Kombina is one of the most salient features of Israeli society. In order to survive in this country, one needs to fend for oneself, using all possible means: Contacts, resourcefulness and creative ideas. Some Israelis say we are even ‘Medinat Kombina’, a ‘kombina’ state. So how do you use this word, and how can you even turn it into a verb?

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Kombina, kombinot – Connections, shady business – קומבינה

Kombinator – A person with a shady business; Someone who knows how to ‘get by’ – קומבינטור

Tizaharu she-lo tekablu shi’ur be-kombina – Make sure you don’t get a lesson in kombina – תיזהרו שלא תקבלו שיעור בקומבינה

Ta’ase kombina – Use your contacts; Be resourceful – תעשה קומבינה

Kimbanti alcohol – I got the alcohol ‘somehow’ – קימבנתי אלכוהול

Lekamben – To get something using tricks and connections – לקמבן

Lehitkamben – To sort yourself out; to sit pretty – להתקמבן

“Eich hitkambanta al ha-mechonit ha-zot” – What did you have to do in order to get this car? – איך התקמבנת על המכונית הזאת

Playlist and Clips:

Axum – Kombina (lyrics)

Tamir Kimchi & Eyal Mazig – Medinat Kombina (lyrics)

Imagine this: You are walking your dog in the ‘Viv and, out of nowhere, someone comes up to you, clearly wanting to speak about something important. Their lips are moving. They are saying something. What are they likely to say to a dog owner like you?

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Zachar o nekava? – Is it male or female? – זכר או נקבה

Ben kama hu / bat kama hi? – How old is he/she? – בן כמה הוא, בת כמה היא

Hi bat arba / Hu ben arba – She/He is four years old – היא בת ארבע, הוא בן ארבע

Eich korim lo? Eich korim la? – What’s her name, what’s his name? – איך קוראים לו, איך קוראים לה

Efshar latet lo / la hatif? – May I give him/her a treat? – אפשר לתת לו/לה חטיף

Ginat klavim – Dog park – גינת כלבים

Tiyul aroch – Long walk – טיול ארוך

Hu noshech? Hi noshechet? – Does he bite, does she bite? – הוא נושך, היא נושכת

Efshar lelatef? – May I pet your dog? – אפשר ללטף

Kelev ze’ev – Wolfhound – כלב זאב

Geza, gza’im – Tree trunk, breed – גזע, גזעים

Eize geza hu/hi? – What breed is it? – איזה גזע הוא/היא

Ze kelev giz’ee? – Is it a purebred, a pedigreed dog? – זה כלב גזעי

Hu/hi beseder im klavim acherim? – Is he/she okay with other dogs? – הוא/היא בסדר עם כלבים אחרים

Ken, betach – Yes, sure – כן, בטח

Ulai adif she’lo – Maybe it’s better not – אולי עדיף שלא

Playlist and Clips:

Ginat klavim – Dog park

Arik Einstein – Kama She-ratsiti Kelev (lyrics)

Ep. no. 198 about tarimu, pick up after your dogs HEB

Ep. no. 210 about hatifim, treats HEB

Ep. no. 349 about kalba tova, good dog HEB

Ep. no. 401 about Hebrew expressions with animals HEB

Let’s talk about trains in Hebrew. What’s the root of רכבת, and how is it related to horse riding? Also, what do we call the Jerusalem Light rail in Hebrew and in Arabic?

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Rakevet – Train – רכבת

Karon shakket – Quiet train car – קרון שקט

Lirkav al ofanyaim – To ride a bicycle – לרכב על אופניים

Nasati barakevet – I went by train – נסעתי ברכבת

Rokhev al sus – Riding a horse – רוכב על סוס

Rechiva al susim – Horse riding – רכיבה על סוסים

Rekhev – Vehicle – רכב

Ha-Rakevet ha-kala – The Light rail – הרכבת הקלה

Yeled katan – A little child – ילד קטן

Ha-yeled ha-katan – The little child – הילד הקטן

Hayeled katan – The child is little – הילד קטן

Katar – Locomotive – קטר

Kitor – Steam – קיטור

Playlist and Clips:

Rakevet Israel Announcement

Jerusalem light rail

Danny Robas – Rakavot (lyrics)

Ep. no. 30 about hafif HEB

Ep. no. 44 about lalechet, going HEB

Ep. 186 about linso’a Free HEB version

You’re eyeing the cheddar cheese at a Tel Avivi deli. Now comes the big question: How do you ask the seller to give you 100 grams of it in Hebrew?

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Lishkol – To weigh – לשקול

Ani shokel / shokelet 63 kilo – I weigh 63kg – אני שוקל / שוקלת 63 ק”ג

Ani shokel/shokelet et ha’optsiot sheli – I am weighing my options – אני שוקל / שוקלת את האופציות שלי

Shakalti – I weighed – שקלתי

Kama ata shokel, kama at shokelet? – How much do you weigh? – כמה אתה שוקל, כמה את שוקלת

Kama ze shokel – How much does it weigh? – כמה זה שוקל

Tishkol / Tishkeli li – Weigh it for me – תשקול / תשקלי לי

Ten / Tni li reva tsfatit – Give me 250 grams of Tsfatit cheese – תן / תני לי רבע צפתית

Ten li hetsi (kilo) – Give me half a kilogram – תן לי חצי

Shkol milim, shkeli milim – Weigh your words – שקול מילים

Shkila – Weighing – שקילה

Shkilat hatsi ha-gmar – The semi final weighing – שקילת חצי הגמר

Shoklim lehashkia – are you considering investing? – שוקלים להשקיע

Ani shokel laavor le-London – I am considering moving to London – אני שוקל לעבור ללונדון

Ani shokel / shokelet ma’avar le-hul – I am considering moving abroad – אני שוקל / שוקלת מעבר לחו”ל

Shikul – Consideration – שיקול

Yesh shikulim lekan u-lekhan – There are different considerations, factors on both sides. – יש שיקולים לכאן ולכאן

“Ha-derekh ha-nechona beyoter lehishakel hi pa’amayim be-shavua” – The best way to weigh yourself is by doing it twice a week – הדרך הנכונה ביותר להישקל היא פעמיים בשבוע

Ani tsarich/tsricha lehishakel – I need to get myself weighed – אני צריך / צריכה להישקל

Nishkalta / nishkalt ? – “Have you weighed yourself?” – נשקלת

Benadam shakool – Reasonable person – בנאדם שקול

Hachlata shkoola – Prudent decision – החלטה שקולה

Playlist and Clips:

Laredet be-gadol – Shkilat hatsi ha-gmar

Shoklim lehashki’a

Lehishakel – To weigh oneself

Corinne Alal – Kama Ze Shokel (lyrics)

Ep. 83 about latet, to give

The Hebrew word משקל means both weight and the device we use to measure weight, a scale. Whoa! That complicates things. How do we utilize this word in all its possible uses? Guy explains.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Mishkal – Weight, scale – משקל

Shomrei mishkal – Weight Watchers – שומרי משקל

Odef mishkal / mishkal yeter – Excess weight, overweight – עודף משקל / משקל יתר

Mishkal odef – Overweight (suitcase) – משקל עודף

Horadat mishkal / yerida ba-mishkal – Weight loss – הורדת משקל, ירידה במשקל

Laredet ba-mishkal – To lose weight – לרדת במשקל

Yaradti ba-mishkal – I lost weight – ירדתי במשקל

Lehaalot / laalot ba-mishkal – To gain weight – להעלות/לעלות במשקל

Mishkal naki – Net weight – משקל נקי

Mishkal beiti – Home scale – משקל ביתי

Mishkal mitbach – Kitchen scale – משקל מטבח

Mishkal neged – Counterweight – משקל נגד

Shivooy mishkal – Equilibrium, balance – שיווי משקל

“Ve-en lach rega shel shivuy mishkal” – And you don’t have a moment of balance – ואין לך רגע של שיווי משקל

Hi ibda et shivooy ha-mishkal ve-nafla – She lost her balance and fell – היא איבדה את שיווי המשקל ונפלה

“Ata noten / at notenet le-ze yoter midai mishkal” – You are giving this too much weight – אתה נותן / את נותנת לזה יותר מדיי משקל

Mishkal notsa – Featherweight – משקל נוצה

Mishkal kaved – Heavyweight – משקל כבד

Mishkal – Noun pattern (grammar) – משקל

Imoon mishkolot – Weights exercise – אימון משקולות

Playlist and Clips:

Shomrei mishkal

Yerida ba-mishkal

Astar Shamir – Rega shel Shivooy mishkal (lyrics)

Imoon mishkolot – Weights exercise

Ep. no. 133 about odef, adif

Ep. no. 155 about yarad, going down

Ep. no. 296 about exercise, targil. HEB

How do we respond when someone thanks us in Hebrew? What are the equivalents of, ‘you’re welcome’, ‘don’t mention it’ and ‘it’s nothing’? Guy explains.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Al lo davar – You’re welcome – על לא דבר

En be’ad ma, en al ma – You’re welcome – אין בעד מה

Bevakasha – Please / here you are / you’re welcome – בבקשה

Ein be’aya – No problem – אין בעיה

Tafsik, dai / tafsiki, dai – Stop it, enough – תפסיק/תפסיקי, די

Higzamta / higzamt / higzamtem – You’re too much – הגזמתָ/הגזמתְ/הגזמתם

Be-kef – With pleasure – בכיף

Be-simcha – With joy – בשמחה

Be-ahava – With love – באהבה

Shtuyot – Nonsense – שטויות

Ba-ktana – Nothing major – בקטנה

Toda raba lecha/ lach – Thank you (m, f.) – תודה רבה לך

Playlist and Clips:

Ep. 10 about politeness in Hebrew

Ep. no. 48 about lehafsik, to stop

Ep. 100 about toda

Ep. 122 about waiter talk and be-kef

Ep. 137 about lehagzim

Ep. 268 about No, thanks

The words stinky, smelly, and stench, exist in all languages. But in Hebrew these words can also be used as slurs. And while you absolutely should not use them in such manner, you do need to know their use.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Masri’ach – Stinky, smelly – מסריח

Sirachon – Stench – סירחון

Eize sirachon – What a foul smell – איזה סירחון

Ptsatsat sirachon – Stink bomb – פצצת סירחון

Gvinot masrichot – Smelly cheeses – גבינות מסריחות

“Russiya masricha, tachzeri le-rusia” – You stinky Russian, go back to Russia – רוסייה מסריחה, תחזרי לרוסיה

Smolani masri’ach – “Stinky” leftist – שמאלני מסריח

“Ata efes masri’ach’” – You $#!thead nothing – אתה אפס מסריח

Targil / keta masri’ach – Dirty trick – תרגיל / קטע מסריח

Masriach mi-alcohol – Reeks of alcohol – מסריח מאלכוהול

Achshav kol ha-bayit masriach me-re’ach shel tigun – Now the entire house smells of frying – עכשיו כל הבית מסריח מריח של טיגון

Yesh po mashehu masri’ach – There’s something fishy about it – יש פה משהו מסריח

Ha-dag masriach me-ha-rosh – The fish stinks from the head – הדג מסריח מהראש

Lehasri’ach – To stink, to smell – להסריח

Mishehu hisri’ach et hadar ha-madregot im ha-sigaria shelo – Someone stunk up the stairwell with his cigarette – מישהו הסריח את חדר המדרגות עם הסיגריה שלו

Playlist and Clips:

Ha-dag Nachash – Lo Fraierim (lyrics)

Gvinot masrichot

Masricha

Ep. no. 16, cursing drivers HEB

Ep. no. 114 about kasher and kosher HEB

Ep. 132 about keta masri’ach HEB

Ep. 231 about eww, disgusting HEB

Ep. 277 about ptsatsa, bomb HEB

From face and voice recognition, to identifying with a character from a book, for these and others linguistic uses we utilize the Hebrew root זהה. And how do we say, “Shazam, can you recognize this song?” Guy explains.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Zihuy panim – Face recognition – זיהוי פנים

Zihuy plili – Forensics – זיהוי פלילי

Mazap, Ma’abada le-zihuy plili – Forensics lab – מעבדה לזיהוי פלילי

Mazapnikim – The forensics guys – מז”פניקים

Zihuy koli – Voice recognition – זיהוי קולי

Lezahot – To identify, to recognize – לזהות

Ata lo mezahé oti? At lo mezaha oti? – Don’t you recognize me? – את/ה לא מזהה אותי

Teuda mezaha – Proof of identity – תעודה מזהה

“Shirim she-ha-shazam lo mezahé – Songs that Shazam won’t recognize – שירים שהשזאם לא מזהה

Ha-rishon she-mezahé – The first person to recognize – הראשון שמזהה

“Tsipor lo mezuha” – An unidentified bird – ציפור לא מזוהה

Mispar lo mezuhé – Unidentified number – מספר לא מזוהה

Eich lachsom et ha-sichot – How to block the calls – איך לחסום את השיחות

Abam, Etsem bilti mezuhé – Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) – עב”ם, עצם בלתי מזוהה

Lehizdahot – To identify oneself – להזדהות

Tizdahé, tizdahi, tizdahu – Identify yourself (imp.) – תזדהה, תזדהי, תזדהו

Lehizdahot im mishehu – To identify with someone – להזדהות עם מישהו

“Ata omer la she-ata mizdahé ita rigshit” – You’re telling her that you identify with her emotionally – אתה אומר שאתה מזדהה איתה רגשית

Hizdahoot – Identification – הזדהות

Atseret hizdahoot – Solidarity rally – עצרת הזדהות

Atseret hizdahoot im ha-hatufim – Solidarity rally with the people kidnapped in Gaza – עצרת הזדהות עם החטופים

Playlist and Clips:

KAN TV – Zihuy panim – Face recognition

Zihuy koli – voice recognition

Shirim she-ha-shazam lo mezahé – Songs that Shazam won’t recognize

Ha-rishon she-mezahe – The first person who recognizes

Margalit Tsan’ani – Menta (lyrics)

How to block an unidentified number – Mispar lo mezuhé

Abam – UFO

Sarit Hadad – Inteligentsiya (lyrics)