Lidvarei, omrim she-, medubar al: other people's words without a name
English hides the source behind "they say"; here there are three different doors for it, each with its own degree of responsibility. Lidvarei names the person: lidvarei harofe — according to the doctor — and now the doctor is the one to ask. For example: “לדברי הרופא, אין דלקת.” — According to the doctor, there is no inflammation. A rule from the Hebrew course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
English hides the source behind "they say"; here there are three different doors for it, each with its own degree of responsibility. Lidvarei names the person: lidvarei harofe — according to the doctor — and now the doctor is the one to ask.
Omrim she- — they say that: an impersonal "they" that nobody stands behind. A rumor enters freely through this door: omrim shehamalon yakar — they say the hotel is expensive — and who said it, nobody knows.
Medubar al — it is about: this is said not about words but about a topic. In the news this formula stands in almost every second sentence, and details that are not yet confirmed usually follow it.
And direct retelling is held by the familiar amar she-: hu amar shehu ayef — he said that he is tired. Between amar and omrim there is a gulf: one answers for his words, the others answer for nothing.
Table
| turn | example | what it reports |
|---|---|---|
| לדברי + who | לדברי הרופא | according to — there is a source |
| אומרים ש- | אומרים שהמלון יקר | they say — a rumor, nobody vouches |
| מדובר על | מדובר על שינוי | it is about — a topic, not a quote |
| הוא אמר ש- | הוא אמר שהוא עייף | direct retelling with she- |
| כידוע | כידוע, אין עבודה בשבת | as is known — a common place |
| לכאורה | לכאורה הכול בסדר | ostensibly — it seems, but we doubt |
By example
- לדברי הרופא, אין דלקת.лидварей ха-рофэ, эйн даклет.According to the doctor, there is no inflammation.
- אומרים שיש סקר חדש.омрим ше-йеш сэкэр хадаш.They say there is a new survey.
- מדובר על שינוי במחיר, לא על ביטול.медубар аль шинуй ба-мехир, ло аль битуль.It is about a change of price, not about a cancellation.
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
How to say according to in Hebrew?
English hides the source behind "they say"; here there are three different doors for it, each with its own degree of responsibility. Lidvarei names the person: lidvarei harofe — according to the doctor — and now the doctor is the one to ask.
How to pass on other people's words in Hebrew?
Medubar al — it is about: this is said not about words but about a topic. In the news this formula stands in almost every second sentence, and details that are not yet confirmed usually follow it.
What does medubar al mean?
Medubar al — it is about: this is said not about words but about a topic. In the news this formula stands in almost every second sentence, and details that are not yet confirmed usually follow it.
The rule of omrim she in Hebrew?
English hides the source behind "they say"; here there are three different doors for it, each with its own degree of responsibility. Lidvarei names the person: lidvarei harofe — according to the doctor — and now the doctor is the one to ask.
What does it look like in a Hebrew example sentence?
“לדברי הרופא, אין דלקת.” (лидварей ха-рофэ, эйн даклет.) — According to the doctor, there is no inflammation. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.