Project Description
With all the delicious food in Israel, it’s important to exercise if you want to stay fit! Here are some useful Hebrew words that will come in handy when you’re working out in the Holy Land.
1. Fitness
Hebrew translation: כּוֹשֶׁר
Transliteration: koh-sher
The Hebrew word for fitness is very similar to the word כָּשֵׁר (kah-sher), which you’ve surely heard before even if you don’t know any Hebrew at all. Kosher literally means it is food that is “fit” to be eaten according to Jewish law.
You might hear Israelis say: אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת כּוֹשֶׁר — literally meaning, “I’m going to do fitness.” It means the same thing as “I’m going to work out” in English.
2. Workout
Hebrew translation: אִמּוּן
Transliteration: ee-moon
The word אִמּוּן usually refers to a workout that you attend with a trainer, whether it’s in the gym, at the park, or at the beach.
3. Gym
Hebrew translation: חֲדַר כּוֹשֶׁר
Transliteration: chah-dar koh-sher (but most Israelis pronounce it cheh-der koh-sher)
In Hebrew, gym literally means “fitness room.”
4. Muscles
Hebrew translation: שְׁרִירִים
Transliteration: shreer-eem
You’ll probably hear fitness instructors using this word a lot. Hopefully you’ll hear Israelis tell you, “וואוו אֵיזֶה שְׁרִירִים” which means something like: “Wow, look at those muscles!”
5. To stretch
Hebrew translation: לַעֲשׂוֹת מְתִיחוּת
Transliteration: lah-ah-sote meh-tee-chote
It’s always important to stretch before a good workout. To say “I am stretching,” you would say: אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה מְתִיחוּת
6. To run
Hebrew translation: לָרוּץ
Transliteration: lah-rootz
In the present tense, you would say רָץ (male) or רָצָה (female) — rahtz / rahtzah. As in: הוּא רָץ מַהֵר — meaning “He runs fast.” Perhaps the most useful phrase, however, is: אֲנִי שׂוֹנֵא לָרוּץ— “I hate to run.”
7. Yoga
Hebrew translation: יוֹגָה
Transliteration: yoh-gah
Here’s a nice and easy one! The word for yoga is the same in English and Hebrew. The word for “yoga studio” is also easy to remember:סְטוּדְיוֹ לַיּוֹגָה— studio le yoga.
8. Yoga mat
Hebrew translation: מִזְרָן
Transliteration: meez-rahn (most Israelis pronounce it meez-rone)
Hilariously, Israelis call it mattress, like a bed mattress. If you want to be more specific, you may say מִזְרַן יוֹגָה— literally, “yoga mattress.” Either way, try to not fall asleep 😜
9. To breathe
Hebrew translation: לִנְשֹׁם
Transliteration: Leen-shohm
Don’t forget to breathe when you’re working out! You may hear instructors say: לִנְשֹׁם דֶּרֶךְ הָאַף— “Breathe through the nose.”
10. Inhale
Hebrew translation: לִשְׁאֹף
Transliteration: Leesh-ohf
Take a deep inhale, then don’t forget to…
11. Exhale
Hebrew Translation: לִנְשֹׁף
Transliteration: Leen-shohf
It’s annoying, but inhale and exhale sound very similar in Hebrew. Listen carefully to know which one your instructor is telling you to do!
12. I’m sore!
Hebrew translation: כּוֹאֲבִים לִי הַשְּׁרִירִים
Transliteration: koh-ah-veem lee ha-shreer-eem
If you had a hard workout and want to say you are sore, you literally say: “My muscles hurt.”
13. Nap
Hebrew Translation: שנַ”צ
Transliteration: shnahtz
This Hebrew word is an abbreviation for שְׁנַת צָהֳרַיִם — literally meaning “afternoon sleep.” It’s one of the many common Hebrew slang terms that originated from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
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