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Streetwise Hebrew

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Streetwise Hebrew
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  • Streetwise Hebrew

    #111 It's All in the Game

    12/05/2026 | 9 mins.
    The word משחק can mean so many things in Hebrew – from a game, a match, or a toy, to acting in a movie or a play. Guy explains this root, שֹחק, and teaches us how to thank a good friend who brought coffee to our office desk without even being asked.
    Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon
     
    New Words and Expressions:
    Lesachek – To play a game, to play with a toy, to play in a movie – לשחק
    "Lo lesachek im lev shel gever" – Don't play with a guy's heart – לא לשחק עם לב של גבר
    Mesachek be-esh – Playing with fire – משחק באש
    Hu mesachek tafkid – He's playing a role – הוא משחק תפקיד
    Hu tamid mesachek et ha-rasha – He always plays the villain – הוא תמיד משחק את הרשע
    Sichakta / sichakt / sichaktem ota be'emet – You've really played it – שיחקת אותה באמת
    "Sichakta ota im ha-espresso ha-ze" – You really outdid yourself with this espresso – שיחקת אותה עם האספרסו הזה
    Lesachek ota metumtam – To play it dumb – לשחק אותה מטומטם
    Eize sichuk – What a play – איזה שיחוק
    "Ze ha-kol rak mischak shel dma'ot" – It's all a game of tears – זה הכל רק משחק של דמעות
    Mischak – Toy, game, play, match, acting – משחק
    "Amru lo she-hachayim ze lo mischak" – They told him that life is not a game – אמרו לו שהחיים זה לא משחק
    Mischak kaduregel – Football game – משחק כדורגל
    Mischak klafim – Card game – משחק קלפים
    Mischakei ha-kes – Game of Thrones – משחקי הכס
    Mischak mesukan – Dangerous game – משחק מסוכן
    Mischak machur – Fixed game – משחק מכור
    Mischakiya – Playroom – משחקייה
    Sachkan – Actor, player – שחקן
    Sachkanit – Actress, player – שחקנית
    Ha-seret mesuchak lo tov – The movie is not well acted – הסרט משוחק לא טוב
    Ha-mischak lo mashehu – The acting is not great – המשחק לא משהו
    Ramai – Cheater – רמאי
    Shakran – Liar – שקרן
    Idiot, debil, mefager, metumtam, dafuk – Jerk – אידיוט, דביל, מפגר, מטומטם, דפוק
     
    Playlist and Clips:
    Eyal Golan – Lev shel Gever (lyrics)
    Arik Einstein – Sus Etz (lyrics)
    Nikmat Ha-tractor – Mischak shel Dma'ot (lyrics)
    Arik Einstein – Amru Lo (lyrics)
    Adriano Celentano – Azzurro
    Ep. no. 172 about dafuk
    Ep. no. 248 about shakran (liar) HEB
    Ep. no. 338 about lehatsli'ach (succeed) HEB
  • Streetwise Hebrew

    #106 Learning Hebrew? Kol Ha-Kavod!

    05/05/2026 | 8 mins.
    The Middle East is a place where people swear "on the honor of their mom" without thinking too much. Guy teaches us all the uses of the Hebrew word כבוד – "honor" – right from the Prime Minister's official title to what you jot on the front of an envelope.
    Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon
     
    New Words and Expressions:
    Kavod – Respect, honor – כבוד
    Kol ha-kavod – Well done – כל הכבוד
    Kol ha-kavod lecha/lach – Kudos to you – כל הכבוד לך
    "Kvodo shachach levarech" – You (formal) forgot to say the prayer – כבודו שכח לברך
    "Ze kavod gadol she-" – It's a great honor that… – זה כבוד גדול ש
    Ani mitkabed lehazmin – I am honored to invite – אני מתכבד להזמין
    "Ha-rishon she-hevin et godel ha-eru'a" – The first to understand the magnitude of what happened – הראשון שהבין את גודל האירוע
    Kvod Rosh memshelet Israel – His Excellency, the Prime Minister of Israel – כבוד ראש ממשלת ישראל
    Kvod ha-shofetet – Your Honor (to a female judge) – כבוד השופטת
    Kvod nesi ha-medina – His Excellency the President – כבוד נשיא המדינה
    Titkabed, titkabdi, titkabdu – Help yourself – תתכבד, תתכבדי, תתכבדו
    Kibood – Refreshment – כיבוד
    Mis'hakei kavod – Ego games – משחקי כבוד
    Ani nishba ba-kavod sheli – I swear on my honor – אני נשבע בכבוד שלי
    Sharaf (Arabic) – Honor – שרפ – شَرُفَ
    Be-kha-vod – I'd be honored, Gladly – בכבוד
    Likhvod – For (formal) – לכבוד
    Likhvodekh – For you (formal) – לכבודך
    Nikiti et ha-bayit likhvodkha – I cleaned the house for you – ניקיתי את הבית לכבודך
     
    Playlist and Clips:
    Yehoram Ga'on – Kol Ha-kavod (lyrics)
    David Broza – Tio Alberto (lyrics)
    Hagiga Ba-snooker
    Netanyahu – Ceremony 
    Ariel Israelov & Idan Baranes – Mishakim shel Kavod
    Avi Biter – Ba-kavod sheli (lyrics)
    Roulla Saad – Bisharafak 
    Gazoz – Likhvod ha-kayits (lyrics)
    Shlishiyat Gesher Ha-Yarkon – Likhvodekh (lyrics)
  • Streetwise Hebrew

    #104 Streetwise Support: Ease the Heavy Burden of Learning Hebrew

    28/04/2026 | 7 mins.
    The word for "support" – תמיכה – is used widely in Hebrew, mainly in the context of tech support. The verb is לתמוך. Guy has a special message at the end of the show related to this. Curious? Have a listen and click below.
    Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon
     
    New Words and Expressions:
    Hu tamach – He supported – הוא תמך
    Litmoch be-mishehu/be-mashehu – To support someone or something – לתמוך במישהו/במשהו
    "Hu dei tamach ba-proyekt" – He kinda supported the project – הוא די תמך בפרוייקט
    "Be'otam mikrim she-hadafdefan lo tomech be JavaScript" – In those cases where the browser does not support JavaScript – באותם מקרים שהדפדפן לא תומך בג'אווה סקריפט
    Ha-tomech – The support person – התומך
    Tmicha – Support – תמיכה
    Hem natu lo tmicha – They supported him – הם נתנו לו תמיכה
    "Tmicha mishpachtit" (Archaic) – Family support/allowance – תמיכה משפחתית
    Titkasher la-tmicha – Call support – תתקשר לתמיכה
    Tmicha kaspit – Financial support – תמיכה כספית
    Tmicha me-rachok – Remote support – תמיכה מרחוק
    Tmicha nafshit – Mental support – תמיכה נפשית
    Tmicha rigshit – Emotional support – תמיכה רגשית
    Kvutsat tmicha – A support group – קבוצת תמיכה
    "Plus tmicha" – Plus support – פלוס תמיכה
    Nitmach – Supported – נתמך
    Lehitamech – To be supported – להיתמך
     
    Playlist and Clips:
    Corinne Alal – Ha-taasiya Ha-abirit (lyrics) 
    Tomech be-Java Script
    Lahakat Ha-nachal – Dina Barzilai (lyrics)
    Ep. no. 94HEB about Tmicha technit, technical support
  • Streetwise Hebrew

    #448 You the Landlord or the Tenant?

    14/04/2026 | 10 mins.
    Oftentimes, Israelis mix up the Hebrew words משכיר and שוכר. It's the difference between "renting" an apartment and "renting out" an apartment. It's a common mistake that you don't have to make! Guy explains.
    Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon
     
    New Words and Expressions:
    Liskor dira – To rent an apartment – לשכור
    Baal/ba'alat ha-bayit – Landlord, landlady – בעל / בעלת הבית
    Ani socher / socheret dira – I rent an apartment – אני שוכר / שוכרת דירה
    Ha-socher / ha-socheret – The tenant, the renter – השוכר / השוכרת
    S'char dira – The rent – שכר דירה, שכ"ד
    Schar dira gavoha / schar dira namooch – High rent, low rent – שכר דירה גבוה, שכר דירה נמוך
    Hi gara be-dira schoora – She lives in a rental apartment – היא גרה בדירה שכורה
    Rechev sachoor – Rented car – רכב שכור
    Hi gara be-schiroot / hu gar be-schiroot – They live in a rented place – היא גרה בשכירות /הוא גר בשכירות
    Lehaskir – To rent out – להשכיר
    Hu maskir dira – He rents out an apartment – הוא משכיר דירה
    Hi maskira dira – She rents out an apartment – היא משכירה דירה
    Dira Lehaskir – An apartment to let – דירה להשכיר
    Dirot le-haskara – Apartments for rent – דירות להשכרה
    Zeh le-haskara? – Is it for rent? – זה להשכרה
    Haskarat dirot – Leasing of apartments – השכרת דירות
    Haskarat rechev – Car rental – השכרת רכב
    Hevra le-haskarat rechev – Car rental company – חברה להשכרת רכב
    Ha-maskir – The lessor – המשכיר
     
    Playlist and Clips:
    Peer Tasi – Derech Ha-shalom (lyrics)
    Leah Goldberg – Dira Lehaskir
    Yad-2 commercial – Dirot le-haskara
    Yad-2 commercial
    Ep. no. 425 HEB about real estate agents
  • Streetwise Hebrew

    #102 Crazy Hebrew for Crazy Days

    31/03/2026 | 8 mins.
    We are going through some ימים משוגעים – "crazy days" – in Israel at the moment, so let's talk about how we drive someone crazy in Hebrew. Guy promises a special sanity episode once things get back to normal.
    Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon
     
    New Words and Expressions:
    Yamim meshugaim – Crazy days – ימים משוגעים
    Meshuga – Crazy – משוגע
    Pgu'a nefesh – Suffering from mental illness – פגוע נפש
    Leshage'ah –  To drive someone crazy – לשגע
    "Zeh ha-erev ha-ze ha-meshge'ah" – It's this amazing evening – זה הערב הזה המשגע
    "Hu meshage'ah et kulan" – He drives all the girls crazy – הוא משגע את כולן
    Al teshage'ah oti (al chage'ah oti) – Don't drive me crazy – אל תשגע אותי
    "Ha-bachura shelcha, hi rak shig'ah otcha" – Your girl, she only drove you crazy – הבחורה שלך, היא רק שיגעה אותך
    Ba'al ha-bayit hishtage'ah – The landlord lost his mind – בעל הבית השתגע
    Hishtagata? hishtagat? Hishtagatem? – Have you lost your mind? – השתגעת / השתגעת / השתגעתם
    "Yesh tipot shel shiga'on beinenu" – There are drops of insanity between us – יש טיפות של שיגעון בינינו
    Shaga'at – Craziness – שגעת
    "Kor'im leze shaga'at, kor'im leze tarefet" – They call it insanity, they call it craziness – קוראים לזה שגעת, קוראים לזה טרפת
    Metoraf – Crazy – מטורף
    Meshugene tiranen – Crazy tyrants – משוגענע טיראַנען
    Shaja3 hilmak (Ar.) – Follow your dream – שג'ע חלמכ – شجع حلمك
    Tashji'a (Ar.) – Encouragement, cheering – תשג'יע – تَشْجِيع
    Mushaja'in (Ar.) – Fans, supporters – מושג'עין – مشجعين
     
    Playlist and Clips:
    Matti Caspi – Zemer Mapuhit (lyrics)
    Yoni Yosef – Meshage'ah et Kulan (lyrics)
    Zohar Argov – Al Teshag'I Oti (lyrics)
    Avihu Shabbat & Michal Amdursky – Yalla (lyrics)
    Omer Adam – Wai Li (lyrics)
    Rami Fortis & Barry Saharoff – Halom Kachol (lyrics)
    Benny Bashan – Achla Hamuda (lyrics)
    Lior Narkis – Shaga'at/Tarefet (lyrics)
    Trio Carpion – Push the Button (lyrics)
    Nancy Ajarm & Cheb Khaled – Shaja Hilmak
    Ep. no. 151 about intensifiers and superlatives HEB

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About Streetwise Hebrew

A bite-size podcast showcasing modern Hebrew and its slang. Host Guy Sharett explains what we can learn about Israeli psyche, society, and culture through the Hebrew language.
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