
Welcome to Streetwise Hebrew for the ToI Community! Each month we’ll learn several colloquial Hebrew phrases around a common theme. At the end of the month, we’ll have a private discussion session about that theme with Guy Sharett, host of Streetwise Hebrew for the ToI Community. Learn more here!
For the month of March 2022, we’re covering the topic of mistakes. Purim is right around the corner and it’s time for some silliness – this month you’ll learn how to say “mess up” like a local, how to avoid common speaking mistakes, and you’ll hear some of the funniest bloopers in Hebrew!
Here’s how it works: Make sure to listen to the four audio classes below by the end of the month, when we’ll have a live discussion session with host Guy Sharett (exact date and time for the session listed below). If you have any questions to ask Guy or want to discuss something with other members of the Community, there are two ways you can do so: either post your question(s) on the ToI Community Facebook page, or send it to us through this Google form.
Class #1
Kshe – כש
Ka’asher (archaic) – כאשר
Ima sheli – אמא שלי
Lirot et ha’or – לראות את האור
Pagashti et Danny – פגשתי את דני
Ani ochel tapu’ach – אני אוכל תפוח
Ani ochel et ha-tapu’ach – אני אוכל את התפוח
Hayiti rotsa, hayiti rotse – הייתי רוצה
Me-ayin (archaic) – מאין
Me-efo – מאיפה
Be-bayit – בבית
Ba-bayit – בבית
Le-bayit – לבית
La-bayit – לבית
Sheva banot – שבע בנות
Hamisha chatsilim – חמישה חצילים
Yomuledet – Birthday – יומולדת
Class #2
Fashla, fashlot – פשלה, פשלות
Eize fashla – איזה פשלה
Ani aluf be-lefashel – אני אלוף בלפשל
Fishalt be-gadol – פישלת בגדול
Fishalti, fishalta, fishalt, fishel, fishla, fishalnu, fishaltem, fishlu – פישלתי, פישלת, פישלת, פישל, פישלה, פישלנו, פישלתם, פישלו
Mi fishel po? – ?מי פישל פה
Mefashel, mefashelet, mefashlim, mefashlot – מפשל, מפשלת, מפשלים, מפשלות
Fadiha, fadihot – פדיחה, פדיחות
Fadiha shel ha-laif – פדיחה של הלייף
Ima, al ta’asi li fadihot – אמא, אל תעשי לי פדיחות
Lefade’ach mishehu – לפדח מישהו
Mefade’ach (mfade’ach) – מפדח
Mefudach – מפודח
Lehitfade’ach – להתפדח
Ma-ze hitfadachti – מה זה התפדחתי
Fadhan, fadhanit – פדחן, פדחנית
Dai, ya fadhan – די, יא פדחן
Fashloner – פשלונר
Hu ma-ze fashloner – הוא מה-זה פשלונר
Class #3
Toda al X – תודה על משהו
Toda she-shalachta – תודה ששלחת
Ra’iti be-youtube – ראיתי ביוטיוב
Karati ba-iton – קראתי בעיתון
Shamati ba-radio – שמעתי ברדיו
Shamati ba-hadashot – שמעתי בחדשות
Ha-turkit sheli lo tova – הטורקית שלי לא טובה
Aval ha-shir hamud – אבל השיר חמוד
Ha-ivrit sheli lo tova – העברית שלי לא טובה
Ahrei she-bati – אחרי שבאתי
Lifnei she-halacht – לפני שהלכת
Class #4
Yare’ach – Moon – ירח
Re’ach – Smell – ריח
Ke’ev garon – Throat ache – כאב גרון
Ga’on – Genius – גאון
Ani shmena – I am fat – אני שמנה
Shament – Cream – שמנת
Shament chamutsa – Sour cream – שמנת חמוצה
Ani mechoeret – I am ugly – אני מכוערת
Ani me’acheret – I am late – אני מאחרת
Le’acher – To be late – לאחר
Rachatsti – I washed – רחצתי
Ratsachti – I murdered – רצחתי
Lachfof se’ar – To wash the hair – לחפוף שיער
Milga – Scholarship – מילגה
Achayot – Sisters – אחיות
Chayot – Animals, pets – חיות
Yesh li kalba ktana – I have a small dog (f.) – יש לי כלבה קטנה
Aravim – Arabs – ערבים
Arevim – Guarantors – ערבים
Minyan – Minimum 10 men needed for prayer in synagogue – מניין
Me’anyen – Interesting – מעניין
Yain lavan – White wine – יין לבן
Dam – Blood – דם
Yain adom – Red wine – יין אדום
Lehorid et ha-michnasayim – To take off his pants – להוריד את המכנסיים
Lehorid et ha-mishkafayim – Take off his glasses – להוריד את המשקפיים
Horim – Parents – הורים
Chorim – Holes – חורים
Chaki li / techaki li – Wait for me – חכי לי / תחכי לי
Lechakot le-mishehu – To wait for someone – לחכות למישהו
Lechakot mishehu – To imitate someone – לחקות מישהו
Hayiti rotsa linso’a le-Tel Aviv – I would like to go to Tel Aviv (very polite) / I would have loved to go to Tel Aviv (but I can’t) – הייתי רוצה לנסוע לתל-אביב
“Az tis’ee” – “So just go there!?” – !אז תסעי
“Ze le-Tel Aviv?” – Is it going to Tel Aviv? – ?זה לתל-אביב
Malon – Hotel – מלון
Milon – Dictionary – מילון
Lehitkale’ach – To take a shower – להתקלח
Hitkalachti – I took a shower – התקלחתי
Hitlakachti – I caught on fire – התלקחתי
Gever – Man – גבר
Mitz gezer – Carrot juice – מיץ גזר

WATCH A RECORDING OF MARCH’S SESSION
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Sizes (February 2022)
February is the shortest month in the Gregorian year, but in this year’s Jewish calendar, we’ve got two months of Adar! Short and long, more or less, big versus small… this month we cover it all!
Listen to February’s audio classes
WATCH A RECORDING OF FEBRUARY’S SESSION
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Beginnings (January 2022)
We’re starting a new calendar year, so let’s make some progress with new Hebrew terms about transitions, advancement, and moving forward!
Listen to January’s audio classesWATCH A RECORDING OF JANUARY’S SESSION
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Endings (December 2021)
The calendar year is winding down, so let’s wrap it up by learning some new terms about finality, closures, and endings!
Listen to December’s audio classesWATCH A RECORDING OF DECEMBER’S SESSION
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Strength & Power (November 2021)
The holiday of Hanukkah is here, and just as the small Jewish army tackled and overcame the stronger, more powerful Greek army, so we will tackle and overcome these new Hebrew terms!
Listen to November’s audio classes
WATCH A RECORDING OF NOVEMBER’S SESSION
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Health (October 2021)
As the seasons and weather change, and the pandemic continues its ups and downs, let’s learn some helpful Hebrew phrases and terms that you have probably been hearing a lot of recently.
Listen to October’s audio classes
WATCH A RECORDING OF OCTOBER’S SESSION
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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- Will I be able to speak fluent Hebrew after this course?
That’s not really the goal of the course. The goal is to help you understand some key colloquial, modern Hebrew phrases and terms, so you can appreciate Israeli culture and news better. We do, however, believe Streetwise Hebrew will give you a better grasp of modern spoken Hebrew, which can help you on the path to fluency. - Does the course cost money?
Nope, the course is included in your Community membership – there is no additional cost. - How do I register for the Streetwise Hebrew course and sessions?
There is no need to register for the course or sessions in advance. We’ll send you links to listen to the course’s clips on demand on the Streetwise Hebrew for ToI Community page, and you will also receive emails with links to the live monthly discussion session with host Guy Sharett. - Are the courses and sessions live, or can I watch them at a later time?
All of the course clips will be available on-demand for you to access at your convenience. The monthly discussion sessions with Guy are initially presented live via Zoom, and a recording of each session can be accessed the following day by signing into your Community account and going to the Community website. - How long is the course? And the monthly discussion sessions?
The course includes four 5-10 minute audio clips per month around a common theme, and will run for a number of months. Each monthly discussion session with Guy is about one hour long, with time reserved at the end for your Questions & Answers with Guy. - How does this differ from the public Streetwise Hebrew podcast?
The Streetwise Hebrew podcast produced by TLV1 includes over 300 individual podcasts with topics chosen by Guy. In this series, which is a partnership between TLV1 and The Times of Israel, we select four podcasts every month that have a common theme in order to better understand that news-focused topic and phrases/terms, and then host a live discussion session with Guy to bring those newly learned terms together to give you a deeper understanding of the timely theme. - Who can I write to if I still have questions?
Just drop us an email to support@timesofisrael.com and we’ll be happy to reply.
- Will I be able to speak fluent Hebrew after this course?