Tip #16

How to say it in Hebrew
Tip #16

I am often asked...

...and I love when I am asked! Questions are an opportunity - opportunity to open up for new things, opportunity to grow, opportunity to learn. And this weeks' newsletter is thanks to Kim's question - thank you, Kim, for the idea! :)

So - how do we say "time" in Hebrew?

So - how do we say "time" in Hebrew?

That's one of the first words we learn, of course! What can be difficult about that? Let's see...

"I don't have time for nonsense today" - אֵין לִי זְמַן לַשְּׁטֻיּוֹת הַיּוֹם
"Time is money" - זְמַן זֶה כֶּסֶף
He is tired all the time recently - הוּא עָיֵף כָּל הַזְּמַן בַּזְּמַן הָאַחֲרוֹן

*You may remember the famous line from the Bible - "time to be born and time to die," right? Isn't this the best example for using the word "time" - זמן? Well, not quite... because it this verse another word for "time" is used, the somewhat archaic word עת!
...עֵת לָלֶדֶת וְעֵת לָמוּת
(full text Heb Eng - compare! ;) )

But when you want to say "many times"...

... it's time to use another "time" word! We use the word "פעם" in this case - it can also be translated as "once" sometimes. My best tip is - זמן is a general word, פעם is more similar to "occasion."

Examples:
I saw this movie many times - רָאִיתִי אֶת הַסֶּרֶט הָזָה הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים
This time I can't help you - הַפַּעַם אֲנִי לֹא יְכוֹלָה לַעֲזֹר לְךָ
Each time I see him I am happy - כָּל פַּעַם שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ אֲנִי שְׂמֵחָה

Well, this is how it works... "Ehm, kind of late now, it's time to finish this newsletter and send it out... and what time is it now, by the way?" I am thinking.

Which gives me an idea that illustrates my last point!

I want YOU to tell me how to say "what time is it" in Hebrew - do we use the word זמן there? Don't we? If not, how do we say it?
Leave a comment here (under the post) and tell me!

Looking forward to reading your comments,
Happy Hebrew-learning!

Alisa