Hebrew provides plenty of ways to wish someone well, and they all depend on the severity of the illness. So what should we say to someone with a cold? How about the flu? Pneumonia?

This winter, Guy provides a linguistic toolkit for all you well-wishers to use in almost any circumstance.

 

Listen to the All-Hebrew Version of this Episode

https://tlv1.fm/happy6
Bassa ep. 108
Tihye Bari ep. 3
Polish Mother ep. 4

New Words and Expressions:

Hachlaka al ha-kerach – Ice skating – החלקה על הקרח

Paam rishona ba-chayim – For the first time in my life – פעם ראשונה בחיים

Tihye bari / tihyi bri’a – May you be healthy – תהיה בריא / תהיי בריאה

“Refu’a shlema” -Full recovery – רפואה שלמה

Hachlama mehira – Speedy recovery – החלמה מהירה

Lehachlim – To recover – להחלים

Nu, hichlamta? Hivreta? – So, did you recover? (m.) – נו, החלמת? הבראת?

Hichlamt, hivret – Did you recover? (f.) – החלמת? הבראת?

Ani machlim karega – I recover these days – אני מחלים כרגע

Hu machlim mi-shapa’at – He’s recovering from the flu – הוא מחלים משפעת

Zo hachlama aruka – It’s a long recovery – זו החלמה מהירה

Targish / Targishi / Targishu tov – Feel well (imp.) – תרגיש/תרגישי/תרגישו טוב

Wai, targish tov, yo’w – Oh no, be well, wow – וואי, תרגיש טוב, יואו

She-ya’avor maher – May it pass quickly – שיעבור מהר

She-ya’avor maher, ma ani agid lecha – May it pass quickly, what can I tell you – שיעבור מהר, מה אני אגיד לך

Shmor al atsmecha / Tishmeri al atsmech / Tishmeru al atsmechem – Take good care of yourself/yourselves – שמור על עצמך / תשמרי על עצמך / תשמרו על עצמכם

“Rak bri’ut” – Wishing you nothing but health – רק בריאות!

Ha-ikar ha-bri’ut – The most important thing is health – העיקר הבריאות

Playlist and Clips:

Yaakov Shwekey & Baruch Levin – Refu’ah

Hachlama Mehira

Arik Einstein & Shalom Hanoch – Shmor Al Atsmecha (lyrics)

Harel Skaat & Yehuda Poliker – Gibor (lyrics)

Previous Episodes

 

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Want Guy to talk about a pressing Hebrew issue? Find him at StreetwiseHebrew.com or follow him on Twitter.

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