Streetwise Hebrew

What’s the ‘Biggest’ Word in Hebrew?

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.

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Don’t Worry, I Have Connections

Having קשרים in Hebrew means knowing people (in the right places) who can help you get stuff done quickly and efficiently. The root קשר has many uses that you definitely need to know!

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Don’t Lose Your Head

Israelis are obsessed with their head, ראש, in Hebrew. There are so many words and expressions with ראש, and today we talk about a few of them. Have a listen and find out what ראש גדול and ראש קטן mean

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The Elixir of Life: Israel’s Cafe Culture

Coffee culture is everywhere in Israel. How do you ask for a cappuccino to go, the Tel-Avivi way? And what’s הפוך דל? Here’s your short Hebrew language manual for all you coffeeholics

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Why? What Happened?

The Hebrew phrase, למה מה קרה, can be literally translated as, “why, what happened.” What do we mean by this expression and how do you use it?

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Weary, Bleary-Eyed and Spent

How do you say I’m tired, beat, drained, knackered, and the like in colloquial Hebrew? And what do you say when you crash on a Tel Avivi couch?

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Elohim

Elohim means God in Hebrew. Why does it have a plural suffix at the end? Is it really plural in Modern Hebrew? How do we use elohim in Israeli slang, and what did we borrow from Arabic?

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The Evil Eye

The Hebrew word עין means eye. How do we say it in plural? What is עין הרע? And how do we say ‘The apple of my eye’ in Hebrew?

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Rakevet – Train

Let’s talk about trains in Hebrew. What’s the root of רכבת, and how is it related to horse riding? Also, what do we call the Jerusalem Light rail in Hebrew and in Arabic?

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