Streetwise Hebrew

The Hebrew word מת means dying and the word למות means to die. Today, Guy teaches us to use these words to mean 'cool' and 'happy.' As usual, prepositions must rear their ugly head. But don't worry, we're stronger! Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Lamoot – To die – למות "Ata chayav lamoot alai" – You must go crazy about me – אתה חייב למות עליי "Ani meta aleyhem" – I am crazy about them – אני מתה עליהם Ani meta al shokolad – I am crazy about chocolate – אני מתה על שוקולד Hu met mi-sartan – He died of cancer – הוא מת מסרטן "Hayom kvar lo metim me-ahava" – Today people don't die over love – היום כבר לא מתים מאהבה Lamoot mi-tschok – To die of laughter – למות מצחוק Lamoot mi-shiamoom – To die of boredom – למות משעמום Hu met mi-pachad – He's really scared – הוא מת מפחד Ani met me-raav – I am really hungry – אני מת מרעב Ani raev met – I'm dead hungry – אני רעב מת Ani ayef met – I am really tired – אני עייף מת Ani holé met – I am really sick – אני חולה מת Ani meta mi-ze – I cannot stand it – אני מתה מזה Ani meta le-croissant – I am dying for a croissant right now – אני מתה לקרואסון "Ani met lirot ota ha-laila" – I am dying to see her tonight – אני מת לראות אותה הלילה Hi meta al shokolad – She's crazy about chocolate – היא מתה על שוקולד Hi meta mi-shokolad – She died of too much chocolate – היא מתה משוקולד Hi meta le-shokolad – She's got this urge to have some chocolate – היא מתה לשוקולד Hi meta le'echol shokolad – She really feels like eating chocolate – היא מתה לאכול שוקולד "Mateti le-shokolad" – I was dying for chocolate – מתתי לשוקולד Hayita met – You wish – היית מת Ani met/meta – I cannot believe it – אני מת/מתה Ta'im mavet – Hysterically delicious – טעים מוות Yafé mavet – Amazingly handsome – יפה מוות Playlist and Clips: Chamsa – Hayav Lamoot Alay (lyrics) Boaz Sharabi – Etsli Ha-kol Beseder (lyrics) Arik Einstein – Ha-or Ba-katse (lyrics) Lahakat Pikud Ha-darom – Ani Met (lyrics) Subliminal – Eize Seret (lyrics)

Le, לְ, is how we say 'to' or 'for' in Hebrew. Guy teaches some cool expressions, and shows how we say stuff like 'for you' and 'to her.' Plus a bonus tip: How to do the most Israeli 'ch' sound! Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: לי, לךָ, לךְ, לו, לה, לנו, לכם, לכן, להם, להן Lachem – To you (pl.) – לכם Lahem – To them – להם "Yesh li cheder mi-sheli" – I have a room of my own – יש לי חדר משלי Yesh li kelev – I have a dog – יש לי כלב Ein li kelev – I don't have a dog – אין לי כלב Ma yesh lachem hayom? – What do you guys have today? – מה יש לכם היום Ma yesh lecha hayom – What's with you today? – מה יש לך היום Ein lecha ma la'asot ba-chayim? – Don't you have other things to do? – אין לך מה לעשות בחיים Ba li shokolad – I feel like chocolate – בא לי שוקולד "Ba li she-tikach oti" – I feel like you'd take me – בא לי שתיקח אותי Ba li lalechet – I feel like leaving – בא לי ללכת Ba li tov ha-shokolad haze – This chocolate hits the spot – בא לי טוב השוקולד הזה Ata lo ba li tov – You're not the thing I need right now – אתה לא בא לי טוב Lo na'im li – I find it awkward – לא נעים לי "Lo na'im li lakachat kesef me-anashim" – I feel awkward taking money from people – לא נעים לי לקחת כסף מאנשים Na'im meod – Nice meeting you – נעים מאוד "Lo na'im met mi-zman" – "Lo na'im" died long ago – לא נעים מת מזמן Kef li – I enjoy myself, I am having fun – כיף לי Kef lecha sham? – Are you enjoying it there – כיף לך שם? "Eize kef she haya li ha-boker" – How fun it was for me this morning – איזה כיף שהיה לי הבוקר Haya lecha kef? – Did you have fun? – היה לך כיף Playlist and Clips: Arkadi Duchin – Heder Mi-sheli (lyrics) Sarit Hadad – Ba Li (lyrics) Moran Mazor – Ata Lo Ba Li Tov (lyrics) Lo na'im li lakachat kesef me-anashim Tislam – Boker shel Kef (lyrics)

The word סתם can mean many things in Hebrew: 'for no particular reason,' 'just kidding,' and it also has many more linguistic uses. Today we'll learn the most common uses of סתם by 'enlightened' Israelis, and hear an advert where Rivka from Jerusalem calls China to ask how long she should boil her rice. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Stam – Just like that, for no particular reason – סתם "Stam, hiyuch le-lo siba" – Just like that, a smile for no obvious reason – סתם, חיוך ללא סיבה "Stam ki ba li ledaber" – Just cause I feel like talking – סתם כי בא לי לדבר "Ani kan, ata sham, stam shney anashim" – I am here, you're there, just two strangers – אני כאן, אתה שם, סתם שני אנשים "Chodesh me-hayom nihye kmo chadashim" – A month from today we'll be as good as new – חודש מהיום נהיה כמו חדשים "Ani kan, ata sham, stam shney anashim" – I am here, you're there, just two strangers – אני כאן, אתה שם, סתם שני אנשים "Stam, ratsiti lomar lach shoov" – For no reason, I wanted to tell you again – סתם, רציתי לומר לך שוב "Stam, ba li" – Just like that, I felt like it – סתם, בא לי "Stam masehu katan" – Just a small thing, nothing much – סתם משהו קטן At stam blondinit – You're just another blond – את סתם בלונדינית "Stam, ze lo nachon, anachnu lo bamizrach hatichon" – Just kidding, it's not true, we are not in the Middle East – סתם, זה לא נכון, אנחנו לא במזרח התיכון Staaam – Just kidding – סתאאאאם Stam yatsati me-ha-baiyt – I left home in vain – סתם יצאתי מהבית "Achshav hakol nire nora stami" – Now everything seems so meaningless – עכשיו הכל נראה נורא סתמי "Mi-kulam kibalti tshuva shlilit o kol miney tshuvot stamiyot" – I got a negative answer or vague answers from everybody – מכולם קיבלתי תשובה שלילית או כל מיני תשובות סתמיות Stamiyoot – Vagueness, randomness – סתמיות Be-stamiyoot – Without a clear intention – בסתמיות Hu amar et ze be-stamiyoot – He said it without a clear intention – הוא אמר את זה בסתמיות Stam echad – Just another guy – סתם אחד Lo stam echad – That's a special person – לא סתם אחד Ze lo kara stam – It didn't happen just like that, it happened for a reason – זה לא קרה סתם Min ha-stam – Probably – מן הסתם Playlist and Clips: Achinoam Nini – Ha-hayim Yafim (lyrics) Stam Ki Ba Li Ledaber – Commercial Roni Dalumi – Stam Shnei Anashim (lyrics) Liran Aviv – Stam (lyrics) Lior Farhi – Stam Blondinit (lyrics) Teapacks – Stam (lyrics) Dudu Aharon – Kshe-tachzeri (lyrics) Tshuvot Stamiyot – Channel 2

Listen to anyone speak on their phone on an Israeli bus and chances are you'll hear them utter the word נכון ('right') every few seconds. Today, Guy teaches us how to use נכון in different circumstances and explains why we should never trust a shin (ש) when we see one. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Nachon – Right, correct, true – נכון "Nachon at yafa" – It's true, you're pretty – נכון את יפה "Nachon she-at kan" – It's true that you're here – נכון שאת כאן "Mitstaer al ha-milim halo nechonot" – I am sorry for the wrong words – מצטער על המילים הלא נכונות Ha-milim ha-nechonot – The right words – המילים הנכונות Ken nachon, lo nachon – It is, it isn't so – כן נכון, לא נכון Ken nachon – It IS right – כן נכון Ken halachti – I did go – כן הלכתי Gam ani rotsa Lichyot nachon – I also want to live right – גם אני רוצה לחיות נכון Im hevanti nachon – If I got it right – אם הבנתי נכון Shelo tavinu oti lo nachon – Don't get me wrong – שלא תבינו אותי לא נכון Achshav ze margish nachon – Now it feels right – עכשיו זה מרגיש נכון Hu margish ahava – He feels love – הוא מרגיש אהבה Hu lo margish tov – He doesn't feel well – הוא לא מרגיש טוב "Ze margish li nachon" – It feels right to me – זה מרגיש לי נכון "Ze lo nachon li" – It's not right for me – זה לא נכון לי Heye nachon – Be prepared – הייה נכון Heye nachon lemale chovatcha – Be prepared to fill your duty – הייה נכון למלא חובתך Ma she-nachon – nachon – What's right is right – מה שנכון, נכון Nachon le-achshav – For now – נכון לעכשיו Nachon le'achshav ani lo nosea latsafon – For now, I am not going to the north – נכון לעכשיו אני לא נוסע לצפון Nechonut laasot mashehu – Willingness to do something – נכונות לעשות משהו Na-chon! – Another intonation to say 'right' – נ-כון Playlist and Clips: Efraim Shamir – Nachon At Yaffa (lyrics) Daniel Salomon – Ahava (lyrics) Eti Levy & Sharif – Gever Bli Mila (lyrics) Ofir Asor – Ilu Yacholti (lyrics) Tsipi Shavit – Ken Nachon, Lo Nachon (lyrics) Rona Keinan – Lichyot Nachon (lyrics) Nushi Paz – Margish Nachon (lyrics) Himnon Ha-tsofim (Scout anthem) – Heye Nachon Ep. 62 about davka Ep. 342 about new age Hebrew

What other ways are there to say 'goodbye' in Hebrew, apart from the ubiquitous, yalla bye? If you want to sound like an Israeli you can't just say the right words, you also have to sing them in the right tune. Guy explains. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Lehitraot – See you, until we see each other – להתראות Shalom ve-lo lehitraot – Adieu and not goodbye – שלום ולא להתראות "Al tagid li bye" – Don't tell me goodbye – אל תגיד לי ביי Az nedaber – We'll talk – אז נדבר Nishtame'a/Lehitshtame'ah – We'll hear each other (goodbye) – נשתמע, להשתמע Az machar ah? – So tomorrow, right? – אז מחר, אה? Az be-chamishi, ken? – So on Thursday, ok? – אז בחמישי, כן? Az be-shalosh, ken? – So at 3pm, right? – אז בשלוש, כן? Az be-shesh, sababa? – So at 6pm, ok? – אז בשש, סבבה? Bye neshama/kapara/motek – Bye darling – ביי נשמה/כפרה/מותק Yalla mami, az nedaber – Ok darling, we'll talk – יאללה ממי, אז נדבר Playlist and Clips: Shaygetz – Shalom lach erez nehederet (lyrics) Margalit Tzan'ani – Al Tagid Li Bye (lyrics) Tomer Yosef – Kapara (lyrics) Amir Benayoun & Avi Ivri – Nedaber Machar (lyrics) Sagiv Cohen – Ha-rega (lyrics) Ep. 11 about suffix -oosh Ep. 22 about darling Ep. 42 about yalla Ep. 45 about non-committal Hebrew Ep. 382 about motek, sweetie

Israelis love to indulge in the circular "how-are-you-how's-it-going-what’s-new" conversation chain, so it’s part of the verbal dance you need to know. Today Guy teaches us 11 ways, no less, of asking someone how they're doing. Let’s get on the dance floor! Words and expressions discussed: Ma hainyanim? (maina-nim) – ?מַה הָעִנְיָינִים Inyan – עִנְיָין Beseder – בְּסֶדֶר Az ma kore? – ?אָז מַה קוֹרֶה Ha-kol tov? – ?הַכֹּל טוֹב Ken achi – כֵּן אָחִי Az ma nishma? – ?אָז מַה נִשְׁמָע Az ma? – ?אָז מַה Maaa? – ?מַה Ma chadash – ?מַה חָדָשׁ Ein chadash – אֵין חָדָשׁ Ein kol chadash tachat ha-shemesh – אֵין כֹּל חָדָש תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ Ma chadash? – ?מָה חָדָשׁ Ein chadash, yesh chadash – אֵין חָדָשׁ, יש חָדָשׁ Ma shlomcha yakiri? – ?מַה שְׁלוֹמְךָ יָקִירִי Ma shlomech yakirati? – ?מַה שְׁלוֹמֵךְ יָקִירָתִי Ma itcha ahuv sheli? – ?מַה אִיתְךָ אָהוּב שֶׁלִי Eich holech? – ?אֵיךְ הוֹלֵךְ Playlist and clips: Educational TV show about ma nishma, interviews in Hebrew with Tomer Sharon, Margalit Tsan’ani and others Matti Capi & Boaz Sharabi - Shalom Aleychem (Lyrics) Matan Attias - Ein Chadash (See lyrics on YouTube) Sarit Chadad - Ma Shlomcha Yakiri (Lyrics) MOG - Ma holech gever? Ha-Dorbanim - Shuv Ha-Disko Kan (Lyrics)

What's happened to Hebrew-speaking romantics in these days of Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter? How do they convey their feelings in 140 characters? Guy Sharett analyzes a unique song called 'Smiley,' whose lyrics are a collection of one-liners, sometimes just one word long, taken from real online chats between Israeli couples. And, most importantly, which Hebrew word is used by Israelis to text their ex-partners at 3am? Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: Er/Era – Are you up (awake)? – ער/ערה Daber/dabri iti – Talk to me – דבר/דברי איתי Hit'orart? – Did you get up? – התעוררת Lehit'orer – To wake up – להתעורר Tachzor/Tachzeri elai – Get back to me – תחזרי אליי Halo? Yachas! – Hey, can I get some attention here? – הלו? יחס Yachas – Treatment, attitude, attention – יחס Yechasim – Relations – יחסים Kara mashehu – Did something happen? – קרה משהו Likrot – To happen – לקרות Eifo at? – Where are you? – איפה את Bi-fgisha (be-pgisha) – In a meeting – בפגישה Bensi'a – In the car – בנסיעה Be-bayit – In a home – בְּבית Ba-bayit – At home – בַּבית Techef – In a sec. – תיכף Mi ze – who is it? – מי זה Mitkasher me-chasum – I am calling from a blocked number – מתקשר מֵחסום Tafsiki lesanen – Stop screening – תפסיקי לסנן Mesanenet – Strainer – מסננת Ma nish (Ma nishma) – How are you? – מה ניש? Daber elay – Talk to me – דבר אליי Lo chashuv – It doesn't matter – לא חשוב Izvi (azvi) – Let it go – עזבי Smiley boche – Crying face emoji – סמיילי בוכה Smiley korets – Winking face emoji – סמיילי קורץ Smiley tsochek – Smiley – סמיילי צוחק Ch ch ch – LOL – חחח Playlist and Clips: Daniel Solomon – Ma nish? Daber Elai Ep. 80 about digital Hebrew Ep. 253 about LOL Ep. 258 about azov Ep. 271 about yachas Ep. 286 about foreign words in Hebrew

On this episode, we explore the root of the word ערב, which means evening, and explain what it's got to do with Western movies. Plus, why wasn't Miley Cyrus willing to say the name of a famous Israeli TV show host? Guy explains. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: "Erev tov lach, at mushlemet" – Good evening to you, you're perfect – ערב טוב לך, את מושלמת Erev tov lecha/lach/lachem – Good evening to you – ערב טוב לך/לכם Erev tov – Good evening – ערב טוב Laila tov – Good night – לילה טוב "Erev Tov im Guy Pines" – Good evening with Guy Pines – ערב טוב עם גיא פינס Aravim – Evenings (also: Arabs) – ערבים "Libi ba-mizrach va-anochi be-sof maarav" – My heart is in the east, and I am at the end of the west – ליבי במזרח ואנוכי בסוף מערב Maarav – West – מערב Maghreb (Ar.) الْمَغْرِب – Ma'arav (Heb.) – West – מערב Ma'arvon – Western (movie) – מערבון Erev chag – The day before the holiday – ערב חג Erev Shabbat – Friday evening – ערב שבת Shabbat ba-erev – Saturday evening – שבת בערב Erev shabbat – Friday night – ערב שבת Playlist and Clips: Lior Narkis – Erev Tov Lach (Lyrics) Erev Tov im Guy Pines David Shiro – Libi Ba-mizrach (Lyrics) Allah 3LIK Ya Bladi Ep. 244 in English and in Hebrew

Yaffe means 'beautiful,' but the noun yofi – 'beauty' – is used in Modern Hebrew to mean 'Great!' You've probably heard your Hebrew teacher saying it when you get an answer right in class. How do you say 'beauty queen,' for instance? Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon New Words and Expressions: "Ha-ra'ita eize yofi?" – Did you see this beauty? – הרָאית איזה יופי Yofi – Beauty – יופי Yafé, yafa – Beautiful – יפה Eize yofi – How nice – איזה יופי Yofi gavri – Male beauty – יופי גברי Yofi nashi – Female beauty – יופי נשי "At hachi yafa ba'olam, malkat hayofi sheli" – You're the prettiest in the world, my beauty queen – את הכי יפה בעולם, מלכת היופי שלי Malkat hayofi shel Israel – The Israeli beauty queen – מלכת היופי של ישראל Li-shnat 2014 – For the year of 2014 – לשנת 2014 Hi muamedet mispar 12 mor maran – …is candidate number 12 mor maran – היא מועמדת מספר 12 מור מורן Yofi – Great! Well done! – יופי Eize yoffie li – How great it is for me – איזה יופי לי Yofi lahem! – Good for them! – יופי להם Yofi lecha – Good for you – יופי לך Mamash yofi – Really great – ממש יופי Yofi shel yerakot – Great vegetables – יופי של ירקות Yofi shel avoda – Good job! – יופי של עבודה Mechon yoffie – Beauty salon – מכון יופי Playlist and Clips: Dorit Reuveni – Yesh Prachim (lyrics) Eyal Golan – Malkat Ha-yofi Sheli (lyrics) Nikuy Rosh – Tacharut Melech Ha-yofi Julie Andrews – Wouldn't it be loverly Rita – Yoffie Li (From Gvirti Ha-nava, My Fair Lady) (lyrics) Yoffie shel yerakot Mechon yoffie – Beauty Salon

This week Guy does something a little bit different. He's joined in the studio by Grego Villalobos, an interpreter for the European Institutions in Brussels, originally from Peru. He also happens to be learning Hebrew, so he's an avid Streetwise Hebrew listener. This was a great opportunity for Guy to engage with a listener; to find out how Grego uses the podcast, what he finds most difficult about Hebrew, and to allow Grego to ask him questions. Grego also gives us a demonstration of simultaneous interpretation: Guy speaks in English while Grego translates into Spanish. Impressive! Music: Marina Maximilian Blumin - Ani Holechet