Gadol, ‘big,’ and its root, g.d.l, have made a huge career in written and spoken Hebrew. Let’s meet the family today; from mustaches and fast food chains, to towers and plastic surgery.

New Words and Expressions:

Gadol – גָּדוֹל

Haya gadol – הָיָה גָּדוֹל

Ani yodaat elohim, ata Gadol me-hachayim – אֲנִי יוֹדַעַת אֱלוֹהִים, אַתָּה גָּדוֹל מֵהַחַיִים

Rosh gadol – רֹאשׁ גָּדוֹל

Gdolim – גְּדוֹלִים

Ha-tsara itcha she-yesh lecha einayim gdolot – הַצָּרָה אִיתְךָ שְׁיֵשׁ לְךָ עֵינַיִים גְּדוֹלוֹת

Yesh anashim she-bonim migdalim – יֵשׁ אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁבּוֹנִים מִגְדָּלִים

Ligdol – לִגְדּוֹל

Gadalti be-shana – גָּדַלְתִּי בְּשָׁנָה

Legadel yeladim – לְגַדֵּל יְלָדִים

Legadel safam, zakan – לְגַדֵּל שָׂפָם, זָקָן

Lehagdil, lehaktin – לְהַגְדִּיל, לְהַקְטִין

Ata rotse lehagdil? – אַתָּה רוֹצֶה לְהַגְדִּיל?

Hagdala – הַגְדָּלָה

Hagdalat shadayim – הַגְדַלַת שָׁדַיִים

Playlist and Clips:

Ha-keves ha-shisha-asar – Kshe-eheye gadol (Lyrics here) 

Sarit Chadad – Rak she-teda et ha-emet (Lyrics here)

Rita – Hayinu gdolim (Lyrics here)

Arik Einstein – Einayim gdolot (Lyrics here)

Arik Einstein – Ohev lihyot ba-bayit (Lyrics here)

Gadalti be-shana – various artists