Streetwise Hebrew

Israelis sometimes use a single word to review a movie or tv series: "!חזק" In Hebrew, חזק (pronounced hazak) means strong. So what are they trying to convey and how else can we use the word חזק?

Guy explains.

Check Out the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Hazak – Strong – חזק

Klaf hazak – High card – קלף חזק

Hazak! – Deep, intense, powerful, moving – !חזק

Hazak be- mashehu – Expert on something, has a special ability in a specific field – חזק במשהו

"Hazak be-ke'evim hazakim" – Has a special ability to deal with strong pain – חזק בכאבים חזקים

"Hu hazak be-matematika" – He is strong in math – הוא חזק

"Ze hazak mimeni" – It's stronger than me, I can't help it – זה חזק ממני

Timshoch hazak – Pull it strongly – תמשוך חזק

Nafalta hazak – You fell hard – נפלת חזק

Yashanti hazak, lo shamati klum – I slept deeply, I didn't hear a thing – ישנתי חזק, לא שמעתי כלום

Tihye hazak lemala – Be strong above – תהיה חזק למעלה

Tihye hazak, tihyi hazaka, tihyu hazakim – Be strong – תהיה חזק, תהיי חזקה, תהיו חזקות

"Nekudat ha-turpa shel ha-hore, hi nekudat ha-hozek shel ha-yeladim" – The vulnerable point of the parent is the point of strength of the children – נקודת התורפה של ההורה, היא נקודת החוזק של הילדים

Eize hozek – What a strength – איזה חוזק

Hozka – strongness, strength – חוזקה

Ma ha-hozkot shelach? Ma ha-hulshot shelach? – What are your strengths, what are your weaknesses? – מה החוזקות שלך, מה החולשות שלך

Hezka – To the power of – חזקה

3 beHezkat 4 – 3 to the power of 4 – שלוש בחזקת ארבע

Tahzuka – Maintenance – תחזוקה

Playlist and Clips:

Astar Shamir – Klaf Hazak (lyrics)

Hazak be-ke'evim hazakim – Commercial

Tislam – Radio Hazak (lyrics)

Eifo Ha-yeled – Nafalta Hazak (Lyrics)

Aviv Geffen – Livkot Lecha (lyrics)

Michal Dalyot (Israeli Super Nanny)

Gali Atari – Hazaka Me-ha-ru'ach (lyrics)

Ep. No. 176

Ep. No. 218

Ep. No. 118

The Hebrew word לחפש means "to search for." So what does "המורה סתם מחפש אותי" or "לכי חפשי ת'חברים שלך" mean? Both are slang and they don't mean what you might think they mean!

On this episode, Guy covers the root ח.פ.ש and explains several ways to say, "take a hike!"

Listen to the All-Hebrew Version of This Episode

New Words and Expressions:

Lechapes – To search for, to look for – לחפש

Chipus ba-reshet – Internet search – חיפוש ברשת

Mano'a chipus – Search engine – מנוע חיפוש

Chapsu et arizot Tnuva – Look for the Tnuva milk containers – חפשו את אריזות תנובה

Lechi chapsi et elohim kol sof shavu'a – Go search for god every weekend – לכי חפשי את אלוהים כל סוף שבוע

Lech chapes mi yena'ane'a otcha – Go find someone who would 'shake' you – לך חפש מי ינענע אותך

Te'alat biyuv – Sewage canal – תעלת ביוב

Pa'atei ha-ir tel aviv – In the outskirts of Tel Aviv – בפאתי העיר תל אביב

Lech chapes ta-haverim sh'cha – Go look for your friends – לך חפש ת'חברים ש'ך

Lechi chapsi ta-haverim sh'lach – Go look for your friends – לכי חפשי ת'חברים שלך

Amarti lo she-yelech (le)chapes – I told him to go take a hike – אמרתי לו שילך 'חפש

Amarti la sh'telech t'chapes – I told her to go take a hike – אמרתי לה שתלך תחפש

Chipus mishtarti – Police search – חיפוש משטרתי

Tsav hipus – search warrant – צו חיפוש

Ha-mora stam mechapeset oti – The teacher picks on me for no good reason – המורה סתם מחפשת אותי

Ha-mishtara stam mechapeset oti – The cops always hassle me for no obvious reason – המשטרה סתם מחפשת אותי

"Chapes Oti Be-rishon" – Find me in Rishon – חפש אותי בראשון

Ha-mishtara orechet chipusim acharav – The police is conducting a search after him – המשטרה עורכת חיפושים אחריו

Ani adayin be-chipusim – I am still looking for… – אני עדיין בחיפושים

Od lo matsati klum – I haven't found anything yet – עוד לא מצאתי כלום

Playlist and Clips:

Tnuva – Pirsomet (Commercial)

Rami Kleinstein – Al Ha-gesher Ha-yashan (lyrics)

Lech chapes mi yena'ane'a otcha

Lech chapes

Chipus mishtarti

Agas Kimmel – Chapes Oti Be-Rishon (lyrics)

Episode no. 16

Episode no. 146

Episode no. 241

The Hebrew word לנסות, to try, is very handy in everyday conversation. People always say, "try this," "don't try that," "try these pants on," "try this dish."

On this episode, Guy tries to explain it all.

Listen to the All-Hebrew Version of This Episode

New Words and Expressions:

Nasui – Married – נשוי

Linso'a – To travel – לנסוע

"Nisiti meod lehilachem ba-ruchot" – I really tried to fight the winds – ניסיתי מאוד להילחם ברוחות

Nisiti (Piel, נסה) – I tried – ניסיתי

Giliti – I found out – גיליתי

Nikiti – I cleaned – ניקיתי

Kiviti – I hoped – קיוויתי

Shiniti – I changed – שיניתי

Nisiti + Inf./noun

Nisita pa'am X? – Have you ever tried X? – ניסית פעם X

"Menasim limtso miklat ha-laila" – Trying to find shelter for the night – מנסים למצוא מקלט הלילה

Ma ata menase lehagid? – What are you trying to say? – מה אתה מנסה להגיד?

Sha'a she-ani menase lehasig otcha – I have been trying to reach you for an hour – שעה שאני מנסה להשיג אותך

Ach sheli, al mi ata menase la'avod? – Bro, who are you trying to fool? – אח שלי, על מי אתה מנסה לעבוד?

Tit'am, tit'ami, tit'amu – Try (food, imp.) – תטעם, תטעמי, תטעמו

Timdod, timdedi, timdedu – Try on (clothes, imp.) – תמדוד, תמדדי, תמדדו

Tenase ledaber itam – Try to talk to them – תנסה לדבר איתם

Tenasi et ze – Try this one (f., imp.) – תנסי את זה

Timdod et ha-michnasayim – Try these pants on – תמדוד את המכנסיים

Ulai tenase medium – Maybe you should try medium size – אולי תנסה מדיום?

Tenase/tenasi lechabot ve-lehadlik – Try to turn off and turn on again – תנסה/תנסי לכבות ולהדליק

Tenasi ba-atar – Try on the website – תנסי באתר

Tenasu ba-aplikatsia – Try on the app. – תנסו באפליקציה

Al tenasu et ze ba-bayit – Don't try this at home – אל תנסו את זה בבית

Nisuy – Experiment – ניסוי

Nisuyim be-ba'aley chaim – Animal testing – ניסויים בבעלי חיים

Nisayon – Experience, attempt, test trial – ניסיון

Ha-nisayon ha-ze hu lo pashut kaze – This trial is not that simple – הניסיון הזה הוא לא פשוט כזה

La'amod ba-nisayon – To overcome temptation – לעמוד בניסיון

Nisioni – Experimental – ניסיוני

Trufa nisionit – Experimental drug – תרופה ניסיונית

Menuse/menusa – Experienced, seasoned – מנוסה

Hu hitnasa be- – He had experience with – הוא התנסה ב-

Hitnasut – Internship, training – התנסות

Tkufat nisayon/hitnasut – Trial period in a new job – תקופה ניסיון/התנסות

Nisuy u-te'iya – Trial and error – ניסוי וטעייה

Playlist and Clips:

Shlomo Artzi & Dudu Tassa – Latet Ve-lakachat (lyrics)

Idan Amedi – Menasim (lyrics)

Ishay Ribo – Ha-nisayon ha-ze (lyrics)

Nisuy U-te'iya – Trial and Error

Episode # 201

Episode # 289

Vé- (and in Hebrew) is sometimes pronounced Va- or Oo-, depending on the usage. So when is the letter ו at the beginning of a word pronounced Vé, Va or Oo? And should Hebrew learners invest their time to learn these elaborate rules?

Listen to the All-Hebrew Version of This Episode

New Words and Expressions:

Ve – And – ו (letter vav)

"Al safsal ba-gan yoshevet, u-frachim bi-se'ara" – "She's sitting on a bench, with flowers in her hair" – על ספסל בגן יושבת, ופרחים בשערה

Vav + בומ"פ letters = U

U-fra-chim – And flowers (archaic) – ופרחים

"U-shku'a ba-halomot" – "And submerged in her dreams" – ושקועה בחלומות

"Va-ani tsipor" – "And I am a bird" – ואני ציפור

Masa-u-matan – Negotiations – משא ומתן

Basar va-dam – Flesh and blood – בשר ודם

"Mita va-hetsi" – "A bed and a half" – מיטה וחצי

Hamesh va-hetsi – Half past five – חמש וחצי

Shesh va-reva – Quarter past six o'clock – שש ורבע

Yomam va-laila – Day and night – יומם ולילה

"Esrim ve-arba sheva" – 24-7 – עשרים וארבע שבע

Ze mamash yom va-laila eich she'hu hishtana – It's amazing how this person changed – זה ממש יום ולילה איך שהוא השתנה

Playlist and Clips:

Be'ad o neged – בעד או נגד

Gali Atari – Yesh Lecha Shemesh (lyrics)

Gali Atari – Derech Aruka (lyrics)

Masa u-matan (KAN TV)

Ayala Ingedashet – Basar va-dam (lyrics)

Mita va-hetsi – A bed and a half

Shtayim – Shesh Va-reva (lyrics)

Corinne Alal – Sfat Imi (lyrics)

Kaveret – Ba-yom u-va-laila (lyrics)

The word נגד means against, and its root gives us the Hebrew words for contrast, contradiction and conflict. We'll also head over to the Knesset in Jerusalem to hear an up or down vote take place.

Hear the All-Hebrew Version of This Episode

New Words and Expressions:

Neged – Against, nay – נגד

Be'ad – For, yea – בעד

Hatsba'ah ba-knesset – A vote in the knesset – הצבעה בכנסת

Haver knesset – Member of Knesset – חבר כנסת

Lihyot be'ad/neged – To be for or against – להיות בעד/נגד

Ani be'ad/neged – I am for/against – אני בעד/נגד

Hayiti be'ad/neged – I was for/against – הייתי בעד/נגד

Trufot savta neged hitkarerut – Grandma's remedies against the cold – תרופות סבתא נגד התקררות

Kampeyn neged shtiya – A campaign against drinking – קמפיין נגד שתייה

Holech neged ha-ru'ach – Going against the wind – הולך נגד הרוח

Neged declined with pronouns:

Negdi – Against me -נגדי

Negdecha, negdech, negdo, negda, negdenu, negdechem, negdam – נגדך, נגדך, נגדו, נגדה, נגדנו, נגדכם, נגדם

Lama kulam negdi – Why is everybody against me – למה כולם נגדי

Hem hayu negdi – They were against me – הם היו נגדי

Hu yatsa negdi – He spoke against me – הוא יצא נגדי

Latset neged mishehu – To talk against someone – לצאת נגד מישהו

Ha-olam kulo negdenu – The whole world is against us – העולם כולו נגדנו

Ein li shum davar ishi negdecha – I don't have anything personal against you (m.) – אין לי שום דבר נגדך

Ein li shum davar ishi negdech – I don't have anything personal against you (f.) – אין לי שום דבר נגדך

O she-ata itam, o she-ata negdam – You're either for them, or against them – או שאתה איתם, או שאתה נגדם

Mi neged mi – Who is playing against whom – מי נגד מי

"Ha-shniya higati, ten li daka lishtot cafe, lehavin mi neged mi" – "I just got to the office, let me get some coffee and see what's going on" – השנייה הגעתי, תן לי דקה לשתות קפה, להבין מי נגד מי

Negdi – Counter, opposing – נגדי

Ba-kivun ha-negdi – In the other direction – בכיוון הנגדי

Omes daroma – Heavy traffic southbound – עומס דרומה

Ba-kivun ha-negdi patuach – Traffic in the other direction is flowing – בכיוון הנגדי פתוח

Rak mul hitnagdut tsomchim – You can grow only against opposition – רק מול התנגדות צומחים

Yeled she-mitnaged la-horim – A kid who is against his parents – ילד שמתנגד להורים

Yesh mitnagdim? – Anyone against? – ?יש מתנגדים

Hitnagdut le- – Opposition to, resistance against – התנגדות ל

Nigud – Contrast, opposite – ניגוד

Be-nigud le- – As opposed to – בניגוד ל

Ze be-nigud la-hok – It's against the law – זה בניגוד לחוק

Ze be-nigud la-heskem beineinu – It goes against our agreement – זה בניגוד להסכם בינינו

Nigud inyanim – Conflict of interest – ניגוד עניינים

Ke-neged kol ha-sikuyim – Against All Odds – כנגד כל הסיכויים

Playlist and Clips:

Be'ad o neged – בעד או נגד

Shalom Hanoch – Neged Ha-ru'ach (lyrics)

Lo hitnagadta, lo tsamachta – לא התנגדת, לא צמחת

Nigud inyanim – Conflict of interest

Ep. no. 280 about Kar, cold

Ep. no. 251 about Shtiya, drinking

Ep. no. 188 about Being late, le'acher

Streetwise Hebrew Facebook Page

In this episode, Guy covers the different words and meanings derived from the root ק.ר.א, like how to say, "Call an ambulance", "Let's call a spade a spade," and perhaps most useful sentence of all, "Let me read to you the text he sent me."

He'll also introduce you to the girl who currently holds the record for the youngest, most prolific reader of the city of Tel Aviv-Jaffa.

Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode

New Words and Expressions:

Colloquial names of Hebrew letters – Daled, Hey, Yud, Pei, Tsadik, Kuf, Taf – ד, ה, י, פ, צ, ק, ת

Si'anit ha-kri'a ha-tseira shel tel aviv-yafo – The youngest record holder reader of the city of Tel Aviv-Jaffa – שיאנית הקריאה הצעירה של תל אביב יפו

Kef li likro sifrei fantazia, aval ani ohevet gam sifrei mada bidyoni – Reading fantasy books is fun, but I also like science fiction – כיף לי לקרוא ספרי פנטזיה, אבל אני אוהבת גם ספרי מדע בדיוני

Structure: Kef le + mishehu + Inf.

Hi koret be-chelek gadol me-ha-zman she-hi era – She reads during a big part of the time in which she's awake – היא קוראת בחלק גדול מהזמן שהיא ערה

Tsarich likro la kama pe'amim le-aruchat erev – We need to call her a few times for dinner – צריך לקרוא לה כמה פעמים לארוחת ערב

Mi-ma'amakim – Out of the depth – ממעמקים

Mikra – Bible – מקרא

Kri'ah achrona – Last call (airport) – קריאה אחרונה

Kibalnu kri'ah – We (the call center) got a call for help – קיבלנו קריאה

Tikre'u le-ambulans – Call an ambulance – תקראו לאמבולנס

Tikre'u la-mishtara – Call the police – תקראו למשטרה

Kri'ah le-ezra – A call for help – קריאה לעזרה

Karata li mami sheli – You called me "mami sheli" (my darling) – קראת לי מאמי שלי

Karati lecha nishmati – I called you "nishmati" (my soul) – קראתי לך נשמתי

Kara le mishehu X – He called someone X – קרא למישהו + שם

Kor'im li ba-shchuna malkat ha-shoshanim – They call me in the neighborhood the rose queen – קוראים לי בשכונה מלכת השושנים

"Lo be'emet kor'im li Johnny" – Johnny is not my real name – לא באמת קוראים לי ג'וני

Ha-horim sheli kar'u li Yonatan Binyamin – My parents called me Yonatan Binyamin – ההורים שלי קראו לי יונתן בנימין

Eich kor'im lecha/lach – What's your name? – ?איך קוראים לך

Ma shimcha/shmech? – What's your name? (formal) – ?מה שמך

Likro le-mishehu al shem mishehu – To name someone after someone – לקרוא למישהו על שם מישהו

Kar'u la al shem ha-savta – They named her after her grandmother – קראו לה על שם הסבתא

Kor'im la ya'el al shem ha-savta – She's called Yael after her grandmother – קוראים לה יעל על שם הסבתא

Al shem – Called after, in the name of – על שם, ע"ש

Hi kruya al shem ha-savta – She's called after her grandmother – היא קרויה על שם הסבתא

Hu karuy al shem ha-saba – He's called after his grandfather – הוא קרוי על שם הסבא

Kar'u lecha al shem mishehu? – Did they name you after someone? – ?קראו לך על שם מישהו

Al shem mi kar'u lecha/lach? – After whom did they name you? – ?על שם מי קראו לך

Eich ze nikra be'ivrit – How is it called – איך זה נקרא

Eich kor'im le-ze be'ivrit – How do you call it in Hebrew – איך קוראים לזה בעברית

"This is what I call globalization" – Le-ze ani kore globalizatsia / ze ma she-nikra globalizatsia – לזה אני קורא גלובליזציה / זה מה שנקרא גלובליזציה

Lehakri sipur – To read aloud a story to someone – להקריא סיפור

Lehakri sipur lifnei ha-shena – To read a story before bedtime – להקריא סיפור לפני השינה

"Bo ani akri lecha ma hu katav" – Let me read to you what he wrote – בוא אני אקריא לך מה הוא כתב

Takri/Takri-ee li rega et ha-hoda'a – Read me the message for a sec. – תקריא/תקריאי לי רגע את ההודעה

Bo nikra la-yeled bi-shmo – Let's call a spade a spade – בוא נקרא לילד בשמו

Playlist and Clips:

Ynet – Si'anit hash'alot ha-sfarim

Idan Raichel's Project – Mi-ma'amakim (lyrics)

Kri'ah achrona – Last Call (commercial)

Eden Ben Zaken – Mexico (lyrics under Youtube clip)

Eden Ben Zaken – Malkat Ha-shoshanim (lyrics)

KAN TV – Eich Bocharim Shem Chiba? – How do you choose a nickname?

Eich lehakri sipur la-yeladim – Commercial

Mecha'at ha-michnasayim ha-ktsarim – "The shorts protest"

Ep. no. 22

In Hebrew, נחמה (nechama) means consolation, comfort. It's also a woman's first name. The difference comes down to pronunciation. Today Guy explains how to give your condolences and how to jokingly comfort a friend who was delivered a cold pizza.

Bonus: How do we say "Misery loves company"? How about comfort food?

New Words and Expressions:

Ko zkukim le-nechama – We really need consolation – כה זקוקים לנחמה

Nechama – Comfort, consolation – נחמה

NeCHAma – Female first name – נחמה

MenaCHEM – He comforts – מנחם

MeNAchem – First name – מנחם

Ochel menachem – Comfort food – אוכל מנחם

Ha-ochel mesapek chavaya chushit neima, menachemet – This food provides a pleasant sensual experience, comforting – האוכל מספק חוויה חושית נעימה, מנחמת

Aruchat boker menachemet – Comforting breakfast – ארוחת בוקר מנחמת

Aval ani menachemet et atsmi be-kafe – But I comfort myself with coffee – אבל אני מנחמת את עצמי בקפה

Bamba haita menachemet oti achshav – Bamba would have comforted me right now (if only I had some) – במבה הייתה מנחמת אותי עכשיו

Ase she-lo et'ave kol kach lihyot menucham ela menachem – Please let me not seek as much to be consoled as to console – עשה שלא אתאווה כל כך להיות מנוחם אלא מנחם

Alcoholistim Anonimiyim – Alcoholics Anonymous – אלכוהוליסטים אנונימיים

Hem menachamim oto/ota – They comfort him/her – הם מנחמים אותו/אותה

Menachamim – People who pay their condolences – מנחמים

Bikur nichumim – A condolence visit – ביקור ניחומים

Tanchumai – My condolences – תנחומיי

Pras nichumim – Consolation prize – פרס ניחומים

Titnachem/titnachmi be-ze she- – Take comfort in the fact that… – תתנחם/תתנחמי בזה ש…

Lehitnachem be-shokolad – Take comfort in Chocolate – להתנחם בשוקולד

Tsarat rabim – hatsi nechama – Misery loves company – צרת רבים – חצי נחמה

Tsarat rabim nechamat shotim/tipshim – The troubles of many are the consolation of the fool – צרת רבים – נחמת שוטים/טיפשים

Playlist and Clips:

Ilanit – Nechama (lyrics)

Nechama Hendel – Dona, Dona (lyrics)

Nechama Hendel Wikipedia

Menachem Begin 1977

Menachem Begin Wikipedia

Ochel menachem – Comfort Food (KAN TV)

Shuly Nathan – Ana Eli (lyrics)

Francesco d'assisi – Preghiera

Shuly Nathan – Yerushalayim Shel Zahav (lyrics)

Pras nichumim – KAN TV

Avigail Roz – Hatsi Nechama (lyrics)

Streetwise Hebrew ep. no. 117 – Ya Habibi

Taarovet Eskot – Ve-Ulai Tavo Eizo Nechama (lyrics)