Streetwise Hebrew

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'ehov – You need to love – צריך לאהוב

Lo tsarich lehagzim – No need to exaggerate – לא צריך להגזים

Ma tsarich lakachat – What do we need to take – מה צריך לקחת

Lo tsarich lehilachetz – No need to get stressed – לא צריך להילחץ

Kol ma shetsarich ladaat al… – Everything you need to know about… – כל מה שצריך לדעת על

Ata tsarich ahava chadasha – You need a new love – אתה צריך אהבה חדשה

Mi tsarich otcha bichlal? – Who needs you anyway? – מי צריך אותך בכלל

"Kafe turki, bediyuk ma sh'eata tsarich" – Turkish coffee, exactly what you need – קפה טורקי, בדיוק מה שאתה צריך

Ani yod'ea ma atem tsrichim – I know what you guys need – אני יודע מה אתם צריכים

Mi tsarich et ze – who needs this? – מי צריך את זה

Ma ata tsarich? – what do you need? – מה אתה צריך

Bachayim tamid tsarich mazal – In life you always need luck – בחיים תמיד צריך מזל

Lo tsarich – No need – לא צריך

Lo rotse, lo tsarich – If you don't want it, no need – לא רוצה, לא צריך

Lo tsarich tovot – I don't need favours – לא צריך טובות

Yoter mize anachnu lo tsrichim – More than this we don't need – יותר מזה אנחנו לא צריכים

Tsrichim ovdim – We're hiring – צריכים עובדים

Tsorech – Need – צורך

Ein tsorech – No need – אין צורך

Tsrachim – Needs – צרכים

Mitsrach – Necessity – מצרך

Mitsrachim – Consumer goods – מצרכים

Litsroch – To consume – לצרוך

Tsricha – Consumption – צריכה

Tsarchan – Consumer – צרכן

Tsrichatni (Archaic) – I need – צריכתני

Tsarich letsaltsel paamayim – You need to ring twice – צריך לצלצל פעמיים

Playlist and Clips:

Gazoz – Shir Avoda (lyrics)

Matti Caspi – Ho Ma Yihye (lyrics)

Asaf Amdursky – Ahava Chadasha (lyrics)

Alona Daniel – Tizaher Mi-nesichot (lyrics)

Coffee commercial

Margalit Tsan'ani – Ba-hayim Tsarich Mazal

Tamuz – Holech Batel (lyrics)

Shlomo Artzi – Anachnu Lo Tsrichim (lyrics)

Shoshana Damari – Tsarich Letsaltsel Pa'amayim (lyrics)

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

Erev – Evening – ערב

Ma'arav – West – מערב

"Im ha-zman ha-kol cholef" – With the time, everything is passing – עם הזמן הכל חולף

Hazman cholef – Time is passing by – הזמן חולף

Lachlof al pnei mishehu – Pass by someone (without noticing) – לחלוף על פני מישהו

"Ahava bat esrim" – A 20 year old love – אהבה בת עשרים

"Yafa sheli" – My darling – יפה שלי

Bat arba – Four years old (f.) – בת ארבע

"Im kol kach tov li po, az lama shuv, ani bocha umishtagat?" – If it's so good for me here, how come I am crying and going crazy? – אם כל כך טוב לי פה, אז למה שוב אני בוכה ומתגעגעת

Lehitga'age'ah – To miss someone/something – להתגעגע

Ga'agu'a – Longing, missing – געגוע

Herut – Freedom – חירות

Playlist and Clips:

Yves Montand – Sous le ciel de Paris

The Jerusalem Orchestra East West – Dimduim

Aviv Geffen – Ve'im Ha-zman (lyrics)

Léo Ferré – Avec le temps

Yossi Banai – Ahava Bat Esrim (lyrics)

Jacques Brel – La chanson des vieux amants

Yael Naim – Paris (lyrics)

George Moustaki – Ma Liberté

Chava Alberstein – At Cheruti (lyrics)

Ep. 52 about erev, maghreb, HEB

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 bacharta" – Because you chose us – כי בנו בחרת

Ha-am ha-nivchar – The chosen people – העם הנבחר

Nivchar – Chosen – נבחר

Ha-sikuy shel peres lehibacher gavar – Peres' chances of being elected was higher – הסיכוי של פרס להיבחר גבר

"At lo nivchart ki at isha?" – You were not elected because you're a woman? – את לא נבחרת כי את אישה

Ha-nivcheret ha-israelit – The Israeli delegation – הנבחרת הישראלית

Nivcheret kaduregel – Football team – נבחרת כדורגל

Mutsar chalav – Milk product – מוצר חלב

"Nivcheret shel rechivim tzoonatiyim" – The ultimate selection of nutritious ingredients – נבחרת של רכיבים תזונתיים

"Ha-bchirot shelach tamid nigmarot ba-enayim sheli" – Your choices always end with my eyes – הבחירות שלך תמיד נגמרות בעיניים שלי

Playlist and Clips:

Ayala Ingedashet – Bacharti becha (lyrics)

Kiddush (Ashkenazi version)

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)

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 fraier – קְחִי לָךְ אֵיזֶה פְרָאיֵיר

Shlish me-chayaley ha-milu'im: anachnu fraierim – שְׁלִישׁ מֵחַיָילֵי הַמִּילוּאִים: אֲנַחְנוּ פְרָאיֵירִים

Fraierit – פְרָאיֵירִית

Ani diplomatit, ve-al tikre'u li fraierit – אֲנִי דִּיפְּלוֹמָטִית, וְאַל תְּקְרְאוּ לִי פְרָאיֵירִית

Yoter mi-250 elef israelim hifsiku lihyot fraierim – יוֹתֵר מ-250 אֶלֶף יִשְׂרְאְלִים הִפְסִיקוּ לִהְיוֹת פְרָאיֵירִים

Naa'se milu'im, neshalem ha-misim, naamod ba-pkakim, otanu lo dofkim, anachnu betach lo fraierim – וְנַעֲשֶׂה מִילוּאִים, נְשַׁלֵּם הַמִּסִים, נַעֲמוֹד בַּפְּקָקִים, אוֹתָנוּ לֹא דּוֹפְקִים, אֲנַחְנוּ בֶּטַח לֹא פְרָאיֵירִים

Fraierim lo metim, hem rak mitchalfim – פְרָאיֵירִים לֹא מֵתִים, הֵם רָק מִתְחַלְּפִים

Madad ha-fraieriyoot sheli – מַדָּד הַפְרָאיֵירִיוּת שֶׁלי

Playlist and Clips:

Kfir Atiya (Lyrics)

Golan telecom commercial

Ha-Dag Nachash – Lo Fraierim (Lyrics)

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 מרחפת על פני המים

Ru’ach ha-kodesh – רוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ

Ruh (Arabic) – روح

Ya ruhi (Arabic) – يا روحي

Rih (Arabic) – ريح

Ru’ach refa’im – רוּחַ רְפָאִים

Ru’ach refa’im ktana – רוּחַ רְפָאִים קְטָנָה

Ish ru’ach – אִישׁ רוּחַ

Be-ruach – בְּרוּחַ

Beru’ach chag ha-molad – בְּרוּחַ חַג הַמּוֹלד

Matsav ru’ach – מַצָּב רוּחַ

Matzav ru’ach tov – מַצָּב רוּחַ טוֹב

Matzav ru’ach ra – מַצָּב רוּחַ רָע

Yesh li matzav ru’ach – יֵשׁ לִי מַצָּב רוּחַ

Ruach hadvarim – רוּחַ הַדְּבָרִים

Masa ruchani – מַסָּע רוּחָנִי

Ruchaniyut – רוּחָנִיוּת

Revach – רֶוַוח

Re’ach – רֵיחַ

Playlist:

Garry Eckstein – Ru’ach stav

Torah reading, The book of Genesis, ch. 1

Veni creator spiritus

Um Kulthum – Ya ruhi bala kutr asiya

Rumi – Introduction to Rumi

Evyatar Banay – Me’achorei ha-shemesh

Benzin – Yom Shishi

Alma Zohar - Ego Trip

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, ani osa chayim" – Don't worry about me, Dad, I am having fun – אל תדאגו לי, אבא, אני עושה חיים

Ein lach ma lid'og – You have nothing to worry about (f.) – אין לך מה לדאוג

"Mishehu do'eg li sham lemala" – Someone takes care of me up there – מישהו דואג לי שם למעלה

Mi Doeg lebirot – Who is taking care of the beer – מי דואג לבירות

De'aga – Concern, worry – דאגה

Al deaga – No worries – אל דאגה

"Ze seker mad'ig" – It's a distressing poll – זה סקר מדאיג

Lehad'ig mishehu – To worry someone – להדאיג מישהו

"Ani lo mood'ag me-hafalastinim, ani moodag mehaisraelim" – I am not concerned about the Palestinians, I am worried about the Israelis – אני לא מודאג מהפלסטינים, אני מודאג מהישראלים

Mood'ag mi- – Worried about something (m.) – מודאג מ

Mood'eget mi- – Worried (f.) – מודאגת מ

Da'agan, da'aganit – Someone who is worried all the time – דאגן, דאגנית

Da'aganoot – Anxiety, worrying – דאגנוּת

Da'aganoot yeter – Over worrying – דאגנוּת יתר

Playlist and Clips:

Incognito – Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing

Aviv Geffen – Al tid'ag (Lyrics)

Pablo Rozenberg – Al Tid'agi Li Ima (Lyrics)

Ehud Banai – Kmo Tsipor Ve-sharah (Lyrics)

Ein lach ma lid'og – Uzi Fuchs (Lyrics)

Mishehu – Yehudit Ravitz (Lyrics)

Shelly Yachimovich – interview TV10

Amnon Dankner – interview TV2

Ha-haverim shel Natasha – Shnei Sipurey Ahava Ktsarim (Lyrics)

The Hebrew word כאילו is one of the words you'll hear most on the streets of Tel Aviv. It means 'as if,' but lots of Israelis use it in the same way we use 'kinda,' or 'like' in English.

So just ke'ilu stick it ke'ilu anywhere ke'ilu in the sentence! Guy Sharett tells us more…

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Ke'ilu – As if – כאילו

"Lif'amim niraa ke'ilu kol ma she'ani ose ze lashevet bevatei kafe" – Sometimes it seems as if everything I am doing is to sit in cafes – לפעמים נראה כאילו כל מה שאני עושה, זה לשבת בבתי קפה

"Achshav ani margish ke'ilu lo yode'a kloom"- Just now I feel as if I don't know anything – עכשיו אני מרגיש כאילו לא יודע כלום

Ke'eeloo hacham – It's as if he's smart – כאילו חכם

Ke'ilu, mi hu hoshev shehu? – Like, who does he think he is? – כאילו, מי הוא חושב שהוא

"Ani lo yodaat, keilu, baaretz anachnu kol hazman dofkot mesibot". – I don't know, like, in Israel we're having parties all the time – אני לא יודעת, כאילו, בארץ אנחנו כל הזמן דופקות מסיבות

"Bli ke'ilu vekaze, daber elai baroor" – Don't 'kinda' and 'like' me, speak clearly to me – בלי כאילו וכזה, דבר אליי ברור

"Ke'ilu duh" – Like, duh – כאילו דא

"Ke'ilu ein machar" – Like there's no tomorrow – כאילו אין מחר

Laasot be-keilu – To pretend to do something – לעשות בכאילו

Taase be-keilu – Just pretend – תעשה בכאילו

Bo nesachek be'keilu – Let's play in make-believe – בוא נשחק בכאילו

"Ke'ilu awa" – Like, ouch – כאילו אווא

Awa, ai, aww – Ouch – אווא, איי, אוו

Playlist and Clips:

Ivri Lider – Batei Cafe (lyrics)

Shlomo Artzi – Hi Lo Yoda'at Ma Over Alai (lyrics)

Sarit Hadad – Ke'ilu Kaze (lyrics)

How to say Yes in Russian

Ke'ilu Da

Dana Berger – Ke'ilu Ein Machar (lyrics)

Ori Hizkiya – Ke'ilu Awa

Ha-yehudim – Ke'ilu (lyrics)

Ep. no. 136 and 347 about double negative in Hebrew

Eavesdrop on any phonecall on a bus or sherut in Israel, count to ten, and you'll probably hear be'emet? ('really?')

'Truth,' emet, and its derivatives are found in all shapes and sizes in Hebrew. Host Guy Sharett teaches us some words and expressions with the alef-mem-tav root… we mean it! Be'emet!

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

"Rak sheteda et haemet" – Just that you know the truth – רק שתדע את האמת

Ta'emet/Ha-emet – I'll give you the truth, to be honest – ת'אמת/האמת

Kol haemet verak emet – The truth and nothing but the truth – כל האמת ורק אמת

"Aval im telchi im ha-emet shelach at targishi tov im atsmech" – If you're true to yourself, you'll feel good with yourself – אבל אם תלכי עם האמת שלך את תרגישי טוב עם עצמך

"Ma ha-chayim ha-ele bli le'ehov, be'emet vemikarov" – What is this life without loving, truthfully and closely – מה החיים האלה בלי לאהוב, באמת ומקרוב

Be-emet – Really? / really – באמת

Be'emet toda raba! – Thank you very much, thanks for nothing – באמת תודה רבה

Nu, be'emet – Give me a break – נו, באמת

"U-miyad achar kach bi-zman emet" – Up next, in real time – ומייד אחר כך בזמן אמת

Mechonat emet – Lie detector – מכונת אמת

Emet o chova – Truth or dare – אמת או חובה

Gever amiti – A real man – גבר אמיתי

Amiti, achi – For real, dude – אמיתי, אחי

Le'amet – To verify – לאמת

Le'amet pratim – To verify the details – לאמת פרטים

Imut – Verification – אימות

For verification – Le-imut – לאימות

Playlist and Clips:

Sarit Hadad – Rak she-teda et ha-emet (lyrics)

Ha-click – Kol Ha-emet (lyrics)

Telchi im ha-emet shelach

Muki – Be'emet U-mi-karov (lyrics)

Yoni Rechter – Even min Ha-lev (lyrics)

Ehud Banay – Masach Ha-barzel (lyrics)

Savta Miriam

Riki Gal – Emet O Chova (lyrics)

Yochai Sponder – Gever Amiti

The Hebrew word דווקא does not have a direct English translation. Sometimes it means "actually" (as opposed to what you might think). At other times it means "particularly." So what does the saying לעשות דווקא (to do a דווקא) mean?

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Davka – Actually, as opposed to what you may think – דווקא

"ze lo kashe bichlal, ze davka kal" – It's not hard at all, it's actually easy – זה לא קשה בכלל, זה דווקא קל

"Eich ze kara li, lama davka itcha?" – How did it happen to me, why am I with you – איך זה קרה לי, למה דווקא איתך

"Lama achshav davka kshe-tov li, at kol kach meshuna?" – Why now, when I am actually happy, you're acting weird – למה עכשיו, דווקא כשטוב לי, את כל כך משונה

Lehargiz, lehach'is – To irritate – להרגיז, להכעיס

Laasot davka – Out of spite – לעשות דווקא

Lav davka – Not necessarily – לאו דווקא

Davka ani ochel shokolad ba-boker – I, of all people, eat chocolate in the morning – דווקא אני אוכל שוקולד בבוקר

Ani davka ochel shokolad ba-boker – As opposed to what you think, I actually eat chocolate in the morning – אני דווקא אוכל שוקולד בבוקר

Ani ochel davka shokolad ba-boker – Of all things one can have for breakfast, I choose to have chocolate for breakfast – אני אוכל דווקא שוקולד בבוקר

Ani ochel shokolad davka baboker – I specifically choose to have chocolate in the morning (I have my own reasons) – אני אוכל שוקולד דווקא בבוקר

Ani davka beseder – I am actually okay (you expected to hear I am not well) – אני דווקא בסדר

Lama lakachat davka otcha la-tafkid? – Why should we hire you, of all people? – למה לקחת דווקא אותך לתפקיד

Davka shachor, mi-kol hatsvaim? – You have to get black, out of all colors? – דווקא שחור, מכל הצבעים

Hu davka lo mamash ratsa – He actually didn't really want to – הוא דווקא לא ממש רצה

Davka lo haya kaze nora – It actually wasn't that bad – דווקא לא היה כזה נורא

Davka yesh li chalav hayom – As opposed to what you think, I do have milk today – דווקא יש לי חלב היום

Playlist and Clips:

Bli Sodot – Ze lo kashe, ze davka kal

Dafna Armoni – Lama Davka Itcha? (lyrics)

Ethnix – Lama Achshav (lyrics)

Avi Toledano & Irit Anavi – Lama Kacha (lyrics)

We love using ראשי תיבות - acronyms - in modern Hebrew. We take the initials and between the last two letters we add inverted commas (two apostrophes) to show that it's an acronym rather than an ordinary word. Guy explains that the transformation from word to acronym is so extreme that some words even end up changing their gender!

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Rashey teivot – Acronyms – ראשי תיבות

Drishat shalom chama – Warm regards – דרישת שלום חמה

Timsor drishat shalom la-mishpacha – Say hi to your family – תמסור דרישת שלום למשפחה

Hu moser dash – He sends his regards – הוא מוסר ד"ש

Ani moser dash la-chaverim – I am sending my regards to my friends – אני מוסר ד"ש לחברים

"Timsor le-Haim dash" – Say hi to Haim – תמסור לחיים ד"ש

Dash ham – Warm regards – ד"ש חם

"Halevaן ve-ha-sofash ha-ze lo yigamer af paam" – May this weekend never end – הלוואי והסופ"ש הזה לא ייגמר אף פעם

Sofash (Sof shavoo'a) – Weekend – סופ"ש

Sof ha-shavooa / Ha-sofash – The weekend – סוף השבוע / הסופ"ש

Sofash na'im – Have a nice weekend – סופ"ש נעים

She-yihye achla sofash – Have a great weekend – שיהיה אחלה סופ"ש

Tsahal (Tsva Hagana Le-israel) – Israel Defence Forces (IDF) – צה"ל, צבא הגנה לישראל

Galey tsahal – Israeli Army Radio – גלי צה"ל / גל"צ

Mankal, Menahel klali – General manager, CEO – מנכ"ל / מנהל כללי

Samancal, Sgan mancal – Vice president – סמנכ"ל / סגן מנהל כללי

Samancal ha-chevra – The VP of the company – סמנכ"ל החברה

Be-hool (Be-hoots la-arets) – Abroad – בחו"ל

"Az histovavta lecha be-hool" – So you wandered around abroad – אז הסתובבת לך בחו"ל

"Rosh ha-memshala Binyamin netanyahu amar shehu ba la-oom kedey lehagid et ha'emet" – PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that he came to the UN in order to tell the truth – רה"מ בנימין נתניהו אמר שהוא בא לאו"ם כדי להגיד את האמת

Ha-Oom, ha-oomot ha-me'oochadot – The UN, The United Nations – האו"ם, האומות המאוחדות

Be-derch klal – Usually – בדרך כלל, בד"כ

Tel-Aviv – Tel Aviv – תל-אביב, ת"א

Playlist and Clips:

Yardena Arazi & Lahakat Ha-nachal – Drishat Shalom (lyrics)

Moser dash

Boaz Sharabi & Matti Caspi – Shalom Aleichem (lyrics)

Ha-ultras – Sof Shavu'a (lyrics)

Commercial – Hool (Abroad)

News report – Oom (UN)

Ep. no. 96 about different wishes HEB

Ep. no. 166 about hool, abroad

Ep. 208 about timsor, pass on HEB

Ep. no. 299 about darash HEB