English

Smichut: two words hold on to one notion

The English "workplace" here stands in the reverse order: makom avoda — literally "the place of work". The first word belongs to the second: beit olam — "the house of eternity", sachar minimum — "the pay of minimum". You have already owned this construction: beit sefer — a school — "the house of the book". For example: “מקום העבודה שלי ליד הים.” — My workplace is by the sea. A rule from the Hebrew course: worked out…

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

How it works

The English "workplace" here stands in the reverse order: makom avoda — literally "the place of work". The first word belongs to the second: beit olam — "the house of eternity", sachar minimum — "the pay of minimum". You have already owned this construction: beit sefer — a school — "the house of the book".

The article always moves onto the second word: beit hasefer — that very school. Kav hasiyum is the finish line, chukei hamischak the rules of the game. One ha- serves the whole pair.

The first word of a smichut often changes its ending: a final -a becomes -at. Bricha and schiya give brichat schiya; shmura and teva give shmurat teva. The first word bends to hold on to the next one.

Smichut does not like more than two words: beyond that shel is taken — hadelet shel hameltacha — the door of the changing room. That way the phrase breathes.

Table

Smichut: two words hold on to one notion
translationHebrewliterallywith the article
a schoolבית ספרthe house of the bookבית הספר
a workplaceמקום עבודהthe place of workמקום העבודה
a swimming poolבריכת שחייהthe pool of swimmingבריכת השחייה
the rules of the gameחוקי משחקthe laws of the gameחוקי המשחק
the delivery costדמי משלוחthe money of deliveryדמי המשלוח
the capitalעיר בירהthe city of the capitalעיר הבירה
minimum wageשכר מינימוםthe pay of minimumשכר המינימום
the finishקו סיוםthe line of the endקו הסיום

By example

  • מקום העבודה שלי ליד הים.
    маком ха-авода шели ляд ха-ям.
    My workplace is by the sea.
  • בריכת השחייה החדשה גדולה.
    брихат ха-сихья ха-хадаша гдола.
    The new pool is big.
  • תשלום המשכורת בחמישה עשר לחודש.
    ташлум ха-мишхорэт бе-хамиша асар ле-ходеш.
    The salary is paid on the fifteenth.

How the rule settles in your head

A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.

Frequently asked

Construct state smichut in Hebrew?

The English "workplace" here stands in the reverse order: makom avoda — literally "the place of work". The first word belongs to the second: beit olam — "the house of eternity", sachar minimum — "the pay of minimum". You have already owned this construction: beit sefer — a school — "the house of…

How to say workplace in Hebrew?

The English "workplace" here stands in the reverse order: makom avoda — literally "the place of work". The first word belongs to the second: beit olam — "the house of eternity", sachar minimum — "the pay of minimum". You have already owned this construction: beit sefer — a school — "the house of…

The article in smichut in Hebrew?

The English "workplace" here stands in the reverse order: makom avoda — literally "the place of work". The first word belongs to the second: beit olam — "the house of eternity", sachar minimum — "the pay of minimum". You have already owned this construction: beit sefer — a school — "the house of…

How to join two nouns in Hebrew?

The English "workplace" here stands in the reverse order: makom avoda — literally "the place of work". The first word belongs to the second: beit olam — "the house of eternity", sachar minimum — "the pay of minimum". You have already owned this construction: beit sefer — a school — "the house of…

What does it look like in a Hebrew example sentence?

“מקום העבודה שלי ליד הים.” (маком ха-авода шели ляд ха-ям.) — My workplace is by the sea. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.

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