Streetwise Hebrew

The Spiritually Enlightened

Have you been to an inner-child workshop? If not, I think the universe is trying to tell you something. How does the new age lingo of spiritual enlightenment sound in Hebrew?

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Stairway to Heaven

These days, it seems as if everything is measured by ratings and rankings. So how do we rank something in Hebrew? Guy explains the root דרג which includes within it the Hebrew words for army rank, escalators and the highest echelons

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Who Touched My Stuff!?

The word נוגע means touching and, just like in English, it has both a physical and emotional meaning. The root starts with נ, but in certain words based on this root, the נ disappears!

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That Date Was Somewhat Successful

The Hebrew dictionary says that מוצלח means “successful, accomplished.” But as Guy explains, מוצלח has some interesting nuanced uses that you really should discover

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I Am Sure You’ll Succeed

The word להצליח means to succeed, but there’s much more to it than just that. In past tense, we use הצליח to compliment a baker on their delicious cake, the owner of a well-behaved dog and even a parent whose child is a sweetheart

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Would You Turn On the Air Con?

Nothing pairs better with a hot and humid Israeli summer than מזגן. So what should we say to the taxi driver who’s got all the windows rolled down? And why did the temperature in our trains make national headlines?

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Let It Simmer

What does the phrase תן לו להתבשל mean? As Guy will explain, we can use the verb להתבשל, which means to let something cook, not only when speaking about vegetables, but also about… people!

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Home Cooking And Assisted Goals

The Hebrew word בישול means cooking, but it is also used on the football field and in police investigations. Interesting, right?

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Transfer Me The Money

The Hebrew word העברה (ha’avara) means a transfer of something or someone, usually from one place to another. The transfer could involve money, digital files, and even… football players!

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Please Pass the Salad

The Hebrew word להעביר is a verb we use a lot. It helps us pass our fare in the מונית שירות, forward emails, transfer money, and even nudge our significant other to change the TV channel

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