100 Hebrew phrases for beginners, with transliteration and translation
These are the phrases Israelis actually say, grouped so you can learn ten at a time. Read the Hebrew, say the transliteration out loud, then listen for them inside the songs on Shir-ly — hearing a phrase sung is what turns it from a flashcard into speech.
Greetings and goodbyes (1–15)
- שָׁלוֹם shalom — hello, goodbye, peace
- בּוֹקֶר טוֹב boker tov — good morning
- צָהֳרַיִים טוֹבִים tzohorayim tovim — good afternoon
- עֶרֶב טוֹב erev tov — good evening
- לַיְלָה טוֹב laila tov — good night
- מָה נִשְׁמָע? ma nishma? — how's it going?
- מָה קוֹרֶה? ma kore? — what's up? (casual)
- הַכֹּל בְּסֵדֶר hakol beseder — everything's fine
- נָעִים לְהַכִּיר na'im lehakir — nice to meet you
- אֵיךְ קוֹרְאִים לְךָ? eich kor'im lecha? — what's your name? (to a man)
- אֵיךְ קוֹרְאִים לָךְ? eich kor'im lach? — what's your name? (to a woman)
- קוֹרְאִים לִי... kor'im li... — my name is...
- לְהִתְרָאוֹת lehitra'ot — see you later
- יַאלְלָה בַּיי yalla bye — okay, bye (very Israeli)
- שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם shabbat shalom — peaceful Sabbath
Politeness and basics (16–35)
- כֵּן ken — yes
- לֹא lo — no
- תּוֹדָה toda — thank you
- תּוֹדָה רַבָּה toda raba — thank you very much
- בְּבַקָּשָׁה bevakasha — please, here you go
- סְלִיחָה slicha — excuse me, sorry
- אֵין בְּעָיָה ein be'aya — no problem
- בְּסֵדֶר beseder — okay
- אוּלַי ulai — maybe
- אֲנִי לֹא מֵבִין ani lo mevin — I don't understand (man)
- אֲנִי לֹא מְבִינָה ani lo mevina — I don't understand (woman)
- אַתָּה מְדַבֵּר אַנְגְּלִית? ata medaber anglit? — do you speak English?
- לְאַט בְּבַקָּשָׁה le'at bevakasha — slowly please
- עוֹד פַּעַם od pa'am — again
- מָה זֶה? ma ze? — what is this?
- אֵיפֹה...? eifo...? — where is...?
- כַּמָּה זֶה עוֹלֶה? kama ze ole? — how much does it cost?
- מָתַי? matai? — when?
- לָמָּה? lama? — why?
- כִּי ki — because
Feelings, love and songs (36–60)
Israeli pop lives in this group of words, so you will meet almost all of them on Shir-ly.
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ ani ohev otach — I love you (man to woman)
- אֲנִי אוֹהֶבֶת אוֹתְךָ ani ohevet otcha — I love you (woman to man)
- לֵב lev — heart
- נְשָׁמָה neshama — soul, also 'sweetheart'
- אַהֲבָה ahava — love
- חָבֵר / חֲבֵרָה chaver / chavera — friend, boyfriend / girlfriend
- מִתְגַּעֲגֵעַ mitga'age'a — I miss (someone), man speaking
- מִתְגַּעֲגַעַת mitga'aga'at — I miss (someone), woman speaking
- שָׂמֵחַ sameach — happy
- עָצוּב atzuv — sad
- עָיֵף ayef — tired
- מְפַחֵד mefached — afraid
- כּוֹאֵב ko'ev — it hurts
- תִּקְוָה tikva — hope
- חֲלוֹם chalom — dream
- בּוֹכֶה boche — crying
- צוֹחֵק tzochek — laughing
- נַשֵּׁק / נְשִׁיקָה neshika — a kiss
- יָפֶה / יָפָה yafe / yafa — beautiful
- מְשֻׁגָּע meshuga — crazy
- לְבַד levad — alone
- בַּיִת bayit — home
- אֶרֶץ eretz — land, country
- שִׁיר shir — song
- מוּזִיקָה muzika — music
Food, café and shopping (61–80)
- מַיִם mayim — water
- קָפֶה kafe — coffee
- קָפֶה הָפוּךְ kafe hafuch — latte (literally 'upside-down coffee')
- תֵּה te — tea
- לֶחֶם lechem — bread
- פִיתָּה pita — pita
- חוּמוּס chumus — hummus
- פָלָאפֶל falafel — falafel
- שַׁקְשׁוּקָה shakshuka — shakshuka
- סָלָט salat — salad
- בָּשָׂר basar — meat
- עוֹף of — chicken
- דָּג dag — fish
- יֵשׁ אֻכֶל צִמְחוֹנִי? yesh ochel tzimchoni? — is there vegetarian food?
- בְּתֵאָבוֹן bete'avon — enjoy your meal
- חֶשְׁבּוֹן בְּבַקָּשָׁה cheshbon bevakasha — the bill please
- כַּרְטִיס אַשְׁרַאי kartis ashrai — credit card
- יָקָר yakar — expensive
- זוֹל zol — cheap
- אֲנִי רוֹצֶה / רוֹצָה ani rotze / rotza — I want
Travel and getting around (81–90)
- אוֹטוֹבּוּס otobus — bus
- רַכֶּבֶת rakevet — train
- מוֹנִית monit — taxi
- תַּחֲנָה tachana — station
- שְׂדֵה תְּעוּפָה sde te'ufa — airport
- יָמִינָה / שְׂמֹאלָה yamina / smola — right / left
- יָשָׁר yashar — straight ahead
- רְחוֹב rechov — street
- הַיָּם hayam — the sea
- כַּמָּה זְמַן זֶה לוֹקֵחַ? kama zman ze lokeach? — how long does it take?
Holidays, blessings and community (91–100)
- מַזָּל טוֹב mazal tov — congratulations
- חַג שָׂמֵחַ chag sameach — happy holiday
- שָׁנָה טוֹבָה shana tova — happy new year
- לְחַיִּים lechayim — cheers, to life
- בְּרוּכִים הַבָּאִים bruchim haba'im — welcome
- בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם be'ezrat hashem — with God's help
- עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי am yisrael chai — the people of Israel live
- בְּשׇׁעָה טוֹבָה besha'a tova — at a good hour (for happy news)
- רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה refua shlema — a full recovery
- תִּתְחַדֵּשׁ / תִּתְחַדְּשִׁי titchadesh / titchadshi — enjoy your new thing
How to make them stick
Pick one group of ten, say each phrase aloud twice, then open a song on Shir-ly that uses those words and follow the karaoke line. The vocabulary games rebuild the same words as sentences, which is where recall actually forms.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most useful Hebrew phrase to learn first?
מָה נִשְׁמָע (ma nishma, 'how's it going') together with תּוֹדָה (toda, thank you) and בְּסֵדֶר (beseder, okay) — those three carry most casual Israeli conversation.
Do I need nikud to read these phrases?
Not to speak them, but the vowel marks tell you the exact pronunciation while your ear is still forming. Israelis write without nikud, and you can drop it once you recognise whole words.
Is Hebrew gendered in everyday phrases?
Yes. Verbs and adjectives change with the speaker and the listener, which is why several phrases above appear in two forms — one addressed to a man, one to a woman.