Hebrew Vocabulary
Hebrew Vocabulary Word List — Everyday Words by Category
A structured starting point for Hebrew vocabulary — essential words, greetings, numbers, family, food, travel, verbs, adjectives, question words, and everyday expressions. Every word includes a transliteration and audio pronunciation, drawn from the trainer's 300+ word set.
Essential Hebrew Words to Know First
If you only learn a handful of Hebrew words before a trip or a conversation, make it these. They cover greeting someone, thanking them, answering yes or no, and asking politely — the words that come up in almost every interaction.
- שָׁלוֹםshalomhelloשלום, מה שלומךHello, how are you
- תּוֹדָהtodathank youתודה רבהThank you very much
- כֵּןkenyesכן, אני מביןYes, I understand
- לֹאlonoלא, תודהNo, thank you
- בְּבַקָּשָׁהbevakashapleaseבבקשה, שב כאןPlease, sit here
- סְלִיחָהslichaexcuse meסליחה, איפה השירותיםExcuse me, where is the restroom
Greetings
Beyond shalom, Hebrew has specific greetings for different times of day and for arriving versus leaving. See the full Hebrew greetings guide for male/female forms, formal versus casual usage, and common mistakes to avoid.
- בֹּקֶר טוֹבboker tovgood morningבוקר טוב לכולםGood morning, everyone
- עֶרֶב טוֹבerev tovgood eveningערב טוב לכולםGood evening, everyone
- לַיְלָה טוֹבlayla tovgood nightלילה טוב, נתראה מחרGood night, see you tomorrow
- לְהִתְרָאוֹתlehitra'otgoodbyeלהתראות, נתראה בקרובGoodbye, see you soon
Numbers
Numbers one through ten, the foundation for counting, prices, and ages in Hebrew. The full Hebrew numbers guide continues to twenty and explains how numbers change form depending on gender.
- אַחַתachatone
- שְׁתַּיִםshtayimtwo
- שָׁלוֹשׁshaloshthree
- אַרְבַּעarbafour
- חָמֵשׁchameshfive
- שֵׁשׁsheshsix
- שֶׁבַעshevaseven
- שְׁמוֹנֶהshmoneeight
- תֵּשַׁעteshanine
- עֶשֶׂרeserten
Family
Family vocabulary is some of the most personal and memorable to learn — words like these show up constantly once you start describing your own life in Hebrew.
- אִמָּאimamomאמא שלי טובהMy mom is kind
- אַבָּאabadadאבא שלי עובד קשהMy dad works hard
- אָחachbrotherיש לי אח אחדI have one brother
- אָחוֹתachotsisterהאחות שלי סטודנטיתMy sister is a student
- מִשְׁפָּחָהmishpachafamilyהמשפחה שלי גדולהMy family is big
- סָבָאsabagrandpaסבא שלי מספר סיפוריםMy grandpa tells stories
- סָבְתָאsavtagrandmaסבתא שלי מבשלת טובMy grandma cooks well
- בֵּןbensonיש לי בן אחדI have one son
Food
Whether you're ordering at a restaurant, shopping at the shuk, or reading a menu, these everyday food and drink words are some of the highest-value vocabulary for daily life in Israel.
- לֶחֶםlechembreadאני אוכל לחם בבוקרI eat bread in the morning
- מַיִםmayimwaterאני שותה מיםI drink water
- חָלָבchalavmilkהילד שותה חלבThe child drinks milk
- תַּפּוּחַtapuachappleהתפוח אדום ומתוקThe apple is red and sweet
- בֵּיצָהbeitsaeggאני אוכל ביצה בארוחת בוקרI eat an egg for breakfast
- אֹרֶזorezriceאנחנו אוכלים אורז כל יוםWe eat rice every day
- בָּשָׂרbasarmeatאני לא אוכל בשרI don't eat meat
- עוֹףofchickenהעוף טעים מאודThe chicken is very tasty
- יְרָקוֹתyerakotvegetablesאני אוכל ירקות כל יוםI eat vegetables every day
- פֵּרוֹתperotfruitהפירות טרייםThe fruit is fresh
Travel
Getting around — the airport, the bus and train, a taxi, the beach, and the market — is one of the most practical vocabulary sets for anyone visiting or living in Israel. See these words in example travel phrases for more context.
- נְמַל תְּעוּפָהnemal te'ufaairportהטיסה יוצאת מנמל התעופהThe flight leaves from the airport
- מָלוֹןmalonhotelאנחנו ישנים במלוןWe are staying at a hotel
- מוֹנִיתmonittaxiלקחנו מונית הביתהWe took a taxi home
- רַכֶּבֶתrakevettrainהרכבת מהירהThe train is fast
- אוֹטוֹבּוּסotobusbusאני נוסע באוטובוס לעבודהI take the bus to work
- כַּרְטִיסkartisticketקניתי כרטיס לרכבתI bought a train ticket
- חוֹף יָםchof yambeachאנחנו הולכים לחוף היםWe are going to the beach
- שׁוּקshukmarketאנחנו הולכים לשוקWe are going to the market
Common Verbs
Hebrew verbs are listed here in their dictionary (infinitive) form, which is why most start with "le-", "la-", or "li-" — "to eat," "to drink," "to go." As you progress, each verb conjugates by person, gender, and tense, but the infinitive is the right form to start memorizing.
- לֶאֱכֹלle'echolto eatאני אוהב לאכול פירותI like to eat fruit
- לִשְׁתּוֹתlishtotto drinkאני רוצה לשתות מיםI want to drink water
- לָלֶכֶתlalechetto goאני צריך ללכת הביתהI need to go home
- לָבוֹאlavoto comeאתה יכול לבוא מחרYou can come tomorrow
- לִרְאוֹתlir'otto seeאני רוצה לראות אותךI want to see you
- לִשְׁמֹעַlishmoato hearקשה לי לשמוע אותךIt's hard for me to hear you
- לְדַבֵּרledaberto speakאני לומד לדבר עבריתI am learning to speak Hebrew
- לִקְרֹאlikroto readאני אוהב לקרוא ספריםI like to read books
- לִכְתֹּבlichtovto writeהיא יודעת לכתוב יפהShe knows how to write beautifully
- לִישֹׁןlishonto sleepאני הולך לישון מוקדםI go to sleep early
Common Adjectives
Hebrew adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they describe — the forms below are the base (masculine singular) forms. Pairing them with nouns you already know, like גָּדוֹל (gadol, "big"), is a quick way to start building short descriptive phrases.
- גָּדוֹלgadolbigהבית שלו גדולHis house is big
- קָטָןkatansmallהכלב שלי קטןMy dog is small
- טוֹבtovgoodהיום הוא יום טובToday is a good day
- רַעrabadמזג האוויר רע היוםThe weather is bad today
- חָדָשׁchadashnewקניתי מכשיר חדשI bought a new device
- יָשָׁןyashanoldהבית הזה ישןThis house is old
- שָׂמֵחַsameachhappyאני שמח מאודI am very happy
- עָצוּבatzuvsadהוא נראה עצובHe looks sad
- יָפֶהyafebeautifulהנוף כאן יפהThe view here is beautiful
- מָהִירmahirfastהמכונית הזאת מהירהThis car is fast
Question Words
Question words let you ask for exactly what you need — who, what, where, when, why, how, and how much. Combined with a noun or verb you already know, a single question word forms a complete, useful question.
- מִיmiwhoמי אתהWho are you
- מָהmawhatמה זהWhat is this
- אֵיפֹהeifowhereאיפה השירותיםWhere is the restroom
- מָתַיmataiwhenמתי הרכבת יוצאתWhen does the train leave
- לָמָּהlamawhyלמה אתה עצובWhy are you sad
- אֵיךְeichhowאיך קוראים לךHow are you called (What's your name)
- כַּמָּהkamahow much / how manyכמה זה עולהHow much does this cost
- אֵיזֶהeizewhichאיזה צבע אתה אוהבWhich color do you like
Everyday Expressions
Fixed expressions like these don't translate word-for-word, but native speakers use them constantly — learning them as whole phrases will make your Hebrew sound far more natural than translating literally.
- מַזָּל טוֹבmazal tovcongratulationsמזל טוב ליום ההולדתCongratulations on your birthday
- בָּרוּךְ הַבָּאbaruch habawelcomeברוך הבא לישראלWelcome to Israel
- נָעִים מְאוֹדna'im meodnice to meet youנעים מאוד להכיר אותךNice to meet you
- מָה נִשְׁמָעma nishmawhat's upהיי, מה נשמעHey, what's up
- מָה שְׁלוֹמְךָma shlomchahow are youשלום, מה שלומך היוםHello, how are you today
- בְּהַצְלָחָהbehatzlachagood luckבהצלחה במבחןGood luck on the exam
Keep Exploring
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