PodcastsEducationStreetwise Hebrew

Streetwise Hebrew

TLV1 Studios
Streetwise Hebrew
Latest episode

500 episodes

  • Streetwise Hebrew

    #450 Trust Me

    2026/06/30 | 11 mins.
    So how many times have you heard the sentence, "סמוך עליי, trust me, everything will be okay"? Guy explains the סמוך culture.
    Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon
     
    New Words and Expressions:
    Lismoch al mishehu – To trust someone, to count on someone – לסמוך על מישהו
    Tismoch alai, smoch alai – Trust me (m.) – תסמוך עליי, סמוך עליי
    Tismechi alai, smechi alai – Trust me (f.) – תסמכי עליי, סמכי עליי
    Tismechoo alai, smechoo alai – Trust me (pl.) – תסמכו עליי, סמכו עליי
    "Yalkoot ha-kzavim" – Tall tales collection – ילקוט הכזבים
    Al tid'ag, smoch – Don't worry, count on me – אל תדאג, סמוך
    Tarboot ha-smoch – The 'smoch' culture – תרבות הסמוך
    Shkivot smicha – Push-ups – שכיבות סמיכה
    Samchoot – Authority – סמכות
    Samchoot horit – Parental authority – סמכות הורית
    Mismach – Document – מסמך
    Simoochin – Evidence, reference – סימוכין
    Lehasmich mishehu – To authorize someone to do something – להסמיך מישהו
    Hasmacha – Authorization, certification – הסמכה
    Moosmach – Authorized, licensed – מוסמך
    Achot moosmechet – Registered nurse – אחות מוסמכת
     
    Playlist and Clips:
    Jane Bordeaux – Tismoch Alai (lyrics)
    Static & Eden Ben-Zaken – Ha-peshah ha-mooshlam (lyrics)
    Shemtov Levy – Yachol Lihyot She-zeh Nigmar (lyrics)
    Lahakat Ha-Gadna – Smoch al ha-doda
    Shkivot Smicha
    Michal Daliot – Samchoot – Authority
    Achot moosmechet – Registered nurse
    Makor Rishon newspaper about the book yalkoot ha-kzavim
    Ep. no. 23 HEB about the imperative
    Ep. no. 24 HEB about yihiye beseder, it will be just fine
    Ep. no. 30 HEB about hafif
  • Streetwise Hebrew

    #117 Ya Habibi! Streetwise Hebrew Gets Affectionate

    2026/06/23 | 9 mins.
    The root חבב, which gives us the word חביבי, is all about affection. Guy explains what it's got to do with gay Tel Avivi speech and Ashdod in the 80's.
    Hear the All-Hebrew Episode
     
    New Words and Expressions:
    Habibi (Arabic) – My darling (m.) – חביבי
    Habibti (Arabic) – My darling (f.) – חביבתי
    Haviv – Pleasant, nice – חביב
    Haya haviv – It was nice – היה חביב
    Acharon acharon haviv – Last but not least (m.) – אחרון אחרון חביב
    Achrona achrona haviva – Last but not least (f.) – אחרונה אחרונה חביבה
    Ya habibi, lama ata ko'es? – Sweetie, why are you angry? – יא חביבי, למה אתה כועס
    Haviv ha-kahal – Crowd favorite – חביב הקהל
    Hu hovev tango – He likes tango – הוא חובב טנגו
    Zamar hovev – Amateur singer – זמר חובב
    Ani mechabev dvarim ka'ele – I like these kinds of things – אני מחבב דברים כאלה
    Hu kvar hithabev al kulam – Everybody already likes him – הוא התחבב על כולם
    Tachbiv – Hobby – תחביב
    Chiba – Affection – חיבה
    Shem chiba / Kinooy chiba – Pet name – שם חיבה / כינוי חיבה
    Hubb (Arabic) – Love – חוב – حب
    Haboob, habooba (Arabic) – Sweetie, darling – חבוב, חבובה
     
    Playlist and Clips:
    Omer Adam & Arisa – Tel Aviv (lyrics)
    Lahakat Ha-nachal – Achron Haviv (lyrics)
    Zamarim hovevim – Amateur singers
    Arik Einstein – Agadat Desheh (lyrics)
    Elissa – Halet Hubb
    Ilan – Dai Lach Habuba
    Ep. no. 16 about cursing drivers HEB
  • Streetwise Hebrew

    #118 How to Fall for Your Hebrew Teacher

    2026/06/16 | 10 mins.
    The root נפל is all about falling – ליפול means "to fall." It's used in so many different expressions it can be easy to forget where it came from. Guy takes us through the most common usages, taking us from meteors to waterfalls to shooting down planes.
    Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon
     
    New Words and Expressions:
    Hu nafal – He fell – הוא נפל
    Nafalta hazak – You really went down hard – נפלת חזק
    Kocha nofel – Falling star – כוכב נופל
    Lipol – To fall – ליפול
    Nafalti al mis'ada tova – I stumbled upon a good restaurant – נפלתי על מסעדה טובה
    Ma hu nafal alai achshav – Why is he coming at me now? – מה הוא נפל עליי עכשיו
    Ma nafal aleycha ha-yom – What's the matter with you today? – מה נפל עליך היום
    Nafalta al ha-sechel / ha-rosh? – Are you out of your mind? – נפלת על השכל / הראש
    "Im yipol ha-kochav sheli" – If my star falls – אם ייפול הכוכב שלי
    Eize nefila – What a flop – איזה נפילה
    Eich nafalnu im ha-mis'ada ha-zot – We really picked the wrong restaurant – איך נפלנו עם המסעדה הזאת
    Nefila chofshit – Free fall – נפילה חופשית
    Nofel – The fallen (soldier) – נופל
    Hu nafal ba-milchama – He fell in the war – הוא נפל במלחמה
    "Kmo hatul ani nofel al ha-raglayim" – Like a cat I land on my feet – כמו חתול אני נופל על הרגליים
    Nafal lecha ha-kesef – You dropped your money – נפל לך הכסף
    Nafla lach ha-mitriya – You dropped your umbrella – נפלה לך המטרייה
    Naflu lachem ha-kartisim – Your tickets fell out – נפלו לכם הכרטיסים
    Hu hitnapel al mishehu – He attacked someone – הוא התנפל על מישהו
    Eize hitnaplut al ha-ochel – Everyone jumped on the food – איזה התנפלות על האוכל
    Lehapil – To knock over, to drop – להפיל
    Hi hipila – She had a miscarriage / abortion – היא הפילה
    Hapala – Miscarriage / Abortion – הפלה
    "Mapil" – Hilarious – מפיל
    Ha-matos hupal – The plane was shot down – המטוס הופל
    Mapal – Waterfall – מפל
    Nefel – Dud – נפל
     
    Playlist and Clips:
    Eifo Ha-yeled – Nafalta Hazak (lyrics)
    Gidi Gov – Yesh Ey Sham (lyrics)
    Tofa'at Dopler – Lipol al Gan Eden (lyrics)
    Ben El Tavori – Ole Ole (lyrics)
    Ilanit – Im Yipol Ha-kochav Sheli (lyrics)
    Yehuda Poliker – Ahava al Tnai (lyrics)
    Ep. no. 103 about sting / prick HEB
  • Streetwise Hebrew

    #449 Air It Out

    2026/06/02 | 13 mins.
    The Hebrew word for air is אוויר, while אווירה is atmosphere/ambience. There are other interesting words taken from אוויר, like fluffy or ceiling fan.
    Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon
     
    New Words and Expressions:
    Mezeg avir – Weather – מזג אוויר
    Le'avrer et ha-heder – To air out the room – לאוורר את החדר
    Hu me'avrer et ha-bayit – He airs out the house – הוא מאוורר את הבית
    Le'avrer et ha-rosh – To clear one's head – לאוורר את הראש
    Me'avrer – Fan, ventilator – מאוורר
    Me'avrer tikra – Ceiling fan – מאוורר תקרה
    Mazgan – Air conditioning – מזגן
    Ivroor – Airing, ventilation – אוורור
    "Ein po avir, ani potachat halon" – There's no air in here, I am opening the window – אין פה אוויר, אני פותחת חלון
    "Hayavim le'avrer, eich ata yashen kacha?" – We've got to air out the room, how do you sleep like this? – חייבים לאוורר, איך אתה ישן ככה
    Ma'arechet ha-ivroor – The ventilation system – מערכת האוורור
    Ha-heder lo me'oovrar – The room is not ventilated – החדר לא מאוורר
    Ha-dira me'oovreret – The apartment is airy – הדירה מאווררת
    Lehitavrer – To air oneself out – להתאוורר
    Ani hayav hofesh, lehitavrer ktsat – I need a vacation to get some fresh air – אני חייב חופש, להתאוורר קצת
    Hoofshat hit'avreroot – A vacation to clear your mind – חופשת התאווררות
    Hel ha-avir – Air Force – חיל האוויר
    Avira – Atmosphere, ambience – אווירה
    Yesh sham avira kefit – There's a fun atmosphere there – יש שם אווירה כיפית
    Kav aviri – Direct distance / As the crow flies – קו אווירי
    Be-kav aviri ha-batim shelanoo lo rechokim, aval ba-oto ze yikach lecha sha'ah – Our houses aren't far apart as the crow flies, but by car, it will take you an hour. – בקו אווירי הבתים שלנו לא רחוקים, אבל באוטו זה ייקח לך שעה
    Shayara avirit – Air convoy – שיירה אווירית
    Ha-taasiya ha-avirit Le-Israel – Israeli Aerospace Industries – התעשייה האווירית לישראל
    Ugah avririt – Fluffy cake – עוגה אוורירית
    Aviron – Plane – אווירון
     
    Playlist and Clips:
    Gidi Gov – Ne'echaz Ba-avir (lyrics)
    Me'avrer tikra – Ceiling fan
    Kan TV – Hel Avir (Air Force)
    Omer Adam – Avira shel Sof (lyrics)
    Ha-taasiya Ha-avirit – The aerospace industry
    13TV – Ugah avririt
    Ilanit – Red Elenu Aviron (lyrics)
    Zemereshet – Aviron
    Ep. no. 75 about weather HEB
    Ep. no. 337 about mazgan, aircon HEB
    Ep. no. 392 about kivoon, direction HEB
  • Streetwise Hebrew

    #116 Get Up Close and Personal with Your Hebrew

    2026/05/26 | 9 mins.
    As soon as you get close to the root קרב you realize there's much to learn: From family members, to boxing matches, to intestines. Guy helps to make sense of it all, including how it relates to the Aussie TV show "Home and Away."
    Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon
     
    New Words and Expressions:
    Karov, krova, krovim, krovot – Close – קרוב, קרובה, קרובים, קרובות
    "Nachon at krova" – It's true, you're close – נכון, את קרובה
    Krov mishpacha – Relative – קרוב משפחה
    Krovei mishpacha – Relatives – קרובי משפחה
    Hu karov sheli – He's my relative – הוא קרוב שלי
    Kirvat dam – Blood relation – קרבת דם
    Karov rachok – Distant relative – קרוב רחוק
    Be-karov – Soon – בקרוב
    Mi-karov – Closely – מקרוב
    Lekarev – To bring closer – לקרב
    "Ata yachol lekarev et ha-salat ktsat?" – Can you move the salad a bit closer? – אתה יכול לקרב את הסלט קצת
    Mekoravim – Entourage, associates – מקורבים
    Lehitkarev – To come near – להתקרב
    Hitkarvut – Rapprochement – התקרבות
    Lehakriv – To sacrifice – להקריב
    Korban – Sacrifice – קורבן
    Lehitkarben – To behave as if you're a victim – להתקרבן
    Hitkarbenut – Behaving as if you're a victim – התקרבנות
    "Ha-korban ha-ultimativi hu adam she-makriv et atsmo lema'an acherim" – The ultimate sacrifice is someone who gives himself up for the sake of others – הקורבן האולטימטיבי הוא אדם שמקריב את עצמו למען אחרים
    Hakrava – Self sacrifice – הקרבה
    Krav – Battle – קרב
    Krav igruf – Boxing match – קרב איגרוף
    Sde krav – Battlefield – שדה קרב
    Krav maga – Israeli self defence technique – קרב מגע
    Du krav – Duel – דו-קרב
    "Hem hayu chayalim kraviyim" – They were combat soldiers – הם היו חיילים קרביים
    Sherut kravi – Combat service – שירות קרבי
    Jobnik – Soldier who works in an office – ג'ובניק
    Be-kerev – Among – בקרב
    Toda mi-kerev lev – Thanks from the bottom of my heart – תודה מקרב לב
    Kravayim – Intestines – קרביים
     
    Playlist and Clips:
    Daniel Salomon – Ahava (lyrics)
    Noa Ben-Hagai – Kirvat Dam Documentary
    Krovim Krovim
    Assaf Amdursky – Yakirati (lyrics)
    Arik Einstein – Sus Etz (lyrics)
    Riki Kitaro – Al Tihyu Korban
    Efrat Gosh – Krav Igruf (lyrics)
    Krav maga
    The Voice – Du krav (duel)
    TV11 – Hayalim kraviyim
    Ep. 230 about lehitmasken, to pretend to be miserable HEB
    Ep. 333 about leha'avir, pass HEB
More Education podcasts
About Streetwise Hebrew
A bite-size podcast showcasing modern Hebrew and its slang. Host Guy Sharett explains what we can learn about Israeli psyche, society, and culture through the Hebrew language.
Podcast website

Listen to Streetwise Hebrew, The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features
Streetwise Hebrew: Podcasts in Family