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…
לחוש I believe that empathic listening can solve most if not all of the world’s interpersonal problems. Such listening takes two sides – an empathic listener and a speaker who is willing to be listened to. An essential part of empathic listening is an emotional component – that is, when someone is listening…
לנצל In English, to take advantage can mean a personal violation, or it can mean a productive, sometimes win-win situation. The same is true in Hebrew. It’s possible לְנַצֵּל בֶּן אָדָם (le-nah-TSEL ben ah-DAHM) – to take advantage of a person, such as a tourist in a foreign country that doesn’t know the…
Ulpan La-Inyan midsummer classes We’ve got a midsummer session of our fun, relaxed and highly-effective conversational Hebrew classes, starting on July 25 and running through September 2. We’re offering a variety of levels at the AACI in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. To save 50 shekels, you must register…
להקדיש If you’ve been to a synagogue or a Jewish family for a traditional Shabbat meal, you’re more than likely familiar with the Hebrew word קִדּוֹש (kee-DOOSH) – Kiddush. In many synagogues, this word is associated with cholent, cake and coffee with non-dairy creamer. The word קידוש itself means sanctification; the root is…
היצע וביקוש If you know a bit of Hebrew, you’re probably familiar with the word for please – בְּבַקָּשָׁה (be-vah-kah-SHAH). When saying please, we’re actually saying, I’d like to have some of that! Likewise, the economic term for demand is בִּקּוּש (bee-KOOSH) – formed from the verb לְבַקֵּש (le-vah-KESH) – to ask for something/ to request. …
גביע העולם The international term for this event that is capturing the world’s attention is Mundial. The Hebrew word for world is עוֹלָם (oh-LAHM), and the word for cup, or more specifically, goblet, is גָּבִיע (gah-VEE-ah). This is also the term for kiddush cup or becher in Yiddish. So the Hebrew term for the World…
Ulpan La-Inyan midsummer classes We’ve got a midsummer session of our fun, relaxed and highly-effective conversational Hebrew classes, starting on July 25 and running through September 2. We’re offering a variety of levels at the AACI in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as well as an intensive form of our Level 3…
להתיצב There are a few Hebrew verbs that can mean to show up. One is לְהוֹפִיע (le-hoh-FEE-ah), or literally, to appear. You’d use that one in the context of she showed up at the party – הִיא הוֹפִיעָה בַּמְּסִיבָּה (hee hoh-FEE-ah bah-meh-see-BAH). Another sense of “showing up” is he showed up at the (army)…