Streetwise Hebrew

The Hebrew word צחוק means laughter. We combine צחוק with different verbs and prepositions to express how hard we laughed at something or just how funny something is.

But as is often the case with Hebrew slang, when used in the right context, and with the appropriate intonation and word-pairing, the word צחוק can be no laughing matter.

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New Words and Expressions:

Ts'chok – Laughter – צחוק

Eize ts'chok – That's hilarious – איזה צחוק

Ts'chok-ts'chok – Joking aside – צחוק-צחוק

Ts'chok ha-goral – The irony of life – צחוק הגורל

Tireh ma ze ts'chok ha-goral, hu haya menahel bank, ve-achshav hu ba-kele – Look at this cosmic irony, he was once a bank manager and now he's in jail – תראה מה זה צחוק הגורל, הוא היה מנהל בנק, ועכשיו הוא בכלא

La'asot ts'chok me-avoda – To turn something into a laughing matter – לעשות צחוק מעבודה

Ata ose ts'chok me-avoda – Are you kidding me? You're not doing what you're supposed to be doing) – אתה עושה צחוק מעבודה

Ma ze, hu ose ts'chok? – What's that? He can't be serious – ?מה זה, הוא עושה צחוק

At osa me-atsmech ts'chok – You're making a fool of yourself – את עושה מעצמך צחוק

Be-ts'chok – Jokingly – בצחוק

Stam, betschok! / Dai, nu, be-tschok! – Come on, I am joking – סתם, בצחוק / די, נו, בצחוק

Nishpachnu mi-ts'chok – We were all laughing really hard – נשפכנו מצחוק

Shofech mi-tschok – It's hilarious – שופך מצחוק

Met mi-tschok – Laughing really hard – מת מצחוק

Nikra mi-tschok – Laughing really hard – נקרע מצחוק

Ts'chokim be-tekes sof shana – Gags at the highschool graduation ceremony – צחוקים בטקס סוף שנה

Hayu sham ts'chokim – It was hilarious, we couldn't stop laughing – היו שם צחוקיםTs'chokim muklatim – Laugh track – צחוקים מוקלטים

Playlist and Clips:

Peter Roth – Ts'chok Ha-goral (lyrics)

Ts'chok me-avoda Standup Show

At osa me-atsmech ts'chok

Ravid Plotnik – New Day

Ep. 285

The Hebrew word שרוף means burnt, and its root takes us on an exciting semantic road trip. Guy covers everything from a burning sensation to diehard football fans, seared vegetables to wasting time and money.

Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Ze soref li ba-einayim – My eyes are burning – זה שורף לי בעיניים

Soref le-someone ba+body part – My X is burning – שורף למישהו משהו

Koev li ha-rosh – I have a headache – כואב לי הראש

Ze yisrof tipa – It will burn a bit – זה ישרוף טיפה

Oi, ha-tost saruf – Oh, the toast is burnt – אוי, הטוסט שרוף

Ani saruf aleha – I am crazy for her – אני שרוף עליה

Maarits saruf – Diehard fan – מעריץ שרוף

Ohed saruf – Big fan (football) – אוהד שרוף

"Bibistim srufim" – Diehard Bibi supporters – ביביסטים שרופים

Ata saruf etsli, at srufa etsli, atem srufim etsli – I'm finished with you – אתה שרוף אצלי, את שרופה אצלי, אתם שרופים אצלי

Kabab al yerakot srufim – Kebab on a bed of seared vegetables – קבב על ירקות שרופים

Liklot – To roast – לקלות

Lisrof zman – To waste time – לשרוף זמן

Stam lisrof kesef – To waste money for no good reason – סתם לשרוף כסף

"Nnisrof ta-mo'adon' (nisrof et ha-mo'adon) – We'll burn down the football club – נשרוף ת'מועדון

"Ha-toast nisraf" – The toast was burned – הטוסט נשרף

Ha-toast saruf – The toast is burnt – הטוסט שרוף

"Nisraf li ha-moach, kol hayom hayiti ba-machshev" – My brain is fried, I spent all day on the computer – נשרף לי המוח, כל היום הייתי במחשב

"Ha-matara sheli hi she-ha-omelette lo yisaref li" – My aim is for the omelette not to burn – המטרה שלי היא שהאומלט לא יישרף לי

Nif'al past: Nisraf, present: nisraf, future: yisaref – נשרף, נשרף, יישרף

She-yisaref ha-olam – Even if the world is on fire, I will not do it – שיישרף העולם

"Ani lo one, she-yisaref ha-olam" – I am not going to answer, the world can be on fire, for all I care – אני לא עונה, שיישרף העולם

She-tisaref, she-tisarfi, she-tisarfu (halevai amen!) – May you burn in hell – שתישרף, שתישרפי, שתישרפו

Lehisaref – To be burned – להישרף

Srefa – Fire – שריפה

Srefat shumanim – Burning fat – שריפת שומנים

Srefat caloriot – Burning calories – שריפת קלוריות

Playlist and Clips:

Eden Ben-Zaken – Soref Li Ba-einaim

Ani saruf aleha

Yehuda Amar – Yerakot srufim

Ha-Gashash Ha-Hiver – Anachnu nisrof ta'moadon

Max Malkiel – She-lo yisaref

Ira Dolphin – Srefat ha-shuman

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HaGashash_HaHiver

Relationships are hard. Here are some Hebrew slang terms to express your undying love — or lack thereof — with your significant other.

The Hebrew word קטן looks small but its root holds a large number of slang expressions and verbs. Here's an example: what does קטן עליי, literally "small on me," mean in slang?

Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Katan – Small – קטן

Ze katan aleinu – Yes, we can do it – זה קטן עלינו

Katan alai – Easy as pie – קטן עליי

Katan aleycha, katan alayich – You can do it! – קטן עליך, קטן עלייך

Ba-ktana – A bit, small size of something – בקטנה

"Cottage baktana" – Mini-cottage-cheese – קוטג' בקטנה

Shtuyot, ba-ktana – It's not a big deal – בקטנה

Artsenu ha-ktantonet – Our tiny country – ארצנו הקטנטונת

Ktantan, ktantonet, ktantanim – Small and cute – קטנטן, קטנטונת, קטנטנים

Ktantanim – Toddlers – קטנטנים

Lehaktin – To reduce, minimize, decrease – להקטין

Taktin/taktini shniya – Minimize it for a sec. – תקטין, תקטיני שנייה

Lehaktin rosh (to be rosh katan) – Do the minimum – להקטין ראש

Nu, dai lehaktin rosh – Come on, stop doing the minimum – נו, די להקטין ראש

Nitu'ach le-haktanat chaze – Operation for breast reduction – ניתוח להקטנת חזה

Degem muktan – Miniature – דגם מוקטן

Katin, ktina, ktinim – Minor, underaged – קטין, קטינה, קטינים

Katonti miledaber ba-inyan – Who am I to talk about this topic? – קטונתי

Playlist and Clips:

Omanei Israel – Katan Aleinu (lyrics)

Cottage ba-ktana

Aruchat gvina ba-ktana

Halva, ba-ktana

Achla ba-ktana

Yoplait ba-ktana

Axe bossem, ba-ktana

Lahakat Pikud Ha-tasfon – Od Lo Tamu Kol Pla'ayich (lyrics)

Ktantanim – Pirsomet

Lehaktin chaze

Degem muktan – Miniature

Yonatan Razel – Katonti (lyrics)

Sometimes we just gotta be honest with ourselves and say, "אני לא סובל אותו" (I can't stand him). Guy explains the Hebrew root סבל, which means suffering or misery, and how it is linked to muscular endurance, horrible traffic jams and passive verbs.

Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Sevel – Suffering, misery – סבל

"Ata garamta li sevel ve-yisurim" – You caused me misery and agony – אתה גרמת לי סבל ויסורים

Eize sevel – Such misery – איזה סבל

Lisbol – To suffer – לסבול

Lama lisbol? – Why suffer? – ?למה לסבול

Ani lo sovel oto – I can't stand him – אני לא סובל אותו

Lisbol mishehu – To put up with someone – לסבול מישהו

Ani lo sovel she-medabrim be-tse'akot ba-nayad – I can't stand it when people shout on the phone – אני לא סובל שמדברים בצעקות בנייד

Sovel mi-mashehu – Suffers from something – סובל ממשהו

Hu sovel mi-sukeret – Suffers from diabetes – הוא סובל מסוכרת

Ata sovel mi-ze? At sovelet mi-ze? – Do you suffer from it? – ?אתה סובל מזה? את סובלת מזה

Ani sovel be-sheket – I suffer quietly – אני סובל בשקט

Pkakim bilti nisbalim – Unbearable traffic jams – פקקים בלתי נסבלים

Nisbal – Bearable – נסבל

Havaiat ha-nesi'a hafcha lihyot bilti nisbelet – The driving experience has become unbearable – חוויית הנסיעה הפכה להיות בלתי נסבלת

Pkakim bilti nisbalim – Unbearable traffic jams – פקקים בלתי נסבלים

Savlanut – Patience – סבלנות

Be-savlanut – Patiently – בסבלנות

Sovlanut – Tolerance – סובלנות

Erech ha-sovlanut – The value of tolerance – ערך הסובלנות

Savlan, savlani – Patient – סבלן, סבלני

Sovlani – Tolerant – סובלני

Sibolet (svolet) – Endurance – סיבולת

Sibolet shrir – Muscular endurance – סיבולת שריר

Sibolet lev re'a – Cardio-vascular endurance – סיבולת לב-ריאה

Pa'il – Active (Grammar) – פעיל

Savil – Passive (Grammar) – סביל

Ishun passivi – Passive smoking, second-hand smoking – עישון פסיבי

Sabal – Porter – סבל

Playlist and Clips:

Zehava Ben – Sevel Ve-yesurim (lyrics)

Lama lisbol? – Commercial

Lo sovel oto (Aba Metapelet)

Pkakim bilti-nisbalim

Miki Gavrielov – Savlanut (lyrics)

Sovlanut

Ko'ach sevel – endurance

Savil – Passive (Grammar)

Ishun passivi – Passive smoking

David Broza – Sigaliyot (lyrics)

Thursday Jan. 21 talk

Is it okay to save an open parking spot for someone, shooing away other drivers? Well, that's what many Tel-Avivim do. It's called לשמור חניה, and it happens all the time.

On this episode, Guy continues with the root שמר, explaining how to say 'watch your mouth?' in Hebrew and why you should never really say it.

Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Elohim Yishmor – Good lord – אלוהים ישמור

Oy, elohim yishmor – Good lord – אוי, אלוהים ישמור

Shmor/shimri/shimru merchak – Keep distance – שמור, שמרי, שמרו מרחק

Tishmeri/shmeri merchak – Keep distance (fem. coll.) – תשמרי/שמרי מרחק

Ani shomer merchak mimenu/mimena – I keep my distance from him/her – אני שומר מרחק ממנו/ממנה

Tishmor al ha-olam, yeled – Take care of the world, kiddo – תשמור על העולם, ילד

Lishmor al yeladim – Take care of children – לשמור על ילדים

Mi yachol lishmor li al ha-chatul – Who can look after my cat – מי יכול לשמור לי על החתול

Na lishmor al ha-nikayon/sheket – Please keep the place clean/please keep quiet – נא לשמור על הניקיון, נא לשמור על השקט

"Shmor li al ze shniya" – Could you hold this for a second? – שמור לי על זה שנייה

Shmor al ha-pe sh'cha – Watch your mouth – שמור על הפה ש'ך

Lishmor be-kerur – keep refrigerated – לשמור בקירור

Al tishmor dvarim ba-beten – Don't keep things in the stomach, much better out than in – אל תשמור דברים בבטן

Lishmor hanaya – To keep parking – לשמור חניה

Ani shomer hanaya le-aba sheli, hu kvar magi'a – I keep parking for my Dad, he's coming just now – אני שומר חניה לאבא שלי

Laasot shmirot – Guarding duties in the army – לעשות שמירות

Playlist and Clips:

Ha-tikva Shesh – Ha-dor Ha-ze Shelanu

Shimru Merchak – Keep distance

David D'or – Shmor al ha-olam (lyrics)

Pablo Rosenberg – Al Tid'agi Li Ima (lyrics)

Margalit Tsanani – Shmor Oti (lyrics)

The level of service in Israel can change from day to day, hour to hour. It depends on many factors, like the mood of the serving staff, life in the city, and other seemingly random factors. Guy explains.

In Hebrew, זזים (we're making a move), זזנו (we made a move), and נזוז (we'll make a move) are all used in the same way to say, “yalla, let's go.” Guy explains

The Hebrew words שומר, משמרת, שמירה, משמר, all come from the same shoresh, שמר. On this episode, Guy continues where he left off in the previous episode with the shoresh שמר and, along the way, explains how to avoid embarrassing moments when you're about to shake hands in Israel.

Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Strudel – @ sign – שטרודל

Shomrim – Guards – שומרים

Shmira – Guarding, keeping – שמירה

Shmirat shabbat – Keeping the Sabbath – שמירת שבת

Shmirat negi'ah – Not touching a member of the opposite sex – שמירת נגיעה

Shomer negi'ah – A person who does not touch a member of the opposite sex – שומר נגיעה

Shmira al kesher – Keeping in touch – שמירה על קשר

Lishmor al kesher – Keep in touch – לשמור על קשר

Kelev shmira – Guard dog – כלב שמירה

Mishmeret laila – Night shift – משמרת לילה

Be-mishmarot – In shifts – במשמרות

Mishmeret bet / mishmeret shniya – Second shift – משמרת ב', משמרת שנייה

Hi ovedet (be-)mishmarot – She works in shifts – היא עובדת משמרות

Ha-avoda be-mishmarot – The work is in shifts – העבודה במשמרות

Shmurat teva – Nature reserve – שמורת טבע

Pakach shmurat teva – Park ranger – פקח שמורת טבע

Rashut Ha-teva ve-ha-ganim – Israel Nature and Parks Authority – רשות הטבע והגנים

Ha-mishmar ha-ezrachi – Neighbourhood watch – המשמר האזרחי

Laamod al ha-mishmar – To stand guard – לעמוד על המשמר

Shmardaf – Sleeve for papers – שמרדף

Playlist and Clips:

Idan Raichel's Project – Hinech Yafa (lyrics)

Shomer negi'ah

Benzin – Mishmeret Laila (lyrics)

Be-mishmarot – In shifts

Shmurat teva – Nature reserve

Ha-mishmar ha-ezrachi – Neighborhood watch

Mishmar Ha-mifrats – Bay Watch

Shmirat negi'ah – Wikipedia

We Israelis may not be the most polite people in the world, but from time to time even we say "I'm sorry" and "excuse me." How do you say it in Hebrew?