Streetwise Hebrew

This is one of our favorite StreetWise Hebrew episodes, and not surprisingly one of our most popular!

What’s happened to Hebrew-speaking romantics in these days of Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter? How do they convey their feelings in 140 characters?

Host Guy Sharett analyzes a unique song called ‘Smiley,’ whose lyrics are a collection of one-liners, sometimes just one word long, taken from real online chats between Israeli couples.

And, most importantly, which Hebrew word is used by Israelis to text their ex-partners at 3am?

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Words and expressions discussed:

Er, era – עֵר, עֵרָה

Dabri iti – דַּבְּרִי אִיתִי

Hit’orart, Lehitorer – הִתְעוֹרַרְתְ, לְהִתְעוֹרֵר

Tachzeri elay / tachzor elai – תַּחְזְרִי אֵלַיי, תַּחְזוֹר אֵלַיי

Lachzor, lachshov – לַחְזוֹר, לַחְשוֹב

Tachshov-tachshevi, tachzor-tachzeri – תַּחְשוֹב-תַּחְשְבִי, תַּחְזוֹר-תַּחְזְרִי

Halo? – ?הָלוֹ

Yachas, Yechasim – יָחָס, יְחָסִים

Kara mashehu – קָרָה מַשֶהוּ

Likrot – לִקְרוֹת

Eifo at? – ?אֵיפֹה אַת

Be-shiur – בְּשִיעוּר

Bi-fgisha – בִּפְגִישָה

Ba-byit – בַּבַּיִת

Be-nsi’a – בִּנְסִיעָה

Techef – תֵּיכֵף

Mi ze – מִי זֶה

Mitkasher me-chasum – מִתְקַשֵּר מֵחָסוּם

Tafsiki lesanen – תַּפְסִיקִי לְסֵנֵּן

Ma nish – ?מַה נִיש

Daber elay – דַּבֵּר אֵלַיי

Lo chashuv – לֹא חָשׁוּב

Izvi – עִזְבִי

Smiley boche – סְמַיילִי בּוֹכֶה

Smiley korets – סְמַיילִי קוֹרֵץ

Smiley tsochek – סְמַיילִי צוֹחֵק

Ch ch ch – חחח

Music:
Smiley - Matzav Ha-uma Tv Show, Reshet, TV2 (Israel) - from min. 01:20
Lyrics: Shachar Segal & Lior Schleien
Music: Daniel Salomon
Singing: Daniel Salomon & Roni Alter

This is a sister episode from our archives paired with last week's "Throw out those old answers to 'eich haya.'"

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 have to learn in your new one.

Support StreetWise Hebrew on Patreon

New words & expressions:

Aha – אָהָה

Nachon – נָכוֹן - right

Nu, nu kvar – נוּ, נוּ כְּבָר - come on

Walla – וָואלָה - really, wow

Az ma chadash – ?אָז מָה חָדָש - so what's new?

Ma od bikasht – ?מָה עוֹד בִּיקַשְת - what else did you ask for?

Az ma od – ?אָז מָה עוֹד - so what else?

Az ma od kore itach – ?אָז מָה עוֹד קוֹרֶה אִיתָךְ - so what else is happening with you?

Ma kore im – מָה קוֹרֶה עִם - what's happening with

Ma kara im – מָה קָרָה עִם - what happened to

Ma im – מָה עִם - what's with…

Ma im eli, ma im tal, tagid, ma im shai – ?מָה עִם אֵלִי, מָה עִם טָל, תָּגִיד, מָה עִם שַי

Ma im ha-chaver – ?מָה עִם הַחָבֵר - what's with the boyfriend?

Ma im ha-tiyul – ?מָה עִם הַטִּיּוּל - what's (happening) with the trip?

Tagid, tagidi, tagidu – תָּגִיד, תָּגִידִי, תָּגִידוּ - say, tell

Chutz mi – חוּץ מ - apart from

Chutz mi-ze – חוּץ מִזֶּה - apart from that

Ma chutz – ?מָה חוּץ - what else?

Tagidi, ma chutz mize – ?תָּגִידִי, מָה חוּץ מִזֶּה - tell me, what (else) apart from that?

Az kacha – אָז כָּכָה - so here's how it is

Lo yode'a, lo yoda'at – לֹא יוֹדֵע, לֹא יוֹדַעַת - I don't know

Tachles ein chadash – תָּכלֵ'ס אֵין חָדָש - actually there's nothing new

Ma od – ?מָה עוֹד - what else

Ein harbe – אֵין הַרְבֶּה - nothing much

Al ta'amini lo, hu lo yavo – אָל תַּאֲמִינִי, הוּא לֹא יָבוֹא - don't believe him, he's not going to come

Lo ta'amini ma kara – לֹא תַּאֲמִינִי מָה קָרָה - you (f.) won't believe what happened

Ata lo ta'amin ma kara – אָתָה לֹא תַּאֲמִין מָה קָרָה - you (m.) won't believe what happened

Leha'amin – לְהַאֲמִין - to believe.

Lo, laaaa – לֹא, לָא - no

Ani lo ma'amin, ma'amina – אֲנִי לֹא מַאֲמִין, מַאֲמִינָה

WOW, yow, yu – וָואו, יוֹאוּ, יוּ - wow

This is a sister episode from our archives paired with last week's "Throw out those old answers to 'eich haya.'"

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 have to learn in your new one.

Support StreetWise Hebrew on Patreon

New words & expressions:

Aha – אָהָה

Nachon – נָכוֹן - right

Nu, nu kvar – נוּ, נוּ כְּבָר - come on

Walla – וָואלָה - really, wow

Az ma chadash – ?אָז מָה חָדָש - so what’s new?

Ma od bikasht – ?מָה עוֹד בִּיקַשְת - what else did you ask for?

Az ma od – ?אָז מָה עוֹד - so what else?

Az ma od kore itach – ?אָז מָה עוֹד קוֹרֶה אִיתָךְ - so what else is happening with you?

Ma kore im – מָה קוֹרֶה עִם - what’s happening with

Ma kara im – מָה קָרָה עִם - what happened to

Ma im – מָה עִם - what’s with…

Ma im eli, ma im tal, tagid, ma im shai – ?מָה עִם אֵלִי, מָה עִם טָל, תָּגִיד, מָה עִם שַי

Ma im ha-chaver – ?מָה עִם הַחָבֵר - what’s with the boyfriend?

Ma im ha-tiyul – ?מָה עִם הַטִּיּוּל - what’s (happening) with the trip?

Tagid, tagidi, tagidu – תָּגִיד, תָּגִידִי, תָּגִידוּ - say, tell

Chutz mi – חוּץ מ - apart from

Chutz mi-ze – חוּץ מִזֶּה - apart from that

Ma chutz – ?מָה חוּץ - what else?

Tagidi, ma chutz mize – ?תָּגִידִי, מָה חוּץ מִזֶּה - tell me, what (else) apart from that?

Az kacha – אָז כָּכָה - so here's how it is

Lo yode’a, lo yoda’at – לֹא יוֹדֵע, לֹא יוֹדַעַת - I don’t know

Tachles ein chadash – תָּכלֵ'ס אֵין חָדָש - actually there's nothing new

Ma od – ?מָה עוֹד - what else

Ein harbe – אֵין הַרְבֶּה - nothing much

Al ta’amini lo, hu lo yavo – אָל תַּאֲמִינִי, הוּא לֹא יָבוֹא - don’t believe him, he’s not going to come

Lo ta’amini ma kara – לֹא תַּאֲמִינִי מָה קָרָה - you (f.) won’t believe what happened

Ata lo ta’amin ma kara – אָתָה לֹא תַּאֲמִין מָה קָרָה - you (m.) won’t believe what happened

Leha’amin – לְהַאֲמִין - to believe.

Lo, laaaa – לֹא, לָא - no

Ani lo ma’amin, ma’amina – אֲנִי לֹא מַאֲמִין, מַאֲמִינָה

WOW, yow, yu – וָואו, יוֹאוּ, יוּ - wow

Now that the holidays are behind us, you will likely get asked 'eich haya,' or 'how was it?' Whether your chagim were fabulous, same ol', or just plain rotten, host Guy Sharett gives you 10 expressions to respond with. He even describes how to use 'pach,' the literal word for trash can. Happy small talking!

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New words & expressions:

1. Madhim – Amazing – מדהים

2. Al ha-panim – Really bad – על הפנים

La-panim – Great – לפנים

3. Stam – "Nothing to write home about" – סתם

4. Nechmad – Nice – נחמד

Haya nechmad – It was nice / ok – היה נחמד

5. Metsuyan / Me'ule – Excellent, great – מצויין / מעולה

Letsayen – To note – לציין

Haya me'ule / haya mamash metsuyan – It was really great – היה מעולה / היה ממש מצויין

6. Pach – Can (garbage can) – פח

Pach ashpa – Garbage can – פח אשפה

Ani megia'a la-oto – I'm getting to the car – אני מגיעה לאוטו

Ve-ani roa oto pach – And I see a shitty car – ואני רואה אוטו פח

Ma ze ha-pach ha-ze? – What is this junk? – ?מה זה הפח הזה

Eize pach – What a pach (how lousy) – איזה פח

Ma kore ya pach – What's up you pach – מה קורה יא פח

7. Sababa legamrei – Totally cool – סבבה לגמרי

8. Murkav – Complicated – מורכב

Ha'osher murkav – The happiness is complicated – האושר מורכב

Haya murkav – It was complicated – היה מורכב

9. Ata lo mevin / At lo mevina – You don't understand (how good/horrible it is/was) – אתה לא מבין / את לא מבינה

10. Tov – Good – טוב

Haya tov (aspirated t)/ To-ov – It was amazing – היה טוב / טו-אוב

Looking for the monologue text? It's available to our patrons at patreon.com/streetwisehebrew.

Playlist and clips:

Eric Berman – Yeled Madhim (lyrics) Arik Sinai – Stam Yom shel Hol (lyrics) Parpar Nechmad TV Show theme song Polyakovim Reality TV show – Oto Pach Shlomi Shabat – Yom Sababa (lyrics) Shlomo Artzi – Shir Ha-kirva (lyrics) Sarit Haddad – Kim'at Holechet (lyrics) Shokolad Menta Mastik – Ze Tov, Ze Tov (lyrics)

Repeat the mantra: I will become a fluent Hebrew speaker. But how do we say 'become' in Hebrew? 'Nihya,' which is passive of Hebrew verb 'lihyot,' or 'to be.' TLV1's language Jedi Guy Sharett explains.

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New words & expressions:

Pitom nihya kayits – Suddenly it became summer – פתאום נהיה קיץ

Nihya – It has become – נהיה

Ma nihya (niya)? – What's going on? – ?מה נהיה

Shu sar? (Arabic) – What's happened? – شو صار؟

Shu sar ma'ak? (Arabic) – What's happened with you? – شو صار معك؟

Ma nihya im + mishu – What's with + someone – מה נהיה עם + מישהו

Ma nihya?! – What's going on?! – ?!מה נהיה

Tagidi, ma nihya itach – Tell me (f.), what's going on with you – תגידי, מה נהיה איתך

Ma nihya itcha, itach, itchem, itchen – What's with you (m.), you (f.), you (pl. m), you (pl. f) – מה נהיה איתך, איתך, איתכם, איתכן

Ma nihya mimeni? – What has become of me? – ?מה נהיה ממני

Ma nihya ita? – What's with her? – ?מה נהיה איתה

Ma nihya mimena? – What's happened to her? – ?מה נהיה ממנה

Hu nihya me'atsben ba-zman ha-acharon – He has become irritating lately – הוא נהיה מעצבן בזמן האחרון

Hu nihya ben adam – He became a man (mature, adult) – הוא נהיה בן אדם

Hi nihyta isha pitom – She suddenly became a woman – היא נהייתה אישה פתאום

Hem nihyu bnei adam – They became adults – הם נהיו בני אדם

Ma nihyet li lady? – Now you're playing a lady? – ?מה נהיית לי ליידי

Hu nihya li angli alek – He's playing a Brit (as if) – הוא נהיה לי אנגלי עאלק

Tir'i im ze nihya – See if it's ready – תראי אם זה נהיה

Looking for the monologue text? It's available to our patrons at patreon.com/streetwisehebrew.

Playlist and clips: Eran Zur – Kayits (lyrics) Ehab Qawasmi – Shu Sar Or Fairouz – Shu Sar Ofir Cohen – Tagidi Ma Nihya (lyrics) Liran Aviv – Ma Nihya (lyrics) Shotei Ha-nevu'a – Yefehfiya (lyrics)

How do we say 'become' in Hebrew? Guy explains the forms of 'nihya,' which is the passive usage of 'lihyot,' or 'to be.' 

'Fashla' and 'fadiha,' originally Arabic words, are used by Israelis to talk about embarrassing or awkward moments. Host Guy Sharett tells us not only how to avoid awful mess-ups, but also how to fry up the roots of these words in a sizzling Hebrew verb pan. They get juicy - want a bite?

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New words & expressions:

Efshar lishol ma ata ose kan? – May I ask what are you doing here? – ?אפשר לשאול מה אתה עושה כאן

Mehake larakevet harishona – Waiting for the first train – מחכה לרכבת הראשונה

Efshar lirot teuda mezaha? – May I see an identifying document? – ?אפשר לראות תעודה מזהה

Betach – Sure – בטח

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

Efo ata gar? – Where do you live? – ?איפה אתה גר

Ve-ma ata kotev? – And what are you writing? – ?ומה אתה כותב

Ani mechin tochnit la-shavu'a – I am preparing a plan/program for the week – אני מכין תוכנית לשבוע

Mamash lo inyancha – Really none of your business – ממש לא עניינך

Fashla, fashlot – Mess-up; embarrassing failure; flop – פשלה, פשלות

Ze lo fashla sheli – It's not my mess-up – זה לא פשלה שלי

Fashla shel ha-hevra – Mess-up of the company – פשלה של החברה

Eize fashla – What a mess-up – איזה פשלה

Ani aluf be-lefashel – I am a champion in screwing up – אני אלוף בלפשל

Fishalt be-gadol – You (f.) blew it big time – פישלת בגדול

Fishalti, fishalta, fishalt, fishel, fishla, fishalnu, fishaltem, fishlu – פישלתי, פישלת, פישלת, פישל, פישלה, פישלנו, פישלתם, פישלו

Mi fishel po? – Who blew it here? – ?מי פישל פה

Mishehu fishel be-gadol – Someone blew it bigtime – מישהו פישל בגדול

Mefashel, mefashelet, mefashlim, mefashlot – Mess up (verb) - מפשל, מפשלת, מפשלים, מפשלות

Fadiha, fadihot – Awkward moment, 'fashla' – פדיחה, פדיחות

Fadiha shel ha-laif – Huge fadiha – פדיחה של הלייף

Asita li fadihot ba-schuna – You made fadihot to me in the neighborhood (lit.) - You embarassed me in the neighborhood (fig.) – עשית לי פדיחות בשכונה

La'asot fadihot le-mishehu – To embarrass someone – לעשות פדיחות למישהו

Ima, al ta'asi li fadihot – Mom, don't embarrass me – אמא, אל תעשי לי פדיחות

Asita et ha-fadiha shelcha (Sounds like: 'Asita ta-fadiha sh'cha') – You've done your fadiha – עשית ת'פדיחה ש'ך

Lefade'ach mishehu – To embarrass someone – לפדח מישהו

Mefade'ach (mfade'ach) – Embarrassing – מפדח

Mefudach – Embarrassed – מפודח

Lehitfade'ach – To feel embarrassed – להתפדח

Ma-ze hitfadachti – I felt so embarrassed – מה זה התפדחתי

Ma-ze hitfadachti bishvilo – I felt so embarrassed for him – מה זה התפדחתי בשבילו

Fadhan, fadhanit – Someone who embarrasses others all the time – פדחן, פדחנית

Dai, ya fadhan – Stop it, you're embarrassing me – די, יא פדחן

Fashloner – Someone who always blows it – פשלונר

Hu ma-ze fashloner – He always screws up – הוא מה-זה פשלונר

Looking for the monologue text? It's available to our patrons at patreon.com/streetwisehebrew.

Playlist and clips: Shaygetz – Aluf Belefashel (lyrics) Hemi Rudner – Bo'i Nipared (lyrics) Sarit Haddad - Melech Ha-rechov (lyrics)

StreetWise Hebrew patrons in California, France, Austria, New York and more chat to our host Guy Sharett here in Tel Aviv. One of them has a son about to start his law studies at Yale University, so they discuss different ways of saying how proud we are of our children, including the important Hebrew word "nachat" ("naches" in Yiddish), meaning something like "proud pleasure."

Guy then discusses the new language being used by Tel Aviv's politically correct plumbers; when they call you and want to talk to your husband or wife, they now ask "ha-bat-zug o ha-ben-zug ba-bayit?" - "is your female/male partner at home?"

And the group talks about what dreams Guy has for the podcast, including the book he's working on. Guy says future plans "mitbashlim" - they're being "cooked" (as we say in Hebrew) - and that he has some "shiurei bayit" (homework) to do...

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Does your Hebrew improve after a couple "lechayims"? It depends - ze talui - זה תלוי. StreetWise Hebrew patrons from California, France, Austria and New York discuss their recent "smachot" (celebrations), from Bar Mitzvot to weddings. Because every celebration comes with a lesson, host Guy Sharett illuminates an important difference between biblical and modern Hebrew usage, and even gives us an anthropological analysis of Paris Jewish weddings.

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Israelis love WhatsApp groups. It's how journalists receive the latest news updates, it's how sports teams arrange lifts for upcoming matches, it's how school parents communicate about homework, and, of course, it's how friends plan their weekend get-together. So this week, host Guy Sharett explains how Israelis communicate in WhatsApp groups. We use a special brand of concise, efficient Hebrew that should be acknowledged and celebrated!

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New words & expressions:

No'ach le- – Convenient for – -נוח ל

Lo no'ach li lavo – It's not convenient for me to come – לא נוח לי לבוא

Shmone lo no'ach li – Eight is not good for me – שמונה לא נוח לי

No'ach lach machar ba-boker? – Is it convenient for you (f.) tomorrow morning? – ?נוח לך מחר בבוקר

No'ach lecha shavu'a ha-ba? – Is it convenient for you (m.) next week? – ?נוח לך שבוע הבא

No'ach lachem ha-yom me'uchar ba-layla? – Is it convenient for you (pl.) today late at night? – ?נוח לכם היום מאוחר בלילה

Le-Eyal lo no'ach ha-yom – For Eyal it's not convenient today – לאייל לא נוח היום

Eyal lo yachol ha-yom – Eyal can't (come) today – אייל לא יכול היום

Ze beseder im ani avo im mishehu? – Is it okay if I bring someone along? – ?זה בסדר אם אני אבוא עם מישהו

Okei – Okay – אוקיי

Li (ze) sababa – For me it's great – לי (זה) סבבה

Sababa legamrei – Totally great – סבבה לגמרי

Sababs, Sababation – Great – סבבס, סבביישן

Sagur – Deal – סגור

Mi yachol...? – Who can...? – ?...מי יכול

Mi yachol be-shesh? – Who can (meet/do it) at six? – ?מי יכול בשש

Yesh mishehu she-yachol…? – Is there someone who can…? – ?...יש מישהו שיכול

Sulam, yesh lemishehu? – Ladder, anyone has (one)? – ?סולם, יש למישהו

Ha-mispar shel Eli, yesh le-mishehu? – Eli's number, anyone has (it)? – ?המספר של אלי, יש למישהו

Eize kav, mi yode'a? – Which bus line, who knows? – ?איזה קו, מי יודע

Looking for the monologue text? It's available to our patrons at patreon.com/streetwisehebrew.

Playlist and clips: Portrait – Ad Elayich (lyrics) Sarit Haddad – Ha-kol Sagur (lyrics) Nira Rabinowitcz – Mi Yachol Lasim (lyrics)