How many times have you called a company or a bank and had to deal with מענה קולי, an automated answering service? Today we’ll learn words and phrases you’ll be hearing while waiting on the telephone line, plus a tip how to quickly reach a real live customer service representative. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Ma’ane koli – Voice answering service – מענה קולי Le-ivrit na lehakish achat – For Hebrew please press 1 – לעברית נא להקיש אחת Ana/na – Kindly, please ...
Aug 04, 2015•6 min•Ep. 94
TLV1 Radio , the home of our podcast, has a few more shows for you to check out. They all focus on Israel in one way or another. For those of you interested in some straight talk about Israeli politics, culture, society, economy, and all the rest, have a listen to The Promised Podcast. You can find the podcast at tlv1.fm/promisedpodcast or search for it on your favorite podcast app. Teomim are twins, from the root תאמ which is used in Hebrew for anything to do with matching, suiting, fitting, co...
Jul 28, 2015•9 min•Ep. 93
The Hebrew word ‘sherut’ means ‘service,’ but the plural – ‘sherutim’ – is more commonly used to mean something quite different. From toilets to angels, Guy Sharett teaches us what else we can learn from this root. Hope you’re happy with our sherut! Listen to the All-Hebrew Version on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Sherut – Service – שירות Lesharet – To serve – לשרת Hi mesharetet – She serves – היא משרתת Sherut tsva’i – Army service – שירות צבאי Sherut le’umi – National service – שירות לאומי...
Jul 21, 2015•7 min•Ep. 92
How come some mistakes in a foreign language sound worse than others? It’s unfair, but some things Hebrew learners say sound more grating to the Israeli ear than others. Guy Sharett teaches us what mistakes make Israelis cringe so we can try to avoid them at all costs! New words & expressions: Kshe – When – כש Ka’asher – When (archaic) – כאשר Kshe-bati ha-bayita matsati et ha-maftechot – When I came home I found the keys – כשבאתי הביתה מצאתי את המפתחות Kshe-halev boche – When the heart is cr...
Jul 14, 2015•10 min•Ep. 91
Betach or batu’ach - "sure" or "for sure" - are words we hear a lot on the Israeli streets, so we need to know how to use them properly. Guy Sharett does some excavation work so we can see where this root, "bet.tet.chet," comes from. New words & expressions: Israel betach be-elohim – People of Israel have faith in God – ישראל בטח באלוהים Livto’ach be-mishehu – To trust someone – לבטוח במישהו Batu’ach – Safe, secure – בטוח Ani margish batu’ach – I feel safe – אני מרגיש בטוח Batuach, Betach – ...
Jul 07, 2015•9 min•Ep. 90
It’s summertime and everybody is going somewhere for hofesh, holiday. That being the case, let’s talk about flights, package deals and checking-in –Hebrew style. Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Hofesh – Holiday –חופש Ha-hofesh ha-gadol – The summer holiday –החופש הגדול Hofesh ha-dibur – Freedom of speech –חופש הדיבור Hufsha – Vacation –חופשה Hufsha mishpachtit – Family vacation –חופשה משפחתית Hofshi ze legamrei levad – To be free means to be completely on y...
Jun 23, 2015•10 min•Ep. 89
‘Yeled’ – ‘child’ – comes from the root ‘y.l.d’ – י.ל.ד – which has made a huge career for itself in Semitic languages. This is a great example of how one root behaves in different verb patterns, keeping the stem meaning but then providing us with exciting branches of it. New words & expressions: Yeled – Child, kid, boy – ילד (Arabic ولد, walad) Kulanu yeladim shel ha-chayim – We are all children of the life – כולנו ילדים של החיים Yeled, yeladim – ילד, ילדים Yaldey Ha-yare’ach – Children of ...
Jun 17, 2015•10 min•Ep. 88
Enough is enough! Guy Sharett introduces us to the word 'maspik' - 'enough.' We'll also listen to some songs so we can check out how 'maspik' deals with the adjectives, adverbs, and verbs it meets on the way. New words & expressions: Ze maspik? - Is it enough? - ?זה מספיק Ze lo maspik – It’s not enough – זה לא מספיק Metsuyan – Excellent – מצויין Tov meod – Very good – טוב מאוד Kim’at tov me’od – Almost very good – כמעט טוב מאוד Kim’at tov – Almost good – כמעט טוב Maspik – Sufficient, just ab...
Jun 09, 2015•9 min•Ep. 87
“Od, od, od!” – we’re always wanting more. How do we ask for more milk, for an encore or for another goal in a football game? You guessed it, we use “od.” Guy Sharett tells us more... New words & expressions Od? - Some more? - ?עוד Ken, od tipa/ktsat – Yes, just a tiny bit more – כן, עוד טיפה/קצת Efshar od chalav? - May I have more milk? - ?אפשר עוד חלב Efshar od ktsat kafe? - May I have a bit more coffee? - ?אפשר עוד קצת קפה Ma od? - What else? - ?מה עוד Ma od bikasht? - What else did you a...
Jun 02, 2015•10 min•Ep. 86
Host Guy Sharett shares his top 10 tips on how to rejuvenate your linguistic inner self: 1. Find stuff you love and read about it in Hebrew. 2. Songs. Playlists on my website 3. Radio: Israeli National Radio in 14 languages 4. Flash cards all over your home 5. Saying new words out loud. Talk to the Google Translate App. 6. Tandem with a Hebrew speaker. Post your location on our Facebook page if you’re not sure if there’s a Hebrew speaker around you. 7. Facebook your Hebrew. 8. Likpotz la-mayim, ...
May 26, 2015•9 min•Ep. 85
Do you have “zman” - time? This root, “z.m.n,” is used in so many words in Hebrew, it definitely merits an episode to itself. Guy Sharett also explains how it’s related to the Arab Spring and Tahrir Square in Cairo. “Zman” to press play… Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Ha-zman hu kmo galgal anak – Time is like a ferris wheel – הזמן הוא כמו גלגל ענק Yesh lecha zman machar? – Do you have time tomorrow? – יש לך זמן מחר? Higia hazman – It’s about time – הגיע הזמן Ba...
May 19, 2015•10 min•Ep. 84
How do we give in Hebrew? 'Latet' is to give, but in some structures it could also mean other things. And what is 'latet barosh' - 'to give in the head'? Let’s find out. New words & expressions Natati la chayay – I gave her my life – נתתי לה חיי Past: Natati, natata, natat, natan, natna, natanu, natatem, natnu – נתתי, נתת, נתת, נתן, נתנה, נתנו, נתתם, נתנו Present: Noten, notenet, notnim, notnot – נותן, נותנת, נותנים, נותנות Imperative: Ten, tni, tnu – תן, תני, תנו Ten li daka, tni li daka – ...
May 12, 2015•10 min•Ep. 83
Israelis love tips and recommendations in order to speed up their decision making. So it’s no surprise that the word כדאי – ‘it’s worth it’ – is so popular in everyday use. How do we tell our friends they should totally check out a certain bar? And how do we make sure they don’t go and see the new superhero movie? Guy Sharett introduces us to the Israeli dichotomy of כדאי/לא כדאי. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Kedai – Worthwhile, worth doing – כדאי Ze lo kedai...
Apr 21, 2015•8 min•Ep. 82
What do Israelis mean when they say “ma pit’om”? What about just “pit’om,” all by itself? We hear it all the time in spoken Hebrew, and Guy will explain it all. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Pit’om -Suddenly – פתאום “Pit’om kam adam ba-boker” – A person suddenly wakes up in the morning – פתאום קם אדם בבוקר Pit’om giliti bor anak she-nif’ar – Suddenly I found a huge pit – פתאום גיליתי בור ענק שנפער “Ahava, pit’om hi mitparetset kmo lehava” – Love, it’s suddenly...
Apr 14, 2015•8 min•Ep. 81
You can’t be in the Start-up Nation and not know how to talk tech in Hebrew. Guy Sharett teaches us how to say “attachment,” “text message,” and “chat” in Hebrew, and how to conjugate the verb lesames. StreetWise Hebrew gets geeky! New words & expressions: Telefon nayad, nayad – mobile phone, mobile - טלפון נייד, נייד Pelefon – mobile phone - פלאפון Titkasher elai lanayad – call me on my mobile - תתקשר אליי לנייד Telefon selulari – cellular phone - טלפון סלולרי Talpeni talepni – call! - טלפנ...
Apr 07, 2015•10 min•Ep. 80
Making your Hebrew sound truly conversational is an important but tricky skill. How do you start a new topic, for instance? How do you urge someone to get to the point? What sounds do you make when you nod attentively? And how do you show shock, excitement, or enthusiasm? Today we work on all those little things you do naturally in your own language, but which you have to learn in your new one. Listen to the all-Hebrew version of this episode New Words and Expressions: Aha – אָהָה Nachon – נָכוֹ...
Mar 31, 2015•8 min•Ep. 79
Yad means hand, but also so much more. Let’s find out its other meanings, idioms, and expressions Israelis often use. And what’s yad2? Host Guy Sharett gives us a hand with the lesson. New words & expressions: Yad, yadayim – יָד, יָדַיִים Bo’i, tni li yad ve-nelech – בּוֹאִי, תְּנִי לִי יָד וְנֶלֶךְ Ten yad, tni yad – תֵּן יָד, תְּנִי יָד Tavi yad, tavi’i yad – תָּבִיא יָד, תָּבִיאִי יָד Latet yad le-ze – לָתֶת יָד לְזֶה Ani lo rotse latet le-ze yad – אֲנִי לֹא רוֹצֶה לָתֶת לְזֶה יָד Bishvil...
Mar 24, 2015•10 min•Ep. 78
It's elections day in Israel, in case you hadn't noticed, so today we’ll talk about voting in Hebrew. Guy also tells us how it’s connected to the word for finger - אצבע. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Lehatsbi’a – To vote – להצביע Etsba, etsba’ot – Finger, fingers – אצבע, אצבעות Lehatsbi’a al mashehu – To point at something – להצביע “Ein lachem adayin zchut hatsba’a” – You still don’t have the right to vote – אין לכם עדיין זכות הצבעה “Aval yesh lachem zchut has...
Mar 16, 2015•9 min•Ep. 77
Lior Peleg, our beloved editor and technical producer, is leaving us. As a tribute to him, we’ll explore his full name and learn some cool stuff about it, especially about Or, light. New words & expressions Peleg, plagim – פֶּלֶג, פְּלָגִים Ve-haya ke’etz shatul al palgei mayim – וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל פלגי מים Palgei mayim – פַּלְגֵּי מַיִם Ha-peleg ha-matun –הַפֶּלֶג הַמָּתוּן Or, orot –אוֹר, אוֹרוֹת Or – עוֹר Ha-or shelcha, me’ir, adayin zoher –הָאוֹר שֶׁלְךָ, מֵאִיר, עָדַיִין זוֹהֵר ...
Mar 10, 2015•10 min•Ep. 76
We might not be as polite as the Brits, but we still enjoy talking about the weather while waiting for our favorite Tel Avivi bus. Host Guy Sharett shares some useful structures and words you can use with the really nice old lady with the red coat and funny hat that speaks to you relentlessly. Words and expressions discussed : Mezeg avir – מֶזֶג אָוִויר Mezeg – מֶזֶג Avir – אָוִויר Mezeg ha-avir – מֶזֶג הָאָוִויר Mizug avir – מִיזוּג אָוִויר Tachazit mezeg ha’avir –תַּחֲזִית מֶזֶג הָאָוִויר Lach...
Mar 03, 2015•10 min•Ep. 75
It is Memorial Day in Israel. So today we discuss the ins and outs of זיכרון, the Hebrew word for memory. What’s the difference between לזכור and להיזכר, if both of them mean ‘to remember’? And what does a secretary have to do with it? Guy helps jog our memory. Listen to the All Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Hu zachar – He remembered – הוא זכר Ani zocher ota – I remember her – אני זוכר אותה Hu achal – He ate – הוא אכל Hu katav – He wrote – הוא כתב Hu Halach – He went – הוא...
Feb 17, 2015•9 min•Ep. 74
Lots of Hebrew learners find it hard to discern between 'speak,' 'talk,' and 'tell' when they talk with their Israeli friends, colleagues, classmates, and flatmates. It's time, once and for all, for Guy Sharett to imprint it on our memories. Don’t worry, it’s not difficult! Words and expressions discussed : Ledaber – לְדַבֵּר Ani medaber, medaberet – אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר, מְדַבֶּרֶת Ani medaber ivrit – אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר עִבְרִית Ani medaber im... – ...אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר עִם Anachnu medabrim, medabrot – אֲנַח...
Feb 10, 2015•8 min•Ep. 73
Matsav is a word Israelis use as much as they possibly can. It means situation, state, or condition, but it can be used in lots of different idioms: ma ha-matsav?; yesh matsav; Ha-matsav; matsav cherum etc. Guy Sharett takes us through the 'matsav' of the matsav family. Listen to the All-Hebrew Version of this Episode New Words and Expressions: Matsav, Matsavim – מַצָּב, מַצָּבִים Ma ha-matsav – מָה הַמַּצָּב Yesh matsav – ein matsav –יֵשׁ מַצָּב, אֵין מַצָּב Yesh matsav le – יֵשׁ מַצָּב לְ- Yes...
Feb 03, 2015•7 min•Ep. 72
Be’etsem , which means ‘actually,’ is comprised of preposition ‘be’ -בְּ plus the word etsem , which is an ‘object,’ ‘essence,’ or ‘gist’… but also a ‘bone.’ What? Guy Sharett explains all. And what is, be’etsem , the difference between small talk and networking? Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Be’etsem – Actually – בעצם Etsem (Pl. atsamim) – Object, gist, bone – עצם Zehu etsem ha’inyan – This is the gist – זהו עצם העניין “Ve-himshichu lichyot be-osher va-osher ...
Jan 27, 2015•7 min•Ep. 71
Today Guy Sharett teaches us all things tsarich – ‘need.’ This root, צרכ, comes in many shapes and sizes: Need, necessity, consumption, consumer, and much more. Guy also tells us about a new word he found in the dictionary – kids, don’t try this at home! Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Tsarich – One needs – צריך Kvar tsarich lehit’orer – One already needs to wake up – כבר צריך להתעורר Tsarich lehit’akesh – You need to be persistent – צריך להתעקש Tsarich le’...
Jan 19, 2015•8 min•Ep. 70
This week, we dedicate the show to Paris and France, as a tribute to our French friends who are going through a difficult time. Many Israelis don’t even know that some of the famous songs they enjoy humming are actually French songs translated into Hebrew – so we sample some of those. Guy Sharett also teaches us some new words like ga’agu’a – ‘longing.’ A tout de suite! Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Kita hei – 5th grade – כיתה ה Dimdumim – Twilight – דמדומים E...
Jan 13, 2015•9 min•Ep. 69
Everyone in Israel is talking about March 17. Any idea what's happening on that date? That's right, b’chirot - 'elections.' A b’chira is a 'choice.' Guy Sharett teaches us how to choose, elect, and select in Hebrew, in time for March 17. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Bchirot – Elections, choices – בחירות Bchira, bchirot – Choice, choices – בחירה, בחירות Bacharti becha – I chose you – בחרתי בך Livchor be- – To choose something or someone – בחרתי ב “Ki banu bach...
Jan 06, 2015•7 min•Ep. 68
There is one thing we Israelis dread above all: Being a ‘fraier’ – a ‘sucker.’ That’s why we have to stand firm, drive a hard bargain, suspect anyone who offers super cheap prices, and never take things for granted. Guy Sharett teaches us about this crucial term, and we learn what the ‘fraieriyoot’ index is. New Words and Expressions: Fraier – פְרָאיֵיר Lihyot fraier – לִהיוֹת פְרָאיֵיר Ata choshev she’ani fraier – אָתָה חוֹשֵׁב שֶׁאָנִי פְרָאיֵיר Yatsata faier – יָצָאתָ פְרָאיֵיר Kchi lach eize...
Dec 30, 2014•6 min•Ep. 67
Ru’ach means wind or breeze, so you'll hear it a lot on the weather forecast at this time of year. But it also means spirit, soul, or even ghost. Guy Sharett shows us the root's Biblical usages, as well as its cousins in other languages - we even hear a beautiful 13th century Farsi poem. Words and expressions discussed : Ru’ach – רוּחַ Ru’ach stav – רוּחַ סְתָיו Ruchot chazakot – רוּחוֹת חֲזָקוֹת Ru’ach elohim – רוּחַ אֱלוֹהִים Ve-ru’ach elohim merachefet al pnei ha-mayim – ורוּחַ אֱלוֹהִים מרחפ...
Dec 22, 2014•6 min•Ep. 66
When an Israeli tells you “al tid’ag,” or “don’t worry,” that’s when you should probably start to worry. Guy Sharett teaches us how to talk about worrying – or making sure people don’t – and what else this root, דאג, has up its sleeve. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Al tid’agi, al tid’ag, al tid’agoo – Don’t worry – אל תדאג, אל תדאגי, אל תדאגו Al tid’ag – Don’t worry – אל תדאג Al tidagi li, ima – Don’t worry about me, mom – אל תדאגי לי, אמא “Al tid’agoo li, aba...
Dec 16, 2014•7 min•Ep. 65
