Beit Yeshua

the Hebrew Language
   
   
   


 

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Hebrew in its modern form is spoken by most of the seven million people in Israel while Classical Hebrew has been used for prayer or study in Jewish communities around the world for over two thousand years. As a foreign language it is studied mostly by Jews and students of Judaism and Israel, archaeologists and linguists specializing in the Middle East and its civilizations, by theologians, and in Christian seminaries.
 

The modern word "Hebrew" is derived from the word "ivri" (plural "ivrim") one of several names for the Jewish people. It is traditionally understood to be an adjective based on the name of Abraham's ancestor, Eber mentioned in Genesis 10:21.
 
The earliest known writing in Hebrew dates from the 11th century BC.
 

Modern Hebrew is written from right to left using the Hebrew alphabet, which is a consonant-only script of 22 letters.
 
 

Hebrew uses a number of one-letter prefixes that are added to words for various purposes. Such items include:

 
                   
  Part of Speech English
Letter		 Pronounced   Translation        
  the Definite Article h ha   the        
  Preposition b bə   in        
  Preposition l lə   to        
  Preposition m mi   from        
  Conjunction v və   and        
  Conjunction sh ʃe   that        
  Conjunction k kə   as        
  Conjunction k kə   like        
 
 
TRANSLITERATION:
The process of writing Hebrew words in the Roman (English) alphabet is known as transliteration. Transliteration is more an art than a science, and opinions on the correct way to transliterate words vary widely. This is why the Jewish festival of lights (in Hebrew, Chet-Nun-Kaf-Hay) is spelled Chanukah, Channukkah, Hanuka, and many other interesting ways. Each spelling has a legitimate phonetic and orthographic basis; none is right or wrong.
 
 
 
 

Common Hebrew Words:
 
 
 
 
 
  Basic Hebrew Greetings & Commonly Used Words      
                       
 
  English Hebrew
Transliteration		     English Hebrew
Transliteration		      
  Good Morning Boker Tov     Big Gadol      
  Good Evening Erev Tov     Small Katan      
  Good Night Lie-lah Tov     Today Ha Yom      
  Hello/Good-bye/Peace Shalom     Now Akh-shav      
  See you later Luh-hee-trah-oht     Tomorrow Mahar      
  Please B-bah-kah-shah     Yesterday Et-mol      
  You're Welcome B'bah-kah-shah     Here I am He-naine      
  Thank You Toh-dah     He Who      
  Thank You Very Much Toh-dah Rah-bah     Welcome Baruch Ha'Ba      
  Excuse Me
(to ask for something)		 B'vakasha     I'm fine, thanks Tov, todah      
  Excuse Me
(to pass by)		 Slee-khah     Good Tov      
  Sorry Slee-khah     Hey! Friend Alo haver!      
  Yes Ken     How much is this? Kama Ze Ole?      
  No Lo     Do you speak English? Atah Me-da-ber Anglit?      
  Men Gvah-reem     Do you speak Hebrew? Atah Me-da-ber
Ivrit?		      
  Women Nah-sheem     Hebrew Ivrit      
  My Name is ... Sh-mee     Nice to meet you Na-im meod      
  What is your name? (m) Mah Sheem-khah     Where are you from? Me-ayin Atah?      
  What is your name? (f) Mah Shmay-khah     I'm from America Mi'amerikah      
  How are you? (m) Mah Sh-lohm-Khah     Where do you live? Ey-fo atah gar?      
  How are you? (f) Mah Sh-loh-mehkh     I live in America Ani Gar b'Yisrael      
  What's Up? Mah Neesh-mah     I Ani      
  Be Well Kol Tuv     Oh! That's good! Ze tov meod      
  I don't know Ani lo yodea     What is this? Ma ze?      
  Have a good week Shavu'a Tov     What? Ey-fo      
  Sabbath Peace Shabbat Shalom     Where? Hey-khan      
  My welfare is good Sh-loh-me Tov     I love you (m) Ani Ohev ot-ach      
  Okay B'Seder     I love you (f) Ani Ohev ot-kha      
  Really good Ma-mash Tov     Love Ahavah      
  Not so good Lo Kol-Kach Tov     Everlasting love Ahavah Olam      
  Congratulations Mazel Tov     Don't worry Al Te-dag      
  Have a good trip N-see-a Tova     We An-ach-nu      
  English Anglit     Father Abba      
  I don't understand (m) Ani Lo Mevine     You (M) Atah      
  I don't understand (f) Ani Lo Mevin-ah     You (F) At      
  Do you understand? (m) Atah Mevine     You (Masc. Plural) Atem      
  Do you understand? (f) At Mevinah     You (Fem. Plural) Aten      
  In the Morning ba Boker     They (m) Hem      
  Thanks God Baruch Ha'Shem     They (f) Hen      
  Daughter Bat     Go away Histalek      
  Son Ben     Mother Ima      
  Daughter of Zion Bat Tziyon     Man Ish      
  Soon B'karov     Woman Ishah      
  In the beginning Be-re-shit     Because Kol      
  Sure B'tach     All the Best Kol Tov      
  Prayer Bracha     A Little Me'at      
  Grandmother Bubbee     So?, Well? Nu?      
  God is Master El Adon     Very Bad Rah Me'od      
  Our God Elokeinu     Spanish Sfaradit      
  All Ha-kol     Perhaps U'lai      
  Forever & ever  LeOlam Va'ed     Jesus Yeshua      
  What would you like? Ma atah rotseh?
Ma at rotsa?		     I'll have ... Ani Rotseh ...
Ani rotsa		      
  Where is the restroom? Eifo ha'sheirutim?     Water Mayim (m)      
  I'm full Savati     Check cheshbon (m)      
  To order L'hazmin     Dessert Kinuach (m)      
  To pay L'shalem     Chicken Of      
                   
                   
                   
  Hebrew Numbers      
                   
                   
All nouns in Hebrew are either masculine or feminine.  When a number is used as an adjective, it must match the gender of the noun.  Multiples of 10, starting with 20, are not gendered.  Numbers precede the noun they modify, except for the number one, which follows the noun.  For "counting numbers", the feminine form is always used.
                   
  English Hebrew
Transliteration
(Masculine)		 Hebrew
Transliteration
(Feminine)		   English Hebrew
Transliteration
(Masculine)		 Hebrew
Transliteration
(Feminine)		    
  1 Echad Achat   21 Esrim ve'echat Esrim va'achat    
  2 Shnayim Shtayim   22 Esrim ushnayim Esrim ushtayim    
  3 Shlosha Shalosh   30 Sloshim Sloshim    
  4 Arba'a Arba   40 Arba'im Arba'im    
  5 Chamisha Chameish   50 Chamishim Shamishim    
  6 Shisha Shesh   60 Shishim Shishim    
  7 Shiv'a Sheva   70 Shiv'im Shiv'im    
  8 She-mo-na Shmone   80 Shmonim Shmonim    
  9 Tish'a Tesha   90 Tish'im Tish'im    
  10 Asara Eser   100 Mei'a Mei'a    
  11 Achad-asar Achat-esrei   101 Mei'a Ve'echad Mei'a va'achat    
  12 Shneim-asar Shteim-esrei   200 Matayim Matayim    
  13 Shlosha-Asar Shlosh-esrei   300 Shlosh mei'ot Shlosh mei'ot    
  14 Arba'a-asar Arba-esrei   400 Arba mei'ot Arba mei'ot    
  15 Chamisha-asar Chamesh-esrei   500 Chamesh mei'ot Chamesh mei'ot    
  16 Shisha-asar Shesh-esrei   600 Shesh mei'ot Shesh mei'ot    
  17 Shiv'a-asar Shva-esrei   700 Shva mei'ot Shva mei'ot    
  18 Shmona-asar Shmone-esrei   800 Shmone mei'ot Shmone mei'ot    
  19 Tish'a-asar Tisha-esrei   900 Tsha mei'ot Tsha mei'ot    
  20 Esrim Esrim   1000 Elef Elef    
                   
                   
                   
 
 
                   
  Days of the Week     Months of the Year  
                   
 
  English Hebrew
Transliteration		     English
Months		 Hebrew
Transliteration		 Hebrew
Months		 Days  
  Sunday Yom Rishon (m)
(Day First)		     January Yanu'ar Shevat 30  
  Monday Yom Sheini (m)     February Febru'ar Adar2/Adar 1 29  
  Tuesday Yom Shlishi (m)     March Merts Nisan 30  
  Wednesday Yom Revi'i (m)     April April Iyar 29  
  Thursday Yom Chamishi (m)     May Mai Sivan 30  
  Friday Yom Shishi (m)     June Yuni Tammuz 29  
  Saturday Shabbat (f)     July Yuli Av 30  
          August Ogust Elul 29  
          September September Tishri 30  
          October Oktober Cheshvan 29/30  
          November November Kislev 30/29  
          December Detsember Tevet 29  

 
                 
       

The hear the Hebrew Month song, Click Below

  
                 
 
 
                   
  Date Questions     Time Questions      
                   
 
  English Hebrew
Transliteration		     English Hebrew
Transliteration		      
  What's today's date? Ma hata'arich hayom?     What time is it? Ma hash'a?      
  It is ... Hayom ...     When is the concert? Matai hakontsert?      
  May 1 Echad Bemai     It is ... Achshav ...      
  Today Ha'Yom     At night b'laila      
  Yesterday Et'mol     In the morning b'boker      
  Tomorrow Machar     In the evening b'erev      
  Week Shavuah (m)     1:00 Achat      
  Month Chodesh (m)     1:30 Achat v'achetsi      
  Year Shana     2:00 Shtayim      
 
 
                   
  Time of Day     Colors      
                   
 
  English Hebrew
Transliteration		     English Hebrew
Transliteration		      
  Morning boker (m)     White lavan      
  Dawn Shachar (m)     Yellow tsahov      
  Day Yom (m)     Gold zahav      
  Evening Erev (m)     Red adom      
  Sunset Shki'a (f)     Orange katom      
  Night laila (m)     Green yarok      
  Hour Sha'a (f)     Blue kachol      
  Minute Daka (f)     Dark Blue kachol kehe      
  Second Shniya (f)     Black shachor      
 
 
                   
  Relationships/Yachasim (m)      
                   
 
  English Hebrew
Transliteration		     English Hebrew
Transliteration		      
  Parents Horim (m)     Grandfather Saba (m)      
  Father Av (m)     Grandmother Savta (f)      
  Daddy Abba (m)     Friend (boy) Chaver      
  Mother Em (f)     Friend (girl) Chavera      
  Mom Ima (f)     My Friend (m) Yedid Sheli      
  Husband Ba'al (m)     My Friend (f) Yedida Sheli      
  Wife Isha (f)     Baby Tinok/Tinoket      
  Spouse Ben/Bat zug     Boy Yeled (m)      
  Son Ben (m)     Girl Yalda (f)      
  Daughter Bat (f)     Man Ish (m)      
  Brother Ach (m)     Woman Isha (f)      
  Sister Achot (f)     Love Ahava (f)      
  Child Yeled (m)     Hate Sin'a (f)      
  Aunt Doda (f)     Friendship Yedidut (f)      
  Uncle Dod (m)     Cousin Ben Dod/Bat Doda      
 
 
                   
  Adverbs & Prepositions     Adjectives/To'Arim (m)      
                   
 
  English Hebrew
Transliteration		     English Hebrew
Transliteration		      
  Almost Kim'at     Annoying Me'atsben      
  Maybe Ulai     Bad Ra      
  Only Rak     Beautiful Yafe      
  Very Me'od     Big Gadol      
  After Acharei     Boring Mesha'ameme      
  Before Lifnei     Crazy Meshuga      
  Now Achshav     Cute Chamud      
  Not Yet Od lo     Dangerous Mesukan      
  Already Kvar     Easy Kal      
  Never Af Pa'am     Fast Mahir      
  Always Tamid     Free (no charge) Chinam      
  Quickly Maher     Full Malei      
  Slowly Le'at     Funny Matschik      
  Above Mei'al     Gentle Adin      
  Below Mitachat     Good Tov      
  Inside Betoch     Handsome Na'eYafe      
  Here Po     Happy Sameiach      
  There Sham     High Gavoah      
  Well Tov     Kind, Nice Nechmad      
  Badly Ra     Last Acharon      
  Better Yoter Tov     New Chadash      
  Worse Yoter Ra     Old (people) Zaken      
  More Yoter     Pleasant Na'im      
  Less Pachot     Pretty Yafe      
  A lot Harbei     Sad Atsuv      
  A little Ketsat     Small Katan      
  Enough Maspik     Strong Chazak      
  Not enough Lo maspik     Ugly Mecho'ar      
  Too much Yoter midai     Young Tsa'ir      
 
An adjective must always match the gender and number of the noun that it modifies.  The adjectives above are given in their masculine singular form.  Usually, the feminine singular suffix is "a" or "ef"; the masculine plural suffix is "im" and the feminine plural suffix is "ot".
 
 
                   
  Verbs/Pe'alim      
                   
 
  English Hebrew
Transliteration		     English Hebrew
Transliteration		      
  To Allow L'harshot     To Look At L'histakel      
  To Be L'hyot     To Look For L'chapes      
  To Believe L'ha'amin     To Love L'ehov      
  To Climb L'tapes     To Obey Ltsayet      
  To Come L'vo     To Promise L'havtiach      
  To Do L'Asot     To Put L'sim      
  To Give L'tet     To Remember L'zkor      
  To Go L'lechet     To Return L'chzor      
  To Hear L'shmoa     To Say Lomar      
  To Hope L'kavot     To See L'r'ot      
  To Know L'da'at     To Sing L'shir      
  To Leave L'tseit     To Speak L'daber      
  To Live (Inhabit) L'gur     To Want Lirtsot      
 
 
                   
  Around Town/Ba'ir (f)      
                   
 
  English Hebrew
Transliteration		     English Hebrew
Transliteration		      
  Address Ktovet (f)     How much
does it cost?		 Kama ze ole?      
  Street Rechov (m)     Price Mechir (m)      
  Post Office Doar (m)     Change Odef (m)      
  Stamp Bul (m)     To go shopping L'asot      
  Hospital Beit Cholim (m)     Mall Kanyon (m)      
  Synagogue Beit Kneset (m)     Store Chanut (f)      
  Library Sifriya (f)     Open-Air Market Shuk (m)      
  Pool Breicha (f)     Sale Mivtsa (m)      
  Park Park/Gan (m)     Bakery Ma'afiya (f)      
  Bank Bank (m)     Bookstore Chanut Sfarim (f)      
  To Buy L'knot     Butcher Shop Itliz (m)      
  In Cash Bimzuman     Grocery Store Chanut Makolet (f)      
  Receipt Kabala (f)     Laundromat Machbeisa (f)      
 
 
 
HEBREW - THE LANGUAGE FOR PRAYER:
 
The Talmud states that it is permissible to pray in any language that you can understand; however, traditional Judaism has always stressed the importance of praying in Hebrew. A traditional Chasidic story speaks glowingly of the prayer of an uneducated Jew who wanted to pray but did not speak Hebrew. The man began to recite the only Hebrew he knew: the alphabet. He recited it over and over again, until a rabbi asked what he was doing. The man told the rabbi, "The Holy One, Blessed is He, knows what is in my heart. I will give Him the letters, and He can put the words together.

A berakhah (blessing) is a special kind of prayer that is very common in Judaism.
 
Many Hebrew Blessings start off the same way.

     Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha'Olam ...
     (Blessed Are You, O Lord, Our God, King of the Universe ...)
 
     Avienu Melkeinu (Our Father, Our King)

 
In Deuteronomy 8:10, we are commanded that when we eat and are satisfied, we must bless the Lord, our God - after the meal.
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hebrew 4 Christians has a wonderful website :
http://www.hebrew4christians.com