We talk a lot about “lahats” (stress, pressure) in Israel. You’ll often hear, “ma ata lahuts?”, why are you stressed, and “ein lahats”, there’s no pressure, just as your stress level is hitting its all-time high.

How do you say “rehearsal” in Hebrew? And what do the Hebrew words for “tax-refund” and “rabbi-preacher” have in common? A root, of course! Guy returns for another Streetwise Hebrew lesson.

Full service or self service? Diesel or regular? When pulling up to the pump, what Hebrew words and phrases do you need in order to successfully navigate an Israeli gas station? On this episode, Guy tops off the linguistic tank.

On last month’s patron chat, Guy discussed the major news story in Israel happening right there and then, and reviewed the words and phrases associated with it.

The Hamsa symbol, a hand with five fingers, is believed to bring good luck and keep away the evil eye. In Arabic, hamsa is the number five, which just happens to be the number of years we’ve been making our Streetwise Hebrew podcast!

What do we mean when we say “hu af al atsmo” (הוא עף על עצמו), he flies on himself? How about “oof li me-ha-einayim” (עוף לי מהעיניים), fly off my eyes? On this episode, Guy explains all things la’oof, to fly.

Eich (איך), Hebrew for “how”, is a tiny word used very often in spoken Hebrew and in many different contexts. On this episode, Guy explains these uses through several examples from everyday life in Israel.

You’re busy. I’m busy. We’re all extremely busy these days. The Hebrew word for busy is עסוק. What would you say to your friend if you might not be able to make it to their party? Guy sets aside time from his busy schedule to explain.

Why do Israelis say, “hu taka li berez” (הוא תקע לי ברז), which roughly translates to, “he jammed a faucet on me”? And how do we say, “I’m stuck in the middle seat again”? Guy explains the word litko’a (לתקוע), to stick into, and delves into the nooks and crannies of hardcore Israeli slang. Language warning: things are about to get explicit.

Simha (שמחה) in Hebrew is happiness or joy, but it can also mean a happy event. How would you say “to make someone happy” in Hebrew? Guy explains all things שמח on this extra joyful episode.