Hebrew phrases with translation and pronunciation. What do Jews wish for each other? Greetings Guide

Israel is a multilingual country. Hebrew and Arabic are both official languages. In addition, English, Spanish, French, as well as Persian, Russian, Amharic (Ethiopian), Romanian, Chinese and Thai are common.
Hebrew is a young language and at the same time has a centuries-old history. Its consonantal alphabet has 22 letters. Hebrew belongs to the Semitic group, which also includes Aramaic, Arabic, Amharic and others.
Yiddish is spoken by Orthodox Jews in Israel. And they speak it very actively. Children under 4-5 years of age do not know Hebrew at all and speak only Yiddish with their parents. Moreover, in school (heider) all Orthodox Jews master both literary and spoken Hebrew to perfection. But among themselves they speak only Yiddish - apparently, they do not want to desecrate the “holy language” with everyday issues. So Yiddish can rightfully be considered the fourth spoken language of Israel.
I advise tourists who decide to visit Israel to learn some words and phrases in Hebrew at their leisure. This will make your communication with the local population easier.

General
Hello - shalom
How are you - ma kore
Thank you - toda
Thank you very much - toda slave
Okay - Comrade
Yes - ken
No - lo
Please - bevakasha
Sorry - sliha
Police - Mishtara
Ambulance - outpatient clinic
I need help - ani king ezra
I don't understand - ani lo mevin
I don't speak Hebrew - ani le madaber Hebrew
Good morning - boker tov
Good afternoon - I eat tov
Good evening - erev tov
Good night - Layla Tov
Goodbye - le "itraot
Bye bye
I am ani
We - anahnu
You are ata (female)
You are atem (plural only)
They - ham
What is your name? - eykh korim Lyakh (feminine Lyakh)
Very nice - naim method
Okay - Comrade
Bad - ra (lo tov)
Wife - Isha
Husband is baal
Daughter - baht
son - ben
Mother - ima
Father - aba
Friend is a haver

Airport
Airplane - matos
Airport - sde teufa
Take off - amraa
Flight - yew
Entrance - knisa
Exit - yetzia
Air ticket - cartis yew
Duty - mehes
Bag - teak
Hand luggage - Mizvadat Yad
Excess weight - mishqal odef
Checking international passports - bdikat darkonim

Transport
I live in a hotel... - ani gar be malon...
I am a tourist from... - ani tayar mi...
I'm lost - ani alahti leibud
How to get to... - hey leagia le...
Car - oto, rahev, mekhonite
Train - rakevet
Bus - bus
Taxi - monit
Street - Rekhov
Walk - lalekhet baregel
Walk - letayel
Straight - yashar
Left - tar
Right - Yamina

Tourism
Where…? - eufo……..?
How much does the ticket cost? - kama ole kartis?
Ticket - cartis
Train - rocket
Bus - bus
Metro - rakevet tahtit (not in Israel)
Airport - Sde Teufa
Train station - takhanat-rakevet
Bus station - bus station
Departure: Etsia
Arrival - yeah
Car rental - Askarat Rekhev
Parking lot - Hanaya
Hotel, hotel - beit malon
Room - cheder
Reservation - Azman
Passport - darkon
How to get -
To the left - resin
To the right - Yamina
Straight - yashar
Up - lemala
Down - lemata
Far away - rahok
Close - cars
Map - map

Purchases
Shop - khanut
Jewelry store - khanut takshitim
Diamonds - yaalomim
Ring with diamonds - tabat yaalomim
Earrings - agilim
Bracelet - tsamid
Chain - sharsheret
Money - kesef
What is the price? - kama ole?
What it is? - ma ze?
I will buy this - eni ikne et ze
Do you have... - Yesh Lachem?
Open - Patuach
Closed - sagur
Price - mehir
Discount - Anaha
Sale - mivtsa
Cash - masuman
Change - odef
Cheap - sol
Expensive - yakar

In a cafe/restaurant
Restaurant - misada
Waiter - Miltsar
Menu - tafrit
Menu in Russian - tafrit be-rusit
Menu in English - tafrit beh-anglit
Bill please - hashbonit, bevakasha
I want - ani roce
Order - leazmin
Eat - leechol
Drink - lishtot

Food
Food - ohel
Bread - lechem
Meat - basar
Fish - dag
Chicken - of
Sausage - naknik
Milk is a freebie
Cheese - guina
Sugar - sukar
Salt - melach
Tea - te
Vegetables - erakot
Fruit - perot
Breakfast - aruhat boker
Lunch - aruhat-tsaoraim
Dinner - aruhat-erev
Drink - Mashke
Coffee - Kafk
Sok - mits
Water - may
Wine - yain
Pepper - pilpel
Dessert - mana achrona
Ice cream - glida
grilled meat - al-a-esh
soup - marak
pita iraqi - lafa

Clothes and accessories
Clothes - we're sorry
Shoes - naalaim
Swimsuit - bgidey yam
Slippers - naaley yam
Jacket - mail
Trousers - mikhnasaim
Shirt - khultsa
Dress - simlya
Skirt - hatsait
Hat, cap - kova
Sunglasses - Mishkafei Shemesh
Tanning cream - shizuf cream
Anti-sun cream - agana cream

Public areas, attractions
Mail - doar
Museum - muzeon
Bank - bank
Police - Mishtara
Hospital - Beit Cholim
Pharmacy - Beit Mirkahat
Shop - khanut
Restaurant - misada
School - beit sefer
Church - Knesia
Toilet - shirutim
Street - Rekhov
Area - kikar
Sea - Yamina
Ocean - oceanus
Lake - agam
River - naar
Swimming pool - briha
Bridge - Gesher

Dates and times
What time is it now? - ma shaa?
Day - eat
Week - Shavois
Month - Chodesh
Year - Shana
Monday - eat chenis
Tuesday - eat shlishi
Wednesday - eating ravia
Thursday - eat hamisha
Friday - eat shishi
Saturday - Shabbat
Sunday - eat reshon
January - January
February - February
March - Märtz
April - April
May - May
June - jun
July - July
August - August
September - September
October - October
November - november
December - December
Spring - Aviv
Summer is kaitz
Autumn - becoming
Winter - choref

If you live in Israel, but have not yet learned Hebrew... If you visit our beautiful country at least occasionally, remember these few expressions. They are so popular that knowing them you will already understand half of what is being said. Understanding Hebrew slang is extremely important if you are trying to learn the culture of the country you are in.

Al HaPanim על הפנים

Literary translation "On the face"

In slang it means: terrible

Example: When I get the flu, I feel like al haPanim.

Avarnu et Paro, naavor gam et ze עברנו את פרעה נעבור גם את זה

Translated, this means: We overcame Pharaoh (in Egypt) and we will also go through this.

Its meaning: We have overcome enormous difficulties, and we will overcome this too.

For example: We haven’t been able to solve this problem for 5 hours now. Don't worry, Avarnu et Paro, naavor gam et ze.

Bi`shu`shu בשושו

Bi'shu'shu means to do something secret in secret from someone.

Example: He didn't tell us that he bought a new car. He always does things bi'shu'shu.

Beten woof בטן גב

Literary translation: belly back

This means: A time for rest and relaxation where you do nothing but roll over from one side to the other.

For example: I worked so hard today, I really need some beten woof.

Boker Tov Eliyahu בוקר טוב אליהו

Literary translation: Good morning Eliyahu!

This means: a reminder with irony. The equivalent in Russian is: good morning! Have you just woken up?

For example: Boker Tov Eliyahu! Where have you been? We agreed on 10, but now it’s 12!

Ahla אחלה

In Arabic - great

Example: אחלה מקום [ahla makom] is a great place.

There is even a brand of hummus in Israel called Ahla.

Elef Ahuz אלף אחוז

Translation:1 000 percent

Meaning: To be confident in something

Eix fixa or eix איכסה פיכסה

Literal translation: Nasty

For example: Eiksa, this shawarma is absolutely not tasty

Eise seret איזה סרט

Literary translation: What movie

Analogue in Russian: what a movie!

Meaning: an event that goes beyond ordinary life, usually with a negative context

For example: You won’t believe what we had to go through at customs control... Eise is sad!

This phrase is also used in its literal translation. For example, if you saw a good movie, you would say “Eise seret!”

Face

In English it means face, but in Hebrew it is simply short for Facebook.

For example: I changed my avatar to Face.

Fadiha פדיחה

Arabic word meaning disorder or miss.

For example: Eise fadiha! I fell asleep at work all day.

Gihatsta et ha-Kartis Eshray גיהצת את הכרטיס אשראי

Literary translation: You swiped your credit card

Meaning: You spent a lot of money on your credit card in a short period of time.

For example: You bought a lot today - Gihatsta et a-Kartis Eshray!

ha-Dod meAmerica הדוד מאמריקה

Translation: Uncle from America

Meaning: A rich relative or even a friend from the USA who showers his poor relatives from Israel with gifts.

For example: I would like to have (a-Dod meAmerica) an uncle from America who will send me the latest iPhone model!

Hawal al-Zman חבל על הזמן

Literary translation: It's a pity for the time!

It can be a positive reaction - that's great! It can also be in a negative context – it’s a waste of time!

Positive example: A wonderful film - hawal al-a-Zman

Negative example: The film was so boring - hawal al a-Zman

This expression is also used by teenagers. The first 3 letters of each word are used as the abbreviation "Khav'laz"

For example: She bought a cool dress - Hav`laz!

Janana ג’ננה

The word is of Arabic origin, meaning burdens, irritates

For example: Ata ma'vi li et haJanana! - You annoy me!

Kama kama? כמה כמה

Literary translation: how much, how much?

Meaning: What's the score?

For example: Maccabi played basketball against Hapoel (Israeli teams), you want to know the score from your friend and ask: Kama, kama?

Kef Retzach כף רצח

Literal translation: Kef – slang for “high”, retzah – murder

Meaning: Best or to die for

For example: His bar mitzvah party was kef retzach.

Ko ko קוקו

Ko ko is not what the cockerel says, but the hairstyle - a ponytail or an elastic band with which it is made

For example: Mom, I’m going to the gym today, please do something for me

Ma HaMatzav מה המצב

Exact translation: how are you, what is the situation?

For example: Hey brother, ma ha-matzav?

Magniv מגניב

Means: Cool!

For example: You are all invited to my party. - Magniv!

Ma ani, ez? ?מה אני, עז

Literary translation: what am I, a goat?

Represents protest against unequal treatment or being ignored

For example: After Artem noticed that all the children except him were given candy, he says to his mother: “Ma ani, ez?”

Yarad Ha'Asimon ירד האסימון

Literary translation: The token fell

Meaning: I got it.

For example: I get the joke, Yarad ha-Asimon!

Of mehubas עוף מכובס

Translated: washed chicken

Meaning: Boiled chicken or a constantly recurring situation

For example: If we go to your parents' place this weekend, we'll have to choke on the old of mehubas again, but if we go to mine...

Another example: We've talked about this so many times, it's like a mehubas

Ototo אותותו

General saying means: one second, very soon

For example: I need to go. I have an appointment ototo

Another example: She is 9 months pregnant and will give birth later.

Paam shlishit, glida! פעם שלישית, גלידה

Literary translation: Third time, ice cream!

A close meaning of this phrase is third time lucky. They say when you meet someone many times in a short period of time.

For example: We are meeting for the second time today, paam shlishit, glida!

Sebaba סבבה

Meaning: good, wonderful

For example: How are you? - Sebaba, thank you!

Strudel

As we all know, the meaning of this word is a sweet cake with apples.

In Israel this is what they call a “dog” - @

For example: E-mail address of the site admin strudel israelrus dot ru.

Sof ha-Derech

Translated: End of the road

Meaning: Excellent

For example: We had lunch at the new sushi bar, the food was just sof ha-derech!

Sof HaOlam resin סוף העולם שמאלה

Translation: End of the world to the left

Meaning: The middle of nowhere, an isolated place in the middle of nowhere.

For example: You won't even find it on the map. They live 30 km south of Dimona. This is sof ha-olam resin!

Sponge

Literal translation: sponge, wash with a sponge

This is how in Israel they call a mop with a hard sponge at the end, which is used here to remove spilled water after a shower.

Taim Retzach טעים רצח

Literal translation: Taim means tasty, and retzakh means murder.

Meaning: So delicious it's to die for!

Example: My mother cooks such a casserole that we melt our lips!

Yalla וואלה

Yalla is Hebrew slang that can have different meanings and interpretations. Depending on pronunciation and context, this can mean: true, hmm..., clear or ok

For example: A new Harry Potter book has just been released. Satisfied Potter fans respond: Yalla!

Ze ze זה זה

Translated: This is this.

Meaning: This is it, meaning to be.

For example: We love each other. Ze ze.

You can also say: This is the perfect dress for my sister's wedding. Ze ze!

Write in the comments what common expressions you come across in Israel.

• What should you say in Hebrew when you hear the news of someone's pregnancy?
• How do you wish someone happy holidays?
• How to wish someone a good week?

Below are traditional Hebrew phrases and expressions that will help answer these and other questions.

Greetings for Shabbat and the new week

Shabbat Shalom

Literally means wishing for a peaceful Sabbath in Hebrew. . This is a unique greeting that can be used anytime in Shabbat, although it is customary to say it at the end of the Shabbat ceremony Kabbalat Shabbat.

Gut Shabes

This similar expression in Yiddish literally means “good Shabbat" Similar to the expression " Shabbat Shalom", it is used when welcoming each person to Shabbat. From my own experience, I know that the greeting " Gut Shabes" can be honored in normal conversation or when meeting people, while " Shabbat Shalom» more used at the end of the ritual Kabbalat Shabbat.

Shavua tov

Translated from Hebrew - “have a good (good) week.” The greeting is used after the ritual Avdaly(a ceremony marking the completion Shabbat) to wish someone a good week ahead.

Holiday Greetings

Chag Sameach

Translated from Hebrew as “Happy Holidays!” or “Happy Holidays!” This greeting is said on any holiday, but is especially suitable for holidays in Sukkot, Shavuot And Passover, traditional religious holidays of pilgrimage, ascent to the Temple of Jerusalem - “ shalosh regalim"(all the others are also holidays, but not like these).

GutYom tov

In Yiddish it means “good holidays.” This greeting is used for any holiday, not necessarily religious.

Le-shana tova

Literally translated from Hebrew “for a good year.” General greeting to Rosh Hashanah and Days of Awe. These days they say " Le-shana tova tikatev ve-tikhatem"(May you be inscribed in the Book of Life and sealed for a good year).

Tsom kal - have an easy fast

Tsom kal is the best expression to greet people in Yom Kippur. Please do not wish on this day: “Happy (joyful) Yom Kippur"; This is not at all the holiday to which such a greeting is suitable.

Other expressions

Shalom

In Hebrew - “peace”, “rest”. An expression that is said when meeting or saying goodbye.

From Hebrew and Yiddish it is translated as “peace be upon you” or “peace be upon your house.” This is a traditional greeting. In America the Yiddish version is usually used. The expression is similar to the Arabic greeting “as-salamu alaikum” (don’t be surprised: Hebrew and Arabic are from the same Semitic family).

Sholom Aleichem is the name of the famous Jewish writer, known for his wonderful stories and stories, some of which were used as the basis for the famous musical “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Reply to greeting " Shalom Aleichem or Sholem Aleichem“you can use words” Aleichem Shalom”, that is, “I (wish) peace for you too.”

Mazal tov

This expression can be translated from Hebrew and Yiddish as a wish for “good fate.” This is a traditional way to express your greeting. " Mazal tov!» - correct and traditional answer if you heard that a person is about to get engaged or married (marriage); that someone has a child or the child becomes a teenager 12 or 13 years old: age .

You can also congratulate someone on getting a new job, on graduating from school (college, university, etc.), or on some other joyful event.

Keep in mind that this expression it is forbidden use for any occasion; as, for example, “I wish you good luck” in the future, on the contrary, this expression conveys happiness and pleasure from an event that has already happened in a person’s life.

Yeshar koach

Translated from Hebrew as “[so that you continue to use] power directly [for its intended purpose].” This is a great way to congratulate someone for their performance. mitzvah or other good deed. Essentially, with these words you wish that someone continued do good deeds unswervingly, and you are duly aware of the effort he puts into his work. Most often we use this wish in the synagogue to congratulate someone who has accepted successful participation in execution mitzvot. Strictly speaking, this is a form of address corresponding to the masculine gender. Some people use the feminine form of this expression when showing feelings for a woman, but this does not seem typical.

Le-Chaim

This expression is translated as “to life” or “for life.” This is the traditional toast you offer before raising a glass of wine or other alcoholic beverages.

Can be compared with the traditional toast “To health!” in Russian.

Gesundheit

In Yiddish “be healthy!” To your health." This is a good response to a person who sneezed. The same expression is used in German (Yiddish is based on German) and is very common among non-Jews. I think it's worth noting that some non-Jews have told me that they are afraid of offending Jews by wishing them "bless you" and therefore use the Yiddish expression - Gesundheit.

Leida kala

It is customary for a pregnant woman to wish “ leida kala“, which translated from Hebrew means: “easy birth”

Hebrew (עִבְרִית) is the official language of Israel. However, in most cities, local residents speak Russian and English. Hebrew is written and read from right to left.

Language of Israel

What is the language in Israel

Hebrew is spoken in the Israeli state. It is the official language of Israel, revived in the 20th century. Around the world, more than 8 million people speak Hebrew. During the period from 113 to 7 centuries BC, it strengthened as an independent Semitic language.

One of the features that the Israeli language has is the use of a conjugate construction to form new nouns: beit sefer (school) comes from the words bayit (house) and sefer (book).

The Israeli alphabet is presented in square script (alef-bet) and has 22 letters. The writing also uses Aramaic and Yiddish.

Although the official language of Israel is Hebrew, 20% of the population speaks Russian. These are mainly immigrants from the countries of the USSR and modern Russia. It is worth saying that when moving to this country under the repatriation program, people first of all begin to learn the language of Israel.

Like any other language, there are many different ways to greet each other in Hebrew. And just like most other languages, greetings in Hebrew go back a very long time. They reflect the history of cultural contacts of the people, their psychological type and characteristics of thinking.

Speaking about Jewish greetings, we must not forget about borrowings (direct or indirect) from “Jewish languages ​​of the Diaspora,” for example, Yiddish.

Features of secular and religious speech etiquette

Modern Hebrew is the language of everyday communication in Israel, and it reflects the peculiarities of today's life in the country. Therefore, we can say that there are two linguistic structures in Israel. One of them is more consistent with the secular population of Israel, and the second with the traditional, religious population.

Hebrew greetings illustrate this division. Of course, one cannot say that these “sets do not intersect at all.” However, secular and religious types of speech etiquette differ from each other.

Some expressions characteristic of the speech of religious people are included in secular speech etiquette. Sometimes they are used deliberately to give the statement an ironic tone with a “taste” of the archaic - “antique.” As if, for example, in Russian speech, you turned to a friend: “Be healthy, boyar!” or greeted their guests: “Welcome, dear guests!” at a friendly party.

The difference between greetings in Russian and Hebrew

In Russian, when meeting, people usually wish them health by saying “Hello!” (that is, literally: “Be healthy!” But hearing a wish for health in Hebrew - לבריות le-vriYut — your Israeli interlocutor will most likely say in surprise: “I didn’t sneeze” or “I guess we didn’t raise our glasses.” Wishing health as a greeting is not customary in Hebrew.

Expression

quiet bars, which can be translated as “Hello!”, will be, rather, an informal form of farewell - “Be healthy!” (as in Russian).

Common greetings in Hebrew

The basic Jewish greeting is שלום shalom ( literally , "world"). People used this word to greet each other back in Biblical times. Interestingly, in Jewish tradition it also sometimes replaces the name of God. Meaning of the word shalom in the language it is much broader than just “the absence of war”, and in the greeting it is not just a wish for “peaceful skies above your head”.

Word שלום shalom- cognate with adjective שלם shawl- “whole, filled.” Greetings " shalom“means, therefore, not only a wish for peace, but also for inner integrity and harmony with oneself.

“Shalom” can be said both when meeting and when parting.

Expressions שלום לך Shalom LechA(with or without addressing a person by name) (“peace be upon you”) and לום אליכם shalom aleikhem(MM) (“peace be upon you”) refer to a higher style. It is customary to answer the latter ואליכם שלום ve-aleikhem shalom. This is a literal translation (tracing) from Arabic Hello. This answer also suggests high style, and in some cases, a certain amount of irony. You can answer more simply, without a conjunction ve,אליכם שלום AleikhEm shalom.

In a conversation with a religious person in response to a greeting שלום can often be heard שלום וברכה shalom at vrakha- “peace and blessings.” Or he may continue your greeting שלום shalom in words - וברכה u-vrahA. This is also acceptable in small talk, although it is too elegant.

In the mornings in Israel, people exchange greetings טוב בוקר boker tov! ("Good morning!"). Sometimes in response to this you can hear: בוקר אור boker or ("bright morning") or בוקר מצויין boxer metsuYan. ("great morning"). But they rarely say that.

As for the Russian expression “Good day!”, then when translated literally into Hebrew - יום טוב yom tov, it will turn out more like congratulations on the holiday (although more often in this case a different expression is used). The interlocutor may be surprised.

Instead they say צהוריים טובים TzohorAim ToVim(literally, “Good afternoon!”). But when we say goodbye, it’s quite possible to say יום טוב לך yom tov lecha. Here – precisely in the meaning of “Have a nice day!”

Expressions ערב טוב Erev tov“good evening” and לילה טוב Layla tov“Good night” in Hebrew is no different in usage from Russian. It is perhaps worth paying attention to the fact that the word “night” in Hebrew is masculine, therefore the adjective טוב “good, kind” will also be masculine.

Greetings from other languages

In addition to greetings that have Hebrew roots, greetings from other languages ​​can often be heard in Israel.

At the beginning of the new era, the spoken language of Ancient Judea was not Hebrew, but Aramaic. Nowadays it is perceived as high style, the language of the Talmud, and is sometimes used to give words a touch of irony.

In modern colloquial Hebrew the expression צפרא טבא numeral tab- “good morning” in Aramaic. Sometimes it can be heard in response to the usual טוב בוקר boker tov.

In this case, your interlocutor will turn out to be either a religious person of advanced age, or someone who wants to demonstrate his education and give the morning greeting a touch of light irony.

You can, for example, compare this with the situation when, in response to a neutral “Good morning!” you will hear “Greetings!”

Young Israelis often use the English word “hai!” when meeting and saying goodbye. Perhaps it caught on because it sounds similar to the Hebrew word for “life” (remember the popular toast לחיים le-chaim- "for a life").

In spoken Hebrew you can also find greetings from Arabic: ahalan or, less commonly, marhaba(the second is more often pronounced with a joking tone).

Greetings and wishes on Shabbat and holidays

In most languages, greetings depend on the time of day, and in Jewish culture, also on the days of the week.

On Shabbat and holidays, special greetings are used in Hebrew.

On Friday evening and Saturday it is customary to greet each other with the words שבת שלום Shabbat Shalom. Saturday evening, after מו צאי שבת MotzaHey Shabbat(“the outcome of the Sabbath”) you can often hear the wish שבוע טוב ShavUa tov (“good week”). This applies to both religious and secular circles

Among older people or repatriates, instead of Shabbat shalom, you can hear greetings in Yiddish: gut Shabes(“good Saturday”), and at the end of Saturday - and gute wow(“good week”)

Just as in the case of Aramaic, the use of Yiddish in Israel in greetings has an informal, slightly humorous connotation.

Before the beginning of a new month (according to the Jewish calendar) and on its first day, the greeting is חודש טוב Khodesh tov - “Good month.”

"Holiday" in Hebrew is called חג hag, מועד mOed or טוב יום yom tov. However, to greet a holiday, only one of these words is most often used - חג שמח hag samEah! - “Happy holiday!” During the Jewish New Year, people wish each other “Have a good year!” – שנה טובה SHANA TOVA! The word shana (“year”) in Hebrew is feminine, and the adjective tovA will also be feminine.

Greetings in the form of questions

After greeting each other, wishing good morning or evening, people often ask: “How are you?” or “How are you?”

In Hebrew the expressions מה שלומך? ma shlomkha?(M) ( mA shlomEh? (F)) are similar to the Russian “How are you?” By the way, they are written the same way, and you can read them correctly only based on the context.

Literally, these phrases would mean something like: “How is your world doing?” We can say that each person has his own world, his own inner “shalom”. Naturally, in ordinary speech this expression is not taken literally, but serves as a neutral greeting formula.

In rare cases, you may be addressed in the third person: שלומו של כבודו? מה Ma shlomO shel kvodO?(or - ma shlom kvodO?) - “How are you doing, dear one?” This will mean either irony, or high style and emphasized respect (as in the Polish language the address “pan”).

In addition, such a refined address can be used in youth speech and slang as a reference to comedic dialogues from the “cult” Israeli film “ Hagiga ba-snooker" - "Billiards party."

One of the most common and style-neutral greetings in Hebrew is נשמה? מה ma nishma? (literally, “What do you hear?”).

The expressions מה קורה are used in a similar sense. Ma kore? – (literally, “What’s going on?”) and מה העניינים ma HainyangIm? ("How are you?"). Both of them are used in informal settings, in colloquial speech, in friendly conversation.

Even more simply, in the “that’s what they say on the street” style, it sounds אתך מה ma itkhA? (M) or (ma itAkh? (F) (literally, “What’s wrong with you?”). However, unlike Russian, this jargon does not correspond to the question: “What’s wrong with you?”, but simply means : “How are you?” However, in a certain situation it can actually be asked if the state of the interlocutor causes concern.

It is customary to answer all these polite questions in a secular environment בסדר הכל תודה TodA, Akol be-sEder or simply בסדר be-seder(literally, “thank you, everything is fine.” In religious circles, the generally accepted answer is השם ברוך barUh ours(“Glory be to God,” literally, “Blessed be the Lord”). This expression is often used in everyday communication of secular people, without giving the speech any special connotation.

Greeting the New Arrivals

Greetings can also include addressing “new arrivals.”

When people come or arrive somewhere, they are addressed with the words “Welcome!” In Russian, this phrase is usually used in formal speech.

Hebrew expressions הבא ברוך barUh habA(M), ברוכה הבאה bruhA habaA(F) or ברוכים הבאים BruhIm habaIm(MM and LJ) (literally, “blessed is the one who has arrived (the ones who arrived)”) are found in ordinary colloquial speech. This is how you can greet your guests, for example.

In general, in Hebrew, as in any other language, greetings are closely related to cultural and religious traditions. Differences in their use depend on the general style of the communication situation, as well as on the level of education and age of the speakers.