Streetwise Hebrew

There is a lot of talk in Israel about a new עסקת חטופים, hostage exchange. Let's refresh our understanding of the #Hebrew root עסק.

So on this rerun episode, Guy discusses the root עסק and introduces us to other nouns we need to know.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

 

New Words and Expressions:

Esek – Business, matter – עסק

Asakim – Business – עסקים

Beit esek – Shop, store – בית עסק

Ze lo ha-esek shelcha – It’s none of your business – זה לא העסק שלך

Ish asakim – Businessman – איש עסקים

Eshet asakim – Businesswoman – אשת עסקים

Iskey mazon – Food business – עסקי מזון

“Ani be-iskei ha-mazon” – I am in the food industry – אני בעסקי המזון

“Ani be-iskei ha-muzika” – I am in the music industry – אני בעסקי המוזיקה

Iskei ha-sha’ashu’im – Show biz – עסקי השעשועים

WhatsApp iski – WhatsApp business account – ווטסאפ עסקי

Yo’ets iski – Business consultant – יועץ עסקי

Pitu’ach iski – Business development – פיתוח עסקי

Mitoog iski – Business branding – מיתוג עסקי

Model iski – Business model – מודל עסקי

Tochnit iskit – Business plan – תוכנית עסקית

Pgisha iskit – Business meeting – פגישה עסקית

Arucha iskit – Value meal, lunch special – ארוחה עסקית

“Yesh lahem iskiyot” – They have specials – יש להם עסקיות

Yesh lachem iskiyot? – Do you have a set menu? – יש לכם עסקיות

Iska – Business transaction, deal – עסקה

Iska mutslahat – Successful deal – עסקה מוצלחת

Iska lo mukeret – Unknown transaction – עסקה לא מוּכרת

Iska shel paam ba-hayim – The deal of a lifetime – עסקה של פעם בחיים

Lisgor iska – To strike a deal – לסגור עסקה

Iskat havila – Package deal – עסקת חבילה

Asinu esek? – So, do we have a deal? – עשינו עסק 

Esek mishpachti – Family business – עסק משפחתי

Asakim karagil – Business as usual – עסקים כרגיל

Shivaa yemei askaim – Seven business days – שבעה ימי עסקים

Yom asakim – Business day – יום עסקים

Iskei avir (luftgeschäft, לופטגעשעפט) – “Air business” – עסקי אוויר

Yesh lecha esek iti – You’ve got a business with me – יש לך עסק איתי

Hu yode’a im mi yesh lo esek – He knows with whom he’s got business – הוא יודע עם מי יש לו עסק

 

Playlist and Clips:

Esek-asakim – TV ad

Sarit Hadad – Ba-hom shel Tel Aviv (lyrics)

WhatsApp iski

Ariel Zilber – Ani Shochev Li al Ha-gav (lyrics)

Leily – Shiv’ah yemei asakim (lyrics)

Ep. number 343

Here in Israel, we are preparing for our upcoming local elections on Feb. 27th. So this week we are rerunning an episode about the Hebrew word בחירות – elections.   A בחירה is a ‘choice.’ Guy teaches us how to choose, elect, and select in Hebrew, just in time for our local elections on Feb 27th.

 

New Words and Expressions:

Bacharti becha – בָּחַרְתִי בְּךָ

Ki banu bacharta ve’otanu kidashta mikol ha’amim – כִּי בָּנוּ בָֹחַרְתָּ וְאוֹתָנוּ קִידַּשְׁתָ מִכֹּל הַעַמִּים

Ve-otanu > veoysano – וְאוֹתָנוּ

Ha-am ha-nivchar – הַעַם הַנִּבְחָר

Bachar, nivchar – בָּחַר, נִבְחַר

Ha-sikuy shel peres le-hibacher gavar – הַסִּיכּוּי שֶׁל פֶּרֶס לְהִיבָּחֵר גָּבַר

At lo nivchart ki at isha? – אָת לֹא נִבְחַרְתְ כִּי אָת אִישָׁה?

Nivchar – נִבְחַר

Nivchart –  נִבְחַרְתְ

Nivcheret – נִבְחֶרֶת

Ha-nivcheret ha-israelit – הַנִּבְחֶרֶת הַיִּשְרְאֵלִית

Nivcheret kaduregel – נִבְחֶרֶת כַּדּוּרֶגֶל

Mutsar chalav – מוּצַר חָלָב

Nivcheret shel rechivim tzoonatiyim – נִבְחֶרֶת שֶׁל רְכִיבִים תְּזוּנָתִיִים

Ha-bchirot shelach tamid nigmarot ba’enayim sheli – הַבְּחִירוֹת שֶׁלָךְ תָּמִיד נִגְמָרוֹת בָּעֵינַיִים שֶֹלִי

 

Playlist and Clips:

Ayala Ingedashet – Bacharti becha (Lyrics)

Kiddush (Ashkenazi version) (Text)

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach – Kiddush

Who is the chosen people / Avi Becker – London & Kirschenbaum, TV10

Collette Avital – interview, Knesset TV Channel

1956 football game, USSR vs. Israel, The Nathan Axelrod Newsreel Collection

Israeli Dairy Council commercial

Noi Roithenberg – Ha-bchirot Shelach (lyrics)

So you've learned some Hebrew verbs and nouns, but now you're not sure how to properly address your 80 year old neighbor. Ma'am? גברתי? Mrs. Cohen? גברת כהן? Or is it fine to just use her first name?

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Adoni ha-shofet / Kvodo – Your honor (m.) – אדוני השופט / כבודו

Gvirti ha-shofetet / kvoda – Your honor (f.) – גברתי השופטת / כבודה

Adoni – Sir – אדוני

Gvirti – Ma'am – גברתי

Mar Cohen – Mr. Cohen – מר כהן

Gveret Cohen – Ms. Cohen – גברת כהן

"Shalom, ani medaber/medaberet im Guy?" – Hi, am I speaking to Guy? – שלום, אני מדבר/ת עם גיא

"Adoni, ten li lehasbir" – Sir, let me explain – אדוני, תן לי להסביר

"Gvirti, tni li lehasbir" – Ma'am, let me explain – גברתי, תני לי להסביר

"Tikra li Danny", "tikra li Avi", "tikrei li Dalia" – Call me Danny/Avi/Dalia – תקרא לי דני, תקרא לי אבי, תקראי לי דליה

Ratsiti lishol im taskimi lehitraayen lapodcast sheli – I wanted to ask if you'd agree to be interviewed on my podcast – רציתי לשאול אם תסכימי להתראיין לפודקסט שלי

At pnuya ba-shavua ha-ba? Yesh lach zman ba-shavua ha-ba?- Are you available next week? – את פנויה בשבוע הבא? יש לך זמן בשבוע הבא?

Slicha – Excuse me – סליחה

Playlist and Clips:

Arik Einstein – Adoni Ha-shofet (lyrics)

Yehudit Ravitz – Balada Al Adon Kimat VeGveret Kvar (lyrics)

Ep. no. 10 about politeness in Hebrew

Ep. no. 20 about Service in Israel

Ep. no. 28 about slicha, excuse me

Ep. no. 157 about Israeli brevity

The Hebrew word לתרגם, to translate, is a handy verb, especially if you live in Israel and go to the cinema. Why? Because you want to make sure the Israeli film you're about to watch has been translated and has English subtitles. How do you ask whether something has been translated to your language?

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Letargem – To translate – לתרגם

Mutarjem (Arabic) – Translator – מותרג'ם

Metargem – Translator – מתרגם

Metargemet/metargem lisfat ha-simanim – Sign language translator – מתרגם/מתרגמת לשפת הסימנים

Kshe-ata tsofe ve-metargem, ata lif'amim gam mitragesh me-ha-stsenot? – When you watch and translate, do you sometimes also get moved by the scenes? – כשאתה צופה ומתרגם אתה לפעמים גם מתרגש מהסצינות

Hu metargem mi-turkit le-ivrit – He translates from Turkish to Hebrew – הוא מתרגם מטורקית לעברית

Letargem sefer, letargem seret – To translate a book, a film – לתרגם ספר, לתרגם סרט

Ata yachol letargem li rega ma hi omeret? – Could you translate for me what she's saying? – אתה יכול לתרגם לי רגע מה היא אומרת

Tirgoom – Translating – תרגום

Targumim muzarim shel shemot shel sratim me-anglit le-ivrit – Weird translations of movie titles from English to Hebrew – תַרגומים מוזרים של שמות של סרטים מאנגלית לעברית

Tirgoom me-anglit le-ivrit ze lo davar kal – Translating from English to Hebrew is not an easy thing – תִרגום מאנגלית לעברית זה לא דבר קל

Tirgoom otomati, automatic translation – תִרגום אוטומטי

Targoom – Translation – תַרגום

Ha-targoom ha-hadash shel ha-sefer me'ule – The new translation of this book is amazing. – התרגום החדש של הספר מעולה

Ha-sefer turgam le-20 safot – The book was translated to 20 languages. – הספר תורגם ל-20 שפות

Ha-seret meturgam le-anglit – The film is translated to English – הסרט מתורגם לאנגלית

Yesh targoom le-anglit? – Is there an English translation? – יש תרגום לאנגלית

Yesh ktuviyot be-anglit – Are there English subtitles? – יש כתוביות באנגלית

Ken, yesh ktuviyot, lo, ein ktuviyot, ein targoom – Yes, there are subtitles / No, there are no subtitles / There's no translation

Meturgeman – Interpreter – מתורגמן

Dibuv – Dubbing – דיבוב

Ledabev sratim – To dub movies – לדבב סרטים

Playlist and Clips:

Metargem – translator – from TK to HEB

Translating movie titles from EN to HEB

Ilan & Ilanit – Ba-shana Ha-ba'ah (German)

Ep. no. 27 about foreign words and four letter roots

Ep. no. 50 – interview with an interpreter

Israelis are playing it tough most of the time. ​How do you ask an Israeli to do something for you?​ Here are some ideas on how to make your message come across, without sounding too bossy, which might wreak havoc in the Middle East.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

 

New Words and Expressions:

Efshar – Possible – אפשר

Efshar lekabel mapit? – Could I have a napkin? – אפשר לקבל מפית

Efshar mapit? – Could I have a napkin? – אפשר מפית

Efshar espresso aroch – Could I have a long espresso? – אפשר אספרסו ארוך

Ata yakhol latet li mapit vaksha? – Could you give me a napkin please? – אתה יכול לתת לי מפית בבקשה

Ata yakhol ledaber ita? – Could you talk to her? – אתה יכול לדבר איתה

Ata yachol ledaber ita? – Could you talk to her? – אתה יכול לדבר איתה

Tuchal / tuchli / tuchlu lehagi’a machar ba’erev? – Could you make it tomorrow in the evening? – תוכל/תוכלי/תוכלו להגיע מחר בערב

Tuchli lavo be-eser? – Will you be able to come at ten? – תוכלי לבוא בעשר

Yesh matsav she titen li t’oto sh’kha? – Is there a way you’d give me your car? – יש מצב שתיתן לי ת’אוטו ש’ך

Ata ba la-mesiba machar? Yesh matsav – Will you come to my party tomorrow? Perhaps. – אתה בא למסיבה מחר? יש מצב

Yesh matsav she-tazmin eize pizza? – Can you order a pizza or something? – יש מצב שתזמין איזה פיצה

Ba lecha laasot et ze achshav? – Do you feel like doing this now? – בא לך לעשות את זה עכשיו

Ba lach lekalef et ha-avokado? – Do you feel like peeling the avocados? – בא לך לקלף את האבוקדו

​

Playlist and Clips:

Arik Einstein – Hen efshar (lyrics)

Arik Einstein – Don Quixote (lyrics)

Ha-saruf – Kol Ha-yom Sababa (lyrics)

 

Ep. no. 10 about politeness in Hebrew

Ep. no. 23 about the imperative

Ep. no. 123 about kavanu

Whether it’s telling someone they did well, asking the cost, or lashing out at someone, “yatsata” (from “latset” – to “go out”/”come out”) plays an important role in everyday Hebrew slang. Host Guy Sharett teaches us a few of these useful idioms, which you won’t find in your dictionary.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

 

New Words and Expressions:

“Britanya rotsa latset me-ha ichud ha-eropi” – The UK wants to exit from the EU – בריטניה רוצה לצאת מהאיחוד האירופי

Yatsata gadol – You came out great – יצאת גדול

“Asher, lo rak tsadik yatsata, yatsata anak” – You didn’t just come out great, you came out huge – אשר, לא רק צדיק יצאת, יצאת ענק

Anak – Huge, gigantic – ענק

Yatsata tsadik – You came out a saint – יצאת צדיק

Yatsata be-zol – You got off easy – יצאת בזול

“Boyna, yatsata be-zol” – Dude, you came off easy – בוא’נה, יצאת בזול

Lo yatsa li – I didn’t get a chance – לא יצא לי

Slicha, od lo yatsa li – Sorry, I didn’t get a chance to do it yet – סליחה, עוד לא יצא לי

Im yotse lecha – If you get a chance – אם יוצא לך

Rak im yotse lecha – Only if you get a chance – רק אם יוצא לך

Ma yatsa lecha mi-ze? – What did you gain from it? – מה יצא לך מזה

Nu, ve-ma yatsa lecha ba-sof mi-ze? – So, what did you gain from it at the end? – נו, ומה יצא לך בסוף מזה

Ma yatsa ba-sof im X – What happened to X at the end? – מה יצא בסוף עם מישהו

Kama yatsa ba-sof? / Kama yatsa? – How much did it come out at the end? – כמה יצא / כמה יצא בסוף

Kama kama? – What’s the score? – כמה כמה

Ma Yatsata alay? – Why are you attacking me? – מה יצאת עליי

 

Playlist and Clips:

Yatsata Tsadik TV Show

Noam Yakobson – Yatsata be-zol (lyrics)

Yoav Yitshak – Ma Yatsa Lecha Mi-ze (lyrics)

Ha-dorbanim – Yatsanu Lirkod (lyrics)

 

Ep. no. 26 about ‘can you?’

A teenager in central Tel Aviv said something to his friend that made Guy think: How do we say ‘whiner’ and ‘to whine’ in Hebrew? This episode is about the word בכיין and its variations.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

 

New Words and Expressions:

Bachyan – Whiner – בכיין

Hu stam mitbachyen – He’s just whining – הוא סתם מתבכיין

Hu bacha – He cried – הוא בכה

Livkot – To cry – לבכות

Lirtsot, livnot, legalot, when the third letter of the shoresh is hei, the infinitive ends with -ot.

Bachiti – I cried – בכיתי

“Eineni tinok bachyan” – I am not a whining baby – אינני תינוק בכיין

Bachyanoot – Whining – בכיינות

“Hu stam mitbachyen” – He’s just whining – הוא סתם מתבכיין

Lehitbachyen – To whine – להתבכיין

“Dai, ya mitbachyen” – Stop it, you whiner – די, יא מתבכיין

Hitbachyenoot – Whining – התבכיינות

 

Playlist and Clips:

Aviv Geffen – Livkot Lecha (lyrics)

Dudu Tassa – Bachiti

Ahuva Tsadok – Dani Gibor (lyrics)

Teapacks – Hora Nadlanim (lyrics)

Knesset TV – MK Avigdor Lieberman

TV2 – MK Shelly Yachimovich

Idan Raichel – Min’i Kolech Mi-bechi (lyrics)

 

Ep. no. 16 about how to curse drivers (and the particle ya)

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.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

 

New Words and Expressions:

Fraier – Sucker – פראייר

Lihyot fraier – To be a sucker – להיות פראייר

Ata choshev sh’eani fraier – Do you think I am a sucker? – אתה חושב שאני פראייר

Yatsata fraier – You came out a sucker, you’ve been had – יצאת פראייר

“K’chi lach eize fraier” – Get yourself a sucker – קחי לך איזה פראייר

“Shlish me-hayalei ha-milu’im: anachnu fraierim” – One third of the army reserve soldiers say: we are suckers – שליש מחיילי המילואים: אנחנו פראיירים

“Ani diplomatit, ve-al tikre’u li frayerit” – I am a diplomat, and don’t call me a sucker – אני דיפלומטית, ואל תקראו לי פראיירית

“Yoter mi 250 elef israelim hifsiku lihyot frayerim” – More than 250 thousand Israelis stopped being suckers – יותר מ-250 אלף ישראלים הפסיקו להיות פראיירים

Anachnu betach lo fraierim – We surely can’t be suckers – אנחנו בטח לא פראיירים

“Fraierim lo metim, hem rak mitchalfim” – Suckers don’t die, they are just being replaced by new ones – פראיירים לא מתים, הם רק מתחלפים

“Madad ha-fraieriyoot sheli” – Index of how sucker I am – מדד הפראייריוּת שלי

Fraieriyoot – Suckerness – פראייריוּת

 

Playlist and Clips:

Bibi, yatsata fraier

Kfir Atiya – K’chi Lach Eize Fraier (lyrics)

Golan Telecom commercial

Ha-dag Nachash – Lo Fraierim (lyrics); Lyrics translated to EN

Ep. no. 48 about lehasik, hafsaka

Ep. no. 135 about latset

Ep. no. 265 about to exchange

The Israeli song לצאת מדיכאון is perhaps the song that best describes how an entire nation is feeling at this moment. It's an appropriate time to talk about דיכאון, depression, and its root.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

"Atem yod'im ma ha-derech hachi tova latset mi-dika'on?" – Do you know what is the best way to get out of depression? – אתם יודעים מה הדרך הכי טובה לצאת מדיכאון

Dika'on – Depression – דיכאון

Dik'onot – Depressions – דכאונות

Latset mi-dika'on – To get out of depression – לצאת מדיכאון

Lehikanes le-dika'on – To fall into depression – להיכנס לדיכאון

Lo nichnasti le-dikaon mi-ze – I took it easily – לא נכנסתי לדיכאון מזה

Ze shir optimi, ze lo shir medaké – This is an optimistic song, not a depressing one – זה שיר אופטימי,זה לא שיר מדכא

Ha-matsav medaké – The situation is depressing – המצב מדכא

Ledaké – To depress, oppress – לדכא

Medaké – Depressing – מדכא

Ledaké mered – To crush a rebellion – לדכא מרד

Ledaké regesh/regashot – To suppress an emotion/emotions – לדכא רגש/רגשות

Meduka – Depressed – מדוכא

Dik'oni – Depressive – דכאוני

Hu benadam ma-ze dik'oni – He's such a depressive person – הוא בנאדם מה-זה דכאוני

Al tikansu li ledikaon, ken? – Don't get depressed – אל תיכנסו לי לדיכאון

Playlist and Clips:

Yagel Oshri – Latset Mi-dika'on (lyrics)

Channel 13 – about the song Latset Mi-dika'on

Ep. no. 72 about the situation, matsav

Ep. no. 135 about to go out, latset

Ep. no. 166 about in and out

Ep. no. 247 about regashot, feelings

The Hebrew word לשחרר means to release, to free. It is used often when speaking about the hostage crisis in Gaza. How else do we use לשחרר, and how do we say it in the passive?

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Leshachrer – To release, to free, to liberate – לשחרר

Israelim kor'im la-memshala laasot hakol kedei leshachrer et ha-hatufim me-hamas. – Israelis call on the government to do whatever it can to release the hostages from Hamas. – ישראלים קוראים לממשלה לעשות הכל כדי לשחרר את החטופים מהחמאס

Meshachrerim tsvi la-teva – They release a deer back into the wild – משחררים צבי לטבע

Hem meshachrerim tsabei yam la-teva – They release sea turtles back to nature – הם משחררים צבי ים לטבע

"Lo meshachrer otanu" – It doesn't liberate us – לא משחרר אותנו

Ts'chok meshachrer – Liberating laughter – צחוק משחרר

Shachrer oti – Let me go, cut me loose – שחרר אותי

Yalla, shachrer oti – Come on, let me go – יאללה, שחרר אותי

Milhemet ha-shichroor – The 1948 war – מלחמת השחרור

Hufshat shichroor – End of army service holiday – חופשת שחרור

Shichroor ba'alei hayim la-teva – Releasing animals back to nature – שחרור בעליי חיים לטבע

Shichroor tsabei yam – Releasing sea turtles – שחרור צבי ים

Hu shuchrar – He was released – הוא שוחרר

Ha-hatuf shuchrar, ha-hatufa shuchrera, ha-hatufim shuchreru – The hostage was released – החטוף שוחרר, החטופה שוחררה, החטופים שוחררו

Esrim u-shnayim ha-meshuchrarim – The 22 released (hostages) – עשרים ושניים המשוחררים

Hayal meshuchrar – Veteran – חייל משוחרר

Ha-keren ve-ha-yehida le-hachvanat hayalim meshuchrarim be-misrad ha-bitachon – The fund and the unit for career counseling for veterans in the ministry of defense – הקרן והיחידה להכוונת חיילים משוחררים במשרד הביטחון

Playlist and Clips:

Meshachrerim tsvi la-teva

Sagiv Cohen – Lo Meshachrer (lyrics)

Noa Kirel & Doli & Penn – Shachrer Oti (lyrics)

KAN TV – Hostages released

Hayalim meshuchrarim – Veterans

Ep. #283 about falafel

Ep. #322 about ts'chok

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority Youtube channel