Talking about people often involves describing gender and relationship status. This guide introduces essential Hebrew terms for gender identity, marital status, and related expressions – helping learners speak naturally and respectfully in everyday conversation.
Gender Terms
| English | Hebrew (with niqqud) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Male / Man | גֶּבֶר | gever |
| Female / Woman | אִשָּׁה | isha |
| Boy | יֶלֶד | yeled |
| Girl | יַלְדָּה | yaldah |
| Masculine | זָכָר | zachar |
| Feminine | נְקֵבָה | nekevah |
| Gender | מִין | min |
| Person | אִישׁ / אִשָּׁה | ish / isha |
| People | אֲנָשִׁים | anashim |
Marital Status Terms
| English | Hebrew (with niqqud) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Single (m/f) | רַוָּק / רַוָּקָה | ravak / ravakah |
| Married (m/f) | נָשׂוּי / נְשׂוּאָה | nasui / nesu’ah |
| Divorced (m/f) | גָּרוּשׁ / גְּרוּשָׁה | garush / gerushah |
| Widower / Widow | אַלְמָן / אַלְמָנָה | alman / almanah |
| Partner (m/f) | בֶּן זוּג / בַּת זוּג | ben zug / bat zug |
| Spouse | בֶּן זוּג / בַּת זוּג | ben zug / bat zug |
| Relationship | קֶשֶׁר / מַעֲרֶכֶת יְחָסִים | kesher / ma’arechet yechasim |
Useful Phrases
- אני רווק – Ani ravak – I’m single (male)
- היא נשואה – Hi nesu’ah – She is married
- הם בני זוג – Hem bnei zug – They are a couple
- הוא גרוש ויש לו שני ילדים – Hu garush ve-yesh lo shnei yeladim – He is divorced and has two children
- אני אישה נשואה – Ani isha nesu’ah – I’m a married woman
Practice Tips
- Introduce yourself in Hebrew and include your marital status.
- Practice describing fictional people using gender and relationship terms.
- Watch Hebrew interviews or reality shows and listen for relationship vocabulary.
- Create flashcards with gendered nouns and match them to images.
- Write short bios in Hebrew using gender and marital status vocabulary.