101 Hebrew Expressions

CUSTOMARY EXPRESSIONS:

אבי

Avi

Dad; lit: my father

1

אמי

Immi

Mom; lit: my mother

2

אחי

Ahi

Brother; lit: my brother

3

אחותי

Ahoti

Sister; lit: my sister

4

מותק

Moteq

Term of endearment: Sweety;

lit: sweet (masculine)

5

מתוקה

Metuqa

Term of endearment: Sweety;

lit: sweet (feminine)

6

חמוד

Hamud

Term of endearment: Cute;

(masculine)

7

חמודי

Hamudi

Term of endearment: Cutey;

(masculine)

8

חמודה

Hamuda

Term of endearment: Cute; Cutey;

(feminine)

9

שובב

sovav

Term of endearment:

Little rascal;

Lit: mischievous or naughty

10

צדיק

Sadiq

Term of endearment: Saint;

lit: righteous  (masculine)

11

צדיקה

Sadiqa

Term of endearment: Saint;

lit: righteous  (feminine)

12

ידידי

Yedidi

Term of endearment: Dear friend; lit: my cherished friend

13

אם ירצה השם

im yirseh HaShem

If HaShem wills.

14

ברכות

Berakot

Blessings!

15

ברוך הבא

Baruk ha-ba

Welcome! Lit: blessed is he

who comes.

16

ברוך הנמצא

Baruk ha-nimsa

Reply: blessed is he who is found (or: present)

17

ברוכה הבאה

Baruka ha-ba’a

Feminine singular of

18

ברוכים הבאים

Barukim ha-ba’im

Plural of 16;

19

ברוכים הנמצאים

Barukim ha-nimsa’im

Plural of 17;

20

ברוכות הבאות

Barukot ha-ba’ot

Plural feminine of 16;

21

ברוכות נמצאות

Barukot ha-nimsa’ot

Plural feminine of 17;

22

ברוך השם

Baruk HaShem

Blessed be the Name

23

ישתבח שמו לעד

Yistabah shemo l-ad

His Name be praised forever

24

ולדורי דורים

u-l-doreh dorim

Response: even for all generations; Lit: and for generations of generations

25

יתפאר היוצר

Yitpa’er ha-Yoser

Glorified be the Creator

26

ולנצח נצחים

u-l-nesah nesahim

Response: even for all eternity; Lit: and for eternity of eternities

27

יתעלה הבורא

Yit’aleh ha-Boreh

G-d be exalted.

Lit: exalted be the Creator

28

בעזרת השם

b-ezrat HaShem

With HaShem’s help

29

בסיעתא דשמייא

b-siya”ta d-shmaiya

With Heaven’s help (Aramaic)

30

עבודה טובה

Avoda tova

Good job!  Lit: good work

31

עבודה מצוינת

Avoda mesuyenet

Excellent job!

Lit: exceptional work!

32

לא נורא

Lo norah

Not so bad; Don’t worry.

Lit:  [It’s] not terrible

33

מדהים

Madhim

Amazing; awesome.

34

יפה

Yafeh

Nice! Lit: comely

35

יופי

Yofi

Great! Lit: Beauty

36

בסדר

Beseder

Alright; OK;

Lit: in order

37

טוב

Tov

Alright; OK;

Lit: good.

38

שטויות

Setuyot

Nonsense; Lit: nonsenses

39

די

Dai

Lit: Enough;

Can be used for: “stop!”

40

כל הכבוד

Kol ha-kavod

Well done! Lit: all the respect

41

חזק וברוך

Hazaq u-varuk

Great job!  Lit: Strong and blessed.

42

חס ושלום

Has w-salom

G-d forbid; lit: [May G-d have] pity and [give] peace.

43

חס וחלילה

Has w-halila

G-d forbid;

lit: pity and desolation

44

השם ישמור

HaShem yismor

G-d forbid; lit: May G-d guard.

45

בשורות טובות

Besorot tovot

[May there be] good news,

or good tidings.

46

תטהר

titaher

Upon seeing someone who showered or bathed: Be purified;

Lit: You will be pure

47

תנקה מכל עון

Tinoqe mi-kol owan

Response: Be cleaned of all sin; Lit: You will be clean from all sin

48

שלום

Salom

Peace, wholeness, wellbeing.

49

שלום וברכה

Salom u-veraka

Response: Peace and blessing [upon you]

50

שלום עליכם

Salom alekem

Peace be upon you.

51

ועליכם שולם

w- alekem Salom

Response:  and upon you be peace.

52

צאתכם לשלום

Setkem l-salom

Go in peace.

53

נסיעה טובה

Nesiya” tova

[May you have] a good trip.

54

השם ישמרך

HaShem yismereka

May HaShem preserve, keep, or guard you.

55

השם ירחם

HaShem yerahem

G-d help us; lit: May G-d have compassion.

56

השם יהיה בעזרך

HaShem yihyeh b-ezreka

May HaShem be at your aid.

57

כל טוב

Kol tuv!

All the best!

58

אלהים יהיה עמך

Alohim yihyeh imak

Elohim be with you.

59

מעמך לא יסור

m-imak lo yasur

Response:  He shall

not abandon you.

60

בהצלחה

b-haslaha

May you have success;

lit: with success!

61

שבת שלום

Sabbat salom

[May you have] a Sabbath of peace.

62

שבת שלום ומברך

Sabbat salom u-mvorak

Response: [And may you have] a blessed Sabbath of peace

63

שבת טוב ומברך

Sabbat tov u-mvorak

[May you have] a good and blessed Sabbath

64

עליך ועל כך ישראל

Aleka w-al kol Yisrael

Or respond: Upon you and upon all Israel.

65

חודש טוב

Hodesh tov

[May you have] a goodly [new] month

66

עליך ועל כך ישראל

Aleka w-al kol Yisrael

Response: Upon you and upon all Israel.

67

חג שמח

Hag sameyah

Happy holidays!  Lit: happy pilgrimage festival

68

תזכה לשנים רבות ומועדים טובים

Tizku l-sanim rabot

w-mo’adim tovim

Greeting on the pilgrimage festivals:  May you merit many years and goodly appointed times

69

בחייך ובימיך הטובים

b-haiyeka u-v-yomeka ha-tovim

Response:  In your life and in your days – the best.

70

חַיֶּיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ

Haiyeka l-faneka

Greeting someone in the midst of Torah study: 

Your life is before you.

71

כִּי הוּא חַיֶּיךָ

וְאוֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ

Ki hu haiyeka w-orek yomeka

Response:  For they are your life and the length of your days.

72

תְּנוּחָמוּ מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם

Tenuhamu min ha-samaiyim

Greeting a mourner:  May you be comforted from Heaven

73

תִּכָּתֵב בְּסֵפֶר הַחַיִּים וּבְסֵפֶר הַזִּכָּרוֹן

Tikatev b-sefer ha-haiyim u-va-sefer ha-zikaron

Greeting from Yom Terua till Yom Kipur:  May you be written in the book of life and in the book of remembrance

74

אָמֵן. וְאַתָּה תּכָּתֵב בְּסֵפֶר הַחַיִּים וּבְסֵפֶר הַזִּכָּרוֹן

Amen. w-ata tikatev b-sefer ha-haiyim u-va-sefer ha-zikaron

Response:  Amen. And may you [also] be written in the book of life and in the book of remembrance

75

תְּבֻשָׂר בִּמְחִילָה וּסְלִיחָה וְכַפָּרָה

Tevuser bi-mhila u-sliha w-kapara

Greeting at Yom Kippur conclusion:  May you have good news of forgiveness, pardon, and atonement.

76

אָמֵן. וְאַתָּה תְּבוּשָׂר בִּמְחִילָה וּסְלִיחָה וְכַפָּרָה

Amen. w-ata tevuser bi-mhila w-seliha w-kapara

Response: Amen. And may you [also] have good news of forgiveness, pardon, and atonement.

77

תודה לאל

todah l-el

Thanks be to G-d.

78

תודה לך

Todah leka

Thank you. (masculine singular)

79

תודה לך

Todah lak

Feminine singular of: Thank you.

80

תודה לכם

Todah lekem

Thank you (plural).

81

בבקשה

b-vaqasa

You’re welcome; lit: at [your] request

82

בשמחה

b-simha

Happily; lit: with joy

83

תיזכו למצות

Tizku l-miswot

When someone did a good deed:  may you merit to [do additional] commandments.

84

תיזכו לעשות

Tizku l-asot

Response: may you merit to [likewise] do [commandments]

85

יזכך השם

Yezakeka HaShem

May HaShem reward you.

86

יברכך השם

Yevorekka HaShem

HaShem bless you

87

לבריות

La-vriyut

To [your] health

88

לשובע

l-sova”

May you be satiated;

lit: for [your] satiation

89

ערב טוב

Erev tov

Good evening.

90

ערב טוב ומברך

Erev tov u-mvorak

Response:  [And may you have] a good and blessed evening.

91

תשמע תפילתך

Tisma” tefilateka

When encountering someone who just prayed:  May your prayer be heard.

92

ואתה תענה ותעתר בתפילה

w-ata te’ane w-te’ater

b-tefila

Response:  And may you be answered and accepted in prayer.

93

לילה טוב

Laila tov

Good night.

94

חלומות נעימים

Halomot na’imim

Response: Pleasant dreams

95

תלין בטוב

Talin b-tov

May you retire with

[G-d’s] goodness

96

תקיץ ברחמים

Teqis b-rahamim

Response: May you awaken to

[G-d’s] compassions

97

אם תשכב לא תפחד

Im tiskav lo tifhad

If departing a friend at night:

Sleep without fear; Lit: if you recline, you shall not fear.

98

ושכבת וערבה שנתך

w-sakavta w-arava senoteka

Response:  And you shall recline and have sweet sleep.

99

בוקר טוב

Boqer tov

Good morning.

100

בוקר אור

Boqer or

Response: [May you have]

a delightful morning;

lit: a morning of light.

101