Learn Hebrew Online for Free: Lesson One

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Basic Course

Hebrew

Unit 1

1.1 Greetings (Two Men)

Mr. Cohen

Hello, Moshe Shalom, Moshe

שלום משה

How are you? Ma, shlom-cha?

?מה שלומך

Peace, welfare

שלום

What

מה

The welfare of

shlom-

 –שלומ

You, your (m.s.)

-cha

 ך

 

Moshe

Thank you very much.

Todah rabah

תודה רבה

I’m fine.

Ani beseder

אני בסדר

And how are you?

Uma shlom-cha?

?ומה שלומך

Thanks

 todah  תודה

Much

 rabah  רבה

I

 Ani  אני

And

 Ve  –ו

 

Mr. Cohen

Fine. Tov

טוב

How is Aych

איך

the family? Hamishpacha?

?המשפחה

The

Ha-

 – ה

Family

 Mishpacha  משפחה

 

Moshe

OK. Beseder

בסדר

How is Aych

איך

your wife? Ish-techa

?אישתך

Ok

בסדר

How

איך

 

Mr. Cohen

She is fine, too Gam he beseder

גם היא בסדר

Excuse me Slicha

סליחה

I have to Ani tsa-rich

אני צריך

Run Larutz

לרוץ

Too, also

גם

She

היא

Excuse/pardon me

סליחה

To run

לרוץ

 

Moshe

Oh, yes!

O – ken!

!או – כן

It’s late already Kvar

כבר

Goodbye Meuchar

מאוחר

Yes

כן

Already

  כבר

Late

  מאוחר

 

Mr. Cohen

So long

Shalom

שלום

Be seeing you Lehitraot

להתראות

To see again

להתראות

1.2 Greetings (Two Women)

Mrs. Cohen

Hello, Miriam

Shalom, Miriam

שלום, מרים

How are you? Ma Shlomech

?מה שלומך

You, your (f.s.)

-ech 

 ך

 

Miriam

Thank you very much

Todah rabah

תודה רבה

I’m fine Shlomi tov

שלומי טוב

And how are you? Uma shlomech

?ומה שלומך

 

Mrs. Cohen

Fine

Tov

טוב

How’s the family? Ma shlom hamishpacha

?מה שלום המשפחה

Miriam

All right

Beseder

בסדר

How is your husband? Ma shlom ba-al-ech

?מה שלום בעלך

Husband

Ba-al   בעל

Your husband (f.s.)

Ba-al-ech   בעלך

 

Mrs. Cohen

He’s fine, too

Gam shlomo tov

גם שלוםו טוב

Excuse me Slicha

סליחה

I have to run Ani tsri-cha la-rutz

אמי צריכה לרוץ

Him

-o   ו

Have to, must (f.s.)

Tsri-cha   צריכה

 

Miriam

Oh yes! It’s late already.

O – ken! Kvar meyuchar

או – כן! כבר מאוחר

So long. Shalom

שלום

 

Mrs. Cohen

So long, be seeing you

Shalom. Lehitraot.

שלום לחתראות

 

1.3 Additional Vocabulary

We are fine.

Shlomenu tov

שלומנו טוב

How are you? (m.pl.)

Ma shlomchem

?מה שלומכם

How are you? (f.pl.)

Ma shlomchen

?מה שלומכן

How are they? (m.pl.)

Ma shlomam

?מה שלומם

How are they? (f.pl.) Ma shloman

?מה שלומן

Mr. Karmi

Mar Karmi

מר כרמי

Mr. Karmi (alternative form)

Adon Karmi

אדון כרני

Miss, Mrs. or Ms. Karni

Gveret Karmi

גברת כרני

It is early

Mukdam

מוקדם

1.3 Classroom expressions

In this section, we introduce a few additional Hebrew phrases. They should be practiced until the pronunciation is learned. Some of the expressions are given in more than one form, differing in gender or number.

Close the door.

(said to a man)

Sgor et hadelet

סגור את הדלת

(said to a woman)

Si-gri et hadelet

סגרי את הדלת

Sit down, please.

(said to a man)

Shev bvakasha

שב בבקשה

(said to a woman)

Shvi bvakasha

שבי בבקשה

(said to men or both)

Shvu bvakasha

שבו בבקשה

Quiet please

Sheket bvakasha

שקת, בבקשה

Open your books.

(said to more than one person)

Patchu et hasefarim

פתחו את הספרים

Speak louder.

(said to a man)

Dabair yotair bekol

דבר יותר בקול

(said to a woman)

Debri yotair bekol

דברי יותר בקול

All together

Kulam biyachad

כולם ביחד

Again

Od Pa-am

עוד פעם

Do you understand?

(said to a man)

Atah mehvin

?אתה מבין

(said to a woman)

At mehvina

?את מבינה

I don’t know

(said by a man)

Ani loh mehvin

אני לא מבין

(said by a woman)

Ani loh mehvina

אמי לא מבינה

Please translate

(said to a man)

Targem, bvakasha

תרגם, בבקשה

(said to a woman)

Targ-mi, bvakasha

תרגמי, בבקשה

How do you say

table

in Hebrew?

Aych omrim איך אומרים  tableבעברית

 

Grammar Drills

 

1.5 Masculine and Feminine

Compare the following sets of corresponding sentences from conversations 1.1 and 1.2:

Hello Moshe

Shalom, Moshe

שלום, מרים

How are you? Ma Shlom-cha

?מה שלומך

Hello, Miriam

Shalom, Miriam

שלום, מרים

How are you? Ma Shlomech

?מה שלומך

How is your wife?

Ma shlom eesh-te-cha

?מה שלום אישתך

How is your husband? Ma shlom ba-al-ech

?מה שלום בעלך

 

Note that forms differ whether a man or a woman is being spoken to. It is important that you learn the corresponding forms at the begining. All nouns in Hebrew, whether or not referring to beings with gender, are members of one of the other class. These will be designated (m) or (f) in the vocabulary listings.

The following drills should be thoroughly learned. Such errors may produce a reaction similar to that felt by English speaks on hearing the following;

How is your brother?”

She is fine thank you.”

The cue words in the following drills are the names of men and women. Include the name in the response so as to fix firmly the connection of form and gender of the person spoken to. You can vary the drill by using the masculine and feminine names that you are familiar with.

Partner Shalom Moshe, ma shlom-cha

שלום משה מה שלומך

Student Shalom Moshe, ma shlom-cha

שלום משה מה שלומך

Partner

Miriam

מרים

Student Shalom Miriam, ma shlomech

שלום מרים מה שלומך

partner Shalom Miriam, ma shlomech

שלום מרים מה שלומך

 

A. Shalom Moshe, Mashlom-cha שלום משהץ מה שלומך

Miriam

Shalom Miriam, ma shlomech

מרים

Mar Cohen Shalom Mar Cohen, ma shlom-cha

מר כהן

Gveret Williams Shalom gveret Williams, ma shlomech

גבוויליאמס

Gveret kaspi Shalom gveret Caspi, ma shlomech

גבכספי

Mar Williams Shalom Mar Williams, ma shlomcha

מר ווילאמס

Avigdor(m) Shalom Avigdor, ma shlomcha

אביגדור

Chana (f) Shalom Chana, ma shlomech

חנה

Mar Kaspi Shalom Mar Kaspi, ma shlomcha

מר כספי

Moshe Shalom Moshe, ma shlomcha

משה

 

B. Ma Shlom ish-te-cha, Mar Williamsמה שלום אשתך, מר וויליאמס?ס

Gveret Williams

Ma shlom ba-al-ech, gveret Williams

גבוויליאמס

Mar Kohen Ma shlom ish-te-cha, Mar Kohen

מר כספי

Gveret Kohen Ma shlom ba-al-ech, gveret Karmi

גבכהן

Gveret Karmi MMa shlom ba-al-ech, gveret Williams

גבכרמי

Chana Ma shlom ba-al-ech, Chana

חנה

Moshe Ma shlom ish-te-cha, Moshe

משה

Mar Williams Ma shlom ish-te-cha, Mar Williams

מר וויליאמס

1.6 Pronominal Suffixes – Singular Set

There are several sets of pronouns indicating person, gender and number. The following occur as suffixes to singular nouns and to certain propositions. They will be referred to as the singular set.

When suffixed to nouns they are after translated as possessives.

Ma shlomcha (literally) What is your peace? (meaning) how are you?

Ma shlom ish-te-cha How is your wife?

Shlomi tov (literally)My peace is good (meaning) I’m good

When suffixed to prepositions they are usually translated as the objects of the prepositions.

   A. Substitution Drill

How are you Ma shlom-cha

מה שלומך

Ma shlomech

מה שלומך

Ma shlom-chem

מה שלומכם

Ma shlomam

מה שלומם

Ma shloman

מה שלומן

Ma shlomo

מה שלומו

Ma shlom-chen

מה שלומכן

Ma shloma

מה שלומה

 

B. Substitution Drill 

I’m fine Shlomi tov

שלומי טוב

Shlomenu

שלומנו

Shlomo

שלומו

Shloman

שלומן

Shloma

שלומה

shlomam

שלומם

 

C. Response Drill

Partner Ma shlomcha

?מה שלומך

Student

Shlomi tov

Partner Ma shlomchem

?מה שלומכם

Student Shlomenoo tov
Partner Ma shlomam

?מה שלומם

Student Shlomam tov
Partner Ma shlomo

?מה שלומו

Student Shlomo tov
Partner Ma shlomchen

?מה שלומכן

Student Shlomenoo tov
Partner Ma shloma

?מה שלומה

Student Shloma tov
Partner Ma shlomech

?מה שלומך

Student Shlomi tov

 

D. Response Drill

Partner

Ma shlom ba-al-ech

?מה שלום בעלך

Student

Shlomo tov

Partner Ma shlom ish-t’cha

?מה שלום אשתך

Student Shloma tov
Partner Ma shlom hamishpacha

?מה שלום המשפחה

Student Shloma tov
Partner Ma shlom ba-al-ah

?מה שלום בעלה

Student Shlomo tov
Partner Ma shlom ish-toh

?מה שלומם אשתו

Student Shloma tov

 

1.7 Alternate forms of nouns before suffixes

Many nouns have alternate for when occurring with a pronominal suffix.

Shalom Welfare Shlomi My welfare
Isha Wife Ish-ti My wife

Compare, on the other hand;

Ba-al husband Ba-al-i My husband

 

It is very difficult to predict which nouns will have such alternate forms or what the alternative form will be. You should simply drill these as they occur in the text until you have mastered them.

When a suffixed noun occurs in a basic sentence the independent form of the noun will be given in the vocabulary breakdown and as much as possible drills will be provided.

Review Conversations

The purpose of the Review Conversations is to lead you into free conversation within the range of the vocabulary and grammatical patterns which have been learned.

Read the conversations a number of times until you are familiar with them. If you need help with the translations look back at the work that you have already done. When you are confident that you understand the conversations you are ready to practice them.

2. If you have a partner to work with, the partner can read the conversations and you can repeat them. You can then switch roles. If you are working alone you can be all the ‘parts’.

A

Shalom, gveret Kohen. Ma shlomech?

שלום, גברת כהן, מה שלומך

א

B

Todah. Shlomi tov, uma shlom-cha?

תודה. שלומי טוב ומה שלומך

ב

A

Gam shlomi tov, todah.

גם שלומי טוב, תודה

א

B

Ma shlom Moshe?

מה שלום מושה

ב

A

Ani loh yo-dey-a.

אני לא יודע

א

C

Ma shlom ish-te-cha, Mar Karmi?

מה שלום אשתך, מר כרמי

ג

D

Bseder, todah. Ma shlom ba-al-ech?

בסדר, תודה. מה שלום בעלך

ד

C

Shlomi tov. Ma shlom hamishpacha

שלומו טוב. מה שלום המשפחה

ג

D

Tov, todah. Slicha. Meh-u-char

טוב, תודה. סליחה. מאוחר

ד

C

O, gam ani tsri-cha larutz. Shalom

או, גם אני צריכה לרוץ. שלום

ג

D

Shalom, lehitraot

שלום, להתראות

ד

E

Shalom, Mar Williams; Shalom Gaveret Williams  שלוםת מר וויליאמס

F

Ma shlomchem?  מה שלומכם

G

Todah rabah. Shlomenu tov.  תודה רבה. שלומנו טוב

H

Ma shlomech, gveret Zahavee  מה שלומך, גברת זהבי

I

Beseder. Ma shlom hamishpacha  בסדר. מה שלום המשפחה

J

Slicha. Ani loh mehvin. Od hapa-am bvakasha  סליחה. אני לא מבין. עוד הפעם בבקשה

K

Ma shlom hamishpacha  מה שלום המשפחה

L

Shloma tov, todah  שלומה טוב, תודה

 

 

M

Shalom, Mar Karmi.  שלום, מר קרמי

N

Oy! Shalom Moshe. Ma Shlomcha?  או! שלום, משה! מה שלומך

Bseder. Sgor et hadelet, bvakasha.  בסדר. סגור את הדלת, בבקשה
P Ken. Slicha.  כן. סליחה
 
Q Mar Williams, shev, bevakasha. מר וויליאמס, שב, בבקשה
R Od hapa-am, bvakasha, ani loh mehvin עוד הפעם, בבקשה. אני לא מבין
S Shev, bvakasha. שב, בבקשה
T O ken. Ani mehvin, todah. או כן. אני מבין. תודה
 
U Slicha, Miriam. Ani tsarich larutz. סליחה, מרים. אני צריך לרוץ
V Loh. Shev, bvakasha. Mookdam. לא. שב, בבקשה. מוקדם
W Lo, todah. Meh-u-char. לא, תודה. מאוחר
Tov. Lehitraot טוב. להתראות
X Sheket, bvakasha. שקט, בבקשה
Y Slicha. Daber yoter bakol. סליחה. דבר יותר בקול
Z Sheket! Atah mehvin? שקט! אתה מבין
A Tov. Ani mehvin. Slicha טוב. אני מבין. סליחה

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