How to Pronounce Again in Hebrew

Shalom khaverim, how-do-you-do friends and welcome to this definitive web log post on greeting (and farewelling) people in Hebrew, as people actually do it in Israel today.

Nosotros're going to look at 13 different words/phrases that you can use straight away to start and terminate conversations in Hebrew.

My best advice on working on your Hebrew is to just get out at that place and speak it. This article will help you take that starting time step by giving you words and phrases you need to start conversations with anyone.

From there it'south just a matter of standing to learn new words and phrases so that you can take progressively longer and longer conversations.

Ok, let'due south get to information technology…

How to greet people in Hebrew

Phrase #i: Ahlan, אַהְלָן,

Pregnant: Hi, hi

Use: Ahlan, אַהְלָן, comes from Arabic and is a archetype casual greeting used in State of israel today. It's your go-to word for starting a conversation. Why? Because you can use it with strangers and friends akin, the young and the not so young, the policeman and vegetable seller at the shuk (market place). Then, yous can say ahlan to anybody that you run into or encounter, and it's merely similar saying hello.

Example:
In the shop
1: Ahlan אַהְלָן (hello)
2: Ahlan אַהְלָן (hi)
1: Ma nishma? מָה נִשְׁמַע (how are things?)
ii: Beseder בְּסֵדֶר (fine)

Note: After saying ahlan y'all might add one of the 'how are you' phrases, like ma nishma מָה נִשְׁמַע , or ma kore מָה קוֹרֶה. Read on for more examples.

Phrase #two: Shalom שָׁלוֹם

Pregnant: Hello, peace

Use: Shalom שָׁלוֹם is a classic, less coincidental, greeting in State of israel. Don't get me wrong — it'southward used just as ofttimes as ahlan (אהלן), but a little more serious. I would utilize shalom more with elderly people or in business concern meetings, whereas I'd choose ahlan on the street in a shop, or with younger people. Even though shalom means both peace and good day, it's less mutual to apply it as good day every bit there are other words to use instead.

Example:
In a restaurant
1: Shalom שָׁלוֹם (hello)
2: Ahlan אַהְלָן (hello)
ane: Ata rotze kafe? אתה רוצה קפה (exercise you desire java?)
2: Ken toda כן תודה (yes cheers)

Phrase #iii: Hey, hello הַי/הֵיי

Meaning: Hullo, hey

Use: Just every bit information technology is the case with many other languages, English has crept into Hebrew and now one of the common ways to say hello in State of israel is to say hi or hey (with Israeli emphasis of course). My disclaimer: this is predominantly used if y'all know the person already, or if y'all are really trying to sound casual with someone you don't know. I recommend ahlan אהלן or shalom שלום, if you don't know the person very well, and hi/hey הי/היי if you do.

Example:
At a friends identify
i: Hey Nivi. Ma kore? היי ניבי מה קורה (Hey Nivi, What's up?)
2: Noam! Hi! Ma nishma?! נועם הי מה נשמע (Noam! Hullo! How are things?)

Phrase #4: Boker tov בּוֹקֶר טוֹב

Meaning: Good morning

Use: Boker tov בּוֹקֶר טוֹב is used in Hebrew just as it is in English. It's non simply a phrase you lot say in the morning, but you can use it instead of shalom שלום or ahlan אהלן. In other words, information technology's just another greeting. Say boker tov (בוקר טוב) when y'all wake up and say it on the street, equally long as it'southward before midday, to anyone you run across. If they are having a peculiarly good morning Israelis will respond with boker or (בוקר אור) which means "morning lite". Simply utilize this equally a response to boker tov.

Example:
At the cafe
1: Boker tov בּוֹקֶר טוֹב (practiced morning)
two: Boker or בּוֹקֶר אוֹר (forenoon light!) OR boker tov בוקר טוב (adept morning)
one: Kafe o te קפה או תה (coffee or tea?)
2: Te bevakasha תה בבקשה (tea please)

Phrase #5: Tzoharaim tovim צָהֳרַיִם טוֹבִים

Meaning: Good afternoon (literally: 'expert midday')

Pronunciation: Kickoff make sure your pronunciation is correct. It's four syllables – TZO (like ts in cats ) – HA – RAI (similar rye) – IM. It'due south a phrase that torments new Hebrew speakers for months, and then make sure that you lot nail its pronunciation from the beginning. You'll be grateful for it afterward, every bit your Hebrew develops.

Apply: Utilize tzoharaim tovim צהריים טובים, from midday until a few hours earlier evening. Information technology means good midday, and so if you want to say good afternoon you'd need to add akhar אחר at the first: akhar tzoharaim tovim אחר צהריים טובים.

This phrase tin exist used until the sunset. The to a higher place instructions might sound a footling technical, but it's pretty useful to know when y'all really become out and speak to people.

Example:
At the falafel stall at 2pm
1: Tzoharaim tovim צָהֳרַיִם טוֹבִים (expert midday)
2: Tzoharaim tovim צָהֳרַיִם טוֹבִים (good midday)
ane: At rotza falafel את רוצה פלאפל (do yous want falafel?)
ii: Barur ברור (of form)

Phrase #6: Erev tov עֶרֶב טוֹב

Meaning: Good evening

Use: When the dominicus has ready it's fourth dimension to bring out erev tov ערב טוב — a phrase used to greet people in the evening hours. Information technology'southward a trivial formal, like in English, so I wouldn't use it with my friends but rather at a eatery, with a vendor, or a motorcoach commuter to sound friendly and polite.

Example:
At the movies at night
1: Erev tov עֶרֶב טוֹב (skillful evening)
ii: Erev tov עֶרֶב טוֹב (good evening)
1: Kartisim bevakasha כרטיסים בבקשה (tickets delight)
ii: Bevakasha בבקשה (please/here yous are)

Phrase #7: Ma nishma מָה נִשְׁמַע

Pregnant: How are things, how's information technology going, how are you? (literally what'due south sounds?)

Use: This is a wonderful phrase to know. Why? Simply like ahlan אהלן information technology'southward useful in a wide range of contexts. What's more, it's easy to pronounce for not-native Hebrew speakers — no tricky sounds in there! You can say ma nishma מה נשמע to people you don't know, and to your best friends. Information technology'due south non a slang expression, so it fits well in formal situations, but information technology's non onetime-fashioned either, so it can be used in coincidental contexts as well.

Example:
At the cafe
Waiter: ahlan ma nishma? אהלן מָה נִשְׁמַע (howdy, how'south it going?)
Yous: beseder toda בסדר תודה (fine thank you)
Waiter: ma bishvilekh? מה בשבילך? (what for you?)
You: americano khazak אמריקנו חזק (strong americano)
Waiter: sababa סבבה (no bug/cool)

Phrase #8: Ma kore מָה קוֹרֶה

Meaning: What'southward happening?

Use: Some other classic phrase that can be used at the beginning of many of your interactions. Ma kore מה קורה is a casual greeting, like the English language "what's up" or "what'due south happening?". It tin can exist used when talking to friends or strangers, although information technology's heard more oft when talking to people you know. It's a straight alternative to ma nishma(מה נשמע), but more than coincidental.

Example:
On the telephone to your friend
Friend: Hey היי (hey)
You: Ma kore מה קורה (what'south happening?)
Friend: Beseder, ma kore בסדר, מה קורה (fine, what'due south happening?)
You: Sababa סבבה (absurd, no problems)

Phrases to end a chat

Phrase #nine: Yom tov יוֹם טוֹב

Meaning: good day, have a expert day

Use: Wishing someone a dainty mean solar day is a standard, friendly style to stop a conversation, used all the time In Israel. You can replace yom (יום) with shavua (שבוע) to wish someone a overnice week: shavua tov (שבוע טוב). This is usually used on Saturday dark, Dominicus, Monday, and maybe Tuesday when wishing someone a nice calendar week ahead. Another variation is to say nifla (נפלא) instead of tov: yom nifla יום נפלא — have a wonderful day. You lot tin use all of these phrases with friends and strangers akin.

Example:
Leaving the buffet
You: Toda raba תודה רבה (thanks very much)
Waitress: Bevakasha בבקשה (my pleasure)
You: Yom tov יום טוב (have a good day)
Waitress: Yom tov, bye יום טוב ביי (have a farewell, goodbye)

Phrase #10: Adieu, bye bye בַּיי, בַּיי בַּיי

Significant: good day, bye bye

Use: Some other example of how English has become office of Hebrew is bye bye ביי ביי, or simply bye ביי. This is so common now in Israel that it's normal to say it to strangers and friends akin. Y'all can utilise bye (ביי), or bye bye (ביי ביי) completely interchangeably. For extra result, deploy your Israeli emphasis 😉

Example:
Leaving a friend's place
You: Haya kef היהי כיף (information technology was fun)
Friends: Bye ביי (bye)
You lot: Cheerio toda ביי תודה (bye, thank you)

Phrase #11: Yalla, yalla bye יַאלְלָה, יַאלְלָה ביי

Meaning: Time to get going, moving forth,

Utilize: Hebrew speakers love using yalla יאללה, and rightfully so. It's fun, and it's super mutual. Yalla יאללה comes from, Arabic and unfortunately has no English equivalent. Information technology captures a specific moment in a single discussion — information technology'due south that moment when you're gear up to end a chat and hang upwards the phone, or movement on to a next activity. It functions as an acknowledgment that the conversation is ending. It'south often followed by bye ביי — yalla bye (יאללה ביי).

Example:
On the telephone to a friend

Yous: Yalla, yom tov יאללה יום טוב (time to go going, have a proficient day)

Friend: Yalla, bye יאללה ביי (yes it is time to get going, goodbye)

Yous: Yalla, nedaber makhar יאללה נדבר מחר (fourth dimension to go going, we'll speak tomorrow)

Friend: Beseder, bye בסדר ביי (fine, bye)

Phrase #12: Lehitra'ot לְהִתְרָאוֹת

Meaning: See y'all subsequently, goodbye

Utilize: Lehitra'ot להתראות is the standard mode of proverb goodbye in Hebrew. It might be a little harder to pronounce, only information technology's super important, and then have information technology slowly and pronounce it correctly.

LE-HIT-RA-OT

This should become 1 of your go-to ways for proverb goodbye. It'due south not overly slangy or informal, and can be used in any context. If you were in a more than formal situation, like a business meeting, this is how you'd say adieu, rather than using yalla or bye which take a much less formal overtone.

Case:
Leaving a restaurant/buffet
one: Toda raba תודה רבה (cheers very much)
2: Bevakasha בבקשה (y'all're welcome, my pleasure)
ane: Lehitra'ot להתראות (meet you lot later on/goodbye)
two: Bye, lehitra'ot להתראות, ביי (encounter you later/adieu)

Phrase #13: Tov טוֹב

Meaning: Good, alright then…

Use: Tov טוב literally means proficient, just information technology has recently taken a part which, I believe, warrants its inclusion in this list. Information technology'due south used at a bespeak when you know that the chat is about to end, and there isn't really much more than to say. Its apply is similar to that of yalla (יאללה). It's besides a neat give-and-take to take up your sleeve to help the conversations flow more than naturally. And, if y'all desire to audio like an Israeli youngster say tovoosh טובוש instead.

Example:
Finishing a chat with a friend
1: Tov, nedaber makhar טוב, נדבר מחר (alright and so, we'll speak tomorrow)
two: Sababa, yalla סבבה יאללה (cool, let's get going)
i: Bye ביי (bye)

So, at that place you lot are, thirteen phrases you will use over and over and over again in your Hebrew interactions. If you're looking to work on your reading in addition to your speaking then check out this super comprehensive guide.

Now all that remains is the fun part — go out there and get speaking! The more you use these phrases, the more yous'll understand the nuances of their usage.

And so, yalla יאללה get have fun!

This mail service is written by Mike, a Modernistic Hebrew teacher and coach based in Israel, the owner of the website teachermike.co.il.

hesterthumbly.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.lingualift.com/blog/hebrew-greetings/