Plenty of Israelis speak English, and many will switch to it the moment they hear your accent. A few Hebrew phrases still change the trip. People warm up, conversations last longer, and you get to hear the country in its own language.
Here are the phrases that come up most, with English letters, the Hebrew, and what each one means.
A quick note on "I" and "you"
Many Hebrew verbs change with gender. A man says ani rotze (I want) and a woman says ani rotza. When you talk to one person, "you" is ata for a man and at for a woman. Where a phrase changes, both forms are below. If you mix them up, people will still understand you.
Greetings
- Shalom (שלום): hello, and also goodbye.
- Boker tov (בוקר טוב): good morning. The usual reply is boker or (בוקר אור), "morning of light".
- Erev tov (ערב טוב): good evening.
- Ma nishma? (מה נשמע?): what's up? A friendly answer: hakol beseder (הכל בסדר), all good.
- Shabbat shalom (שבת שלום): the greeting from Friday afternoon through Saturday.
Being polite
- Toda (תודה): thanks. Toda raba (תודה רבה): thanks a lot.
- Bevakasha (בבקשה): please, and also you're welcome.
- Slicha (סליחה): excuse me, or sorry.
- Ani lo mevin (man) or ani lo mevina (woman) (אני לא מבין / מבינה): I don't understand.
- Efshar yoter le'at? (אפשר יותר לאט?): could you say that more slowly?
Getting around
- Eifo...? (איפה...?): where is...? For example, eifo ha-sherutim? (איפה השירותים?): where are the restrooms?
- Kama ze ole? (כמה זה עולה?): how much is it?
- In a taxi, im mone, bevakasha (עם מונה, בבקשה): with the meter, please.
- Ha-autobus ha-ze nose'a le...? (האוטובוס הזה נוסע ל...?): does this bus go to...?
Cafés, restaurants and the market
- Efshar tafrit? (אפשר תפריט?): could I have a menu?
- Ani rotze (man) or ani rotza (woman) (אני רוצה): I'd like... Add what you want: ani rotza hafuch, I'd like a hafuch, the Israeli take on a latte.
- Bli charif (בלי חריף): without the hot sauce.
- Efshar et ha-cheshbon? (אפשר את החשבון?): could we have the check?
- At the market, kama ze ha-kilo? (כמה זה הקילו?): how much per kilo?
Say them out loud before you go
Reading a phrase and saying it to a busy waiter are two different things. Practice each one out loud a few times, ideally in a short back-and-forth, so the words come out without a pause when you need them.
That's what Verbalta is for. You talk through situations like ordering, asking the way or chatting with a taxi driver with a Hebrew coach, on any phone or computer, with English letters and translations on screen until you don't need them.