Hebrew Words Explained in English
140 wordsEvery Hebrew word analyzed by TopicPen — meaning, root, etymology, and example sentences in English.
A
ahavahאַהֲבָהEveryday1. When someone is very important to you and you want to be …amarאָמַרEverydayTo use your voice to say words.aniאֲנִיEverydayThe word you use when you talk about yourself. It means "I" …aganעָגַןFormalTo tie a boat to the land so it does not move away.agatאָגַטFormalA type of hard stone that is often used to make jewelry. It …anvahעַנְוָהFormalNot thinking you are better or more important than other peo…amarאוּמְרוּ
B
bachanבָּחַןEveryday1. To check something carefully to see if it is good, correc…boבּוֹאEverydayCome. This is what you say to a boy or a man when you want h…brachaבְּרָכָהEveryday1. A special prayer or good wish you say to God or for anoth…britבְּרִיתEveryday1. A very serious promise or agreement between people or gro…binahבִּינָהFormalThe ability to understand things deeply, not just know them.…bobolenaבּוֹבּוֹלֵנָהFormalThe name of a woman from Greece who was a hero in a war a lo…
C
chaiחַיִּיםEverydayThe time when a person, animal, or plant is alive and not de…chatamחָתַםEverydayTo write your name on a paper, like a letter or a contract, …chazarחָזַרEveryday1. To go back to a place where you were before.
2. To do or …cheirutחֵירוּתEverydayBeing able to do what you want, go where you want, and say w…chenחַןEveryday1. When someone is very pleasant and lovely in a quiet way, …chibekחִבֵּקEverydayHe put his arms around someone to show he likes them or to m…chochmaחָכְמָהEverydayKnowing a lot about the world from learning or from life, an…chutspahחֻצְפָּהEverydayDoing something very bold that most people would be too scar…chananחָנַןFormal1. To give someone a gift or help them out of kindness.
2. T…chazonחָזוֹןFormal1. A picture or idea you see in your mind about the future, …chesedחֶסֶדSynagogueDoing something good and kind for someone else, without aski…chananחַנּוּ
D
darbanדָּרְבָּןEverydayA small animal covered with long, sharp needles for protecti…dorbanדּוֹרְבָּןEverydayA small animal covered with long, sharp needles called quill…daatדַּעַתFormal1. What a person knows from learning or from life.
2. What a…daatelדַּעַת־אֵלFormalThe Hebrew name for Raziel, an angel in Jewish stories who k…
E
eאֶEverydayA word that shows something is being done *to* a specific pe…echadאֶחָדEveryday1. The number 1.
2. A single one of something, not with othe…eikevעֵקֶבEverydayThe back part of your foot, below the ankle.emetאֱמֶתEverydayTruth. It means the way things really are, not a lie.emunahאֱמוּנָהEveryday1. Believing that something is true, even when you cannot se…eirאֵרBiblicalThe name of a person in the Bible. He was the first son of J…elאֵלBiblical1. A god, a powerful being that people pray to.
2. A name fo…
G
gaonגָּאוֹןEveryday1. A person who is very, very smart.
2. A person who is very…gavriyutגַּבְרִיּוּתFormalThe qualities that people think are special to men, like bei…gurliגּוּרְלִיFormalDescribes something very important that will decide what hap…gvurahגְּבוּרָהFormalWhen someone is very strong and brave, especially in a fight…geulahגְּאֻלָּהSynagogueBeing saved from a very bad situation, like being a slave or…
H
hatmadahהַתְמָדָהEverydayWhen you keep doing something for a long time, even if it is…hayahהָיֹה הָיָהEverydayThe words you say to start a fairy tale or a story about som…higiyaהִגִּיעַEveryday1. To get to a place after a journey.
2. When it is the righ…hisfikהִסְפִּיקEveryday1. To be as much as is needed.
2. To have enough time to do …hizkirהִזְכִּירEveryday1. To make someone remember something.
2. To talk about some…hotpistonהוֹטְפִיסְטוֹןEverydayA person who gets angry very easily and quickly.haskilהִשְׂכִּילFormalTo use your mind to make good choices or to act in a smart w…hishlichהִשְׁלִיךְFormalTo make something fly through the air with your arm, usually…hodהוֹדFormalA feeling of greatness and beauty that makes you feel small …haskilלְהַסְכִּילhisfikמַסְפִּיקhizkirמַזְכִּירָה
I
K
kamקָםEveryday1. To move from sitting or lying down to standing on your fe…kavanahכַּוָּנָהEveryday1. What you mean to do; your plan or purpose.
2. The meaning…kavodכָּבוֹדEveryday1. A feeling of deep respect for someone or something import…kiseכִּסֵּאEverydayAn object with four legs and a back that one person can sit …koקוֹEveryday1. A long, thin mark, like one you draw with a pencil.
2. A …kolקוֹלEveryday1. The sound that comes from your mouth when you speak or si…kaparahכַּפָּרָהSynagogue1. An act you do to show you are sorry for doing something w…kedushahקְדוּשָּׁהSynagogueWhen something is special and set apart for God. It is the f…koelכֹּה אֵלBiblicalMeans "Thus God..." or "So God...". This is a way to start a…koelohaymelechכֹּה אֱלֹהֵי מֶלֶךְBiblicalThis is what the God of a king says.
L
lamadלָמַדEverydayHe learned something new, like a language or a skill.levלֵבEveryday1. The part inside your chest that pumps blood around your b…loeffelholzLoeffelholzEverydayA German family name that means "wooden spoon".luchanלוּחָןEverydayA plan that shows when things will happen, like a schedule o…lukanלוּקָןEverydayA type of sausage, like a hot dog or a country-style sausage…lachenלָוכֵןFormalUsed to show that one thing is the reason for another thing.…lachenלָכֵןFormalTherefore; for that reason. You use it to show that one thin…lamadתִּלְמַד
M
malachמַלְאָךְEverydayA helper or messenger sent by God, often shown with wings.mamashמַמָּשׁEveryday1. Used to say something is true or real, like the word 'rea…meirמֵאֵירEveryday1. Making a place bright with light.
2. Making an idea or a …melechמֶלֶךְEverydayA man who is the ruler of a country, usually because he is f…mihanashimhaeleמִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּהEverydayA question you ask when you want to know who a group of peop…mishpachahמִשְׁפָּחָהEverydayA group of people who are related to each other, like parent…mitzvahמִצְוָהEveryday1. A good and kind thing you do for another person.
2. In th…malchutמַלְכוּתFormal1. A country that is ruled by a king or a queen.
2. The time…
N
nachashנָחָשׁEverydayAn animal with a long body and no legs that slides on the gr…naharנָהַרEverydayA large, natural stream of water that flows into a sea or a …nasaנָסַעEverydayTo go from one place to another, usually in a car, bus, or t…nefeshנֶפֶשׁEveryday1. The part of a person that is not the body; the part that …nesנֵסEverydaySomething amazing that happens that you cannot explain, like…neshamahנְשָׁמָהEveryday1. The part of a person that is not the body; the soul.
2. A…nichnasנִכְנַסEverydayHe went into a place, like a room or a building.nifgashנִפְגַּשׁEverydayHe came together with someone at the same place and time.nechamahנֶחָמָהFormalA feeling of comfort that helps you feel better when you are…nevelנֵבֶלFormalA large musical instrument with many strings that you play w…nebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּרBiblicalThe name of a famous king of ancient Babylon. He is known fr…nachashוְהַנָּחָשׁ֙naharמְנַהֲרִיnifgashנִפְגַּשְׁנוּ
O
P
Q
R
rakadרָקַדEverydayTo move your body to music.ratzonרָצוֹןEveryday1. The power inside you that lets you choose what you want t…richzרִכְזEveryday1. To bring many things or people together into one place.
2…rikuzרִכּוּזEveryday1. When you put all your thoughts on one thing and do not th…ruachרוּחַEverydayAir that is moving outside.rashaרָשָׁעFormalA bad person who does wrong things and hurts other people.rakadנִרְקֹד
S
shabbatשַׁבָּתEverydayThe seventh day of the week, from Friday evening to Saturday…shafachשָׁפַךְEveryday1. To make a liquid fall out of a container by accident.
2. …shalomשָׁלוֹםEveryday1. A feeling of quiet and calm, when there is no fighting or…shamayimשָׁמַיִםEverydayThe big open space above the Earth where you see the sun, mo…shuvשׁוּבEverydayDoing something one more time.slichahסְלִיחָהEveryday1. A word you say when you make a mistake or hurt someone by…sodסוֹדEverydaySomething that you tell to only one person or a few people, …stevenjohanneskoelmeyerסְטֶפֶן יוֹחָנָן קוֹל מַיֶּרEverydayA man's first name, the same as "Stephen" in English.shchinahשְׁכִינָהSynagogueThe idea that God is living or resting in a certain place or…selahסֶלָהBiblicalA word written in the Book of Psalms that probably told the …shachachשָׁחַחBiblicalTo bend your body forward and down, often to show respect or…shaolשָׁאוֹלBiblicalThe name of the first king of Israel in the Bible.sodelסוֹד־אֵלBiblicalA secret that God shares with people who are close to him.shachachוַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּshafachתִּשְׁפֹּךְshuvשׁוּבִי
T
teshuvahתְּשׁוּבָהEveryday1. Something you say or write when someone asks you a questi…tikkunתִּיקוּןEveryday1. The act of fixing something that is broken.
2. A change y…tinokתִּינוֹקEverydayA very young child, from when they are born until they are a…tzedakahצְדָקָהEveryday1. Giving money, food, or help to people who need it.
2. Doi…tzedekצֶדֶקEveryday1. When things are fair and right for everyone.
2. Doing wha…tiferetתִּפְאֶרֶתFormalA special kind of beauty or greatness that makes people feel…tzfunצָפוּןFormal1. Something that is hidden or kept in a secret place so oth…tefillahתְּפִלָּהSynagogueTalking to God, often to ask for something, to say thank you…torahתּוֹרָהSynagogueThe Torah is the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. It is…
Y
yesodיְסוֹדEveryday1. The bottom part of a building that holds it up.
2. The ma…yareיָרֵאFormal1. Feeling afraid of something.
2. A person who respects and…yeshuahיְשׁוּעָהSynagogueHelp that saves you when you are in big trouble or danger.yeorיְאֹרBiblicalThe big river in Egypt, called the Nile. In old stories or p…
Z
ב
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