Who’s Putting the Kids to Sleep?

Photo: Chen Leopold/Flash90

The Hebrew word להשכיב means, to put something or someone in a horizontal position. Read that sentence again and you’ll understand why this episode is not suitable for children.

New Words and Expressions:

Lehashkiv – To put to rest, to put someone to bed – להשכיב

“Kama kesef hishkavta al ze” – How much money did you spend on this – כמה כסף השכבת על זה

“Eich ani matslicha lehashkiv et ha-ktanim kshe-yesh gdolim ba-bayit?” – How am I able to put the little ones to bed when I have older kids at home? – איך אני מצליחה להשכיב את הקטנים כשיש גדולים בבית

Lehashkiv et ha-yeladim lishon – Put the children to sleep – להשכיב אותם לישון

Lehashkiv tinok al ha-beten – Lay a baby down on its stomach – להשכיב תינוק על הבטן

“Hishkavt oti be-eser” – You tucked me in at 10 pm – השכבת אותי בעשר

Kmo eize tinok – Like a baby – כמו איזה תינוק

Tashkiv oti lishon – Put me to sleep – תשכיב אותי לישון

Tashkiv oti, tashkivi oti, tashkivu oti – Tuck me in (imperative) – תשכיב אותי, תשכיבי אותי, תשכיבו אותי

Lehashkiv et ha-moshav ha-achori – Fold the back seat down – להשכיב את המושב האחורי

“Mi ose hashkavot ha-yom?” – Who is doing the bedtime ritual with the kids? – מי עושה השכבות היום

Hashkava – Putting to sleep – השכבה

“Shirim margi’im le-hashkava” – Relaxing songs for bedtime – שירים מרגיעים להשכבה

“Yesh li hashkavat yeladim me-ha-gehenom” – “Tonight I’ve got to deal with a bedtime ritual from hell” – יש לי השכבת ילדים מהגהינום

Ashkava – Requiem – אשכבה

“Kama bachurut hishkavta ad ha-yom?” – “How many ladies did you get to bed until now? – כמה בחורות השכבת עד היום

“hishkavta oto ba-sof?” – Did you ultimately do him? – השכבת אותו בסוף

Nu, ve-shachavtem ba-sof? – Did you end up having sex in the end? – נו, ושכבתם בסוף

Lehashkiv et ha-moshav ba-matos – To lay your seat down flat (into a bed-like position) – להשכיב את המושב במטוס

Hu hishkiv et ha-yariv shelo al ha-ritspa – He pinned his opponent to the floor – הוא השכיב את היריב שלו על הרצפה

Lehashkiv ofanoa – To tilt the motorcycle – להשכיב אופנוע

“Hu hishkiv otanu mi-ts’chok” – He made us laugh so hard, we were rolling on the floor – הוא השכיב אותנו מצחוק

“Hishkavti alpiya ba-atar shel bituach leumi”. – I put a thousand shekel on the social security website – השכבתי אלפייה באתר של ביטוח לאומי

Playlist and Clips:

Lehashkiv et ha-ktanim

Eich lehashkiv tinok al ha-beten

Aviv Geffen – Hishkavta Oti Be-eser (lyrics)

Alma Zohar & Gili Yalo – Tiftah (lyrics)

Mei Finegold – Rega Ba-yam (lyrics)

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4 comments on “Who’s Putting the Kids to Sleep?

  1. Neal says:

    Guy,
    I loved this episode. Back in the 80’s I worked at a Hebrew-speaking summer camp. We used the word השכבה for reading a story or singing to help the kids in the cabin go to sleep. Israeli staff always criticized us for that, saying that the word meant “to bury, hold a funeral.” Were we right all along?

    1. Guy Sharett says:

      You were right, and I guess they were right as well, as these two words are written almost the same and sound quite the same.
      See here
      https://he.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%9B%D7%91%D7%94
      And here
      https://he.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%9B%D7%91%D7%94

  2. Carla Bronsgeest says:

    Gwald!!!!! Suddenly I don’t receive your podcast anymore!!!
    Please subscribe me again. I love what you are doing Guy! And now I miss you.
    Love from Holland,

    1. TLV1 says:

      Hi Carla, you’re still on our mailing list. Please check your spam folder. If the email went there, please remove it as spam.

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