Food and drink in Hebrew
177 words in Hebrew on the topic “food and drink”: קפה — coffee, תה — tea, מים — water, לחם — bread.
177 words on the topic
- קפהкафеcoffeeReads almost like the English word, but it is the drink. Black coffee here is kafe shachor
- תהтэteaA two-letter word. The final ה is not read — te, not teh
- מיםмаимwaterThe word is always plural — waters. There is no singular water in Hebrew
- לחםлехемbreadThe same root as Arabic lahm. Bethlehem is Beit Lechem, literally "the house of bread"
- אוכלохельfoodOne and the same word means food and he eats — only the place in the sentence tells them apart
- חלבхалавmilkThe throaty ח at the start — chalav, not kalav. Kosher law does not mix it with meat
- גבינהгвинаcheeseFeminine. Soft white cheese is as standard a breakfast here as a sandwich is elsewhere
- בשרбосарmeatOne word for meat in general; the kind of animal gets its own word. Bosari means a butcher shop
- דגдагfishA short three-letter word; the plural is dagim. In writing it is one letter away from רע
- סלטсалатsaladReads almost like the English word. The Israeli breakfast is first of all a salad
- מרקмаракsoupSame root as merkacha, a remedy: the thing cooked in a pot
- מלחмеляхsaltThe Dead Sea in Hebrew is Yam HaMelach, the sea of salt. One and the same salt
- בירהбираbeerThe plural is birot. The doubling vowel inside is long: bee-ra
- ייןяйинwineTwo yods are written in a row, only one i sounds. From it also machsan yayin — a wine cellar
- פירותпейротfruitThe plural of pri — a fruit. The word is a distant cousin of the English fruit by way of Greek
- תפוחтапуахappleThe plural is tapuchim. Keep the throaty ח at the end, as in chalav
- תפוזтапузorangeTapuach + zahav, gold: a golden apple. One letter apart from tapuach in writing
- עגבנייהагванияtomatoFeminine, the plural is agvaniyot. No Israeli salad happens without it
- ירקותйеракотvegetablesFrom yarok, green: the green things. The plural is already in the dictionary form
- טעיםтаимtastyAbout the feminine — taima. The compliment to the cook sounds exactly like this: taim meod
- לאכולлеэхольto eatThe present: ochel, ochelet, ochlim. The same ochel also means food — only the place in the sentence tells them apart
- לשתותлиштотto drinkThe present: shote, shota, shotim. One form drinks water, coffee and takes medicine
- טריтариfreshAbout food: fresh bread, fresh fruit. The feminine is tarya, the plural tariim
- בשלбашельripeFrom the root b-sh-l — to ripen and to boil in one; the same root is in mevushal, stewed. Unripe is lo bashel
- אחרי האוכלахарей ха-охельafter mealsAcharei — after: a preposition of direction and of time at once. Medicine packs write acharei haochel — that is, not on an empty stomach
- ארוחת בוקרарухат бокерbreakfastLiterally "the meal of the morning": arucha is a meal. The Israeli breakfast is salad, cheese and coffee — and that is no joke
- ארוחת צהרייםарухат цораимlunchLiterally "the meal of noon": tzohoraim, noon, is always plural. Lunch in Israel is light — a salad or pasta
- ארוחת ערבарухат эрэвdinnerDinner, "the meal of the evening": the same pattern as breakfast. The family gathers in the evening — and that is the main sense of the word
- ללעוסлилоахto chewLiloach — to chew. Chewing gum here is mastika — from the Greek mastic resin, which really was chewed
- לבלועливлоаto swallowLivloa — to swallow: the root b-l-a. The pill is swallowed with a word of the same root
- תיאבוןтаавонappetiteAppetite: beteavon! — bon appetit, the Israeli "enjoy your meal". The word itself is bookish, the wish is at every lunch
- חתיכהхатихаa pieceA piece: chaticha lechem — a piece of bread. On the bill and in speech shalosh chatichot — three pieces, if they are cut, not counted
- ריחрэахsmellA smell: reach tov — it smells nice, reach ra — the opposite. The word is peaceful even though it sounds like a growl
- חמאהхемааbutterOnly the butter: the oil is shemen — a word of another root. The final ה is not read — chemaa
- תפוח אדמהтапуах адамаpotatoLiterally "the apple of the earth" — both words you know: tapuach and adama. Hebrew invented the same as the French
- קמחкэмахflourFlour; lechem, the bread, is baked from it — and that is the whole formula of bread. It resembles melach, salt, only by ear; on paper the letters differ
- דבשдвашhoneyHoney; the New Year is met with apples in honey — tapuach bedvash — and that is not a metaphor but a dinner
- אגוזיםэгозимnutsNuts; one is egoz. Almonds are shkedim, peanuts are egozei adama — the nuts of the earth
- בצלбацальonionThe onion; the green one is batzal yarok. It makes you cry — and that is the only difficulty of the word
- גזרгэзэрcarrotA carrot; the plural is gzarim. In the Moroccan salad it is cut small and eaten cold
- פלפלпильпельpepperBoth the black peppercorn and the bell pepper — one word; the context separates them. The hot one is pilpel charif — you will meet it in the taste lesson
- שעועיתшеуитbeansBeans, feminine; the green beans are sheuit yeruka — the green ones. The throaty ע inside is not read
- תבליניםтавлинимspicesA seasoning and spices in one; the verb is letavel — to season. Always plural, like the English spices
- להכיןлехахинto prepareTo prepare — about food and about everything: machin — he prepares a lesson, a dinner, an answer. Boiling in water is another verb, further in the lesson
- לשטוףлиштофto washTo wash, to rinse: the dishes, the hands, the car. The present: shoteaf — he washes, shoteafet — she washes
- סכיןсакинknifeA knife, feminine: sakin chada — a sharp knife. With a sharp knife even the soup cooks calmer
- לבשלлавашельto boil (cook)To boil and to stew: what is done in water and in the pot; bringing to the boil is lehartiach — a separate verb. The present: mevashel — he cooks, mevashlet — she cooks
- לטגןлетагенto fryTo fry in oil; tagun — fried — and every Israeli coffee house has tost tug — a fried toast. Baking is another verb
- לאפותлеафотto bakeTo bake in the oven; the tanur, the oven, is of the same root a-p-h. The Friday challah is baked with exactly this verb
- לחתוךлахтохto cutTo cut; the chaticha — the piece — you know: everything is of one root ch-t-ch. The present: chotech — he cuts, chotechet — she cuts
- סירсирpotA pot and a kettle in one; sir lachatz — the pressure cooker. By ear do not mix it up with the sira — the boat
- מחבתмахватfrying panA frying pan, feminine: machvat gdola — a big one. The word is of the same root as machberet, the notebook: the thing in which one cooks — food or notes
- כירייםкириимstovePlural only: the kirim is the stove and its burners together. Beside it stands the sir, the pot — and together they are the kitchen
- צלחתцалахатplateA plate, feminine; the plural is tzalachot. A deep plate is tzalachat mechuberet — literally "joined"
- ספלсэфельcupA cup with a handle, a mug; the glass without a handle is the kos — about it further on. The Israeli morning starts with a sefel kafe
- כוסкосglassA glass and a tumbler in one; the plural is kosot. At the cafe the water comes in a kos — and one does not pay for it
- כףкафspoonA spoon; the same spelling kaf — the palm, the letter of the alphabet you know. The teaspoon is the kafit — a diminutive
- מזלגмазлегforkA fork; the plural is mazlegot. An ear trap: the mazleg is the fork, and the mazal — luck — you know from mazal tov
- בקבוקбакбукbottleA bottle; a ringing word: bak-buk — like glass on glass. The plastic one is also a bakbuk, though there is no glass in it
- מפיתмапитnapkinA napkin; the paper one is mapit nyar, the cloth one — simply mapit. The plural is mapiot
- קומקוםкумкумkettleThe boiling kettle, a national object: the kumkum boils in every office and every kitchen, and the tea is poured from it too
- מגשмагашtrayA tray; the plural is magashot. At a wedding two people carry it — and that is a whole ceremony
- רותחротэахscalding hotHot to the boil: soup, tea, iron. About the weather they say cham — hot; the same letters in another root: fire and climate have different hotness
- צונןцонэнcold (chilled)Cold and chilled in one: mayim tznanim — cool water. The pair to scalding; about the weather it is still the same kar
- רעבраэвhungryBoth hungry and hunger in one: ani raev — I am hungry. Beteavon — bon appetit — a word you know
- טעםтаамtasteA taste; taim — tasty — is of the same root t-a-m. Bli taam — tasteless — and that is the mildest criticism of a dinner
- מלוחмалюахsaltyFrom melach — the salt — which you have known since the first week. Oversalted is meluach midai — and midai is that same too
- חמוץхамуцsourSour; the chamutzit — the acidity — holds all the pickled and marinated food. The feminine is chemutza
- מרмарbitterBitter; on an envelope mar is Mr, and in the tea mar is the bitterness: one spelling, two worlds. The feminine is mera
- חריףхарифspicySpicy about food: pepper, sauce, hummus with amba. A sharp knife is chad — another word, and mixing them is not allowed
- שבעсаваfull (after eating)Satiated; the root s-b-a is the same as in sheva — seven — and shavua — the week: fullness as completeness. Toda, ani sava — the polite refusal of a second helping
- לטעוםлитъомto tasteTo taste, to try — of the same root t-a-m as taam, the taste: the trying is the checking of the taste. The present: toem — he tastes
- תפריטтафритmenuLiterally "the list", of the same root as prat — a detail and a menu item. At the cafe it is on the board, at the restaurant — in your hands
- מלצרмэльцарwaiterA waiter; a woman is meltzarit. To call him politely you still use the slicha — which you have known since the first week
- הזמנהхазманаorderThe same hazmana as the room booking: at the restaurant it is the order, at the hotel the booking — one word for both lives. From lehazmin — to order
- להזמיןлехазминto orderTo order food, a table, a taxi — one word for all the orders. The present: mazmin — he orders, mazminet — she orders
- מנהманаdish (portion)A dish-portion: a mana is what is served to one person. The plural is manot
- פורציהпорцияportionAn international word. A children's portion — portsia liyeladim — is made in any eatery without questions
- שולחן לשנייםшульхан ле-шнаимtable for twoLiterally "a table for two": both words are yours; the preposition le- joins them. By the window is leyad hachalon — and that is almost always added
- קינוחкинуахdessertFrom leganeach — to finish: the dessert is what one finishes with. The chocolate is chocolate here too — and it is the most popular dessert
- בלי בשרбли босарwithout meatBoth words are yours: bli — without, basar — meat. The phrase that settles dinner for a vegetarian — and the waiter hears it every evening
- עוגהугаcakeA cake and a pie in one: any sweet baking is an uga. The chocolate one — uga shokolad — is the most popular
- פסטהпастаpastaA borrowing, as in English — but the Israeli kitchen cannot do without it. On the menu simply pasta
- יוגורטйогуртyogurtA borrowing, written almost the same. The drinking one is yogurt shtiya
- שמנתшамнетcreamWhat floats on top of the milk: the cream and the richness of sour cream — one word. Shamnet is also the elite: the cream of society
- גלידהглидаice creamA scoop of ice cream is asked in a cone or in a cup: bekonus — in the cone. It resembles gal — a wave — but the root is different
- שוקולדшоколадchocolateA borrowing; hot chocolate is shokolad cham. The dark one is marir — bitter
- עוגיותугийотcookiesThe plural of ugiya — a cookie: one cookie is an ugiya. To bake is the familiar leafot
- בקרбакарbeefBakar is the cattle: beef is literally the meat of the cow. On the packaging it is written exactly so
- כבשкевесlambKeves — a sheep: lamb is basar keves. A lamb is a tale — and its meat is younger
- שרימפסшримпсshrimpsA borrowing with an English ending — but written in Hebrew letters. On the menu it is written exactly so — shrimps
- ענביםанавимgrapesPlural, as in English: grapes are counted as berries. Raisins are tzimukim
- מלפפוןмелафефонcucumberA classic of the Israeli salad — beside the familiar tomato. A pickled cucumber is a melafefon chamutz
- כרובкравcabbageSauerkraut — krav chamutz. Cauliflower is cruvit — literally cabbageness
- שׁוּםшумgarlicWritten with vowels: without them shum also reads as none — shum davar, nothing. Garlic-flavoured is shumi
- דלעתдлаатpumpkinPumpkin soup — marak dlaat — a winter classic. The Halloween pumpkin is also it
- חצילхацильan eggplantAn eggplant is fried or baked — the choice of the one who cooks. An eggplant salad is salat chatzilim
- לימוןлимонa lemonMatches the English word almost letter for letter. Lemonade — limonada; juice — mitz limon
- אבטיחаватихa watermelonThe summer fruit number one in Israel: eaten cold, straight from the fridge. The melon is a quite different word — melon
- תותтутa strawberryOne word for the strawberry and the mulberry — the context tells. Strawberry jam is riba shell tut
- אגסагасa pearA pear and a pear tree — one agas. A pear-shaped figure is an agas in the figurative sense too
- אפרסקафарсекa peachThe plural is afarsekim. An apricot is mishmish; a nectarine — nectarina
- מתכוןматконa recipeA recipe from the doctor is mirsham; a recipe of a dish — matkon. On the cooking sites they look for matkonim
- לקלף ירקותлекалэф йеракотto peel the vegetablesLekalef — to take the peel off — from klifa, the peel. Cleaning the dishes is already lishtof — another verb
- להרתיחлехартиахto boil (bring to a boil)From roteach — boiling: to make boil — the hifil pattern, about it there is a note of this very lesson. Boiling water is mayim rotechim
- לערבבлеарбевto stirFrom arbuv — a mix: to stir is to make a mixture. The same word means to involve somebody in a story
- להוסיף מלחлеосиф мелахto add saltLiterally to add salt: there is no separate verb for salting in live speech. Oversalted — means yoter midai
- לחמם שובлехамем шувto reheatThe same lechamem that heated, plus shuv — again: to reheat what has cooled. Yesterday's soup is brought back to life exactly so
- לקררлекарэрto coolFrom kar — cold: to cool is to make cold. The fridge is mekarer — of the same root
- לטרוף ביציםлетроф бейцимto beat the eggsLetoref — to beat and to whisk the eggs: one and the same movement. The beaten eggs are beitzim trufim
- להוסיף מיםлеосиф майимto add waterThe pair to adding salt: the same lehosif — only mayim. If the soup is thick — that is exactly what they say
- לצלות על הגרילлицлот аль ха-грильto grillLitzlot — to fry on fire and on the grill; in the pan — the familiar letagen. The word grill is a borrowing — but everybody says it
- תאריך תפוגהтаарих тфугаthe expiry dateLiterally the date of expiring: tfuga — the running out of the term. On the packaging look for tarich tfuga — or the short ad — good until
- התקלקלхиткайкельit went offThe same verb as broke down in general: machines, food and plans alike. The milk has gone sour — chalav hitkalkel
- צנצנתцанцанетa jarA diminutive by shape — but an ordinary word: a jar of jam, jars of spices. The tin can of a drink is pachit
- תוספתтосефетa top-upFrom lehosif — to add — familiar from this very unit: a top-up is what has been added. To ask for a refill is levakesh tosefet
- לקחתлакахатtakeawayAt the cafe they ask: lishtot kan o lakachat? — drink here or take away? The same verb to take works as takeaway
- בלי סוכרбли сукарwithout sugarAfter bli the word does not change: bli sukar, bli chalav, bli basar. The negation without in Hebrew is always like this
- אני צמחוניани цимхониI am a vegetarianFrom tzemach — a plant: a vegetarian is a plant-eater. A woman says ani tzimchonit; a vegan — tvioni
- בתאבוןбетеавонbon appetitThe same taavon — the appetite: beteavon is literally into the appetite. Said before every meal
- אוכל שומניохель шуманиfatty foodShuman is the fat you can see: butter, lard. Shumani is saturated with it. After fatty food the stomach reminds of itself
- ממתקмамтакa sweet (candy)From matok — sweet: a mamtak is what has been sugared. Ice cream is glida, chocolate is chocolate: the sweet row
- מאכל לאומיмаахаль леумиa national dishMaachal — a dish — from leechol — to eat: what is eaten. Leumi — national — from um — the people. Everyone has their own
- אוכל רחובохель рэховstreet foodLiterally the food of the street: they eat standing, with the hands and with pleasure. The stall at the festival is the chalkal
- לחם טריлехем тариfresh (bread)The same tari as fresh: fresh bread from the oven, fresh vegetables from the market
- לחם ישןлехем яшанstaleStale the Israeli way — old bread: lechem yashan. There is no separate word for it here
- בשר חזירбосар хазирporkYou know chazir, the pig; there is no single word for pork — they say the meat of the pig. Every animal works this way: basar of, basar barvaz
- עוףофchicken (the meat)The live bird is tarnegolet, but the meat on the plate is of. The same word names birds in general
- בשר ברווזбосар барвазduck (the meat)You met the barvaz in the nature wave; on the plate it is basar barvaz — the same basar as everywhere
- בשר טחוןбосар тахунminced meatLiterally "beaten meat": the root t-ch-n means to grind. Hebrew never coined a single word like mince
- בשר חזיר מעושןбосар хазир меушанhamReal ham is called by a borrowed name in Israel — but that name is spelled the same as the word they, so the course takes the description: smoked pork meat
- נקנייהнакнияfrankfurterFeminine; in the plural — nekaniyot. Same family as naknik, a sausage: Hebrew counts frankfurters in pieces
- טונהтунаtunaAn international word; most often you meet it in a can — salat tuna, tuna salad
- סלמוןсалмонsalmonFrom the same international stock as tuna; since dag, fish, is the word you know, the counter will say dag salomon
- חסילוןхасилонshrimpA long word for a short creature: the throaty ח at the start — chasilon, not kasilon. In the plural — chasilonim
- מאכלי יםмаахлей ямseafoodLiterally "the dishes of the sea": what has been cooked from the sea's produce. Always plural — a class of things, not one item
- שזיףзэифplumMasculine, the plural is shzifim. A ripe plum is dark and sweet
- פטלпатэльraspberryThe berry of a thorny bush; a collective, like anavim, grapes. Its black relative has a different name — tut
- מלוןмалонmelonWritten exactly like malon, the hotel; one vowel keeps them apart, and it is the transcription that carries it
- רימוןримонpomegranate (the fruit)The same word also means a grenade — context decides: at the market it is the fruit, in the news the shell. Countless seeds inside
- אננסананэсpineappleThe same international word, but spelled its own way with two נ; masculine — ananas taim
- מנדרינהмандринаmandarinHebrew makes it feminine: mandarina metuka. In winter people eat them by the bagful; they peel easily
- קיוויкивиkiwi (the fruit)Written with two yods in a row, only one i sounds; masculine — kiwi echad, one kiwi
- אבוקדוавокадоavocadoMasculine and almost never changes: avocado rach, a soft avocado. No Israeli breakfast happens without it
- צימוקיםцимукимraisinsPlural only, like egozim, nuts; a single raisin is tzimuk. Hebrew counts raisins in pieces
- תאנהтээнаfigFeminine; the final ה is not read — teena. Its tree is older than every city on the map, and the fruit is sweet
- פלפל מתוקпильпель матокbell pepperPilpel is pepper in general; the garden vegetable is marked by matok — sweet. The hot one is then pilpel charif
- קישואкишуаzucchiniA long green vegetable; the plural is kishuim. The name came from Italian but already sounds like its own
- סלקсэлакbeetA short word with a long history: its juice stains everything it touches. The soup from it is marak selek
- צנוןцнонradishA pink root with a tail; the root tz-n-n means to chill — a radish crunches and refreshes. By ear it is one letter from shinon, sharp-tongued
- עשבי תיבולэсвей тивульfresh herbsLiterally "the herbs of seasoning": bunches of dill, parsley and coriander at once. Yerakot, vegetables, is a separate word
- שמירшамирdillIt is also a diamond: context decides, as with pomegranate. The tiny needle leaves are the main scent of an Israeli salad
- פטרוזיליהпетрозилияparsleyThe name traveled from the European word, and you hear it at once; Israelis put it resolutely into everything
- זנגבילзангвильgingerThe word came from India by way of Arabic and sounds like nothing familiar; the fiery root goes into tea and into cookies
- תירסтирасcornMasculine; a cob on the coals is the summer Israeli street snack. Corn flakes are named separately — you will meet them further on
- תרדтэредspinachHebrew makes it masculine: terad taim. Green leaves for soup and salad; it cooks in a minute
- לחמנייהлахманияbread rollA small round bread: from lechem, bread, plus a feminine ending. Two of them — shtei lachmaniyot
- פשטידהпаштидаsavory pieAn unsweetened homemade pie with a filling — potato, spinach, cheese. The sweet cake is uga; this is a different thing
- מאפהмаафэpastryAny single sweet from the confectionery counter: an eclair, a cookie, a roll. The whole counter at once is maafim
- סופגנייהсуфганияdoughnutThe Israeli doughnut with jam inside, the hero of the winter holiday Chanukah; the name comes from sfog, a sponge — the dough soaks up oil
- מאפיםмаафимbaked goodsFrom leafot, to bake; baked goods as a crowd — cookies, rolls and pastries together. A single one is mafe, and only the ending tells them apart
- ריבהрибаjamFeminine; Hebrew riba is any fruit preserve, not only citrus. On bread — with butter
- סירופсиропsyrupThe same word as in English, written almost the same way; the thick concentrate is diluted with water — homemade lemonade. Children's medicine syrup is this word too
- פופקורןпопкорнpopcornAn international word; in Israel popcorn is sweet nearly as often as salty
- צ׳יפסчипсchipsIn Hebrew it is singular and masculine: chips salach, salty chips. Written with a geresh after the first letter
- מסטיקмастикchewing gumThe word came from Greek, like the resin mastic; chewed after a meal, grabbed at the till. In writing it is one letter from the word for a lollipop
- לימונדהлимонадаlemonadeFrom limon, the lemon you know; in Israel it is first of all the homemade drink of lemons and mint, not a bottle
- מי מינרלייםмей минералимmineral waterLiterally "mineral waters": mayim in a compound. At the counter it is often shortened to mineraleim and everyone understands
- מי סודהмей содаsparkling waterLiterally "soda water": water with bubbles. The pair to mineral water from the same line: that one is still, this one fizzy
- קוקטיילкоктейльcocktailWritten the way it sounds; juice with or without alcohol is named by both words. Masculine, the plural is kokteilim
- קקאוкакаоcocoaWritten with two ק in a row; the same tree gives the chocolate you know
- נס קפהнэс кафеinstant coffeeA brand became the common name for all instant coffee; neutrally one says kafe namas — dissolved coffee
- שקיק תהшкик тэtea bagShkik is a small pouch, from shak, a sack; it differs from the shopping bag by one letter. Tea is brewed in the glass, bag and all
- מים רותחיםмаим ротехимboiling waterThere is no single word: rotechim means boiling, from lirtoach, to boil. Plain hot water is mayim chamim — a different thing
- אלכוהולалкогольalcoholAn international word; it never appears behind the wheel. Soft drinks are called shtiya kala — light drinking
- משקהмашкэa drinkFrom lishtot, to drink; any drink — juice, water, lemonade — is mashke. Masculine, the plural is mashkaot
- מיץмицjuiceJuice is pressed out of fruit, and mits tappuzim — orange juice — is literally the juice of oranges
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
- קפה, בבקשה.кафе, бевакаша.Coffee, please.
- אני רוצה תה, לא קפה.ани роце тэ, ло кафе.I want tea, not coffee.
- מים, בבקשה.маим, бевакаша.Water, please.
- לחם וגבינה, בבקשה.лехем ве-гвина, бевакаша.Bread and cheese, please.
- האוכל טעים מאוד!ха-охель таим меод!The food is very tasty!
- קפה עם חלב, בבקשה.кафе им халав, бевакаша.Coffee with milk, please.
What is worth knowing about these words
קפה (кафе) — coffee. Reads almost like the English word, but it is the drink. Black coffee here is kafe shachor.
תה (тэ) — tea. A two-letter word. The final ה is not read — te, not teh.
מים (маим) — water. The word is always plural — waters. There is no singular water in Hebrew.
לחם (лехем) — bread. The same root as Arabic lahm. Bethlehem is Beit Lechem, literally "the house of bread".
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “coffee” in Hebrew?
Reads almost like the English word, but it is the drink. Black coffee here is kafe shachor
- How do you say “meat” in Hebrew?
One word for meat in general; the kind of animal gets its own word. Bosari means a butcher shop
- How do you say “fruit” in Hebrew?
The plural of pri — a fruit. The word is a distant cousin of the English fruit by way of Greek
- How do you say “to drink” in Hebrew?
The present: shote, shota, shotim. One form drinks water, coffee and takes medicine
- How do you say “to chew” in Hebrew?
Liloach — to chew. Chewing gum here is mastika — from the Greek mastic resin, which really was chewed
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
A menu, a market, a shop sign, the question “what is this?”. Food is the most frequent subject of the first weeks and the safest excuse to start talking.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- Study spread over days wins not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “coffee” in Hebrew?
«קפה», read “кафе”. Reads almost like the English word, but it is the drink. Black coffee here is kafe shachor. It is one of 177 words in the set “food and drink” — the rest are in the table above.
How many food words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 177 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.