Talking about languages is essential for travel, study, and cultural exchange. This guide introduces Hebrew terms for world languages, how to describe language skills, and useful phrases to help learners speak naturally about what they speak and learn.
Common Languages
| English | Hebrew (with niqqud) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew | עִבְרִית | Ivrit |
| English | אַנְגְּלִית | Anglit |
| Arabic | עֲרָבִית | Aravit |
| French | צָרְפָתִית | Tzarfatit |
| Spanish | סְפָרַדִית | Sfaradit |
| German | גֶּרְמָנִית | Germanit |
| Russian | רוּסִית | Rusit |
| Chinese | סִינִית | Sinit |
| Japanese | יַפָּנִית | Yapanit |
| Italian | אִיטַלְקִית | Italkit |
| Portuguese | פּוֹרְטוּגֶזִית | Portugazit |
| Korean | קוֹרֵאנִית | Kore’anit |
Useful Phrases
- אני מדבר עברית ואנגלית
Ani medaber Ivrit ve-Anglit – I speak Hebrew and English - את לומדת צרפתית בבית הספר
At lomedet Tzarfatit be-beit ha-sefer – You are learning French at school - הוא מבין קצת ספרדית
Hu mevin ktzat Sfaradit – He understands a little Spanish - אנחנו מדברים גרמנית בבית
Anachnu medabrim Germanit ba-bayit – We speak German at home - הם לומדים סינית באוניברסיטה
Hem lomdim Sinit ba-universitah – They are studying Chinese at university
Practice Tips
- Practice introducing yourself and saying which languages you speak or learn.
- Watch Hebrew videos about language learning and listen for language names.
- Create flashcards with flags and Hebrew names of languages.
- Write a short paragraph about your language background or goals – in Hebrew.
- Try saying “I speak…” with different languages to build fluency.