How to say it in Hebrew
Tip #34

I am often asked ...

...how to say "he speaks fluent Hebrew"?
"Good Hebrew"
Let's start from "he speaks good Hebrew" - because there is one thing I want to point out here. How would you say it? Think, write it down, and then look at the correct answer! Look below - did you get it right?

הוּא מְדַבֵּר עִבְרִית טוֹבָה.

I hope I didn't surprise you. It's not a very natural sentence to say, but I wanted to make a point here - it's "tovA," not "tov." Hebrew is "a she." :) And it makes sense for me, somehow. :) Actually, all languages are feminine - אנגלית, ספרדית, צרפתית... This "-it" ending points to feminine gender.

*A more natural sentence would be -
הוּא מְדַבֵּר עִבְרִית יָפָה.
But there is a catch here! How do you read יפה in this sentence - "yafe" or "yafa?" The awesome (or awful?) truth is - it can be both!

Do you see why? How would the meaning of the two sentences differ then? Send me a reply with your answer! ;)

"He speaks fluent Hebrew"
Now we are prepared to say the phrase that concerns us most - "fluent Hebrew!"

So, how do we say "fluent"? We use the word שׁוֹטֵף in this sense, and you are prepared already to use the feminine version of it - עִבְרִית שׁוֹטֶפֶת.
Now you can say:אֲנִי מַבְטִיחַ לְדַבֵּר עִבְרִית שׁוֹטֶפֶת כְּבָר בְּשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה! :)
("I promise to speak fluent Hebrew next year!")
There is more to be said about the word שׁוֹטֵף. Actually, it means "running" about liquids, like in "running water!" Or "washing" and "rinsing" - anything that has to do with cleaning with running water.

Examples:שָׁטַפְתָּ אֶת הַפֵּרוֹת?
תִּשְׁטֹף אֶת הַיָּדַיִם, בְּבַקָּשָׁה!

*An interesting expression with this word and a virtual plague for freelancers is שׁוֹטֵף פְּלוּס שִׁשִּׁים - the practice to pay 60 (or 30) days after the the end of the month in which the work was performed, as many big companies do. I think there is no special English equivalent... just "the payment is due in 60 days" or something.
Well, this is it for today!

And I want to add - sometimes learning a language is a bit like שוטף+60. :) But if you stick to it - you'll see the results! And - unrelated wish - save your work often! ;)

Enjoy learning Hebrew!

Alisa
Tip #34
video
Learn Hebrew on the go!
Subscribe to "Hebrew Tips"