50 Basic Hebrew Phrases for Everyday Conversation

50 Basic Hebrew Phrases for Everyday Conversation (With Pronunciation)

You don't need fluency to have a real conversation in Hebrew. You need a small set of phrases you can pull out without thinking twice — a greeting, a way to say thank you, a question when you're lost, a line that gets you through a café order. That's exactly what this list is built for.
Below are 50 basic Hebrew phrases organized by the situations where you'll actually use them: meeting people, being polite, asking questions, eating out, shopping, and handling emergencies.

Each phrase includes the Hebrew script, a simple pronunciation guide, and its English meaning, so you can start using them right away — even if you've never read a word of Hebrew before.

A Quick Note on Hebrew Pronunciation

Hebrew is written from right to left. Many Hebrew sounds are approachable for English speakers, although a few consonants may take practice:

• ch represents a raspy, throat-clearing sound (like the "ch" in the Scottish word "loch"), not the "ch" in "chair."
• Hebrew stress frequently falls on the final syllable, but many common words carry stress on the second-to-last syllable instead, so it's best to learn each word's pronunciation individually rather than assume the stress always lands at the end.
• Hebrew verbs and adjectives often change form depending on whether the speaker is addressing a man or a woman. Where this matters, both forms are shown below, marked [m] for masculine and [f] for feminine.

With that in mind, here are the phrases.

Greetings and Farewells

These are the phrases you'll use to open and close almost any interaction.

Hebrew	Pronunciation	Meaning
שלום	Shalom	Hello / Goodbye / Peace
בוקר טוב	Boker tov	Good morning
ערב טוב	Erev tov	Good evening
לילה טוב	Laila tov	Good night
להתראות	Lehitraot	See you later
נעים מאוד	Na'im me'od	Nice to meet you
מה נשמע?	Ma nishma?	What's up? / How's it going?
מה שלומך?	Ma shlomcha? [m] / Ma shlomech? [f]	How are you?

"Read More": Hebrew Greetings: 30 Essential Words & Phrases for Beginners

Why "Shalom" Does So Much Work

One thing that surprises a lot of learners: שלום (Shalom) covers "hello," "goodbye," and "peace" all at once. Context tells listeners which meaning you intend, so you can lean on this single word constantly without sounding repetitive to a native speaker — it genuinely is used that flexibly.

Politeness Essentials

Hebrew speakers use these constantly, and getting comfortable with them will make every other interaction smoother.

Hebrew	Pronunciation	Meaning
בבקשה	Bevakasha	Please / You're welcome
תודה	Toda	Thank you
תודה רבה	Toda raba	Thank you very much
סליחה	Slicha	Excuse me / Sorry
אין בעד מה	Ein be'ad ma	Don't mention it
אני מצטער / מצטערת	Ani mitzta'er [m] / mitzta'eret [f]	I'm sorry
בכיף	Bekeif	Sure / Gladly (casual)

Note the overlap: בבקשה (Bevakasha) means both "please" and "you're welcome," depending on where it lands in a conversation. If someone thanks you and you respond with "Bevakasha," you're saying "you're welcome" — not repeating "please."

Everyday Questions and Answers

These phrases let you introduce yourself, ask basic questions, and respond when you don't understand something — which, as a beginner, happens more often than you'd like.

Introducing Yourself

Hebrew	Pronunciation	Meaning
איך קוראים לך?	Eich kor'im lecha? [m] / lach? [f]	What's your name?
קוראים לי...	Kor'im li...	My name is...
מאיפה אתה? / מאיפה את?	Me'eifo ata? [m] / At? [f]	Where are you from?
אני מ...	Ani mi...	I'm from...
בן כמה אתה? / בת כמה את?	Ben kama ata? [m] / Bat kama at? [f]	How old are you?

Asking and Answering

Hebrew	Pronunciation	Meaning
איפה...?	Eifo...?	Where is...?
כמה זה עולה?	Kama ze ole?	How much does this cost?
מה השעה?	Ma hasha'ah?	What time is it?
אני לא מבין / מבינה	Ani lo mevin [m] / mevina [f]	I don't understand
אתה מדבר אנגלית? / את מדברת אנגלית?	Ata medaber Anglit? [m] / At medaberet Anglit? [f]	Do you speak English?
אני לא יודע / יודעת	Ani lo yode'a [m] / yoda'at [f]	I don't know
כן	Ken	Yes
לא	Lo	No
אולי	Ulai	Maybe

A phrase worth memorizing early is אני לא מבין / מבינה (Ani lo mevin / mevina). Saying "I don't understand" in Hebrew, rather than switching straight to English, often makes the other person slow down or try simpler Hebrew instead — small effort, noticeably better result.

Ordering Food and Drink

Cafés and restaurants are where beginners get the most conversational practice, so this set of phrases earns its keep quickly.

Hebrew	Pronunciation	Meaning
אפשר לקבל...?	Efshar lekabel...?	Can I get...?
אני רוצה...	Ani rotze [m] / rotza [f]...	I want...
מים בבקשה	Mayim bevakasha	Water, please
החשבון בבקשה	Hacheshbon bevakasha	The bill, please
בתיאבון	Bete'avon	Enjoy your meal
טעים	Ta'im	Delicious

בתיאבון (Bete'avon) is a common expression used before or during a meal, roughly meaning "enjoy your meal" — comparable to how "bon appétit" functions in English.

Shopping and Getting Around

These phrases cover the practical side of daily life: buying things, negotiating, and finding your way.

Hebrew	Pronunciation	Meaning
יש לכם...?	Yesh lachem...?	Do you have...?
זה יקר מדי	Ze yakar midai	This is too expensive
אפשר הנחה?	Efshar hanacha?	Can I get a discount?
איפה השירותים?	Eifo hasherutim?	Where is the bathroom?
איך מגיעים ל...?	Eich magi'im le...?	How do I get to...?

The phrase אפשר הנחה? (Efshar hanacha?) can be useful when asking whether a seller can offer a discount, particularly in settings where prices may be negotiable. In fixed-price stores, however, discounts are generally less expected.

Emergency and Help Phrases

Hopefully you'll never need these, but they're worth learning before you need them, not during.

Hebrew	Pronunciation	Meaning
עזרה!	Ezra!	Help!
אני צריך עזרה / צריכה עזרה	Ani tzarich ezra [m] / tzricha ezra [f]	I need help
תתקשר למשטרה	Titkasher lamishtara	Call the police
תזמין אמבולנס	Tazmin ambulans	Call an ambulance
איפה בית חולים?	Eifo beit cholim?	Where is the hospital?

Wishing People Well

Israeli culture involves a lot of warm, ready-made expressions for good news, holidays, and celebrations. These round out a beginner's toolkit for everyday Hebrew phrases.

Hebrew	Pronunciation	Meaning
מזל טוב	Mazal tov	Congratulations
בהצלחה	Behatzlacha	Good luck
חג שמח	Chag sameach	Happy holiday
יום הולדת שמח	Yom huledet sameach	Happy birthday
להתראות בקרוב	Lehitraot bekarov	See you soon

How to Actually Start Using These Phrases

Knowing a list isn't the same as being able to use it in the moment. A few habits make the difference:

• Practice out loud, not just silently. Hebrew has sounds (like the "ch" in lo mevin or lehitraot) that need muscle memory, not just recognition.
• Group phrases by situation, not alphabetically. Reviewing all the "at a café" phrases together, for example, mirrors how you'll actually retrieve them in real life.
• Start conversations with the phrase, not a translation in your head. Say shalom first, not "how do I say hello" first — the habit of reaching for Hebrew directly is what builds fluency over time.
• Don't skip the gendered forms. Many beginners default to the masculine form out of habit, but using the correct form when addressing someone is a small detail that native speakers notice.

Conclusion

You don't need hundreds of words to start speaking Hebrew — you need the right basic Hebrew phrases and the confidence to use them.

The 50 phrases above cover greetings, politeness, everyday questions, food, shopping, emergencies, and well-wishes: the situations that make up most real-world conversation. Practice a handful at a time, use them out loud whenever you get the chance, and the rest will follow with use.

FAQ

Is it rude to use the masculine form when speaking to a woman, or vice versa?
It's not considered offensive, but it is noticeable. Native speakers will usually understand you and may gently correct you, so it's worth learning both forms for phrases you'll use often, like "How are you?"

Do I need to learn the Hebrew alphabet before learning these phrases?
No. The pronunciation guides here use Latin letters (transliteration), so you can start speaking these phrases immediately. Learning the alphabet later will help with reading signs, menus, and text messages.

Is "Shalom" used the same way everywhere in Israel?
Yes. "Shalom" is widely understood and commonly used as both a greeting and farewell in Modern Hebrew, in casual settings and many formal ones as well.

What's the difference between "Toda" and "Toda raba"?
"Toda" is a simple "thanks," while "Toda raba" ("thank you very much") is a bit more emphatic. Both are common in everyday speech.

Will these phrases work in both Israel and other Hebrew-speaking communities?
Modern Hebrew, as spoken in Israel today, is what's covered here. It's also understood by Hebrew speakers in Jewish communities worldwide, though everyday slang can vary by region.

Sources

These authoritative educational resources were consulted for information related to Modern Hebrew, grammar, orthography, transliteration, pronunciation, vocabulary, and language learning.

1. Academy of the Hebrew Language. Official resources covering Modern Hebrew language decisions, grammar, orthography, punctuation, and transliteration. Academy of the Hebrew Language – Language Decisions
2. University of Texas at Austin, Department of Middle Eastern Studies. Hebrew language learning resources and instructional materials for students and independent learners. UT Austin – Hebrew Program
3. University of Texas at Austin, Center for Open Educational Resources and Language Learning (COERLL). Open educational resources for Hebrew language learning, including vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, and conversational practice. UT Austin – Hebrew Language Learning Resources