Photo: Zipa Kempinsky

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.

New Words and Expressions:

Simha – Happiness – שמחה

Eize yom sameach li hayom – What a happy day I am having today – איזה יום שמח לי היום

Esther Roth-Shachamorov

Ani smeha she-ha-heseg ha-ze naasa mul einay – I am happy that this achievement was made before my eyes – אני שמחה שההישג הזה נעשה מול עיניי

Sameach, smecha, smechim, smechot – Happy (adj. m., f., pl. m., pl. f.) – שמח, שמחה, שמחים, שמחות

Yeladim ze simha – Children are happiness – ילדים זה שמחה

Hi smeha – She is happy – היא שמחה

Simha – Happy event – שמחה

Yesh li simha ha-erev – I have an event tonight – יש לי שמחה הערב

Yesh li eru’a – I have an event – יש לי אירוע

Simha-Smahot – Joy, joys – שמחה, שמחות

Smachot ktanot – Small joys – שמחות קטנות

Ha-banot smechot – The girls are happy – הבנות שמחות

Of simhes (Yiddish) – May we meet in happy events – אוף שימחעס

Bi-smachot – May we meet in happy events – בשמחות

Lismoach – To be happy – לשמוח

Samachti – I was happy – שמחתי

Samachti al mishehu – I counted on someone – סמכתי על מישהו

Ma-ze samachti – I was extremely happy, overjoyed – מה-זה שמחתי

Mamash toda, ma-ze samachti – Thanks so much, I was overjoyed – ממש תודה, מה-זה שמחתי

Lesame’ach – To make someone happy – לשמח

Lesameach mishehu im mashehu – To make someone happy with something – לשמח מישהו עם משהו

Lesame’ach et ben ha-zug o et bat ha-zug im prahim – To make the partner happy with flowers – לשמח את בן הזוג או בת הזוג עם פרחים

Bsora mesamahat – Happy news – בשורה משמחת

Ta’ase mashehu she-mesame’ach oti – Do something that would cheer me up – תעשה משהו שישמח אותי

Ata yachol liknot li iphone-7? – Could you buy me iphone seven? – אתה יכול לקנות לי אייפון-7?

Simhat zkenti – I don’t care – שמחת זקנתי

Playlist and Clips:

Shula Hen – Eize Yom Sameach (lyrics)

Esther Roth-Shachamorov (Kan TV)

Ha-breira Ha-tiv’it – Yeladim Ze Simha (lyrics)

Ilanit – Shir shel Yom Hulin (lyrics)

Kobi Peretz & Of-Simhes – Israel (lyrics)

Daklon – Samahti

Tsafuf – Mashehu mesame’ach

Previous Episodes

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2 comments on “Happy Happy Joy Joy

  1. Barry Bayer says:

    Having nothing to do with your podcast… We named our newly named synagogue Shir tikvah. But how do you spell it in Hebrew characters on a t shirt. One vav or two?
    תיקוה or תיקווה
    I understand that if you don’t use vowels one couldn’t tell if the vav in the middle is a vav or an O. But I also understand there is no Hebrew word where the O makes sense.
    Thanks for you time and your podcast

  2. Guy Sharett says:

    Hi Barry, I would write it without a yud, and with two vavs
    תקווה
    When we don’t use nikkud, two vavs in the middle of the word are always consonant V.
    Best,
    Guy

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