Cafe and restaurant in Hebrew
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen. Play the ten Hebrew words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Hebrew phrases in this lesson
- ืฉืืืื ืืฉื ืืืshul-KHAN le-shna-YIM
- A table for two
- ืืชืคืจืื, ืืืงืฉืha-ta-FRY, beh-va-ka-SHA
- The menu, please
- ืื ืืชื ืืืืืฅ?mah a-TA mam-LITS
- What do you recommend?
- ืื ื ืื ืืืื...a-NEE lo o-KHEL
- I don't eat...
- ืืฉ ืื ืืืจืืื ื...yesh li a-LER-gi-ya le
- I'm allergic to...
- ืืฉืจba-SAR
- Meat
- ืขืืฃof
- Chicken
- ืืdag
- Fish
- ืื ืืขืืzeh ta-YIM
- It's delicious
- ืืืืื!leh-KHAI-im!
- Cheers
Israeli restaurants are casual by default. Most seat themselves or a waiter points you to a table. Reservations matter only in touristy or high-end spots.
Most menus in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have English. Outside major cities, pointing at other diners' plates works well.
To a woman: ืืช ืืืืืฆื (at mam-li-TSA).
A woman says ืืืืืช (o-KHE-let). Many restaurants are kosher, so meat and dairy are not mixed.
Literally "it is tasty". Israelis compliment food readily and with enthusiasm. The superlative is "ze ta-yim lo mavir" (it's incredibly tasty).
Literally "to life", the Hebrew toast. You raise your glass, make eye contact and say it. Israelis mean it literally: it's a celebration of being alive together.