Israelis love to indulge in the circular “how-are-you-how’s-it-going-what’s-new” conversation chain, so it’s important to become proficient in this verbal dance.

Today, Guy teaches us 11 ways, no less, of asking someone how they’re doing. Let’s get on the dance floor!

New Words and Expressions:

Ma hainyanim? Beseder – How are things? Alright – מה העניינים? בסדר

Seder – Order – סדר

Az ma kore? – So what’s happening? – אז מה קורה

Hakol tov? – Is everything good? – הכל טוב

Ken achi – Yeah dude – כן אחי

Az ma nishma? – So how are you? – אז מה נשמע

Nishma – Is heard – נשמע

Az ma? – So how (are things)? – אז מה

Hey, az ma chadash? – Hey, so what’s new? – היי, אז מה חדש

Ein chadash – Nothing new – אין חדש

Ein kol chadash tachat hashemesh – There’s nothing new under the sun – אין כל חדש תחת השמש

Ma shlomcha yakiri? – How are you darling? – מה שלומך יקירי

Yakar – Expensive, dear – יקר

Yakir – Sweetheart, darling – יקיר

Ma itcha ahuv sheli – How about you my love – מה איתך אהוב שלי

Ma hainyanim? Beseder, ma itcha? – How are things? Good, yourself? – מה העניינים? בסדר, מה איתך

Ma hamatsav? – How are you? – מה המצב

Ya gever – Dude – יא גבר

Eich holech? – How is it going? – איך הולך

Eich? – How (is it going)? – איך

Ma holech gever? – How is it going dude? – מה הולך גבר

Playlist and Clips:

Educational TV show about ma nishma, interviews in Hebrew with Tomer Sharon,  Margalit Tsan’ani and others

Boaz Sharabi & Matti Caspi – Shalom Aleichem (lyrics)

Matan Attias – Ein Hadash

Sarit Haddad – Ma Shlomcha Yakiri (lyrics)

Ha-Dorbanim – Shuv Ha-disco Kan (lyrics)

MOG – Ma Holech Gever

Ep. 16 – cursing drivers

Ep. 44 about holech

Previous Episodes

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