Hebrew Nugget

Noa Lara Meir
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1 min read

One of the classic confusions in Hebrew is how we refer to a boyfriend or girlfriend. You might already know that it’s חבר (chah-ver) for a guy and חברה (chah-veh-rah) for a girl—but here’s the tricky part: these words also just mean… friend!

So how do you know if someone who says “הלכתי לסרט עם החברה שלי” means they went to the movies with a friend or with their special someone?

The answer, my friends, isn’t just blowing in the wind—it’s hidden in the magical “ה” הידיעה (the definite article ha-). If someone says החבר שלי (ha-chaver sheli) or החברה שלי (ha-chavera sheli), you can safely assume they’re talking about their partner, not just a friend.

Little letters, big impact! 😉

About the Author

Noa Lara Meir is a Poet, content writer, and ex-circus artist. A Hebrew teacher at Citizen Café, she loves East Coast autumns, Leonard Cohen’s music, and all things sushi.

Noa Lara Meir

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Hebrew Nugget:

Love or Friendship? Hebrew’s Hidden Clue

One of the classic confusions in Hebrew is how we refer to a boyfriend or girlfriend. You might already know that it’s חבר (chah-ver) for a guy and חברה (chah-veh-rah) for a girl—but here’s the tricky part: these words also just mean… friend! So how do you know if someone who says “הלכתי לסרט עם החברה שלי” means they went to the movies with a friend or with their special someone? The answer, my friends, isn’t just blowing in the wind—it’s hidden in the magical “ה” הידיעה (the definite article ha-). If someone says החבר שלי (ha-chaver sheli) or החברה שלי (ha-chavera sheli), you can safely assume they’re talking about their partner, not just a friend. Little letters, big impact! 😉