Coupons & Cupcakes: Foreign Words in Hebrew

Photo: Guy Sharett

How does the Hebrew language integrate foreign words into its vocabulary? And how do we Israelis manipulate English words, like coupons and cupcakes, in order to make them sound natural alongside native Hebrew words? Guy explains.

 

Listen to the All-Hebrew Version of this Episode

 

New Words and Expressions:

Shipur dramati – A dramatic improvement – שיפור דרמטי

Globalizatsia – Globalization – גלובליזציה

Democratizatsia – Democratization – דמוקרטיזציה

Interpretatsia – Interpretation – אינטרפרטציה

Diktsia – Diction – דיקציה

Ha-medina ha-modernit – The modern state – המדינה המודרנית

Kayom yesh ba-olam yoter demokratiot ve-pahot diktaturot – Today in the world there are more democracies and less dictatorships – כיום יש בעולם יותר דמוקרטיות ופחות דיקטטורות

Milhama klasit – A classic war – מלחמה קלאסית

Klasa – ‘Class’ – קלאסה

At hevet et ha-klasa – You brought class – את הבאת את הקלאסה

Kulam yoshvim kacha be-klasa- Everybody is sitting in style – כולם יושבים ככה בקלאסה

Cupcake-im – Cupcakes – קאפקייקים

Couponim – Coupons – קופונים

Radiatorim – Radiators – רדיאטורים

Tipim – Tips – טיפים

Homo’im – Gays (m.) – הומואים

Lesbiot – Lesbians – לסביות

Homo-iyoot – ‘Gayness’ – הומואיות

Ha-akademia la-lashon ha-ivrit – The Academy of the Hebrew language – האקדמיה ללשון העברית

Zlolet – Junk food – זלולת

Tikunai – Handyman – תיקונאי

Ugonit – Cupcake – עוגונית

 

Playlist and Clips:

Dahlia Scheindlin

Salomon Shasha – Klasa

Lihi Greener

Erev Tov im Guy Pines – TV show

Ha-akademia la-lashon ha-ivrit

Previous Episodes

 

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