Learning a new language is no small task. Between grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and even different social norms and body language, it’s easy to feel at a loss as to where to start. Today, we’ll arm you with the top 40 Hebrew phrases for beginners—simple but highly practical expressions and structures for a variety of situations.
We’ll be covering:
- Basic greetings and salutations
- Courtesy phrases for making polite conversation
- Language to use when shopping or dining out
- Some phrases you can use to ask for help when you really need it
If you’re entirely new to Hebrew, it’s worth noting a few key features of the language that will help you along as you study the phrases below. First off, Hebrew is an abjad, meaning that, like Arabic and Farsi, vowels are not actual letters but rather diacritics; think of them as dots and dashes that adorn a consonant and tell you which vowel sound goes with it.
To make matters more complicated, these diacritics are typically omitted from written and printed Hebrew, meaning you’re often looking at only consonants. This may sound daunting, but you’ll get used to it! Plus, we’ve added a pronunciation guide for each phrase and example sentence to ease things a bit.
Another key fact you should know about Hebrew is that it’s big on gender. Not only does Hebrew apply gender to living creatures based on biological gender, but all nouns and pronouns are gendered as either male or female (often without any apparent logic). In addition, all adjectives and verbs have to take into account the gender and number of the nouns they modify. Again, don’t sweat it for now! Just be aware of this as you study these Hebrew beginner phrases and their example sentences.
Last but not least, if you speak English or another European language, it’s more than likely that some of Hebrew’s sounds will be hard for you to pronounce. Don’t stress over this! It gets easier over time, especially if you practice on a regular basis. We recommend using the many resources HebrewPod101 offers, such as video lessons with pronunciation modeling from native speakers.
With all that in mind, let’s have a look at the top 40 basic Hebrew phrases for beginners!
Table of Contents
- Greetings & Self-introductions
- Courtesy Phrases & Social Expressions
- Dining & Shopping Phrases
- Asking for Help
- Let HebrewPod101 get you set with all the basics.
1. Greetings & Self-introductions
Obviously, it always makes sense to start at the beginning. While some Israelis can be somewhat abrupt at times, skipping the niceties of introductions and cutting right to the chase, you’ll still want to mind your manners, right? The following phrases should give you a solid place to start as you work on meeting and greeting native Hebrew speakers.
1. מה שלומך?
Mah shlomkha/shlomekh?
“How are you?”
- מה שלומך, דן?
Mah shlomkha, Dan?
“How are you, Dan?”
- מה שלומך, דנה?
Mah shlomekh, Danah?
“How are you, Dana?”
2. איך הולך?
Eikh holekh?
“How’s it going?”
- איך הולך? מה שלום המשפחה?
Eikh holekh? Mah shlom ha-mishpakhah?
“How’s it going? How’s the family?”
3. מה חדש?
Mah khadash?
“What’s new?”
- מה חדש, אחי? מזמן לא דיברנו.
Mah khadash, akhi? Mi-zman lo dibarnu.
“What’s new, brother? We haven’t spoken for a long time.”
4. בוקר טוב.
Boker tov.
“Good morning.”
- בוקר טוב. כבר אכלתם ארוחת בוקר?
Boker tov. Kvar akhaltem arukhat boker?
“Good morning. Have you already had breakfast?”
5. צהריים טובים.
Tzohorayim tovim.
“Good afternoon.”
- צהריים טובים. בא לך ללכת לים?
Tzohorayim tovim. Ba lakh lalekhet la-yam?
“Good afternoon. Do you want to go to the beach?”
6. ערב טוב.
‘Erev tov.
“Good evening.”
- ערב טוב. כרטיס אחד, בבקשה.
‘Erev tov. Kartis ekhad bevakashah.
“Good evening. One ticket, please.”
7. לילה טוב.
Laylah tov.
“Goodnight.”
- לילה טוב. חלומות פז!
Laylah tov. Khalomot paz!
“Goodnight. Sweet dreams!”
8. נעים להכיר.
Na’im lehakir.
“Nice to meet you.”
- היי, טל. אני רוברט. נעים להכיר.
Hai, Tal. Ani Robert. Na’im lehakir.
“Hi, Tal. I’m Robert. Nice to meet you.”
9. שמי…
Shmi…
“My name is…” / “I’m…”
- שמי רונן. איך קוראים לך?
Shmi Ronen. Eikh korim lekha?
“I’m Ronen. What’s your name?”
10. אני מ…
Ani mi/mei…
“I’m from..”
- שלום. שמי רונדה. אני משיקגו.
Shalom. Shmi Rondah. Ani mi-Shikago.
“Hi. My name is Ronda. I’m from Chicago.”
2. Courtesy Phrases & Social Expressions
Now let’s take a look at some useful Hebrew phrases for courteous and polite conversation. Think of this as an emergency kit for most social interactions you’ll have in Israel. It is worth noting that Israelis are typically rather informal compared to people of some other cultures, but don’t mistake that for lack of courtesy—we just show it in our own special way, of course!
To make things easier, we’ve chosen only phrases that do not require any modification based on the gender of the speaker or the addressee. Basically, these are stock phrases, so feel free to use them liberally, wherever appropriate.
11. תודה.
Todah.
“Thank you.” / “Thanks.”
- תודה על הפרחים!
Todah ‘al ha-prakhim.
“Thank you for the flowers.”
12. בבקשה.
Bevakashah.
“You’re welcome.” / “Please.”
*Note that this one can mean either “you’re welcome” or “please,” depending on the context, as illustrated by the example below.
- אפשר כוס תה בבקשה?
-Efshar kos teh bevakashah?
-“Could I have a cup of tea, please?”
- -בטח. הנה, קחי.
-Betakh. Hineh, k’khi.
-“Of course. Here you go.”
- -תודה.
-Todah.
-“Thank you.”
- –בבקשה.
–Bevakashah.
-“You’re welcome.”
13. סליחה.
Slikhah.
“Sorry.” / “Pardon.”
- סליחה, איפה השירותים?
Slikhah, eifoh ha-sherutim?
“Pardon, where is the bathroom?”
14. אין בעיה.
Ein ba’ayah.
“No problem.”
- -תודה שאספת אותי מהתחנה המרכזית.
-Todah she-asafta oti me-ha-takhanah ha-merkazit.
-“Thanks for picking me up from the bus station.”
- –אין בעיה.
–Ein be’ayah.
-“No problem.”
15. ברשותך
Bi-rshutkha / Bi-rshuteikh
“If you wouldn’t mind”
- ברשותך, הייתי רוצה לחנות כאן.
Bi-rshutkha, hayiti rotzeh lakhanot kan.
“If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to park here.”
16. להתראות.
Lehitra’ot.
“Goodbye.” / “See you later.”
- תודה שבאתם. להתראות!
Todah she-batem. Lehitra’ot!
“Thanks for coming. Goodbye!”
17. עד מחר.
‘Ad makhar.
“See you tomorrow.”
- עד מחר. שיהיה לך ערב נעים.
‘Ad makhar. She-yehiyeh lakh ‘erev na’im.
“See you tomorrow. Have a pleasant evening.”
18. עד הפעם הבאה
‘Ad ha-pa’am ha-ba’ah
“Till next time”
- היה אחלה אימון! עד הפעם הבאה, גבר.
Hayah akhlah imun! ‘Ad ha-pa’am ha-ba’ah, gever.
“That was a great training session. Till next time, buddy.”
19. כל טוב.
Kol tuv.
“Be well.”
- נסיעה טובה! כל טוב.
Nesi’ah tovah! Kol tuv.
“Have a good trip! Be well.”
20. ד”ש ל…
Dash le…
“Regards to…”
*ד”ש is an acronym for דרישת שלום (drishat shalom), literally “demanding/seeking peace.” It is equivalent to “regards” in English.
- ד”ש לכל המשפחה.
Dash le-khol ha-mishpakhah.
“Regards to the whole family.”
3. Dining & Shopping Phrases
Our next set of beginner phrases in Hebrew consists of expressions and sentence patterns you’ll need when you’re at the store, the market, or a restaurant. Obviously, this is just a crash course in shopping and dining out in Israel. After all, the art of negotiation is so powerful and omnipresent in Israeli culture that many restaurants don’t even display prices for the dishes on the menu. This leaves room for them to work you up on the price, or—if you know how—for you to work them down.
21. אדוני? / גברתי?
Adoni? / Gvirti?
“Sir?” / “Miss?”
- אדוני, אני רוצה להזמין שולחן לשלוש.
Adoni, ani rotzah lehazmin shulkhan le-shalosh.
“Sir, I’d like to reserve a table for three.”
22. האם אפשר…?
Ha’im efshar…?
“Could I have…?”
- גברתי, האם אפשר לקבל תפריט באנגלית?
Gvirti, ha’im efshar lekabel tafrit be-Anglit?
“Miss, could I have an English menu?”
23. יש לכם…?
Yeish lakhem…?
“Do you have…?”
- יש לכם תפריט יינות?
Yesh lakhem tafrit yeinot?
“Do you have a wine list?”
24. אשמח…
Esmakh…
“I’d love…”
- אשמח לקבל אספרסו כפול.
Esmakh lekabel espreso kaful.
“I’d love a double espresso.”
25. כמה זה עולה?
Kamah zeh oleh?
“How much is it?”
- הכובע הזה ממש יפה. כמה זה עולה?
Ha-kova’ ha-zeh mamash yafeh. Kamah zeh oleh?
“This hat is really nice. How much is it?”
26. אפשר עודף, בבקשה?
Efshar ‘odef, bevakashah?
“Could I get some change, please?”
יש לי רק שטר של מאה. אפשר עודף, בבקשה?
Yesh li rak shtar shel me’ah. Efshar ‘odef, bevakashah?“I only have a one-hundred shekel bill. Could I get some change, please?”
27. אתם מקבלים כרטיסי אשראי?
Atem mekablim kartisei ashrai?
“Do you accept credit cards?”
אין עליי מזומן. אתם מקבלים כרטיסי אשראי?
Ein alai mezuman. Atem mekablim kartisei ashrai?
“I don’t have any cash on me. Do you accept credit cards?”
28. אפשר למדוד?
Efshar limdod?
“Can I try this/it on?”
אהבתי את השמלה הזאת. אפשר למדוד?
Ahavti et ha-simlah ha-zot. Efshar limdod?
“I like this dress. Can I try it on?”
29. יש לכם את זה בצבע אחר?
Yeish lakhem et zeh be-tzeva’ akher?
“Do you have this/it in another color?”
הארנק הזה הוא בדיוק מה שחיפשתי אבל יש לכם את זה בצבע אחר?
Ha-arnak ha-zeh hu bidiyuk mah she-khipasti aval yesh lakhem et zeh be-tzeva’ akher?
“This wallet is just what I was looking for, but do you have it in another color?”
30. אני אקח את זה.
Ani ekhakh et zeh.
“I’ll take it.”
אני אקח את זה. כמה זה ביחד?
Ani ekhakh et zeh. Kamah zeh be-yakhad?
“I’ll take it. How much is that altogether?”
4. Asking for Help
Finally, here are some absolutely essential basic Hebrew phrases for beginners, namely phrases you can use when you’re in need of assistance. While Israelis can sometimes come across as a bit hard-edged, most of us are quite happy to help someone in need. Especially if you make the effort to learn how to ask for help in Hebrew, you should expect someone to come to your aid.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask police officers, border patrol, soldiers, and the like for help, especially if your situation is urgent. Just be sensitive to the reality of Israel, where real and present danger does often exist. Therefore, be sure not to exaggerate!
31. איפה…?
Eiyfoh…?
“Where is/are…?”
- איפה תחנת הרכבת?
Eifoh takhanat ha-rakevet?
“Where is the train station?”
32. איך מגיעים ל…?
Eiykh megi’im le/la…?
“How do I get to…?”
- איך מגיעים לקניון?
Eiykh megi’im la-kanyon?
“How do I get to the mall?”
33. אתה מדבר/את מדברת אנגלית?
Atah medabeir/At medaberet Anglit?
“Do you speak English?”
- סליחה, את מדברת אנגלית?
Slikhah, at medaberet Anglit?
“Pardon, do you speak English?”
34. איך אומרים … בעברית?
Eiykh omrim … be-Ivrit?
“How do you say … in Hebrew?”
- איך אומרים cell phone בעברית?
Eiykh omrim cell phone be-Ivrit?
“How do you say cell phone in Hebrew?”
35. תוכל/תוכלי לחזור על זה?
Tukhal/Tukhli lakhazor ‘al zeh?
“Could you repeat that?”
- איך? תוכל לחזור על זה?
Eikh? Tukhal lakhazor ‘al zeh?
“Come again. Could you repeat that?”
36. סליחה. שוב?
Slikhah. Shuv?
“Sorry. Once more?”
- סליחה. פלאפון? שוב?
Slikhah. Pelefon? Shuv?
“Sorry. Pelefon? Once more?”
37. לא הבנתי.
Lo hevanti.
“I don’t understand.”
*Literally: “I haven’t understood.”
- ישר ישר ואז ימינה? לא הבנתי.
Yashar yashar ve-az yeminah? Lo hevanti.
“Just go straight and then left? I don’t understand.”
38. אני צריך/צריכה לראות רופא.
Ani tsarikh/tsrikha lir’ot rofeih.
“I need a doctor.”
- אני צריכה לראות רופא. כואב לי הבטן ממש.
Ani tsrikha lir’ot rofeh. Ko’evet li ha-beten mamash.
“I need a doctor. My stomach really hurts.”
39. האם תוכל/תוכלי לעזור לי?
Ha’im tukhal/tukhli la’azor li?
“Could you help me?”
- האם תוכל לעזור לי? אני אבוד.
Ha’im tukhal/tukhli la’azor li? Ani avud.
“Could you help me? I’m lost.”
40. הצילו!
Hatzilu!
“Help!”
*This one is pretty much a standalone expression. Don’t use it unless you really need it, as Israelis will come rushing to your aid. No crying wolf!
5. Let HebrewPod101 get you set with all the basics.
We hope you found today’s lesson useful. While these are the top 40 simple Hebrew phrases for beginners, there is much, much more to learn. And that’s exactly why we’re here! HebrewPod101 is proud to offer content covering a variety of topics and designed for every difficulty level.
If you’ve been reading this lesson, chances are you’re at a beginner level. Be sure to check out all the beginner materials we offer, such as practice conversations, grammar and pronunciation guides, and plenty more words and phrases to bolster your beginner Hebrew vocabulary.
While taking on a new language is definitely a challenge, we believe that there is no reason to suffer while you do so. That’s why we strive for lessons that are not only useful and informative, but also fun. Is there any topic you’d like us to cover? Feel free to get in touch and let us know. We’re always happy to hear from you.
Until next time, shalom!
