Building a core set of common Hebrew words and phrases is the fastest way to start using the language. Below are the everyday expressions every beginner should know, with transliteration and English meaning.
Essential greetings
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| שלום | shalom | hello / peace / goodbye |
| בוקר טוב | boker tov | good morning |
| ערב טוב | erev tov | good evening |
| להתראות | lehitraot | see you / goodbye |
Want more? See our full guide to Hebrew greetings.
Polite everyday phrases
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| תודה | toda | thank you |
| בבקשה | bevakasha | please / you are welcome |
| סליחה | slicha | excuse me / sorry |
| כן | ken | yes |
| לא | lo | no |
Useful questions
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| מה שלומך? | ma shlomcha? / ma shlomech? | how are you? (m/f) |
| איך קוראים לך? | eich korim lecha? | what is your name? |
| כמה זה עולה? | kama ze ole? | how much does it cost? |
| איפה השירותים? | eifo hasherutim? | where is the bathroom? |
| אתה מדבר אנגלית? | ata medaber anglit? | do you speak English? |
Words you will use every day
- מים — mayim — water
- אוכל — ochel — food
- בית — bayit — house
- יום — yom — day
- חבר — chaver — friend
- אהבה — ahava — love
Keep building your vocabulary
Learn to count with our Hebrew numbers guide, and make sure you can read these words yourself with the Hebrew alphabet. AlephTalk drills all of this with audio and quizzes — start free.