Whether you’ve officially made Aliyah or have temporarily moved to Tel Aviv as a foreign worker, working in a new office with an unfamiliar setting can be intimidating, especially when it’s set in an entirely different language. Don’t unintentionally skip a meeting simply because you missed the Hebrew memo – Citizen Café Ulpan is here to save the day with a roundup of vital Hebrew phrases to help you get by in the workplace.
- “Sorry I’m late” = סליחה, שאני מאחר/ת (Slicha, she’ani me’acher/et)
- “Coffee break?” = ?הפסקת קפה (Hafsakat café?)
- “I’ll text you (by WhatsApp)” = אני אשלח לך ווטסאפ (Ani eshlach lecha (m) / lach (f) WhatsApp)
- “Coming for lunch?” = ?בא/ה לצהריים (Bah (m) / Ba’ah (f) le’tzohorayim)
- “Agreed!” = !סגור/ קבענו (Sagoor / Kavanu!)
- “I’ll be right with you” = אני כבר איתך (Ani kvar it’cha (m) / itach (f) )
- “Deadline” = דדליין (surprise! it’s also ‘deadline’)
Understanding key phrases used around the office can be as vital to a positive social experience in Tel Aviv as understanding what NOT to do when first moving to Israel.
So now that you have a better grasp on workplace lingo, it’s time to sign up for Citizen Café OOlpan at Mindspace to learn to speak to your Israeli coworkers more often. More information about our courses can be found here.
