General information
Ivrith (or New Hebrew) is the official language of Israel and is a further development of Hebrew, which is no longer used as an everyday language. The Hebrew script is a consonant script that can be read from right to left. Vowels are usually not written.
Vowels
There are no separate letters for vowels, they can be indicated with dots and dashes under the consonants, but usually not written except in children's books and newspapers specially geared towards new immigrants. Some consonant letters are doubled to make vocalizations easier.
Consonants
- א (Aleph)
- is not spoken
- ב (Beth)
- like v, at the beginning of the word and after consonants like b
- ג (Gimel)
- so G
- ד (Daleth)
- like d
- ה (Hey)
- like h
- ו (Waw)
- like w
- ז (Sajin)
- voiced s
- ח (Chet)
- like ch
- ט (Tet)
- like t
- י (iodine)
- like j
- כ (Kaph)
- as K
- ל (Lamed)
- like l
- מ (meme)
- like m
- נ (Well)
- like n
- ס (samech)
- a voiceless s
- ע (ayin)
- is not spoken
- פ (Pe)
- like f, after consonants and at the beginning of the word as p
- צ (Tzade)
- like z (like in zebra)
- ק (Kof)
- like k or q
- ר (resh)
- like r
- ש (Schin)
- like voiceless s or sh
- ת (Taw)
- like t
Basics
Small glossary of geographical terms
| Nahal | (dry) river bed | Har | mountain |
| Bika | valley | Rehes | (Mountain) ridge |
| Sde | field | Shluha | (Mountain) ridge, back |
| Mishor | level | Katef | (Mountain) shoulder |
| Ramat | Plateau | Henyon | Picnic area |
| Gev | Water pit | Mezad | Away |
| A, En | source | Hurbat | ruin |
| boron | Water hole | Be'er | Fountain |
| Borot | Water holes | Bet | House, settlement |
- Good day
- שָׁלוֹם (Shalom)
- Hello. (informal)
- שָׁלוֹם (Shalom)
- Good Morning.
- בוקר טוב (bokar tow)
- Good evening.
- ערב טוב (erew tow)
- Good night.
- לילה טוב (laíla tov)
- How are you?
- ? מה שלומך (ma schlomcha (addressed to a man) / ma schlomäch (addressed to a woman))
- OK.
- בְּסֶדֶר (b'séder) (literally: okay)
- Good thank you
- טוב, תודה (tov, todá)
- What's your name?
- (מי את (ה (Wed at (a))
- My name is ______ .
- .______ אני (Ani ...)
- Nice to meet you.
- ! נעים מאוד (Na-im meod)
- You're welcome.
- בבקשה (bewakascha)
- Thanks.
- תודה (toda)
- Many Thanks
- תּוֹדָה רַבָּה (todá rabá)
- Yes.
- כן (Ken)
- No.
- לא (Lo)
- Sorry.
- סליחה (Slicha)
- Health!
- לבריאות (labri'út)
- Good Appetite
- בתאבון (pray'avón)
- Goodbye
- להיתראות (lehitraot)
- Attention!
- זהירות (sehirut)
Important terms and expressions
- Central bus station
- תַחֲנָה מֵרְכַּזִית (tachaná merkasít)
- railway station
- תַחֲנָת רַכֶּבת (Tachanát rakévet)
- Airfield
- שדֵה תְּעוּפָה (Sde Teufá)
- taxi
- מוֹנִית (Monít)
- Shared taxi
- מוֹנִית שֵׁירוּת (Monít Scherút)
- hotel
- מלון (Malón)
- air conditioning
- מָזְגָן (Masgan)
- Sea beach
- חוֹף הים (Chof haJám)
- police
- משטרה (Mixed tará)
- Help!
- הצילו (hatsílu)
- Do you speak english / german?
- אתה מדבר אנגלית / גרמנית (Atá medabér anglít / germanít?) (addressed to man); את מדברת אנגלית / גרמנית (At medabéret anglít / germanít?) (addressed to woman)
time
- now
- עכשיו (achshav)
- עתה (ata)
- before
- קודם (codem)
- Eve
- ערב (erew)
- night
- לילה (laila)
- today
- היום (hajom)
- yesterday
- אתמול (ätmol)
- tomorrow
- מחר (machar)
Days
- Sunday
- יום ראשון (yom rishon )
- Monday
- יום שני (jom schäni)
- Tuesday
- יום שלישי (jom schlischi)
- Wednesday
- יום רביעי (yom rewij)
- Thursday
- יום חמישי (jom chamischi)
- Friday
- יום שישי (yom shishi)
- Saturday
- שבת (shabat)
