Learn Practical Hebrew Phrases:Are You Speaking Hebrew?Episode 1 of Your First Conversation

NoamPicture this: you’re in line at a Starbucks in New York. Behind you, you can hear two people chatting.

♪ Hebrew Chatter ♪

NoamThen you realize: wait… that's Hebrew.

NoamMaya, as someone learning Hebrew, what do you do?

MayaThe usual: spot a chance to practice... then talk myself out of it. I'm too shy and don't want to bother anyone.

NoamPainfully relatable. But today we’re doing one better.

NoamWe're going to learn how to say: Excuse me, are you speaking Hebrew?

MayaYes. Okay, how do you say it?

Noamסליחה, אתם מדברים עברית?

Mayaסליחה, אתם מדברים עברית?

NoamThis sentence is a good way to break the ice. We're going to go through it slowly, starting with the first word, סליחה.

MayaYou're listening to HebrewSlowly.com. Noam, I'm excited. בוא נתחיל — let's get started.

MayaOkay Noam, let’s step into that sentence from the Starbucks line.

NoamWe can actually learn a lot from it, but let's start with how to say "excuse me."

MayaThe Hebrew word for that is סליחה. It's like a verbal tap tap on the shoulder. Excuse me! סליחה.

NoamExactly. Listen once more. סליחה.

MayaExcuse me is סליחה.

MayaNoam, סליחה, can I ask you something? Does סליחה have any other meanings?

NoamYes. The same word can also mean “sorry.”

NoamI can think of a small memory hook: סליחה and the English word "slip" start the same. Maybe you can use that to remember this word.

MayaSo what you're saying is, if I slip and bump into someone in line, the word that saves me is סליחה.

MayaThe situation tells you which meaning fits.

NoamRight. I think you got it. That was the first piece of our sentence.

NoamNow let's take the next piece on its own: אתם מדברים? Are you speaking?

MayaThat sounds like a challenge!

NoamNo, no. That's the right way to ask: Are you speaking? But we'll add the last word and ask: Are you speaking Hebrew?

NoamBut for now, we'll ask: Are you speaking? אתם מדברים?

MayaAre you speaking? אתם מדברים?

NoamFirst word: אתם.

Noamאתם is the plural “you” for a mixed group, or for a group of men. אתם.

MayaAnd if I’m talking to one person, or a group of only women?

NoamHebrew has other forms for other situations, but for our Starbucks line, the one we need is אתם.

NoamListen once more. אתם.

MayaRight, so for a group of both women and men or a group of only men, it's אתם.

Noamאתם.

NoamNow we need what they’re doing. They’re speaking.

MayaAnd to say what they’re doing — speaking — we use מדברים?

NoamRight. מדברים.

NoamListen once more. מדברים.

Mayaמדברים. So אתם מדברים is: you are speaking.

NoamAnd as a question: אתם מדברים? Are you speaking?

Mayaאתם מדברים?

NoamGood. Hold onto that piece: אתם מדברים. Don't worry, we'll come back and practice everything together.

NoamNow let's add the last word: עברית.

MayaSo the way to say Hebrew in Hebrew is עברית. So the end of the question is simply: Speaking Hebrew? מדברים עברית?

NoamAre you speaking Hebrew? אתם מדברים עברית?

MayaThat's everything we need for our whole Starbucks line: סליחה, אתם מדברים עברית?

NoamNext, we're going to review the parts of this sentence one last time. Ready?

MayaYes, let's do it.

NoamQuick review. I’ll give the English, leave a beat, and then Maya will answer.

NoamFirst, how do you say "excuse me"?

MayaHmm... "Excuse me" and "sorry" are the same word, so if I slip and spill someone's coffee, I say... סליחה.

NoamNext, how do you ask a group, "are you speaking?"

Mayaאתם מדברים?

NoamLast word: Hebrew.

Mayaעברית.

NoamNow the whole question: Excuse me, are you speaking Hebrew?

Mayaסליחה, אתם מדברים עברית?

NoamThat's your ice breaker. Well done!

NoamListen one last time for today: סליחה, אתם מדברים עברית?

MayaThank you for listening. Today we opened the door with one simple question: סליחה, אתם מדברים עברית?

NoamIn this series, we'll learn helpful phrases for getting your first conversation going.

MayaI’m excited for that. Once someone answers, I want to know what to say when I miss something, and how to stay in the conversation.

NoamIn the next episode, we'll learn how to tell someone that you're learning Hebrew.

Noamלהתראות — see you next time.

Mayaלהתראות.