּן לָעִנְייָן מְחַלֵּק הַקַּיִץ שְׁתֵּי מְלָגוֹת, אַחַת לִסְטוּדֶנְט וְאַחַת לִמְחַנֵּךְ. Ulpan La-Inyan is giving out this summer two scholarships, one to a student and one to an educator. The root of מלגה is מ.ל.ג (m.l.g), which comes…

מוֹרֶה מַחְלִיף[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מורה-מחליף-1.mp3″ /] Some of our students believe that our teachers are so good that they have superhuman powers. But the truth is that even these teachers get sick on occasion or otherwise need a substitute for a lesson or two. The Hebrew term for substitute teacher is מוֹרֶה מַחְלִיף[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מורה-מחליף-1.mp3″ /] – literally, a teacher…

Dear YDDH subscriber, This summer, Ulpan La-Inyan is granting a full scholarship to one educator and one college/university student, for any one of our conversational-Hebrew group courses to be taken in June, July or August. As my audience, I extend my personal invitation to you or someone you know to apply for a scholarship. To do so, follow the appropriate link: We…

נְחֹשֶׁת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נחושת-1.mp3″ /] The Hebrew word for copper is נְחֹשֶׁת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נחושת-1.mp3″ /] (in Biblical Hebrew the form נְחוּשָׁה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נחושת-2.mp3″ /] appears as well). For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נחושת-3.mp3″ /]חוּטֵי נְחֹשֶׁת מוֹבִילִים חַשְׁמַל בִּיעִילוּת רַבָּה. Copper wires conduct electricity with great efficiency. Other pretty-looking (and well-conducting) metals include: זָהָב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נחושת-4.mp3″ /] – gold כֶּסֶף[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/נחושת-5.mp3″ /] –…

תְּקוּפַת הָאֶבֶן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/תקופת-האבן-1.mp3″ /] The Hebrew word for stone is אֶבֶן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/תקופת-האבן-2.mp3″ /]. Although it doesn’t sound like one, this word is feminine, so that precious stones are אֲבָנִים יְקָרוֹת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/תקופת-האבן-3.mp3″ /]. The word for period of time is תְּקוּפָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/תקופת-האבן-4.mp3″ /]. When connected to another word in an “of relationship” (the construct state), תקופה…

הֶשֶּׂג[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/הישג15.mp3″ /] לְהַשִּׂיג[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/הישג16.mp3″ /], an active-causative verb of the root נ.שׂ.ג (n.s.g), means to reach or to overtake. In Biblical times, the word referred to reaching or overtaking someone or something physically. Here’s an example in Modern Hebrew: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/הישג17.mp3″ /]הִיא הִשִּׂיגָה אֹתִי בַּמֵּרוּץ. She overtook me in the race. Today, the word…

חֹמֶר לְשִׁנּוּן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-1.mp3″ /] Review Material Can’t read Hebrew yet? You spent time on your Hebrew this week. Use these review materials to make it yours to keep. Flashcards Game Test [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-2.mp3″ /]שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם, וְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ נָעִים! Shabbat Shalom, and have a nice weekend!

רוֹדָן, עָרִיץ, דִּיקְטָטוֹר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/רודן8.mp3″ /] Sacha Baron Cohen does a great job introducing audiences to the world of The Dictator. In Hebrew, the movie title is הַדִּיקְטָטוֹר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/רודן9.mp3″ /], as דִּיקְטָטוֹר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/רודן10.mp3″ /] is what most Israelis call such a person who rules solo, often with brutality. But there are two other terms as well:…