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Essential Hebrew phrases
for travellers (printable)
how to say hello in hebrew
שלום — shah-LOHM — is how you say hello in Hebrew. It works at any hour, anywhere the language is spoken, with anyone. Pair it with תודה (toh-DAH) for thank you and you already have the two words you will use most.
Below are 36 phrases worth knowing before you land, grouped by the situation you will need them in. Every one has a plain-English respelling — stressed syllable in capitals — because IPA is no use to anyone standing at a pharmacy counter. Israel — around 9 million speakers, and the only case in history of a liturgical language revived into everyday native use. Also searched as Israel, Jewish.
take it with you
The whole card, on one page
All 36 phrases on a single sheet — print it, fold it into a passport, or keep it on your phone. Free, no signup, no watermark.
The essentials
The six words that carry most of a trip.
| English | Hebrew |
|---|---|
| Hello | שלוםshah-LOHM |
| Goodbye | להתראותleh-hit-rah-OT |
| Please | בבקשהbeh-vah-kah-SHAHAlso means "here you are" and "you’re welcome". |
| Thank you | תודהtoh-DAH |
| Yes / No | כן / לאken / loh |
| Excuse me / Sorry | סליחהslee-KHAH |
Getting by
What to say when the conversation outruns you.
| English | Hebrew |
|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | ?אתה מדבר אנגליתah-TAH meh-dah-BER ahn-GLEETTo a woman: את מדברת (at meh-dah-BE-ret). |
| I don't understand | אני לא מביןah-NEE loh meh-VEENמבינה (meh-vee-NAH) if you are female. |
| Could you repeat that? | ?אפשר לחזורef-SHAR lah-khah-ZOR |
| Please speak slowly | דבר לאט בבקשהdah-BER leh-AT beh-vah-kah-SHAH |
| My name is… | …קוראים ליkor-EEM lee |
| Nice to meet you | נעים מאודnah-EEM meh-OD |
Getting around
Streets, stations and the one question everyone needs.
| English | Hebrew |
|---|---|
| Where is…? | ?…איפהEY-foh |
| How do I get to…? | ?…איך מגיעים לeykh mah-gee-EEM leh |
| Where is the toilet? | ?איפה השירותיםEY-foh ha-shey-roo-TEEM |
| Left / Right | שמאלה / ימינהsmoh-LAH / yah-MEE-nah |
| Straight ahead | ישרyah-SHAR |
| Is it far? | ?זה רחוקzeh rah-KHOK |
Food and drink
Ordering, allergies, and asking for the bill.
| English | Hebrew |
|---|---|
| A table for two, please | שולחן לשנייםshool-KHAN lish-NA-yeem |
| The menu, please | תפריט בבקשהtaf-REET beh-vah-kah-SHAH |
| I would like… | …אני רוצהah-NEE roh-TSEHSame spelling, said roh-TSAH if you are female. |
| Water, please | מים בבקשהMA-yeem beh-vah-kah-SHAH |
| I am allergic to… | …יש לי אלרגיה לyesh lee ah-LER-gee-yah leh |
| The bill, please | חשבון בבקשהkhesh-BON beh-vah-kah-SHAH |
Shopping and money
Prices, cards, and politely not buying anything.
| English | Hebrew |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | ?כמה זה עולהKAH-mah zeh oh-LEH |
| That's too expensive | זה יקר מדיzeh yah-KAR mee-DIE |
| Do you take cards? | ?אפשר לשלם בכרטיסef-SHAR leh-shah-LEM beh-kar-TEES |
| I am just looking | אני רק מסתכלah-NEE rak mees-tah-KELמסתכלת (mees-tah-KEL-et) if you are female. |
| Do you have…? | ?…יש לכםyesh lah-KHEM |
| A receipt, please | קבלה בבקשהkah-bah-LAH beh-vah-kah-SHAH |
Emergencies
Worth reading once before you need them.
| English | Hebrew |
|---|---|
| Help! | !הצילוhah-TSEE-loo |
| Call the police | תתקשר למשטרהtit-kah-SHER lah-mish-tah-RAH |
| Call an ambulance | תתקשר לאמבולנסtit-kah-SHER leh-am-boo-LANS |
| I need a doctor | אני צריך רופאah-NEE tsah-REEKH roh-FEHצריכה (tsree-KHAH) if you are female. |
| I am lost | הלכתי לאיבודhah-LAKH-tee leh-ee-BOOD |
| Where is the hospital? | ?איפה בית החוליםEY-foh beyt hah-kho-LEEM |
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Four things that fix
most of the accent
Shalom does hello, goodbye and peace
שלום covers all three, at any hour, with anyone. If you learn one word, learn this one. Note that Israelis also use ciao and the English "bye" constantly.
ח and כ are a throaty kh
The ch of Scottish "loch" or German "Bach", never the ch of "church". Slicha (excuse me) is slee-KHAH.
The r is French, not English
Made at the back of the throat, closer to a Parisian r than an American one. An English r is understood without difficulty.
Verbs change with the speaker’s gender
A man says ani lo mevin, a woman says ani lo mevina — both mean "I don’t understand". The feminine forms are noted where they differ.
Spotted a mistake in the Hebrew? Tell us and we will fix it.
You will not remember
all 36
Nobody does. OmniTalk speaks Hebrew for you in real time — point the camera at a menu, or put the phone between you and let it translate both sides of the conversation as you talk. It works offline once you download the language, so it keeps going when your roaming does not.